Pollution Research Paper

SIMILARITIES OF TRIHALOMETHANES FORMATION DURING CHLORINATION OF DILUTED WASTE WATER AND GANGA RIVER WATER AT KANPUR

KUMUD LATA DEVI KATIYAR, AMARJEET SINGH, PURNENDU BOSE AND VENKATESH DUTTA

Abstract

Disinfection of drinking water reduces the incidence of water borne diseases and protects the population against diseases caused by microorganisms. Chlorine has become the most widely used disinfectant in water treatment because of its plenty of advantages viz., its comparative low cost, residual action, high reactivity. At the same time the excessive use of chlorine in treatment form numerous disinfectant by-products (DBPs). The most common of which are haloacetic acids (HAAs) and trihalomethanes (THMs). THMs are formed when chlorine and other disinfectant react with naturally occurring organics and other inorganic matters present in water. Due to the carcinogenic nature of the DBPs its regulation is necessary. The broad objective of the current study was to examine the extent of THMs formation in Ganga water at Kanpur and evaluate the nature of DBPs precursors. Based on THMs formation in Ganga water (GW) at various chlorine doses in comparison with THMs formation in diluted waste water (DW). It was concluded that most organic matter present in Ganga River in Kanpur is of anthropogenic (EffOM) and autochthonous origin. The experiment conducted revealed that DBPs precursor removal by coagulation is poor in GW and the formation of THMs on chlorination of this water cannot be effectively controlled by optimizing the coagulation process. Consequently, other methods of DBPs precursor control, i.e., ozonation, biological filtration, etc. must be adopted for effective THMs control in GW.