PrintWastewater characterization
Standard measurements used for wastewater characterization are listed in Figure 10.10. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) measures the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms in decomposing organic matter, whereas Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) measures the total oxygen consumption by organic and inorganic chemicals present in water. Both measurements relate to the level of contamination in wastewater, and they are used to gauge the effectiveness of the wastewater treatment processes. Other water quality parameters include the amount of suspended solids, hydrocarbon content, nitrogen content, phenols content, and acidity.
Figure 10.10. Measurements for characterization of wastewater.
Credit: Dr. Semih Eser © Penn State is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0