Factors influencing the formation of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) in drinking water

Abstract

Disinfection for drinking water reduces the waterborne diseases caused by pathogen but it may pose chemical side effect to human health due to the formation of disinfection by products (DBPs) that form when the disinfectant reacts to organics and inorganics precursors that exists in water. In this study, several physico-chemical water properties were selected which are contact time, temperature, pH and chlorine dose to evaluate their presence that may influence the formation of DBPs particularly trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). The analysis of the formation of THMs and HAAs were conducted by using Gas Chromatograph – mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results showed that contact time, temperature and pH gave a low correlation with HAAs. The assessment of chlorine dose showed a moderate correlation with R2 of 0.2. This indicates that chlorine dose may related to the formation of DBPs in drinking water. With THMs the study found a low correlation between temperature, pH and free chlorine. Further study assesstment need to be conducted as several studies have found positive correlation between DBPs and physico-chemical water properties.