FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
DEPT.OF WATER RESOURCES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
ENVIROMENTAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

SHORT REPORT
SUBJECT CODE

BFC 32501

TEST CODE & TITLE

CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (COD)

COURSE CODE
TESTING DATE
GROUP

3 BFF
29 FEBRUARY 2012
3

GROUP MEMBER NAMES

MOHD SAIFULIZHAM BIN JAMAL

CF 100515

MOHD RAZIF BIN ROSLAN

CF 100514

IZAIDAH BINTI ADNAN

CF 100299

HANIM BTE ZAKARIA

CF 100239

JEE SYE ENG

CF 100340

LECTURER/ INSTRUCTOR/
REPORT RECEIVED DATE

6 MARCH 2012

MARKS

PARTICIPATION/
DISCIPLINE

/15%

DATA ANALYSIS

/25%

RESULT

/30%

DISCUSSION

/30%

TOTAL

/100%

EXAMINER COMMENT

RECEIVED STAMP

STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND
ENVIROMENTAL ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
UTHM
I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not to
receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge that everything
mentioned in the report is true.
NAME
Mohd Saifulizham bin Jamal
Mohd Razif bin Roslan
Izaidah binti Adnan
Hanim bte Zakaria
Jee Sye Eng

1.0 OBJECTIVES

MATRIC NUMB.
CF 100515
CF 100514
CF 100299
CF 100239
CF 100340

SIGNATURE

To measure the effectiveness of waste water sample (usually industrial waste water)
through the oxidation and reduction reaction.
2.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the study, student will be able:
a. To identify the principle of dichromate method to determine COD.
b. To evaluate the water parameter quality in domestic waste water sample and
water supply.
c. To

choose

the

appropriate

analytical

methodologies

water

quality

measurement.
3.0 THEORY
COD or Chemical Oxygen Demand is the total measurement of all chemicals in
the water that can be oxidized. COD is used as a measurement of pollutants in
natural and waste waters to assess the strength of discharged waste such as
sewage and industrial effluent waters. It is normally measured in both municipal
and industrial wastewater treatment plants and gives an indication of the
efficiency of the treatment process. The dichromate reflux method is preferred
over procedures using other oxidants because of superior oxidizing ability,
applicability to a with wide variety of samples, and ease of manipulation.
Oxidation of most organic compounds is 95-100% the theoretical value.
Most types of organic matter are oxidized by a boiling mixture of chromic and
sulfuric acids. A sample is refluxed in strongly acid solutions with a known
excess of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7). After dilution the remaining
unreduced K2Cr2O7 is titrated with ferrous ammonium sulphate to determine the
amount of K2Cr2O7 consumed and oxidizable organic matter is calculated in
terms of oxygen equivalent. Keep ratios of reagent weights, volumes and
strengths constant when sample volumes other than 50 ml are used. The standard

2 hours reflux time may be reduced if it has been shown that a shorter period
yields the same results
4.0 EQUIPMENT
a. COD Reflux System consisting Erlenmeyer flask (250 mL or 500 mL) with
ground glass 24/40 neck and 300-mm jacket Liebig West, or equivalent condenser
with 24/40 ground-glass joint, and a hot plate having sufficient power to produce
at least 1.4 W/cm2 of heating surface.
b. Burette
c. Pipette
d. Glass beads
e. Magnetic stirrer bars
f. Chemical required : -

Standard potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) 0.04167N

-Sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

-Ferrous ammonium sulfate (FAS)
-[Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2
-Ferroin indicator (ferrous ammonium sulfate)
-Dilution water

4.1 REAGENT
a. Standard potassium dichromate (K2C2O7) solution (0.04167 M) : (Prepare
by the technician; Dissolve 12.259 g K2Cr2O7, primary standard grade,
previously dried at 150C for 2 hours in distilled water and dilute to 1000
mL). Notes: This reagent undergoes a six-electron reduction reaction; the
equivalent concentration is 6 X 0.04167M or 0.2500N.
b. Mercuric sulfate (Hg SO4)
c. Sulfuric acid reagent : (Prepare by the technician : Add Ag2SO4, reagent or
technical grade, crystals or powder, to concentration H2SO4 at the rate of
5.5 g Ag2SO4 /kg H2 SO4. Mix) phenanthroline monohydrate and 695 mg
FeSO47H2O in distilled water and dilute to 100 mL. This indicator solution
may be purchased already prepared).
b.Standard ferrous ammonium sulfate or FAS (Fe (NH4)2(SO4)2 solution
(0.25 M) titrant.

5.0 PROCEDURE
5.1 FAS Test
a. Measured 10 mL of standard potassium dichromate, 30 mL of sulhuric
acid and 20 mL of diluted water and add them together in refluxing flask.
b. Make sure added the solution in the fune chamber.

c. The solution must be cooled first with the flow water before continue the
experiment.
d. Added the solution with 3 drops of ferroin indicator.

e. Put magnetic stirrer into the refluxing flask and the solution was swirled
slowly while adding Ferrous ammonium into the solution until the
solution changed to light green color.

c.Added some 3 drops of the ferroin indicator again into solution and stir
again the solution with ferrous ammonium until the solution became
reddish brick.
d.

Take the initial and final reading at the burette.

