Controversies about the occurrence of chloral hydrate in drinking water

Besides trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), chloral hydrate (CH) is the next most prevalent disinfection by-product (DBP) in drinking water, formed as a result of the reaction between chlorine and natural organic matter (NOM). Chloral hydrate (trichloroacetaldehyde) should be limited in drinking water because of its adverse health effect. The controversies concerning the appearance of CH in disinfected water found in literature are discussed in the present paper. According to some authors the CH yield during chlorination of water depends only on TOC. However, there are other data available that do not confirm this relationship. Another fact requiring clarification is the dependence of CH formation on pH. In the present study, CH formation is analysed in different types of water disinfected with different doses of chlorine. Formation of CH is correlated with the dose of Cl₂ and the contact time. The formation of chloral hydrate takes place as long as chlorine is available in the water. Total organic carbon (TOC) is not considered the main factor influencing the production of chloral hydrate in water treated with Cl₂ as the production depends also on the nature of NOM. Higher levels of CH are observed at alkaline conditions (pH > 7). A significant correlation (R² > 0.9) between the concentrations of chloral hydrate and chloroform has been observed. The preozonation increases significantly the chloral hydrate formation potential in the water treated. Biofiltration process does not remove all of CH precursors and its efficiency depends strongly on the contact time. Chloral hydrate was analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector with the detection limit 0.1 μg L⁻¹.     

Yield of trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids upon chlorinating algal cells, and its prediction via algal cellular biochemical composition

The major objective of the present study was to investigate the contribution of major biomolecules, including protein, carbohydrates and lipids, in predicting DBPs formation upon chlorination of algal cells. Three model compounds, including bovine serum albumin (BSA), starch and fish oil, as surrogates of algal-derived proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, and cells of three algae species, representing blue-green algae, green algae, and diatoms, were chlorinated in the laboratory. The results showed that BSA (27 μg mg⁻¹ C) and fish oil (50 μg mg⁻¹ C) produced more than nine times higher levels of chloroform than starch (3 μg mg⁻¹ C). For the formation of HAAs, BSA was shown to have higher reactivity (49 μg mg⁻¹ C) than fish oil and starch (5 μg mg⁻¹ C). For the algal cells, Nitzschia sp. (diatom) showed higher chloroform yields (48 μg mg⁻¹ C) but lower HAA yields (43 μg mg⁻¹ C) than Chlamydomonas sp. (green algae) (chloroform: 34 μg mg⁻¹ C; HAA: 62 μg mg⁻¹ C) and Oscillatoria sp. (blue-green algae) (chloroform: 26 μg mg⁻¹ C; HAA: 72 μg mg⁻¹ C). The calculated chloroform formation of cells from the three algal groups, based on their biochemical compositions, was generally consistent with the experimental data, while the predicted values for HAAs were significantly lower than the observed ones. As compared to humic substances, such as humic and fulvic acids, the algal cells appeared to be important precursors of dichloroacetic acid.     

The effects of selected preoxidation strategies on I-THM formation and speciation

In this study, the impacts of three preoxidation strategies [i.e., using potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)] before preformed monochloramine (NH₂Cl) addition on the formation and speciation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs) were evaluated at the Br⁻/I⁻ mass ratio of 10 in two natural waters. The effects of preoxidant dose, Br⁻/DOC, and I⁻/DOC ratio were investigated. Preoxidation with KMnO₄ increased I-THM formation due to an increase in iodoform (CHI₃) and brominated I-THM (CHBrClI, CHBrI₂, CHBr₂I) formation. In contrast, preoxidation with ClO₂ sometimes reduced I-THM formation, primarily due to a reduction in CHI₃ formation. Preoxidation with H₂O₂ had no effect on I-THM formation or speciation. I-THM formation from each preoxidant alone was considerably less than the formation from NH₂Cl. Overall, preoxidant type, preoxidant/DOC, preoxidant/I⁻, and I⁻/DOC ratios are the important factors that water utilities should evaluate when assessing the impact of preoxidation for controlling I-THM formation.     

