Determination of Chemical Oxygen Demand in Water

EXPERIMENT 4
DETERMINATION OF CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND IN WATER
1. OBJECTIVE
To determine the chemical oxygens demand of the given wastewater samples.
2. INTRODUCTION
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is used to determine the quantity of pollution in

water after wastewater treatment. The higher he values of the chemical oxygen demand
indicates the higher organic pollution in the water sample. Only chemically digest able
matter can be determined by the COD test.
COD determination takes less time than the Biological Oxygen Demand (COD)
test. COD is recommended where the polluted water has toxicity and organic matter can’t
be determined by biological oxygen demand and useful in water effluent treatment plants.
However, it doesn’t differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable organic
matter in samples.
3. MATERIALS AND APPARATUS
3.1 Reagent
(a) Digestion solution
(b) Sulphuric and reagent
3.2 Apparatus
(a) Blender
(b) 10 ml pipettes
(c) Beaker
(d) DR200 Reactor
(e) DR2800 Spectrophotometer
4. PROCEDURE
4.1 Homogenize 100 ml of sample for 30 seconds in a blender. For samples

containing large number of solids, increase the homogenization time.
4.2 DRB 200 Reactor was turn on and preheated to 150 °C.
4.3 The cap of a COD Digestion Reagent Vial was removed for the appropriate range.
4.4 The vial was hold at a 45-degree angle. Pipet 2.00 mL (0.2 mL for the 0 to 15,000
mg/L range) of sample was added into the vial.
4.5 The vial cap was tightly closed, and the vial was hold by the cap. It was inverted
gently several times to mix the contents. The vial is placed in the preheated DRB
200 Reactor.
4.6 Blank was prepared by repeating Steps 3 to 6, exchanged 2.00 mL (0.2 mL for the
0 to 15,000 mg/L range) deionized water for the sample.
4.7 The vials heated for 2 hours.
4.8 The reactor was turn off and waited about 20 minutes for the vials to cool to 120
°C or less.
4.9 Each vial was inverted several times while still warm and placed into a rack. The
vials were waited until cooled to room temperature.
COLORIMETRIC DETERMINATION
i. The ultra-low range is selected, low range or high range test. The Light Shield is installed
in Cell Compartment.
The outside of the vials is cleaned with a damp towel followed by a dry one.
ii. The blank is inserted into the 16mm cell holder.
iii. Button ZERO is pressed. The display will show: 0.0mg/l COD.
iv. The sample vial is inserted into the 16mm cell holder.
v. Button READ is pressed. Results are in mg/l COD.
vi. If using High Range Plus COD Digestion Vials, multiply the result by 10. For most
accurate results with samples near 1500 or 15000 mg/l COD, repeat the analysis with a
diluted sample.
5.0 RESULTS
Sample Reading (mg/L)
Blank 0
S1 1575
S2 1683
S3 1738
S4 A 1528
S4 B 1687
S5 A 1691
S5 B 1592
S6 A 1832
S6 B 1798
AVERAGE SUMMATION OF READING OF

SAMPLE / NUMBER OF SAMPLE
= 15124/10
=1512.40
6.0 DISCUSSION
The chemical oxygen demand test is commonly used to measure waste water organic
matter. It is an oxygen equivalent calculation of substances found in waste water that are oxidized
by a strong chemical oxidant. The good estimate should be the COD test results if sewage contains
only readily organic bacterial food and no harmful content.
The experiment measures the amount of oxygen available in the sample to carbon dioxide
and water for chemical oxidation of organic matter. The research procedure is also to apply a
known quantity of regular potassium dichromatic solution, a silver sulphate sulfuric acid reagent.
The COD reactor refluxes the mixture for 2 hours. In this boiling mixture of chromic and sulfuric
acid, most forms of organic matter are killed.
After the mixture is cooled, the spectrophotometer tests the chromium (iii) ion in the
sample. The chromium (iii) excess ion indicates how much chromic organic matter has been used.
The aim of running a blank is to compensate for any error caused by the presence of extraneous
organic matter in the reagents.
The value of COD of this experiment above the range. Result from measurement taken
show various reading achieve although the measurement is done with constancy which give a
reading that is too high. The different result is caused by error when measurement is done. The
error maybe happen when the sample is poured into vail without a rigid volume. Sample
concentration range (mg/l) is between 20-1500. Hence, COD value lower than 20mg/l cannot be
detected.
7.0 CONCLUSION
In environmental chemistry, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) test is commonly used
to indirectly measure the amount of organic compounds in water. Most application of COD
determine the amount of organic pollutants found in surface water likes river, lakes making COD
a useful measure of water quality. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the sample can be
measured using Reactor Digestion Method. The COD ranges (mg/l) obtained for blank (0) , sample
1(1575mg/l), sample 2(1683mg/l) , sample 3(1738mg/l), sample 4A (1528mg/l), sample
4B(1687mg/l), sample 5A(1691mg/l), sample 5B(1592mg/l), sample 6A(1832mg/l) and sample
6B(1798mg/l).
8.0 QUESTIONS
8.1 What is the purpose of using HgSO4 and Ag2SO4 in the COD test?
The purpose of using HgS04 and Ag2SO4 in the COD test is because concentrated
acid (H2SO4) is provides the primary digestion catalyst. The secondary catalyst (AgSO4),
assists oxidization of straight-chain hydrocarbons such diesel fuel and motor oil. Heat from
the digestion block (150 degree celcius ) also acts as a catalyst.
8.2 What are the applications for COD analysis?
Chemical Oxygen Demand COD test is a measure of the relative oxygen-depletion

