Effects of Biological Films on BOD Decay Rates in Rivers

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Abstract
The measured dissolved oxygen sag below a paper-mill outfall could only be modelled if the BOD decay rate was assumed to be an order of magnitude greater than expected. Subsequently other cases of anomalously high decay rates have been found. A method was developed for measuring the separate factors of bacterial respiration and photosynthesis by attached and suspended organisms. Results confirmed that the decay rate is enhanced by the presence of an active biological film covering submerged surfaces. The prediction of decay rates in similar circumstances is complicated by two factors, the estimation of the active film surface area and the dependence of the film activity on both nutrient concentration and water velocity. The paper relates these phenomena to laboratory studies and shows how these factors affect the predictions of management models.

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