Formation of organic chloramines during water disinfection - chlorination versus chloramination

Many of the available studies on formation of organic chloramines during chlorination or chloramination have involved model organic nitrogen compounds (e.g., amino acids), but not naturally occurring organic nitrogen in water. This study assessed organic chloramine formation during chlorination and chloramination of 16 natural organic matter (NOM) solutions and 16 surface waters which contained dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). Chlorination rapidly formed organic chloramines within 10 min, whereas chloramination formed organic chloramination much more slowly, reaching the maximum concentration between 2 and 120 h after the addition of monochloramine into the solutions containing DON. The average organic chloramine formation upon addition of free chlorine and monochloramine into the NOM solutions were 0.78 mg-Cl₂/mg-DON at 10 min and 0.16 mg-Cl₂/mg-DON at 24 h, respectively. Organic chloramine formation upon chlorination and chloramination increased as the dissolved organic carbon/dissolved organic nitrogen (DOC/DON) ratio decreased (i.e., DON contents increased). Chlorination of molecular weight (10,000 Da) fractionated water showed that molecular weight of DON would not impact the amount of organic chloramines produced. Comparison of three different disinfection schemes at water treatment plants (free chlorine, preformed monochloramine, and chlorine/ammonia additions) indicated organic chloramine formation could lead to a possible overestimation of disinfection capacity in many chloraminated water systems that add chlorine followed by an ammonia addition to form monochloramine.     

Formation of disinfection by-products after pre-oxidation with chlorine dioxide or ferrate

The effect of pre-oxidation with chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) or ferrate (Fe(VI)) on the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during chlorination or chloramination was tested with natural waters from 12 sources (9 surface waters, 1 groundwater, and 2 wastewater effluents). DBPs investigated included trihalomethanes (THM), chloral hydrate (CH), haloketones (HK), haloacetonitriles (HAN) and trichloronitromethane (TCNM), chlorite and chlorate. Chlorite and chlorate were found in the ClO₂-treated waters. Application of 1 mg/L ClO₂ ahead of chlorination reduced the formation potential for THM by up to 45% and the formation of HK, HAN and TCNM in most of the samples. The CH formation results were mixed. The formation of CH and HK was enhanced with low doses of Fe(VI) (1 mg/L as Fe), but was greatly reduced at higher doses (20 mg/L Fe). Fe(VI) reduced the formation of THM, HAN and TCNM in most of the samples. Reduced potential for the formation of NDMA was observed in most of the samples after both ClO₂ and Fe(VI) pre-oxidation.     

Disinfection by-product formation following chlorination of drinking water: Artificial neural network models and changes in speciation with treatment

Artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed to predict disinfection by-product (DBP) formation during municipal drinking water treatment using the Information Collection Rule Treatment Studies database complied by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), and total organic halide (TOX) upon chlorination of untreated water, and after conventional treatment, granular activated carbon treatment, and nanofiltration were quantified using ANNs. Highly accurate predictions of DBP concentrations were possible using physically meaningful water quality parameters as ANN inputs including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm and one cm path length (UV₂₅₄), bromide ion concentration (Br⁻), chlorine dose, chlorination pH, contact time, and reaction temperature. This highlights the ability of ANNs to closely capture the highly complex and non-linear relationships underlying DBP formation. Accurate simulations suggest the potential use of ANNs for process control and optimization, comparison of treatment alternatives for DBP control prior to piloting, and even to reduce the number of experiments to evaluate water quality variations when operating conditions are changed. Changes in THM and HAA speciation and bromine substitution patterns following treatment are also discussed.     

The impact of bromide/iodide concentration and ratio on iodinated trihalomethane formation and speciation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the formation and speciation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs) from preformed chloramination of waters containing bromide (Br⁻) and iodide (I⁻) at a Br⁻/I⁻ weight ratio of 10:1. The factors investigated were pH, iodide to dissolved organic carbon (I⁻/DOC) ratio, and NOM characteristics, specifically SUVA₂₅₄. A Br⁻/I⁻ ratio of 1:2 was also evaluated to determine the importance of Br⁻ and I⁻ concentrations and ratio on I-THM formation and speciation. Regulated triholamethanes (THMs) were measured alongside I-THMs for a more complete understanding of trihalomethane formation. The results showed that, in general, both I-THM and THM formation increased with decreased pH. Greater formation at lower pH was likely attributed to monochloramine decomposition and the formation of additional oxidants and substituting agents, most notably chlorine. For pH ≥ 7.5, I-THM yield increased with increasing I⁻/DOC ratio and decreasing specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA₂₅₄) of the water. The Br⁻/I⁻, Br⁻/DOC and I⁻/DOC ratios were important factors for I-THM and THM speciation. At pH 6, dichloroiodomethane (CHCl₂I) and bromochloroiodomethane (CHBrClI) were the dominant species at the common bromide and iodide levels. For pH ≥ 7.5 and for elevated bromide and iodide levels, iodoform (CHI₃) was always the dominant specie regardless of the Br⁻/I⁻ ratio. The results demonstrated that it is important to examine I-THM formation and speciation at typical Br⁻/I⁻ ratios (∼10) of natural waters, which have often been overlooked in previous investigations, in order to obtain practical and relevant results.     

