Jornal of kerbala university , vol. 10 no.3 scientific .
2012
Study of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in Relation to
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
BOD والحيوية لالوكسجينCOD دراسة العالقة بين المتطلبات الكيميائية
Hassony J . Abdulla Nadia K . Bashar Al- Quraeshi Firas Nabeeh . Jaafer Al-Awadi
Biology department / College of Science
University of Al- Mustansyria
الخالصة
(COD and BOD) لالوكسجٍي ِ هذا الثحس اجزي لذراسح العالقح تٍي الورطلثاخ الكٍوٍائٍح والحٍىٌح
قزب جسز الطالثٍح على-2 هي صذور قٌاجالجٍش-1:شالز عٌٍاخ هكزرج أخذخ هي هٌاطق هخرلفح لروصل الوٍاٍ فً هذٌٌح تغذاد
Anaerobic main holes effluent هي الفرحاخ الزئٍسٍح للوجاري قزب علىج الوخضز فً هذٌٌح جوٍلح-3 قٌاج الجٍش
هي ًهز-6 هي هٌطقح ذقاطع ًهز دٌالى هع ًهز دجلح جٌىب تغذاد-5 هي ًهز دٌالى قزب الزسروٍح-4 (Septic systems)
هعذالخ. فضالخ الوجاري هي هحطح الزسروٍح قثل هعاهلرها-8 هي ًهز دجلح قزب جسز االئوح-7 دجلح قزب جسز تاب الوعظن
( والوعادلحr = 0.9758 ) قٍن الورطلثاخ الكٍوٍائٍح والحٍىٌح لالوكسجٍي فً الوٌاطق الوذروسح تٌٍد وجىد عالقح هعٌىٌح عالٍح
: ىالرالٍح ذصف هذٍ العالقح
BOD= 6.1242 + 0.3142 ( COD ) + 0.0008 ( COD )²
تذاللح قٍن الورطلثاخ الكٍوٍائٍح لالوكسجٍيBODالوعادلح اعالٍ ٌوكي اى ذسرعول لرعٍي قٍن الورطلثاخ الحٍىٌح لالوكسجٍي
. ذحراض ساعح او ساعرٍيCOD ٌرطلة اكصز هي خوسح اٌام تٌٍواBOD اخرصارا للىقد والكلفح الى ذقذرCOD
Abstract
This investigation has been conducted to Study Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in
Relation to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).Three replicates samples were taken in
Baghdad city from :1 - From the water upper part of Army Channel , 2 –Near Al-Talbaia
Bridge on Army Channel , 3 - Anaerobic main holes effluent (Septic systems) near Vegetables
Station in Gamelia City , 4 –From Dyalia river near Ristmaia , 5 - From the intersection
between Tigris and Dyalia river southern Baghdad , 6 - From Tigris river Near Bab –Al –
Matham Bridge , 7- From Tigris river Near Al – AL-Aiemah Bridge and 8 –Waste water from
Ristmaia Station before treatment .
Mean values of COD and BOD in the investigated locations show strong relation with high value
of
correlation coefficient (r = 0.9758 ) and describe by the equation :
BOD= 6.1242 + 0.3142( COD ) + 0.0008 ( COD )²
The above formula used to estimate BOD depending on COD . The COD test can be run in a
couple of hours instead of five days to determine BOD .
____________________________________________
Key words: COD , BOD , estimated , relationship
Introduction
Aquatic animals such as fish depend on dissolved oxygen , higher levels of dissolved oxygen
are necessary for fish respiration .The amount of dissolved oxygen in water is dependent on the
water temperature, the quantity of sediment in the stream, the amount of oxygen taken out of the
system by respiring and decaying organisms, and the amount of oxygen put back into the system by
photosynthesizing plants, stream flow, and aeration. Dissolved oxygen is measured in milligrams
per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm). The temperature of stream water influences the amount
of dissolved oxygen present; less oxygen dissolves in warm water than cold water. For this reason,
there is cause for concern for streams with warm water. Trout need DO levels in excess of 8
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Jornal of kerbala university , vol. 10 no.3 scientific . 2012
mg/liter, striped bass prefer DO levels above 5 mg/l, and most warm water fish need DO in excess
of 2 mg/L (1).
Measuring organic and inorganic carbon in surface and ground waters is of great interest to assess
quality of life in many ecosystems (2). In pollution abatement works, organic carbon measurement
provides a quick and simple method for monitoring pollution levels as well as the accumulation of
non biodegradable or refractory organic materials (2).
