Abstract
Biochemical oxygen demand, combined with chemical oxygen demand ratios, provide a profile that can be used in the interpretation of an effluent water system's environmental health. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) are commonly used as parameters for determining the degradation of organic compounds. The biological oxygen demand testing measures only the biodegradable part of an organic waste process. BOD parameters are an indication of the ability for specified microorganisms to oxidize available organic matter. The chemical oxygen demand provides a means of measurement of the environmental health of the system in terms of the oxygen demand placed upon organic matter needed for degradation. Both BOD and COD parameters have been investigated for straight oil, water-soluble chlorinated oil, and water-based synthetic type metalworking lubricants to determine their degree of biodegradation within a waste system such as found in industrial effluents. Results indicate that the petroleum oil-containing systems exhibit a generally low initial BOD value, while COD values are high. Synthetic compounds tested exhibit the opposite profile — high BOD values, low COD values — indicating that synthetic systems are more easily oxidized and degraded in an aqueous matrix than conventional petroleum-base compounds. This trend indicates active bacterial action to achieve degradation of organics without placing a strong chemical demand on the effluent. It has therefore been observed that BOD/COD testing does enable environmental monitoring and a degree of bio-degradability to be established for organic systems.
Published Version
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