Chlorine taste can increase simulated exposure to both fecal contamination and disinfection byproducts in water supplies

Batch ozonation experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of various operating options (i.e. additions of acid, ethanol, ammonium ion, and hydrogen peroxide) on the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in six different source waters. Formation of bromate, total organic bromines, total aldehydes (the sum of 13 aldehydes) was evaluated, assuming they represent three different types of DBPs during ozonation (i.e. inorganic bromine DBPs, organobromine DBPs, and non-brominated organic DBPs, respectively). Among the tested options, acid addition was found to be the best one to control all the three types of DBPs simultaneously on an ozone exposure basis.

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Proactive optical monitoring of catchment dissolved organic matter for drinking water source protection

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-9932 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

John Weatherill ◽

Elena Fernandez-Pascual ◽

Jean O'Dwyer ◽

Elizabeth Gilchrist ◽

Simon Harrison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Dissolved Organic Matter ◽

Water Source ◽

Disinfection Byproducts ◽

Catchment Management ◽

Drinking Water Source ◽

Source Water ◽

Optical Monitoring ◽

Water Supplies

<p>Ireland has a far greater number of regulatory exceedances for trihalomethanes (THMs) in public water supplies than the next highest European Union member state. In Ireland, 82% of public water supplies originate from surface water catchments which require disinfection to inactivate pathogens and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases. Since the 1970s, it has been known that the use of chlorine for disinfection leads to the formation of potentially harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs) of which some are suspected carcinogens. THMs are one prominent class of at least 700 potentially harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs) produced after chlorination of dissolved organic matter (DOM) present in source water which is not removed prior to disinfection.</p><p>We introduce a new research project, funded by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency entitled PRODOM: PRoactive Optical monitoring of catchment Dissolved Organic Matter for drinking water source protection. The overall aim of the research is to develop an integrated catchment-level understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of DOM precursors and associated DBP formation risk. The project will explore the relationship between optically-active DOM precursors and laboratory formation potentials for key DBPs including emerging classes of potentially more harmful nitrogenous DBPs. Through high-resolution spatial sampling we will develop geospatial DBP formation risk maps and identify risk-driving point and diffuse precursor sources. We will evaluate the potential of state-of-the-art UV fluorescence sensor technology to act as an early warning tool for proactive management of source water at sub-catchment scale. Using high-frequency time series monitoring of fluorescent precursors, we will identify high-risk periods in the catchment hydrograph and evaluate critical precursor sources and pathways to inform a series of catchment management measures designed to reduce DBP formation risk.&#160;</p>

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Enhanced Formation of Disinfection Byproducts in Shale Gas Wastewater-Impacted Drinking Water Supplies

Environmental Science & Technology ◽

10.1021/es5028184 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 48 (19) ◽

pp. 11161-11169 ◽

Cited By ~ 117

Author(s):

Kimberly M. Parker ◽

Teng Zeng ◽

Jennifer Harkness ◽

Avner Vengosh ◽

William A. Mitch

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Shale Gas ◽

Disinfection Byproducts ◽

Water Supplies

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Health Effects of Commonly Occurring Disinfection Byproducts in Municipal Water Supplies

Water Encyclopedia ◽

10.1002/047147844x.mw1706 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Raghuraman Venkatapathy ◽

Chandrika Moudgal ◽

Brenda Boutin ◽

Robert Bruce

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Disinfection Byproducts ◽

Water Supplies ◽

Municipal Water

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Hands, Water, and Health: Fecal Contamination in Tanzanian Communities with Improved, Non-Networked Water Supplies

Environmental Science & Technology ◽

10.1021/es903524m ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 44 (9) ◽

pp. 3267-3272 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

Amy J. Pickering ◽

Jennifer Davis ◽

Sarah P. Walters ◽

Helena M. Horak ◽

Daniel P. Keymer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fecal Contamination ◽

Water Supplies

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Are Presence/Absence Microbial Tests Appropriate for Monitoring Large Urban Water Supplies in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Water ◽

10.3390/w11030491 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 491

Author(s):

Clara MacLeod ◽

Rachel Peletz ◽

Francis Kere ◽

Aminata M’Baye ◽

Michael Onyango ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Fecal Contamination ◽

Water Systems ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Most Probable Number ◽

Urban Water ◽

Water Supplies ◽

Probable Number ◽

Microbial Water Quality

Screening for fecal contamination via microbial water quality monitoring is a critical component of safe drinking water provision and public health protection. Achieving adequate levels of microbial water quality testing, however, is a challenge in resource-limited settings. One strategy for addressing this challenge is to improve the efficiency of monitoring programs. In African countries, quantitative microbial testing methods are commonly used to monitor chlorinated piped water systems. However, presence/absence (P/A) tests may provide an appropriate alternative for water supplies that generally show negative fecal contamination results. This study compares 1048 water quality test results for samples collected from five African urban water systems. The operators of the systems conducted parallel tests on the 1048 samples using their standard quantitative methods (e.g., most probable number or membrane filtration) and the Colitag™ method in P/A format. Combined data demonstrates agreement rates of 97.9% (1024/1046) for detecting total coliforms and 97.8% (1025/1048) for detecting E. coli. We conclude that the P/A test offers advantages as a simpler and similarly sensitive measure of potential fecal contamination for large, urban chlorinated water systems. P/A tests may also offer a cost-effective alternative to quantitative methods, as they are quicker to perform and require less laboratory equipment.

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