Association between haloacetic acid degradation and heterotrophic bacteria in water distribution systems

The occurrences of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and heterotrophic bacteria were monitored in five small water systems over a nine-month period to investigate the association between HAA degradation and heterotrophic bacteria populations. The sampling sites were chosen to cover the entire distribution network for each system. An inverse association between heterotrophic bacteria and HAA concentrations was found at some locations where chlorine residuals were around or less than 0.3 mg L⁻¹. At other sample locations, where chlorine residuals were higher (over 0.7 mg L⁻¹), no HAA reduction was observed. A high heterotrophic bacteria count accompanied with a low chlorine residual could be used as an indicator for HAA degradation in distribution systems.     

Kinetic assessment and modeling of an ozonation step for full-scale municipal wastewater treatment: Micropollutant oxidation, by-product formation and disinfection

The kinetics of oxidation and disinfection processes during ozonation in a full-scale reactor treating secondary wastewater effluent were investigated for seven ozone doses ranging from 0.21 to 1.24 g O₃ g⁻¹ dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Substances reacting fast with ozone, such as diclofenac or carbamazepine (kP,O₃ > 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), were eliminated within the gas bubble column, except for the lowest ozone dose of 0.21 g O₃ g⁻¹ DOC. For this low dose, this could be attributed to short-circuiting within the reactor. Substances with lower ozone reactivity (kP,O₃ < 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) were only fully eliminated for higher ozone doses.The predictions of micropollutant oxidation based on coupling reactor hydraulics with ozone chemistry and reaction kinetics were up to a factor of 2.5 higher than full-scale measurements. Monte Carlo simulations showed that the observed differences were higher than model uncertainties. The overestimation of micropollutant oxidation was attributed to a protection of micropollutants from ozone attack by the interaction with aquatic colloids. Laboratory-scale batch experiments using wastewater from the same full-scale treatment plant could predict the oxidation of slowly-reacting micropollutants on the full-scale level within a factor of 1.5. The Rct value, the experimentally determined ratio of the concentrations of hydroxyl radicals and ozone, was identified as a major contribution to this difference.An increase in the formation of bromate, a potential human carcinogen, was observed with increasing ozone doses. The final concentration for the highest ozone dose of 1.24 g O₃ g⁻¹ DOC was 7.5 μg L⁻¹, which is below the drinking water standard of 10 μg L⁻¹. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation of up to 15 ng L⁻¹ was observed in the first compartment of the reactor, followed by a slight elimination during sand filtration. Assimilable organic carbon (AOC) increased up to 740 μg AOC L⁻¹, with no clear trend when correlated to the ozone dose, and decreased by up to 50% during post-sand filtration. The disinfection capacity of the ozone reactor was assessed to be 1-4.5 log units in terms of total cell counts (TCC) and 0.5 to 2.5 log units for Escherichia coli (E. coli). Regrowth of up to 2.5 log units during sand filtration was observed for TCC while no regrowth occurred for E. coli. E. coli inactivation could not be accurately predicted by the model approach, most likely due to shielding of E. coli by flocs.     

