What is the primary goal of monitoring BOD levels in wastewater?

The primary goal of monitoring Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels in wastewater is to evaluate pollutant removal efficiency. BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen that microorganisms will consume while decomposing organic matter in water. High BOD levels indicate a high amount of organic pollutants, which reflects the wastewater's pollution strength.

By tracking BOD levels over time, wastewater treatment facilities can assess how effectively the treatment processes are removing organic pollutants. A decrease in BOD after treatment indicates that the facility is functioning properly and efficiently breaking down organic materials. Conversely, if BOD levels do not decrease as expected, it may suggest that the treatment processes are inadequate, or that there is a need for further adjustments to improve overall treatment efficiency.

Other parameters such as nitrogen levels, pH balance, or heavy metals are important in their own rights, but they do not specifically link to the evaluation of organic pollutant removal like BOD levels do.