Comparison of chlorine and sodium hypochlorite activity in the chlorination of structural fragments of humic substances in water using GC-MS

Abstract

The possibility of the formation of toxic products at the stage of drinking water disinfection as a result of interaction of disinfectants, such as chlorine and sodium hypochlorite, with model organic compounds, structural fragments of natural humic substances is investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the products of water chlorination of dibenzoylmethane and cinnamic acid by chlorine and sodium hypochlorite was performed under the conditions of an equimolar amount and five- and fiftyfold excess of the chlorinating agent. Detailed diagrams of the transformation of organic compounds under the conditions simulating the process of natural water disinfection are drawn. The studies indicate that the use of chlorine leads to a greater variety and higher concentrations of chlorinated products compared to sodium hypochlorite.