Empirical correlation between BOD5 and COD of effluents from selected industries in the Kumasi Metropolis
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Date
2001-12-13
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Abstract
During the past few years, interest has grown at a phenomenal rate in matters concerning the environment. This work aims at establishing an empirical correlation between Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of effluents from selected industries in the Kumasi Metropolis to facilitate speedy effluent quality assessment or optimal process control. BOD5 being the most widely used parameter of organic pollution measurement takes a lengthy time to obtain (5 days) and is also of low reproducibility. However, COD measurement is simple, reliably carried out in the laboratory and results available within 2 - 3 hours.
Hourly effluent samples were collected for an eight-hour period 3 times per week and brought to the Environmental Laboratory of the KNUST for analysis of the principal parameters COD and BOD5 using the ‘Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater’ (1992). The pHs of the samples were also determined using the pH-meter. The flow rates for Ghana Brewery Limited and The Coca- Cola Bottling Company of Ghana were measured and based on the flow rates recorded, three and eight-hour composite sample was prepared using proportional flow.
The correlation coefficients of Ghana Brewery Limited, Guinness Ghana
Limited, The Coca- Cola Bottling Company of Ghana and the Kumasi Abattoir
Company Limited were 0.9252, 0.1584, 0.8143 and 0.2225 respectively. The
fitted equations for prediction for GBL and Coca- Cola were successful.
The correlation coefficient of the fitted equation for prediction for Ghana Brewery Limited and The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana, having proved to be successful can be used to facilitate rapid effluent quality assessment or optimal process control by these industries once the chemical oxygen demand (COD) is measured.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Science, 2001