Abstract

CARDENAS-LEON, Jorge Alonso; WILCHES-FLOREZ, Ángela María  and  VANEGAS-CASTILLO, Cindy Viviana. Variations of acidity during incubation of samples in biological oxygen demand tests. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2017, vol.41, n.158, pp.71-78. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.396.

We studied the relationship between biological oxygen demand (BOD) and changes in acidity produced during aerobic metabolism of domestic wastewater. In a first phase of the project we worked with standard glucose-glutamic acid solutions, and in the second one, with samples from the influent stream of El Salitre Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bogotá, Colombia. We used commercial amber bottles with a sample incubating nominal capacity of 500 ml; we captured the carbon dioxide generated by aerobic metabolism of the organic matter in the aqueous phase using a concentrated buffer, and, subsequently, we determined the amount of CO2 generated during sample incubation by titration with a strong base. We found that the BOD of domestic wastewater can be measured by quantifying the acidity produced during the metabolism of organic matter contents, with comparative advantages as compared to the standard method of five days incubation. © 2017. Acad. Colomb. Cienc. Ex. Fis. Nat.

Keywords : Biological oxygen demand; Domestic wastewater; Water quality; Water analysis; Acidity.

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