ENV20/B32

1. What is biochemical oxygen demand? Biochemical Oxygen Demand is the amount

of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break
down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a
specific time period. The term also refers to a chemical procedure for determining this
amount. This is not a precise quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication
of the organic quality of water. The BOD value is most commonly expressed in
milligrams of oxygen consumed per litre of sample during 5 days of incubation at 20 °C
and is often used as a robust surrogate of the degree of organic pollution of water.

What is carbon biochemical oxygen demand? Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen

demand or CBOD is a method defined test measured by the depletion of dissolved
oxygen by biological organisms in a body of water in which the contribution from
nitrogenous bacteria has been suppressed. CBOD is a method defined parameter is
widely used as an indication of the pollutant removal from waste water. It is listed as a
conventional pollutant in the U.S. Clean Water Act.

What is nitrogen biochemical oxygen demand? The nitrogenous stage, or second stage,
represents a combined carbonaceous plus nitrogeneous demand, when organic
nitrogen, ammonia, and nitrite are converted to nitrate. Nitrogenous oxygen demand
generally begins after about 6 days. For some sewage, especially discharge from
wastewater treatment plants utilizing biological treatment processes, nitrification can
occur in less than 5 days if ammonia, nitrite, and nitrifying bacteria are present. In this
case, a chemical compound that prevents nitrification should be added to the sample if
the intent is to measure only the carbonaceous demand. The results are reported as
carbonaceous BOD (CBOD), or as CBOD5 when a nitrification inhibitor is used.
2. What is groundwater? Groundwater is the water located beneath the earth's surface
in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an
unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water.
The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock become completely
saturated with water is called the water table. Groundwater is recharged from, and
eventually flows to, the surface naturally; natural discharge often occurs
at springs and seeps, and can form oases or wetlands. Groundwater is also often
withdrawn for agricultural, municipal, and industrial use by constructing and operating
extraction wells. The study of the distribution and movement of groundwater
is hydrogeology, also called groundwater hydrology.

Groundwater vs. Surface water

Groundwater supplies in aquifers below the surface of the Earth are among the nation's
most important natural resources. Ground water is the source of about 40% of the
water used for public supply. It provides drinking water for more than 97% of the rural
population who do not have access to public water-supply systems. Even some major
cities, such as San Antonio, Texas, rely solely on ground water for all their needs.
Between 30 and 40 % of the water used for agriculture comes from ground water.
Withdrawals of ground water are expected to rise in the coming century as the
population increases and available sites for surface reservoirs become more limited.

Now that you know what groundwater is you're probably wondering what surface water
is. And if you guessed it has something to do with above ground ...you're easily correct.

Surface water can be found over the land surface in streams, ponds, marshes, lakes or
other fresh (not salty) sources. Other than the location, one of the primary differences
between surface and ground water is that ground water moves much slower than
surface water. This is because ground water experiences far more friction as it moves
 through the pores in soil then surface water experiences as it flows over the earth's
surface. Surface-water can be affected by numerous physical variables such as
topography, land cover, soil conditions, mineralogy, and ground-water conditions, all of
which may be affected by geologic conditions. Surface water is also more easily
contaminated than ground water. Filtration through the soil helps clean ground water.

3. Enumerate and explain the ff:

Primary treatment consists of temporarily holding the sewage in a quiescent basin

where heavy solids can settle to the bottom while oil, grease and lighter solids float to
the surface. The settled and floating materials are removed and the remaining liquid
may be discharged or subjected to secondary treatment.

Secondary treatment removes dissolved and suspended biological matter. Secondary

treatment is typically performed by indigenous, water-borne micro-organisms in a
managed habitat. Secondary treatment may require a separation process to remove the
micro-organisms from the treated water prior to discharge or tertiary treatment.

Tertiary treatment is sometimes defined as anything more than primary and secondary
treatment in order to allow rejection into a highly sensitive or fragile ecosystem
(estuaries, low-flow rivers, coral reefs). Treated water is sometimes disinfected
chemically or physically (for example, by lagoons and microfiltration) prior to discharge
into a stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a golf
course, green way or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can also be used for groundwater
recharge or agricultural purposes.