BOD and significance of BOD
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Answer:
The biological oxygen demand (BOD) is also called biochemical oxygen demand. The BOD refers to the amount of oxygen required for the biotic degradation of organic matter in bodies of water. The BOD is a pollution parameter mainly to asses the quality of effluent or wastewater.The biochemical decomposition of organic substrates is carried out by microorganism. For this work the bacteria need energy. Aerobic bacteria, that do this work, need dissolved oxygen to produce energy. This oxygen is consumed in this process and the oxygen content in the water is reduced. If there is a lot of organic material present in the water, the oxygen demand is correspondingly high to carry out the decomposition. This oxygen is then lacking the plants and animals that also live in this water.
The water quality is controlled by the authorities to protect users form health and other adverse effects of poor water quality. A high BOD level can indicate the existence of faecal contamination. Or particulate and dissolved organic carbon from various sources, neither from human nor from animal. This kind of contamination can seriously affect human health and cause problems to the industry.
It is very important for every government to ensure a low BOD level in the effluent water leaving a sewage plant. As it is in public interest to have rivers, lakes and seas with a high level of dissolved oxygen. A low biochemical oxygen demand ensures that the dissolved oxygen is not only consumed by organisms from the wastewater. But that there is enough oxygen left for fish and plants.
To achieve this common goal, international agreements have been reached. Such as the Resolution II and the detailed plans of the UN, made after the United Nations Water Conference.
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❤.BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND[BOD]
- The amount of oxygen used by the suitable micro-organisms present in water during 5 days at 20degree C is called "Biochemical Oxygen Demand".