effect of a waste contaminant. It has been widely adopted as a measure of pollution effect.
To determine the amount of pollution in a water stream to try to control and limit the amount
of chemicals that can pollute the lakes and rivers if left in a final effluent or discharge stream.
Some Municipalities want to measure the amount of chemicals in the incoming stream in
order to asses surcharges as a way of measuring how much additional treatment their plant
will have to do in order to get the incoming water clean. It is used in Process Control in
effluent for removal efficiencies.
Chemical Oxygen Demand COD is extensively used in analysis of industrial waste.
It is particularly valuable in surveys designed to determine the losses of sewage. Results are
obtained within short time and control measures can be taken on the same day. It is very
useful in finding out the toxic condition and presence of biologically resistant organic
chemical substance oxygen demand is a vital test for assessing the quality of effluents and
waste waters prior to discharge. The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) test predicts the
oxygen requirement of the effluent and is used for monitoring and control of discharges, and
for assessing treatment plant performance. The impact of an effluent or waste water discharge
on the receiving water is predicted by its oxygen demand. This is because the removal of
oxygen from the natural water reduces its ability to sustain aquatic life. The COD test is
therefore performed as routine in laboratories of water utilities and industrial companies.
Chemical Oxygen Demand.
8.3 Why are COD results generally higher than the BOD results?
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen that

bacteria will consume while decomposing organic matter under aerobic conditions or
biochemical oxygen demand only measures the amount of oxygen consumed by microbial
oxidation and is most relevant to waters rich in organic matter Whereas Chemical oxygen
demand (COD) does not differentiate between biologically available and inert organic
matter, and it is a measure of the total quantity of oxygen required to oxidize all organic
material into carbon dioxide and water. COD values are always greater than BOD values,
but COD measurements can be made in a few hours while BOD measurements take five
days.
8.4 What advantages and disadvantages of the COD test compared to the BOD test?
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE
BOD BOD
 Heavily polluted water can be  This test takes 5 days to complete

easily to calculate BOD. which might reduce the reliability
 This test measures only the of the results.
biodegradable organic matter.  Wastewater with toxic particles
such as industrial wastes needs to
be pre-treated before conducting
BOD tests.
COD COD
 Tough organic material such as  Inorganic materials are also

lignin will oxidize chemically. oxidized, increasing the apparent
 Some of the organic materials that amount of organic material.
are toxic to microbes used for BOD
can be oxized with this method.
9.0 REFERENCES
9.1 Dunnivat, F.M. (2004). Environmental Laboratory Exercise for Instrumental Analysis and
Environmental Chemistry, Wiley, Interscience..
9.2 Richard Pagni (2005). Solvents and Solvent Effects in Organic Chemistry, Third Edition
(Christian Reichardt). Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee.
9.3 Vyrides, I., & Stuckey, D. C. (2009). A modified method for the determination of chemical
oxygen demand (COD) for samples with high salinity and low organics. Bioresource
technology, 100(2), 979-982.
9.4 APHA., AWWA., & WPCF. (1992). Standard Methods for Examination of Water and
Wastewater. 16th Edition. American Public Health Association, Washington

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EXPERIMENT 4

DETERMINATION OF CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND IN WATER

To determine the chemical oxygens demand of the given wastewater samples.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is used to determine the quantity of pollution in

3. MATERIALS AND APPARATUS

4.1 Homogenize 100 ml of sample for 30 seconds in a blender. For samples

ii. The blank is inserted into the 16mm cell holder.

Sample Reading (mg/L)

AVERAGE SUMMATION OF READING OF

8.2 What are the applications for COD analysis?

Chemical Oxygen Demand COD test is a measure of the relative oxygen-depletion

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen that

 Heavily polluted water can be  This test takes 5 days to complete

 Tough organic material such as  Inorganic materials are also

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