Under the ecological point of view, organic and inorganic carbon measurements give quantitative
information about the carbon cycle and productivity of natural bodies of water. In environmental
engineering, measurement of organic carbon provides a non-specific measure for monitoring
potentially toxic organic materials in natural waters (3). Septic systems, and agricultural and urban
runoff, acts as a food source for water-borne bacteria. Bacteria decompose these organic materials
usingdissolvedoxygen,thusreducingtheDO present for fish(3).
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen that bacteria will
consume while decomposing organic matter under aerobic conditions (4). It is the amount of
dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic
material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period. The
term also refers to a chemical procedure for determining this amount. This is not a precise
quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication of the organic quality of water (5).
Dissolved Oxygen average to 4.0 mg/l minimum and
Higherlevelsofdissolvedoxygenarenecessaryforfishrespiration.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) are the major
parameters used as routine surrogate tests for measuring the load of organic carbon into the
environment (6) .
To measure oxygen demand, the BOD method relies on enzymes produced by bacteria to catalyze
the oxidation of organic matter during a five-day incubation period. In contrast, COD methods use
chemical oxidants to oxidize organic matter. BOD simulates the actual treatment process by
measuring the organic material that can be oxidized with the oxygen in the sample when catalyzed
by bacterial enzymes. Although COD is comparable to BOD, COD actually mea sures chemically
oxidizable matter (7).
The benefits of COD testing are often significant. BOD analysis is performed mainly to satisfy
permit requirements.With COD analysis, however, early knowledge of the strength of incoming
water allows plant operators to optimize treatment processes, because the value measured provides
a quantitive estimate of everything currently in the waste stream that can be oxidized. Because the
COD test can be run in a couple of hours instead of five days, it gives the operator a more timely
idea of loadings entering the plant and how the plant is performing, thereby permitting closer
operational control of the treatment process. Technicians are able to quickly respond to changes in
oxygen demand and adjust treatment processes accordingly. In this study , therefore to save time
and expense COD values could be used to estimate BOD values by using the best fitting equation
describe the relationship between BOD and COD (7).
Material and Method
Three replicates samples were taken from :
1. From the water upper part of Army Channel.
2. Near Al-Talbaia Bridge on Army Channel.
3. Anaerobic main holes effluent (Septic systems) near Vegetables Station in Gamelia City.
4. From Dyalia river near Ristmaia.
5. From the intersection between Tigris and Dyalia river southern Baghdad.
6. From Tigris river Near Bab –Al –Motham Bridge.
7. From Tigris river Near Al – Aiemah Bridge.
8. Waste water from Ristmaia Station before treatment .
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Jornal of kerbala university , vol. 10 no.3 scientific . 2012
The samples were filtered by Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) tests were performed as
recommended in an open reflux method, and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) by the 5-day
test
with azide modification using the Winkler method for DO measurement (8,9). SPSS and
CurveExpert 1.3 computer programs, also have been used for statistic analysis and interpretation the
results.
Results and Discussion:
Table (1)Mean values (mean ± S.E) of COD and BOD in the investigated locations in Baghdad
city .
Sample *Mean , BOD ( ppm , O2) ± S.E Mean , COD ( ppm, O2)± S.E
location
1 8.67 ± 1.20 28.33 ± 2.03
2 26.00 ± 2.31 98.33 ± 1.20
3 116.33 ± 5.78 256.33 ± 20.34
4 49.33 ± 3.48 124.67 ± 7.8
5 45.33 ± 3.18 114.67 ± 5.89
6 30.67 ± 0.88 101.67 ± 4.40
7 26.30 ± 4.91 96.33 ± 6.36
8 126.00 ± 3.06 227.67 ± 19.37
*Mean ± Standard Error( S.E )
Figure (1) Shows the relationship between COD and BOD values .
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Jornal of kerbala university , vol. 10 no.3 scientific . 2012
The following equation describes the relationship between COD and BOD values . This equation
shows strong relation as can be seen by the high value of correlation coefficient (r = 0.9758 ) .
Y = 6.1242 + 0.3142X + 0.0008X² r = 0.9758 ( Combined by the authors)
Where Y = BOD value ( ppm , O2) and X = COD value ( ppm , O2)
The above equation could be used to estimate BOD depending on COD The COD test can be run in
a couple of hours instead of five days that BOD needs to be determined.
As example of estimating the corresponding value of BOD value from 25 ( ppm , O2) COD value :
Y = 6.1242 + 0.3142X + 0.0008X²
= 6.1242 + 0.3142(25) + 0.0008 ( 25) ²
= 6.1242 + 7.855+0.5
Y ( BOD)= 14.4792 ( ppm , O2)
Conclusion
The equation : BOD= 6.1242 + 0.3142 ( COD )+ 0.0008 ( COD )² has been found good to estimate
BOD depending on COD . COD test can be run in a couple of hours instead of five days that BOD
needs to be determined.
References
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