Definitions for "Chemical oxygen demand"
The amount of oxygen required for the oxidation of organic or inorganic matter by a strong oxidizing agent under acidic conditions.
The amount of oxygen consumed in complete chemical oxidation of matter present in waste water; indicates the content of slowly degradable organic matter present
COD is used as a measure of the oxygen equivalent of the organic matter content of the sample. Only the organic matter that is susceptible to oxidation by strong chemical oxidant. COD is typically used when there are industrial wastewater sources, comparing biological to chemical oxidation in the selection of treatment process and performances, or depending on the waste stream it can provide insight into the concentration of reduced inorganic metal inorganic, such as ferrous iron, sulfide, and manganese. Chromium (Cr): The MCL is 0.05 mg/L. The impact of chromium is not clearly defined, but it is known to adversely impact aquatic organisms.