Question

What is bio chemical oxygen demand and how is it related with algal blooms?

Answer 1

The amount of oxygen required by decomposing microorganisms in a water sample and an important measure of water pollution.


Algal blooms make water cloudy and create unpleasant odors. Some algae produce toxins that poison fish and other aquatic organisms. Meanwhile, the photosynthetic activity of the algae and their eventual death encourages the growth of oxygen-consuming bacteria called decomposers. Thus, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the water tends to increase where algal blooms are present.