EFFECTS OF DISINFECTION ON ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN WATER (EHT 9312 SLD) DoE 1635-H
Report No DWI0022

Sept 1987

SUMMARY

The long established practice of chlorination during water treatment in the UK and the potential hazard to human health of the THMs produced has led to a need to re-evaluate the use of alternative disinfectants. Ozone, currently widely used in Europe, the USA and Canada is believed to be the most promising candidate as an alternative disinfectant in UK potable water treatment.

In order to assess the effects of ozone on organic substances in water, systematic laboratory studies were undertaken to provide data on consumption of substrates, reaction pathways and end products. This study investigated the effects of ozone on a large number of organic substances (including alkanes, alkenes, fatty acids, aromatics, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and surfactants) likely to occur as contaminants in water.

Copies of this report may be available as an Acrobat pdf download under the 'Find Completed Research' heading on the DWI website.