The effects of activated carbon adsorption and ozonation on trihalomethane speciation

Abstract

Two surface water sources in the southwestern United States, Colorado River Water (CRW) and California State Project Water (SPW), were studied in bench-scale experiments examining two Trihalomethane (THM) precursor removal processes, activated carbon adsorption and ozone oxidation. Both source water contained bromide (Br-) ion leading to brominated THMs upon chlorination. Activated carbon removed THM precursors, as measured by dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while having little effect on bromide. The net result was an increase in the ratio of Br-/DOC and an increase in the relative abundance of brominated THMs. Ozone oxidized higher molecular weight precursor molecules into lower molecular weight by-products which were less reactive with chlorine. Moreover, ozonation transformed Br- to hypobromous acid (an "in-situ" oxidant), leading to an increase in the percentage of brominated THMs.