Student Research Reports
Effects of Nitrate Levels on the Dissolved Oxygen Levels in the Ottawa River
Organization(s):Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School
Country:United States of America
Student(s):Jillian Parsons, Shivani Pindiprolu
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
Educator(s):Gloria Kreischer Gajewicz
Contributors:
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrates, Water Temperature
Presentation Poster:
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Language(s):English
Date Submitted:03/04/2025

Dissolved oxygen is crucial to aquatic life as organisms need it to breathe and survive in their environment, and is also a way to determine the condition of an ecosystem due to this fact. Nitrate is also critical for aquatic animals as they serve as a vital nutrient for aquatic plants, which produce oxygen through photosynthesis, and are an important food source for many freshwater animals. However, eutrophication can sometimes occur with excess nitrate levels and, thus, the concentration of nitrates are a vital aspect of an aquatic ecosystem’s health. This study examines the relationship of nitrates on dissolved oxygen levels, and predicts that after nitrate levels cross 1 mg/L, the dissolved oxygen levels will drop. The study included 6 total samples, 3 of which were above 20ºC and 3 below 20ºC. All samples were taken from the Ottawa River. Overall, an inverse relationship between nitrates and dissolved oxygen levels were determined from the data collected.