The Area of Water Surface as a Controlling Factor in the Condition of Polluted Harbor Waters

Abstract

The sources of oxygen required to meet the demand of the polluting matter in the waters of New York Harbor are discussed in this paper. It is shown that the air is the most important source of this oxygen which is obtained by direct absorption through the water surface. The conclusion is, that under aerobic conditions, oxygen dissolved in the harbor waters will be depleted by the demand of the polluting matter until a condition is reached where oxygen is absorbed from the air at the same rate at which it is abstracted by the fermenting material in the waters.