biological oxygen demand (BOD)
Definition
Standard method for indirect measurement of the amount of organic pollution. A sample of water. BOD test procedure is based on the activities of bacteria and other aerobic microorganisms, which feed on organic matter in presence of oxygen. The result of a BOD test indicates the amount of water-dissolved oxygen consumed by microbes incubated in darkness for five days at an ambient temperature of 20°C. Higher the BOD, higher the amount of pollution in the test sample.