Trihalomethane precursor reactivity changes in drinking water treatment unit processes during a storm event
Abstract
Source water quality can significantly impact the efficacy of water treatment unit processes and the formation of chlorinated and brominated trihalomethanes (THMs). Current water treatment plant performance models may not accurately capture how source water quality variations, such as organic matter variability, can impact treatment unit processes. To investigate these impacts, a field study was conducted wherein water samples were collected along the treatment train for 72 hours during a storm event. Systematic sampling and detailed analyses of water quality parameters, including non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC), UV absorbance, and THM concentrations, as well as chlorine spiking experiments, reveal how the THM formation potential changes in response to treatment unit processes. Results show that the NPOC remaining after treatment has an increased reactivity towards forming THMs, and that brominated THMs form more readily than chlorinated counterparts in a competitive reaction. Thus both the reactivity and quantity of THM precursors must be considered to maintain compliance with drinking water standards, a finding that should be incorporated into the development of model-assisted treatment operation and optimization. Advanced granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment beyond conventional coagulation–flocculation–sedimentation processes may also be necessary to remove the surge loading of THM-formation precursors during a storm event.
- Authors:
-
- Evironmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
- Evironmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China).
- Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1544714
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-18-25099
Journal ID: ISSN 1606-9749
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Water Supply
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1606-9749
- Publisher:
- IWA Publishing
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Earth Sciences; Disinfection byproducts, Chlorination, Water treatment, Trihalomethanes, Turbidity, Climate variability
Citation Formats
Neil, Chelsea W., Zhao, Yingying, Zhao, Amy, Neal, Jill, Meyer, Maria, and Yang, Y. Jeffrey. Trihalomethane precursor reactivity changes in drinking water treatment unit processes during a storm event. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.2166/ws.2019.089.
Neil, Chelsea W., Zhao, Yingying, Zhao, Amy, Neal, Jill, Meyer, Maria, & Yang, Y. Jeffrey. Trihalomethane precursor reactivity changes in drinking water treatment unit processes during a storm event. United States. https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2019.089
Neil, Chelsea W., Zhao, Yingying, Zhao, Amy, Neal, Jill, Meyer, Maria, and Yang, Y. Jeffrey. 2019.
"Trihalomethane precursor reactivity changes in drinking water treatment unit processes during a storm event". United States. https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2019.089. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1544714.
@article{osti_1544714,
title = {Trihalomethane precursor reactivity changes in drinking water treatment unit processes during a storm event},
author = {Neil, Chelsea W. and Zhao, Yingying and Zhao, Amy and Neal, Jill and Meyer, Maria and Yang, Y. Jeffrey},
abstractNote = {Source water quality can significantly impact the efficacy of water treatment unit processes and the formation of chlorinated and brominated trihalomethanes (THMs). Current water treatment plant performance models may not accurately capture how source water quality variations, such as organic matter variability, can impact treatment unit processes. To investigate these impacts, a field study was conducted wherein water samples were collected along the treatment train for 72 hours during a storm event. Systematic sampling and detailed analyses of water quality parameters, including non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC), UV absorbance, and THM concentrations, as well as chlorine spiking experiments, reveal how the THM formation potential changes in response to treatment unit processes. Results show that the NPOC remaining after treatment has an increased reactivity towards forming THMs, and that brominated THMs form more readily than chlorinated counterparts in a competitive reaction. Thus both the reactivity and quantity of THM precursors must be considered to maintain compliance with drinking water standards, a finding that should be incorporated into the development of model-assisted treatment operation and optimization. Advanced granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment beyond conventional coagulation–flocculation–sedimentation processes may also be necessary to remove the surge loading of THM-formation precursors during a storm event.},
doi = {10.2166/ws.2019.089},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1544714},
journal = {Water Supply},
issn = {1606-9749},
number = 7,
volume = 19,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
Web of Science
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