biochemical oxygen demand
- the amount of dissolved oxygen needed to decompose the organic matter in waste water: a high BOD indicates heavy pollution with little oxygen remaining for fish
- the organic matter in waste water
See biochemical oxygen demand in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun The amount of oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to decompose the organic matter in a sample of water, such as that polluted by sewage. It is used as a measure of the degree of water pollution. Also called biological oxygen demand.
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