Evaluation of Conventional Treated and UV-Ozone Treatment Water Processes for Organic Pollutants from Shendam Dam in Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

The use of contaminated water makes human populations to suffer from water borne diseases. The potential application of ultraviolet-ozone synergy for the removal of organic pollutants in raw water source from Shendam in Plateau state, Nigeria was undertaken. The conventional and uv-ozone treated water samples were extracted with dichloromethane and screened with GC-MS for organic pollutants. GC-MS chromatogram for the conventional treated water yielded 18 different organic pollutants while the uv-ozone treated water yielded 8 different organic compounds. GC-MS of the solvent blank (dichloromethane) used as the control showed similar profile of organic compounds detected as those of uv-ozone treated water. The profile obtained indicated reduction in the number of the organic pollutants because most of the organic compounds detected in the conventional treated water were not detected in the uv-ozone treated water. The results obtained during the evaluation period indicated that the conventional treatment system is highly vulnerable to passing on contaminated treated water to the end user. Uv-ozone treatment system, therefore, can represent an alternative drinking water treatment option. The use of the uv-ozone treatment process could be integrated in a drinking water flow sheet to replace the conventional disinfection processes because it is effective and environmentally friendly.