What term describes the amount of chlorine consumed due to reducing agents and organic matter?

The term that describes the amount of chlorine consumed due to reducing agents and organic matter is demand. Chlorine demand reflects the quantity of chlorine that is required to react with substances in the water that can consume chlorine, such as organic compounds, bacteria, and other reducing agents.

Understanding chlorine demand is essential for water operators because it helps them determine the correct dosage of chlorine needed for effective disinfection. If the chlorine demand is high, more chlorine will be necessary to achieve the desired residual level for safe water treatment. This concept is crucial when assessing water quality and chemical treatment effectiveness, ensuring that all pathogens are effectively neutralized while also accounting for the consumption of chlorine by other substances in the water.

In contrast, residual refers to the amount of chlorine remaining in the water after it has reacted with contaminants, concentration relates to the amount of a substance in a given volume of solution, and chlorination is the general process of adding chlorine to water for disinfection purposes. These terms, while related to the processes of water treatment and disinfection, do not specifically define the consumption of chlorine by reducing agents and organic matter as effectively as demand does.