Effects of lanthanum and lanthanum-modified clay on growth, survival and reproduction of Daphnia magna

The novel lanthanum-modified clay water treatment technology (Phoslock^®) seems very promising in remediation of eutrophied waters. Phoslock^® is highly efficient in stripping dissolved phosphorous from the water column and in intercepting phosphorous released from the sediments. The active phosphorous-sorbent in Phoslock^® is the Rare Earth Element lanthanum. A leachate experiment revealed that lanthanum could be released from the clay, but only in minute quantities of 0.13-2.13 μg l⁻¹ for a worst-case Phoslock^® dosage of 250 mg l⁻¹. A life-history experiment with the zooplankton grazer Daphnia magna revealed that lanthanum, up to the 1000 μg l⁻¹ tested, had no toxic effect on the animals, but only in medium without phosphorous. In the presence of phosphorous, rhabdophane (LaPO₄ · nH₂O) formation resulted in significant precipitation of the food algae and consequently affected life-history traits. With increasing amounts of lanthanum, in the presence of phosphate, animals remained smaller, matured later, and reproduced less, resulting in lower population growth rates. Growth rates were not affected at 33 μg La l⁻¹, but were 6% and 7% lower at 100 and 330 μg l⁻¹, respectively, and 20% lower at 1000 μg l⁻¹. A juvenile growth assay with Phoslock^® tested in the range 0-5000 mg l⁻¹, yielded EC₅₀ (NOEC) values of 871 (100) and 1557 (500) mg Phoslock^® l⁻¹ for weight and length based growth rates, respectively. The results of this study show that no major detrimental effects on Daphnia are to be expected from Phoslock^® or its active ingredient lanthanum when applied in eutrophication control.     

A comparison of pilot-scale photocatalysis and enhanced coagulation for disinfection byproduct mitigation

This study evaluated pilot-scale photocatalysis and enhanced coagulation for their ability to remove or destroy disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors, trihalomethane (THM) formation potential (FP), and THMs in two Arizona surface waters. Limited photocatalysis (<5 kWh/m³) achieved reductions in most of the DBP precursor parameters (e.g., DOC, UV₂₅₄, and bromide) but led to increased chlorine demand and THMFP. In contrast, enhanced coagulation achieved reductions in the DBP precursors and THMFP. Extended photocatalysis (<320 kWh/m³) decreased THMFP once the energy consumption exceeded 20 kWh/m³. The photocatalytic energy requirements for THM destruction were considerably lower (EEO = 20-60 kWh/m³) than when focusing on precursor destruction and THMFP. However, rechlorination increased the total THM (TTHM) concentration well beyond the raw value, thereby negating the energy benefits of this application. Enhanced coagulation achieved consistent 20-30% removals of preformed THMs. Outstanding issues need to be addressed before TiO₂ photocatalysis is considered feasible for DBP mitigation; traditional strategies, including enhanced coagulation, may be more appropriate.     

UV/H2O2 treatment of drinking water increases post-chlorination DBP formation

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has become popular as a primary disinfectant because it is very effective against Cryptosporidium and does not directly form regulated disinfection by-products. Higher UV doses and UV advanced oxidation (UV/H₂O₂) processes are under consideration for the treatment of trace organic pollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, personal care products). Despite the disinfection effectiveness of UV light, a secondary disinfectant capable of maintaining a distribution system residual is required to meet current U.S. regulation. This study investigated changes in disinfection by-product (DBP) formation attributed to UV or UV/H₂O₂ followed by application of free chlorine to quench hydrogen peroxide and provide residual disinfectant. At a UV dose of 1000 mJ/cm², trihalomethane (THM) yield increased by up to 4 μg/mg-C and 13 μg/mg-C when treated with low and medium pressure UV, respectively. With the addition of hydrogen peroxide, THM yield increased by up to 25 μg/mg-C (5 mg-H₂O₂/L) and 37 μg/mg-C (10 mg-H₂O₂/L). Although no changes in DBPs are expected during UV disinfection, application of UV advanced oxidation followed by chlorine addition was assessed with regard to impacts on DBP formation.     

Biodegradability of organic by-products after natural organic matter oxidation with ClO2--case study

Apart from well-known chlorites and chlorates, chlorine dioxide also generates easily biodegradable carbonyl compounds and short chain carboxylic acids during water disinfection. The main goal of the presented study was to examine the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) oxidation with chlorine dioxide, on the quantity as well as the quality of formed biodegradable by-products. In the experiments conducted at the pilot plant the sand filtered water (MWI) and ozonated/biofiltrated water (BAF) were oxidised with ClO2. The amount of BDOC formed as a result of the oxidation of both waters with ClO2 was compared. The results showed considerable differences in formation of ClO2 oxidation by-products between non-ozonated and ozonated/biofiltered waters. The disinfection of ozonated/biofiltrated water with ClO2 generated comparable amounts of aldehydes and much higher amounts of carboxylic acids than ClO2 oxidation of sand filtered water. These findings are essential for waterworks with ozonation/biofiltration units and ClO2 disinfection implemented.     

