Direct measurement of oxygen in river substrates

A study was conducted to establish if river substratum dissolved oxygen ( DO ) could be measured directly. Hitherto, such measurements have been carried out by proxy and indirect methods or by direct methods following installation of cores/tubes into the streambed. Redox potential ( Eh ) readings were also taken at most of the sites for comparison. The overall conclusion is that a reliable, off‐the‐shelf instrumental method of directly measuring DO in river substrates has been tested in laboratory and field conditions. The Eh meter, per contra , did give aberrant results for some measurements particularly in the field but had the advantage of a slimmer probe for easier penetration into substrata. The measurement technique, to determine river interstitial sediment O 2 , is a simple and quick direct in situ method that produces reliable results.