Which pollutant is most directly associated with water quality and aquatic health?

Which pollutant is most directly associated with water quality and aquatic health?

• A. Carbon dioxide
• B. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
• C. Methane
• D. Ozone

Answer: (B)

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a critical indicator of water quality and aquatic health because it measures the amount of oxygen that microorganisms will consume while decomposing organic matter in water. High BOD levels indicate a high concentration of organic pollutants in the water, suggesting that there is a significant amount of biodegradable material available for bacteria, which can lead to oxygen depletion. This depletion adversely impacts aquatic life, as fish and other aquatic organisms rely on dissolved oxygen for survival. Thus, monitoring BOD is essential for assessing the health of a water body, understanding its capacity to support life, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment processes. While carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are important in various environmental contexts, they do not serve as direct indicators of the aquatic health and immediate water quality concerns as BOD does.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a critical indicator of water quality and aquatic health because it measures the amount of oxygen that microorganisms will consume while decomposing organic matter in water. High BOD levels indicate a high concentration of organic pollutants in the water, suggesting that there is a significant amount of biodegradable material available for bacteria, which can lead to oxygen depletion.

This depletion adversely impacts aquatic life, as fish and other aquatic organisms rely on dissolved oxygen for survival. Thus, monitoring BOD is essential for assessing the health of a water body, understanding its capacity to support life, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment processes.

While carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are important in various environmental contexts, they do not serve as direct indicators of the aquatic health and immediate water quality concerns as BOD does.