Formation of disinfection by-products during chlorination of organic matter from phoenix tree leaves and Chlorella vulgaris

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 243; no. Pt B; pp. 1887 - 1893
• Main Authors: Sun, Hongjie, Song, Xuhui, Ye, Ting, Hu, Junbiao, Hong, Huachang, Chen, Jianrong, Lin, Hongjun, Yu, Haiying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Acetonitriles - chemistry; Algal organic matter; Chlorella vulgaris - chemistry; Chlorella vulgaris - metabolism; Chlorination; Chloroform - chemistry; Disinfectants - chemistry; Disinfection - standards; Disinfection by-products (DBPs); Halogenation; Hydrophobicity; Leaf organic matter; Phoeniceae - chemistry; Trichloroacetic Acid - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Purification; Disinfection by-products (DBPs); Leaf organic matter; Chlorination; Algal organic matter; Hydrophobicity
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.10.021

To better understand the precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs) and provide useful information for water utilities to manage the drinking water, a study of DBP formation was conducted through chlorination of leaf organic matter (OM) from phoenix tree and algal OM from Chlorella vulgaris. DBPs investigated include trichloromethane (TCM), trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), chloroacetic acid (CAA), dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and trichloroacetonitrile (TCNM). Results show that the specific yields (μg/mg C) of C-DBPs (TCM, CAA, DCAA and TCAA) from leaf OM were higher but the specific yields of N-DBPs (DCAN and TCNM) were lower than those from algal OM. Correlation analysis revealed that C-DBPs yields (μg/L) were significantly (p < 0.01) interrelated with each other (r = 0.937–0.996), and for each C-DBP, the hydrophobic OM contributed more to their formation (61–90% of total yields) as compared with hydrophilic OM. In spite of these characteristics, an in-depth examination was conducted revealing that the hydrophobicity and aromaticity of C-DBPs precursors were in the order of TCAA > DCAA & TCM > CAA. DCAN precursors were highly variable: they were dominated by hydrophobic OM (leaf OM: 86%) or hydrophilic OM (algal OM: 61%). Hydrophilic OM was the most important precursor for TCNM (76–79% of total yields), followed by hydrophobic neutral and base substances (29–45% of total yields), but the hydrophobic acids exhibited an inhibition role in TCNM formation. [Display omitted] •Leaf OM and algal OM are important precursor for C-DBPs and N-DBPs, respectively.•TCM, CAA, DCAA and TCM yields were most contributed by hydrophobic OM.•Aromaticity and hydrophobicity of precursor are ranked as TCAA > DCAA, TCM > CAA.•Order of contribution to TCNM yields: HiM > HoS, yet HoA acted an inhibition role.•DCAN precursors are highly variable.