Revue des sciences chimiques

Model Development for pH, Salinity and Conductivity Monitoring and Predicting the Diffusion Concentration in Stagnant Water

Abstract

Ukpaka CP and Douglas IE

The research work presents the development of a mathematical model for predicting the diffusion of pH, salinity and conductivity in a stagnant water environment. The model was formulated from the basic principle of mass and momentum concept which was resolved to obtain an ordinary differential equation of y y p c (D c ) (VC) k t y ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ − = − − ∂ ∂ . A mathematical tool known as the least square method was applied to resolved the differential equation to a quadratic equation of the form; C=Dd2+Vd+kp. Five water samples were collected at a depth of ≤ 5 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm, 45 cm, and 60 cm, in the vicinity of the Asphalt plant Company, located at Enito 3, in Ahoada West L.G.A of River State. The samples were analyzed to determine their physiochemical parameters. Experimental data obtained from the analysis were fitted into the model to obtain their diffusivities and velocities of the parameters upon the influence of contaminants. Concentrations of the contaminants at the various depths were simulated and the polynomial of the curve was also established to ascertain the validity of the developed model. Simulated results from the model were compared analytically and graphically with the experimental and validated result as presented in the work. The results obtained show a reasonable level of agreement which is an indication of the reliability of the developed model for predicting the contaminant diffusion in stagnant water.