What does TBOD mean in UNCLASSIFIED

Total Biochemical Oxygen Demand (TBOD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen required for the biochemical oxidation of organic material present in water. It is expressed as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or parts per million (ppm).

TBOD is calculated by adding up the demand placed on oxygen by various types of oxidation reactions, such as aerobic respiration, nitrification and denitrification. These calculations take into account both the amount of organic material present and its composition.

TBOD is primarily used for assessing water quality and pollution levels. It can be used to evaluate the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems, determine whether or not additional treatment may be needed for effluent discharged into natural bodies of water, and monitor river or lake health.

Water quality standards should ensure that aquatic ecosystems are able to function normally by maintaining oxygen levels at an acceptable level while also taking into account other parameters such as pH values and dissolved nutrient concentrations. Generally, a TBOD concentration below 2 mg/L indicates good water quality while concentrations above 10 mg/L indicate poor quality.

High levels of TBOD can be caused by pollutants such as sewage, industrial wastewater, and agricultural runoff containing high concentrations of organic matter. These sources will lead to increased bacterial activity which consumes more oxygen and therefore increases the level of TBOD in the water body.