What is another word for biochemical oxygen demand?
Pronunciation: [bˌa͡ɪə͡ʊkˈɛmɪkə͡l ˈɒksɪd͡ʒən dɪmˈand] (IPA) 
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is a measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required by microorganisms in the water to break down organic matter. Synonyms for BOD include biochemical oxygen uptake (BOU), biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), and organic pollution potential (OPP). BOU is a more general term, referring to the oxygen uptake by microorganisms during respiration in any biological system. BOD₅ is similar to BOD, but measures the amount of oxygen consumed over a five-day period. OPP assesses the ability of water to support aquatic life based on the amount of organic matter present. Regardless of the term used, these indicators are essential for evaluating and managing water quality.
