Which measurement of water pollution is considered the best single-strength measure of polluted water containing degradable wastes?

The best single-strength measure of water pollution that specifically addresses the presence of degradable wastes is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). BOD measures the amount of oxygen that microorganisms will consume while decomposing organic matter in water. This makes it an effective indicator of the degree of pollution, especially from organic sources, since high BOD values indicate a significant amount of biodegradable material present in the water.

In practical terms, if the BOD level is high, it suggests that there is a substantial amount of organic matter that could deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in the water, posing a risk to aquatic life. This is critical for assessing water quality and the potential environmental impact.

While other measures like Total Suspended Solids (TSS) can indicate particulate matter in water, they do not specifically reflect the organic waste issue as clearly as BOD. Similarly, Fecal Coliforms are primarily indicators of potential pathogens from fecal contamination rather than a direct measure of organic pollution. Total Nitrogen quantifies nutrient pollution related to nitrogen compounds, which can contribute to problems like eutrophication but does not directly measure the degradation potential of organic matter in the way BOD does.