FAQ’s – BOD and COD

1. Why COD is better than BOD?

Wastewater that is too hazardous for the BOD test can be tested using COD. Rather than serving as a BOD test substitution, the COD test must to be considered an independent assessment of the organic matter in a wastewater sample.

2. What is BOD vs COD vs TOC?

The conventional methods that are frequently used are Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). The oxygen-depleting effects of waste pollutants are measured by BOD and COD. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurement, which measures both organic and inorganic carbon directly, is the one exception to this rule.

3. What is the Difference between COD and BOD?

COD is the total amount of oxygen needed for chemical oxidation to break down organic materials. In contrast, BOD is the amount of oxygen needed by the microorganisms to break down organic matter in an aerobic environment.

4. Which is Faster BOD or COD?

The COD test is faster than the BOD test, which usually takes five days, and is not affected by harmful compounds. It just takes three hours. You must use potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) to prepare a number of standards before completing the COD test.

5. Why COD is Higher than BOD in Wastewater?

Since more organic chemicals can be chemically oxidized than biologically oxidized, COD is often higher than BOD. This includes substances that are harmful to living things, which is why COD tests are beneficial for analyzing industrial waste because BOD testing is unable to detect them.

The difference between BOD and COD is that BOD measures the quantity of oxygen consumed by aerobic microorganisms to break down organic matter in water whereas COD measures the amount of oxygen needed to chemically oxidize all organic and inorganic contaminants in water without the aid of microbes. A potent oxidizing agent is needed for COD. Unlike BOD, it completely oxidizes contaminants into CO₂ and H₂O. Furthermore, BOD tests take longer to complete than COD testing, which can be finished in a few hours. This article provides detailed information on the differences between BOD and COD.