ISO 15705:2002 specifies a method for the determination of the chemical oxygen demand (ST-COD) using the sealed tube method. The test is empirical and is applicable to any aqueous sample, which includes all sewage and waste waters.

The method is applicable to undiluted samples having ST-COD values up to 1 000 mg/l and a chloride concentration not exceeding 1 000 mg/l. Samples with higher ST-COD values require predilution. For samples with a low COD, the precision of the measurement will be reduced and the detection limit will be poorer.

The method oxidizes almost all types of organic compounds and most inorganic reducing agents. It has a detection limit (4,65 times the within-batch standard deviation of a blank or very low standard) of 6 mg/l for photometric detection at 600 nm, and 15 mg/l for titrimetric detection as reported by one laboratory comparing the photometric and titrimetric techniques using a commercial test kit with a range up to 1 000 mg/l.

The titrimetric part of this method is applicable to samples exhibiting an atypical colour or turbidity after the digestion stage.