Ozone enhanced removal of natural organic matter from drinking water sources

The use of ozone as a pre-oxidant or intermediate oxidant in drinking-water treatment is becoming increasingly common. The ozonation of natural source waters containing natural organic matter produces biodegradable by-products such as organic acids, aldehydes, and ketoacids. These organic by-products serve as carbon source for bacteria, potentially causing regrowth problems in distribution systems. The measurement of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) provides quantitative insight into the amount of BDOC that is present. In drinking-water treatment, removal of BDOC can also reduce the formation potential of chlorination disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Removal of BDOC was optimal at an applied ozone:DOC ratio of 2:1 (mg/mg) for source waters containing DOC levels ranging from 3 to 6 mg/liter. The use of biotreatment resulted in a 40–50% decrease in DOC, a 90–100% reduction in aldehydes, and a 40–60% reduction in trihalomethane formation potential. No removal of bromate ion and dibromoacetic acid was observed. A positive correlation was obtained between BDOC and assimilable organic carbon; both parameters indicate a tendency to plateau at an applied ozone/DOC weight ratio of 2:1.     

Effectiveness of different oxidizing agents for removing sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate in aqueous systems

The present study investigates the efficacy of various oxidizing treatments (ClO⁻, ClO₂, KMnO₄, O₃, O₃/H₂O₂, O₃/activated carbon) to remove from waters sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate (SDBS), considered as model surfactant. Results obtained show that the use of ClO⁻ and ClO₂ does not cause appreciable SDBS degradation. Additionally, in the case of ClO⁻, trihalomethanes are generated, increasing system toxicity. Because the reaction kinetics between SDBS and KMnO₄ is very slow, a decrease in contaminant concentration is not observed, even at very acid pH values. SDBS reactivity with ozone is very low, with a kinetic constant (kO3) of 3.68 M⁻¹ s⁻¹, but its reactivity with HO radicals is very high (k_OH = 1.16 × 10¹⁰ M⁻¹ s⁻¹), therefore O₃/H₂O₂ and O₃/activated carbon, which can also generate HO, appear as promising advanced oxidation processes to remove this contaminant from waters. The method based on ozone and activated carbon was the only process studied that produced both an increase in SDBS removal rate (due to the generation of HO radicals in the O₃-PAC or O₃-GAC interaction) and a considerable reduction in the concentration of dissolved organic carbon in the system due to the PAC adsorbent properties.     

Ozonation effect on natural organic matter adsorption and biodegradation - Application to a membrane bioreactor containing activated carbon for drinking water production

More stringent legislation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) urges the drinking water industry to improve in DOM removal, especially when applied to water with high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents and low turbidity. To improve conventional processes currently used in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), the performances of a hybrid membrane bioreactor containing fluidised activated carbon were investigated at the DWTP of Rennes. Preliminary results showed that the residual DOC was the major part of the non-biodegradable fraction. In order to increase the global efficiency, an upstream oxidation step was added to the process. Ozone was chosen to break large molecules and increase their biodegradability. The first step consisted of carrying out lab-scale experiments in order to optimise the necessary ozone dose by measuring the process yield, in terms of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC). Secondly, activated carbon adsorption of the DOC present in ozonated water was quantified. The whole process was tested in a pilot unit under field conditions at the DWTP of Rennes (France). Lab-scale experiments confirmed that ozonation increases the BDOC fraction, reduces the aromaticity of the DOC and produces small size organic compounds. Adsorption tests led to the conclusion that activated carbon unexpectedly removes BDOC first. Finally, the pilot unit results revealed an additional BDOC removal (from 0.10 to 0.15 mg L⁻¹) of dissolved organic carbon from the raw water considered.     

