Biochemical oxygen demand

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-003139",
  "term": "Biochemical oxygen demand",
  "field": "Environment",
  "term_source": "Biochemical Oxygen Demand",
  "definition": "1. A measure of the oxygen required to break down organic materials in water. Higher organic loads require larger amounts of oxygen and may reduce the amount of oxygen available for fish and aquatic life below acceptable levels.\n\n2. The amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms (mainly bacteria) and by chemical reactions in the process of degrading organic matter in water.\n\n3. The amount of oxygen per unit volume of water required to bacterially or chemically oxidize (stabilize) the oxidizable matter in water. Biochemical oxygen demand measurements are usually conducted over specific time intervals (5, 10, 20, 30 days). The term BOD generally refers to a standard 5-day BOD test.\n\n4. A measure of the amount of oxygen consumed in the biological processes that break down organic matter in water. The greater the BOD, the greater the degree of pollution.\n\n5. A measurement of the amount of oxygen utilized by the decomposition of organic material, over a specified time period (usually 5 days) in a wastewater sample; it is used as a measurement of the readily decomposable organic content of a wastewater.\n\n6. The amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms (mainly bacteria) and by chemical reactions in the biodegradation of organic matter.\n\n7. An operational measure of potential for depletion of dissolved oxygen by the biological and chemical degradation of organic material by bacteria.\n\n8. A measurement of the amount of oxygen used by the decomposition of organic material, over a specified time (usually 5 days) in a wastewater sample; it is used as a measurement of the readily decomposable organic content of a wastewater.\n\n9. A quantitative measure of the strength of contamination by organic carbon materials.",
  "abbreviation": "bod",
  "subject": "Water",
  "references": [
    "Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms",
    "Watershed Protection Glossary",
    "Sediment Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Glossary",
    "Aquatic Biodiversity Glossary; Terms of Environment",
    "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Glossary",
    "Drinking Water Technical & Legal Terms",
    "Urban Watershed Management Research Terminology",
    "NPDES Permit Writers Manual Glossary",
    "Nonpoint Pollution Source from Agriculture Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/biochemical-oxygen-demand/"
}