DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOD AND COD

BOD measures the amount of oxygen required by the aerobic

organisms to decompose organic matter and COD measures
the oxygen required to decompose organic and inorganic
constituents present in the wastewater by chemical reaction
Hence, the value of COD is greater than BOD
BOD
The standard BOD test determines the amount of oxygen
required by the micro-organisms for the decomposition of
the bio-degradable matter present in the wastewater sample
under 5 days of aerobic condition at a temperature of 20
degree Celsius. It is measured in mg/l.

COD
To determine COD, the sample water is taken in a closed
container and incubated with a strong oxidant like potassium
dichromate with sulphuric acid under standard conditions of
temperature and time. COD is the oxygen demand that is
consumed by both inorganic and organic matter present in
the wastewater sample. The chemical oxygen demand is
expressed as the mass of oxygen consumed over the volume
of the solution. Its SI unit is milligrams per liter (mg/l).