Atmospheric NH3 and NO2 concentration and nitrogen deposition in an agricultural catchment of Eastern China

To assess the atmospheric environmental impacts of anthropogenic reactive nitrogen in the fast-developing Eastern China region, we measured atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ammonia (NH₃) as well as the wet deposition of inorganic nitrogen (NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) levels in a typical agricultural catchment in Jiangsu Province, China, from October 2007 to September 2008_. The annual average gaseous concentrations of NO₂ and NH₃ were 42.2 μg m⁻³ and 4.5 μg m⁻³ (0 °C, 760 mm Hg), respectively, whereas those of NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺, and DON in the rainwater within the study catchment were 1.3, 1.3, and 0.5 mg N L⁻¹, respectively. No clear difference in gaseous NO₂ concentrations and nitrogen concentrations in collected rainwater was found between the crop field and residential sites, but the average NH₃ concentration of 5.4 μg m⁻³ in residential sites was significantly higher than that in field sites (4.1 μg m⁻³). Total depositions were 40 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for crop field sites and 30 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for residential sites, in which dry depositions (NO₂ and NH₃) were 7.6 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for crop field sites and 1.9 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for residential sites. The DON in the rainwater accounted for 16% of the total wet nitrogen deposition. Oxidized N (NO₃⁻ in the precipitation and gaseous NO₂) was the dominant form of nitrogen deposition in the studied region, indicating that reactive forms of nitrogen created from urban areas contribute greatly to N deposition in the rural area evaluated in this study.     

Application of high rate nitrifying trickling filters for potable water treatment

The interference of ammonia with chlorination is a prevalent problem encountered by water treatment plants located throughout South East Asia. The efficacy of high rate, plastic-packed trickling filters as a pre-treatment process to remove low concentrations of ammonia from polluted surface water was investigated. This paper presents the findings from a series of pilot experiments, which were designed to investigate the effect of specific conditions—namely low ammonia feed concentrations (0.5-5.0 mg NH₄-N L⁻¹), variations in hydraulic surface load (72.5-145 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹) and high suspended solid loads (51 ± 25 mg L⁻¹)—on filter nitrifying capacity. The distribution of nitrification activity throughout a trickling filter bed was also characterised. Results confirmed that high hydraulic rate trickling filters were able to operate successfully, under ammonia-N concentrations some 10- to 50-fold lower and at hydraulic loading rates 30-100 times greater than those of conventional wastewater applications. Mass transport limitations posed by low ammonia-N concentrations on overall filter performance were insignificant, where apparent nitrification rates (0.4-1.6 g NH₄-N m⁻² d⁻¹), equivalent to that of wastewater filters were recorded. High inert suspended solid loadings had no adverse effect on nitrification. Results imply that implementation of high rate trickling filters at the front-end of a water treatment train would reduce the ammonia-related chlorine demand, thereby offering significant cost savings.     

Characteristics of trihalomethane (THM) production and associated health risk assessment in swimming pool waters treated with different disinfection methods

Swimming pool water must be treated to prevent infections caused by microbial pathogens. In Korea, the most commonly used disinfection methods include the application of chlorine, ozone/chlorine, and a technique that uses electrochemically generated mixed oxidants (EGMOs). The purpose of this study was to estimate the concentrations of total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in indoor swimming pools adopting these disinfection methods, and to examine the correlations between the concentrations of THMs and TTHMs and other factors affecting the production of THMs. We also estimated the lifetime cancer risks associated with various exposure pathways by THMs in swimming pools. Water samples were collected from 183 indoor swimming pools in Seoul, Korea, and were analyzed for concentrations of each THM, TOC, and the amount of KMnO₄ consumption. The free chlorine residual and the pH of the pool water samples were also measured. The geometric mean concentrations of TTHMs in the swimming pool waters were 32.9 ± 2.4 µg/L for chlorine, 23.3 ± 2.2 µg/L for ozone/chlorine, and 58.2 ± 1.7 µg/L for EGMO. The concentrations of THMs differed significantly among the three treatment methods, and the correlation between THMs and TTHMs and the other factors influencing THMs varied. The lifetime cancer risk estimation showed that, while risks from oral ingestion and dermal exposure to THMs are mostly less than 10^− 6, which is the negligible risk level defined by the US EPA, however swimmers can be at the greater risk from inhalation exposure (7.77 × 10^− 4-1.36 × 10^− 3).