Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand, BOD, as it is commonly abbreviated, is one of the most important and useful parameters (measured characteristics) indicating the organic strength of a wastewater. BOD measurement permits an estimate of the waste strength in terms of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down the wastewater. The specifics of the analysis are discussed in detail in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The BOD test is one of the most basic tests used in the wastewater field. It is essentially a measure of the biological and the chemical component of the waste in terms of the dissolved oxygen needed by the natural aerobic biological systems in the wastewater to break down the waste under defined conditions. Generally the BOD test is carried out by determining the dissolved oxygen on the wastewater or a diluted mixture at the beginning of the test period, incubating the wastewater mixture at 20°C, and determining the dissolved oxygen at the end of 5 days. The difference in dissolved oxygen between the initial measurement and the fifth day measurement represents the biochemical oxygen demand.
While BOD describes the biological oxidation capacity of a wastewater, it is not a measure of the total potential oxidation of the organic compounds present in the wastewater. A number of chemical tests are used to measure this parameter, either in terms of the oxygen required for virtually complete oxidation, or in terms of the element carbon. Probably the most common test for estimating industrial wastewater strength is the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Test. This test essentially measures the chemical oxidation of the wastewater by a strong oxidizing agent in an acid solution. The value for the COD test is always greater than the BOD test and is not always a good indication of BOD values for the same waste.
A test which measures carbon and which is being used to a greater extent in
Biochemical Oxygen Demand, BOD, as it is commonly abbreviated, is one of the most important and useful parameters (measured characteristics) indicating the organic strength of a wastewater. BOD measurement permits an estimate of the waste strength in terms of the amount of dissolved oxygen required to break down the wastewater. The specifics of the analysis are discussed in detail in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The BOD test is one of the most basic tests used in the wastewater field. It is essentially a measure of the biological and the chemical component of the waste in terms of the dissolved oxygen needed by the natural aerobic biological systems in the wastewater to break down the waste under defined conditions. Generally the BOD test is carried out by determining the dissolved oxygen on the wastewater or a diluted mixture at the beginning of the test period, incubating the wastewater mixture at 20°C, and determining the dissolved oxygen at the end of 5 days. The difference in dissolved oxygen between the initial measurement and the fifth day measurement represents the biochemical oxygen demand.
While BOD describes the biological oxidation capacity of a wastewater, it is not a measure of the total potential oxidation of the organic compounds present in the wastewater. A number of chemical tests are used to measure this parameter, either in terms of the oxygen required for virtually complete oxidation, or in terms of the element carbon. Probably the most common test for estimating industrial wastewater strength is the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Test. This test essentially measures the chemical oxidation of the wastewater by a strong oxidizing agent in an acid solution. The value for the COD test is always greater than the BOD test and is not always a good indication of BOD values for the same waste.
A test which measures carbon and which is being used to a greater extent in