Products identified at an alternative disinfection pilot plant

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8669119· OSTI ID:6594796

Lykins, Jr, B W; Koffskey, W

Many drinking water utilities have recently changed or are seriously considering changing their disinfection practice from chlorine to some alternative treatment process. However, most of these utilities are changing their disinfectants without evaluating chemical impacts. Therefore, a research cooperative agreement was developed with Jefferson Parish, LA, to evaluate four parallel streams treated with four different disinfectants (chlorine, monochloramine, chlorine dioxide, and ozone.) These streams, along with a fifth parallel stream, which was not treated with a disinfectant (control), were passed through both sand and granular activated carbon (GAC). Ozonation reduced the total organic carbon (TOC) and total organic halide (TOX) concentration by 0.3 mg/L and 10 micrograms/L, respectively. The average concentration of TOC for the other disinfectants was comparable to that associated with the nondisinfected stream (3.3 mg/L). The average instantaneous TOX concentration for chlorine dioxide, chloramine, and chlorine disinfection after 30 min contact time increased by 60, 92, and 238 micrograms/L, respectively, from a nondisinfected concentration of 25 micrograms/L. The volatile organics most affected by disinfection (chlorination) were the trihalomethanes. No significant change in concentration was noted after disinfection for the other volatile organics evaluated, such as 1,2-dichlorethane, dichloromethane, trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and carbon tetrachloride. Ozonation produced an average concentration reduction of 11 to 84% for most of the nonvolatiles evaluated. Conversely, a concentration increase of 43 to 100% was noted, after chlorination, for some of the nonvolatile organics.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH
• OSTI ID: 6594796
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States); ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMINES
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORAMINES
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINE
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE OXIDES
DISINFECTANTS
DRINKING WATER
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GERMICIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LOUISIANA
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PILOT PLANTS
STERILIZATION
USA
WATER
WATER SUPPLY