5.2 Reflux Test

a. Measured 20 mL of sample, 10mL standard potassium dichromate, 30
mL of sulfuric acid and add them together in refluxing flask.
b. Make sure added the solution in the fune chamber.
c. Heat the solution in 1 hours.

d. Cooled the solution in room temperature.

e. Rinsed the condenser with dilution water.
f. Added the dilution water into refluxing flask until at 150mL.
e. Added the solution with 2 to 3 drops of ferroin indicator.
f. Put magnetic stirer into the refluxing flask and the solution was
swirled slowly
while adding Ferrous ammonium into the solution until the solution
changed
to light green color.

g.

Added some 3 drops of the ferroin indicator again into solution and stir
again the solution with ferrous ammonium until the solution became
reddish brick.

h.

Take the initial and final reading at the burette.

6.0 DATA AND CALCULATION

FAS Result
Reading of Buret

Cone Flask

First Reading
Last Reading
Volume of FAS
standard (mL)

(standard)
0
10.5
10.5

Table 1: FAS standard titration data

Volume of FAS standard (mL) = 10.5 0
= 10.5 mL
Compute the molarity for the FAS standard using formula :

10 mL

= 0.23 < N < 0.28 ok!!

Reflux Result
Sample (Cone Flask B)
DATA:

Blank (Cone Flask A)

DATA :

First Reading
Last Reading
Volume Reading

11.0
20.8
9.8

CALCULATION :

First Reading
Last Reading
Volume Reading

CALCULATION :

B = 9.8

A = 10.0

Table 2: Sample and Blank titration data

COD CALCULATION :

= 38.1 mg/l

20.0
30.0
10.0

7.0 DISCUSSION
7.1 What is the purpose of using blank sample in the experiment?
The main reason for using the blank sample is to control the volume of
organic material in the sample. COD was carried out to measure the oxygen
demand of organic compounds in a sample of water, and we have to ensure
there were no accidentally outside organic materials added to the sample to be
measured. A blank sample is created by adding the reagents to a volume of
distilled water. Both water and blank sample will be compared. The oxygen
demand for the blank sample is subtracted from the COD for the original
sample to ensure the true measurement of organic matter.
7.2 Name the oxidation and reduction agent used in COD test
Agent of oxidation and reduction is Potassium dichromate and Sulfuric acid
7.3 Give the chemical formula of the following:
a. Sulfuric acid

: H2SO4

b. Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate : Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2

c. Pottasium dichromate

: K2Cr2O7

d. Argentum sulfate

: Ag2SO4

e. Mercuric Sulfate

: Hg SO4

7.4 Calculate the molecular mass of the following:

a. Sulfuric acid
(1.00794 x 2) + 32.065 + (15.9994 x 4) = 98.07848 g/mol
b. Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate

55.845+[14.0067+(1.00794 x 4) x 2] + [32.065 + (15.9994 x 4) x 2] = 284.04

g/mol

c. Pottasium dichromate
(39.098 x 2) + (51.996 x 2) + (15.999 x 7) = 294.18 g/mol
d. Argentum sulfate
(39.948 x 2) + 32.065 + (15.999 x 4) = 175.96 g/mol
e. Mercuric Sulfate
200.59 + 32.065 + (15.999 x 4) = 296.65 g/mol
7.5 Explain the precaution that must be taken during COD test
a. Collect the samples in glass bottles, if possible. Use of plastic containers is
permissible if it is known that no organic contaminants are present in the
containers.
b. Biologically active samples should be tested as soon as possible. Samples
containing settleable material should be well mixed, preferably homogenized,
to permit removal of representative aliquots.
c. Always do a risk assessment before start any experiment. Sulfuric acid is toxic
and corrosive so wear protective glove.
d. Make sure the Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) is mixed and swirled well
with distilled water.
e. Chloride, present in samples is oxidised. Mercuric sulphate is used as a

complexing agent.
f.

Nitrite, ferrous iron, sulphide, exert COD. However their concentration in

water samples is low.

g. Amino nitrogen is released as ammonia.

h. Aromatic hydrocarbons and pyridines are not oxidised.

i.

Samples for COD may be preserved by acidification to pH 2 or lower

8.0 CONCLUSION

Based on the result that we have from the COD test are succeed because
the FAS value is in range of 0.23 0.28 in FAS. FAS value that we get is 0.238.
From FAS, we can get the COD result. From calculation, were get 38.1 mg/l for
COD. The sample 38.1 mg/l is amount of oxygen (COD) consumed to completely
chemically oxidize the organic water constituents to inorganic end products. Now the
student know why the conclusion or result is must need in the each the experimental.
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a common, environmental procedure for
measure of the capacity of water to consume oxygen in the sample. COD is used as a
measurement of pollutants in natural and waste waters to assess the strength of
discharged waste such as sewage and industrial effluent waters. The COD test also is
used to measure the strength of wastes that are too toxic for the BOD test. The COD
test will give a good estimate of the first stage oxygen demand for most wastewaters.
An advantage of the COD test over the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) test is 2 to
3 hours versus 5 days.

The COD test should be considered an independent

measurement and not a quick substitute for the BOD test. The COD is usually higher
than the BOD, but the amount will vary from waste to waste.
As a conclusion, from the value of COD is 38.1 mg/L that we get from the
experiment was successful because the value of normality of FAS (n) is 0.238 was in
the range that required. But we cannot compare to the BOD caused as we know the
value of BOD is 1/3 COD.

9.0 REFERENCES
a. Hammer, MarkJ. (2001)Water and Waste water Technology Fourth Edition
New Terzey: Prentice Hall
b. Master, Gelbert M (1998) Introduction to Environmental Engineering and
Science New Terzey : Prentice Hall
c. Davis Cornwell (2008) Introduction to Environmental Engineering Fourth
Edition, New York:Mc Graw Hill