University of Bahrain

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture

Waste Water Treatment (CENG 426)

Lab 1: COD Test

Done by: Hadi Abdulhameed Haridi (20136080)

Rabie Mohammed (20134193)

Shahbaz Abid (20135442)

Mohammed Musallam (20134557)

Due date: 5-March-2017

Abstract:
The chemical oxygen demand (COD) is an empirical laboratory experiment which indirectly
measures the amount of total organic matter contained in a water sample. In particular, COD
measures the amount of oxygen consumed for the oxidation of total organic matter. Thus it is
measured in mg/l of Oxygen. The COD results obtained for the raw and secondary waste water
samples are 387 mg/l and 32.3 mg/l respectively. Hence indicating a 91.65% decrease in organic
matter content from raw to secondary waste water sample.
Table of Contents
1- Introduction: ............................................................................................................................................. 1
2- Objective:.................................................................................................................................................. 1
3- Procedure: ................................................................................................................................................. 2
4- Calculation:............................................................................................................................................... 5
5- Conclusion and Discussion:...................................................................................................................... 5
6- References: ............................................................................................................................................... 6
List of figures

Figure 1 pouring reagent contents into the waste water sample ................................................................... 2
Figure 2 mixing the sample and heating it for two hours ............................................................................. 3
Figure 3 the sample is poured in a flask, Ferroin indicator is added. ........................................................... 3
Figure 4 titrating the sample with Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate solution...................................................... 4
List of tables:

Table 1 Summary for the results ................................................................................................................... 5

1- Introduction:
This test utilizes potassium dichromate in boiling concentrated sulfuric acid with a silver
catalyst as a strong oxidizing agent. Under these conditions organic material (plus some
inorganic material) is oxidized and the dichromate is reduced to trivalent chromium.
Cr2O2-7 + 14H+ + 6e- 2 Cr3+ + 7H2O

The oxygen demand of the solution is determined by titrating the remaining dichromate with
a solution of Fe2+; the difference between original and final dichromate concentration is the
COD in mg/L. [1]

The equation used to determine the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is as follows

(𝐵−𝑇) 𝑚𝑔
∗ 1000 ( ) [2]
𝑆 𝐿

B and S values are given by the instructor to be 16 and 15.5 respectively

T= Volume used for titration for the sample (ml)

2- Objective:
The objective of this experiment is determining the oxygen required to oxidize the organic
matter existing in a raw waste water sample and a secondary waste water sample using the
Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) test.

1
3- Procedure:

Figure 1 pouring reagent contents into the waste water sample

3a- As figure 1 shows, two water samples are used in this experiment, a raw waste water
sample and a secondary waste water sample. 1.5 ml of digestive reagent, 2.5 ml of the waste
water sample, and then 3.5 ml of catalyst will be poured into the test tube.

2
 Figure 2 mixing the sample and heating it for two hours

3b- Then, the sample has to be mixed using the Rotamixer tool. Finally the sample is
heated for two hours in the Dri-Block heater, and then placed in the test tube holder to
settle and cool down as seen in figure 2. The instructor already prepared a sample, so his
samples were used for the further experimentation.

Figure 3 the sample is poured in a flask, Ferroin indicator is added.

3
3c- Both sample contents are then poured each inside a flask. Distilled water is used to
remove all content within the test tubes containing the reagent content up until a given
white marker. Then the flask is shaked, and finally one drop of Ferroin indicator is place
in each flask as shown in figure 3, which will help us in determining the oxygen content
in the sample.

Figure 4 titrating the sample with Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate solution

3d- Finally, both samples are taken to be titrated with Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate
solution. The titrating device has to be initially set at 0 ml, then the flask containing the
sample is placed, in which a magnet is dropped inside to hold the flask in place. Titration
is then initiated in which it keeps going until the color changes to brownish color as
displayed in figure 4.

The results of titration yield 10 ml of Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate used in titration for the
raw waste water sample, and 15.5 ml if Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate used in titration for
the secondary water sample.

4
4- Calculation:
The chemical oxygen demand for the raw waste water sample is as follows:

(𝐵−𝑇)
 𝑆
∗ 1000 mg/l = (16−10)
15.5
∗ 1000 = 387 mg/l

The chemical oxygen demand for the secondary waste water sample is as follows:

(𝐵−𝑇)
 𝑆
∗ 1000 mg/l = (16−15.5)
15.5
∗ 1000 = 32.3 mg/l
(387−32.3)
 *100 = 91.65% decrease in organic matter.
387
Table 1 Summary for the results

Waste Water Sample Ferrous Ammonium COD (mg/l)

Sulfate Titration (ml)
Raw 10 387

Secondary 15.5 32.3

5- Conclusion and Discussion:

In conclusion, it took 10 ml of Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate to indicate the oxidation of
the organic matter in the raw waste water sample, while it took 15.5 ml of Ferrous
Ammonium Sulfate to indicate the oxidation of the organic matter in the secondary waste
water sample as shown in table 1. This is because the COD in the raw sample is higher,
so it takes it less amount Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate to indicate the oxidation of the
organic matter in the waste water sample (inverse relationship).

The raw waste water sample yielded 387 mg/l of oxygen, while the secondary waste
water sample yielded 32.3 mg/l of oxygen. The value was higher in the raw waste water
sample because it contains more organic matter, while the secondary waste water sample,
which has less organic matter, yielded a much lower oxygen value. The difference in
values indicates a 91.65% decrease in organic matter between the raw waste water
sample and the secondary waste water sample. This happens because it takes a higher
amount of oxygen in raw waste water to oxidize the organic matter.

5
6- References:

[1] CENG 426 Lab Manual, “Chemical Oxygen Demand”, Bahrain: University of
Bahrain Press, 2017

[2] CENG 426 Lab Manual, “Chemical Oxygen Demand”, Bahrain: University of
Bahrain Press, 2017