There are many possible sources of dissolved oxygen and oxygenates in a steam-cracking plant. Traces of dissolved oxygen can enter a distillation column along with the feedstock or the water used for quenching or any additives. The concentration of dissolved oxygen in the feedstock of the distillation column plays a significant role in the fouling growth rate. To investigate this sensitivity, we sample the dissolved oxygen concentration in the feedstock by a factor to its saturated concentration: 1 (feedstock contains saturated oxygen), 10 -1 , 10 -2 , 10 -3 (parts per million level), 10 -4 , 10 -5 , 10 -6 (parts per billion level), and 0 (no oxygen in the feedstock). The system is simulated for 1 year (representative industrial fouling 32 timescale). The results of this sensitivity study are shown in Fig. .