ECE4453 Water and Wastewater Engineering BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering

LABORATORY Determination of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

1.0 Theory

 COD is the measure of oxygen equivalent of that portion of the organic matter in a sample
that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidant.
 Important parameter for stream and industrial waste studies and control of wastewater
treatment plants.
 In the absence of catalyst the method fails to include some organic compounds (such as acetic
acid) that are biologically available to the stream organisms, while including some biological
compounds (such as cellulose) that are not a part of the immediate load on the oxygen assets
of the receiving water.
 The carbonaceous portion of nitrogenous compounds can be determined, but there is no
reduction of dichromate by ammonia in a waste or by ammonia liberated form the
proteinaceous matter. With certain waste containing toxic substances, this test or a total
organic carbon determination the organic load. Where wastes contain readily available
organic bacterial food and no toxic matter, the results can be used to approximate the ultimate
carbonaceous BOD values.
 The dichromate COD test measures oxygen equivalent of the amount of organic matter
oxidizable by potassium dichromate in a sulphuric acid solution. A silver compound is added
as a catalyst to promote the oxidation of certain organic classes, and a mercuric compound
may be added to reduce interference from the oxidation of chloride ions by the dichromate.
 End products are carbon dioxide, water and various states of the chromium ion.
 After oxidation, the amount of dichromate consumed is determined titrimetrically or
clorimetrically. Either the amount of reduced chromium or the amount of unreacted
dichromate can be measured.
 The relationship between organic matter and dichromate is shown below:

C n H a Ob  cCr2 O72  8cH  heat

   nCO2  a  8cH 2 O  2Cr 3
/ cattalyst

2.0 Objective
To determine the COD level of a given effluent sample.

3.0 Apparatus & Materials

Apparatus
 Blender
 DRB200 COD Reactor/ COD Digester
 DR890 Calorimeter
 Pipette
 Additional apparatus: [ sampling bottle 2L]

Reagent
COD digestion reagent vials
(i) Low range (0-150 mg/L COD)
(ii) High range (0 – 1500 mg/L COD)
(iii) High range (0 – 1500 mg/L COD)
(iv) Ultra high range (0 – 15,000 mg/L COD)

4.0Procedures
ECE4453 Water and Wastewater Engineering BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering

4.1. Sample preparation procedure

4.1.1 Homogenize 500ml of sample for 2 minutes in blender
Note: For sample containing large amount of solids, increase the homonogenization
time. If sample does not contain suspended solid, omit step 4.1.1
4.1.2 Remove the cap of a COD digestion reagent vial for the appropriate range.
4.1.3 Pipette 2ml diluted sample into the COD digestion vial.
4.1.4 Cap the vials tightly. Rinse with water and wipe with clean paper towel.
4.1.5 Invert vial several times to make uniform mixture. (Note: the vial become very hot
during mixing)
4.1.6 Place vial inside COD reactor holes 2 hours at 150oC.

4.2. Blank preparation procedure

(i) Exactly same step as above except instead using diluted sample, pipette 2ml distilled
water into the COD digestion vial.

4.3 COD Reactor Procedure (DRB200)

4.3.1 Switch on the reactor

4.3.2 Preheat until temperature reach 150oC.
4.3.3 Set COD reactor to TIMER
4.3.4 Turn the knob at 120
4.3.5 Insert the vials in the pre-heat DRB COD 200 and close protective lid
4.3.6 Heat the vials for 2 hours
4.3.7 Turn the reactor off (DRB200 will automatically turn off the heating)
4.3.8 Before removing the vials, wait for 20 minutes for the vials to cool down until 120oC
or less. Place the vials into tubes rack and cool at room temperature.

4.4 Colorimeter Program & measurement

4.4.1 Press: PGRM. The display will show: PGRM?

4.4.2 Press:…(refer below) and ENTER. The display will show: mg/L, COD and the ZERO
icons.
Ultra High range program press 17
High range program press 17
Low range program press 16

4.4.3 Insert the COD/TNT adapter into the cell holder.

4.4.4 Wipe the BLANK vial with paper towel.
4.4.5 Place BLANK into the adapter and cap it tightly.
4.4.6 Press: ZERO. After a while, display will show: 0 mg/L COD.
4.4.7 Wipe the sample vial with paper towel.
4.4.8 Place SAMPLE into the adapter and cap tightly.
4.4.9 Press: READ. After a while, display will show the result in mg/L COD.

 Note: please multiply the result with the dilution factor if any.

5.0Report
ECE4453 Water and Wastewater Engineering BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering

The laboratory report must contain the following

1. Title
2. Introduction
3. Methods and materials
4. Results and discussion
5. Conclusion.

Reference:

Reactor Digestion Method (Method 8000) - HATCH Method