The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 10 No 2 (2006): 243 – 250

 

 

DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER AND ITS IMPACT ON THE

CHLORINE DEMAND OF TREATED WATER

 

Lim Fang Yee¹, Md. Pauzi Abdullah¹, Sadia Ata¹  and Basar Ishak²

 

¹School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia,

 43600 Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

²Semenyih River Water Treatment Plant, P.O. Box 27, 43807, Dengkil.

 

Abstract

Dissolved  organic matter (DOM) in natural waters is a complex mixture of compounds and contains  most of the reduced carbon in aquatic ecosystems. DOM is ubiquitous in surface water and cannot be easily treated or disinfected using the conventional treatment.   DOM in the water samples from  Semenyih River Water Treatment Plant were isolated  and  fractionated  using  resin  adsorbents  into  six  classes.  These  classes  are  operationally  categorized  as hydrophilic acid, hydrophilic neutral, hydrophilic base, hydrophobic acid, hydrophobic neutral and hydrophobic base. The increase of DOM presents a challenge for drinking water management because DOM could lead to the formation of carcinogenic disinfection by products (DBP). The concentration of DOM and the effectiveness of unit process along the treatment plant were studied. The evolution of chlorine demand and the  trihalomethanes formation potential in the sample of all the DOM fractions was also monitored. Experiments showed that the water samples with higher DOM concentration are found to have a higher chlorine demand and the formation of trihalomethanes. It can be concluded that DOM can be characterized as a function of chlorine demand. Hydrophilic neutral and hydrophobic acid fractions were found to play an important role in causing a high chlorine demand. The identification and the specific elimination of DOM in the water responsible for the chlorine demand would resolve most of the problems related to the formation of the DBP.

 

Keywords: Dissolved organic matter, chlorine demand, Semenyih River water treatment plant, 

trihalomethanes formation potential

 

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