Fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool for determination of organic matter removal efficiency at water treatment works

M Z Bieroza,A Baker,J Bridgeman

doi:10.5194/dwes-3-63-2010

M Z Bieroza, A Baker + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-3-63-2010

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Abstract

Abstract. Organic matter (OM) in drinking water treatment is a common impediment responsible for increased coagulant and disinfectant dosages, formation of carcinogenic disinfection-by products, and microbial re-growth in distribution system. The inherent heterogeneity of OM implies the utilization of advanced analytical techniques for its characterization and assessment of removal efficiency. Here, the application of simple fluorescence excitation-emission technique to OM characterization in drinking water treatment is presented. The fluorescence data of raw and clarified water was obtained from 16 drinking water treatment works. The reduction in fulvic-like fluorescence was found to significantly correlate with OM removal measured with total organic carbon (TOC). Fluorescence properties, fulvic- and tryptophan-like regions, were found to discriminate OM fractions of different removal efficiencies. The results obtained in the study show that fluorescence spectroscopy provides a rapid and accurate characterization and quantification of OM fractions and indication of their treatability in conventional water treatment.

Highlights

IntroductionIn surface waters, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important compound comprising naturally occurring freshwater DOM (mainly humic fraction) and a heterogeneous mixture of DOM from domestic and industrial waste (fulvic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids).In drinking water treatment DOM interferes with most of the treatment processes
In surface waters, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important compound comprising naturally occurring freshwater DOM and a heterogeneous mixture of DOM from domestic and industrial waste.In drinking water treatment DOM interferes with most of the treatment processes
Similar pattern of changes was observed for other water treatment works (WTW) the degree of Organic matter (OM) removal at particular treatment stages was depended on site-specific OM properties and utilized treatment processes

Summary

Introduction

In surface waters, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important compound comprising naturally occurring freshwater DOM (mainly humic fraction) and a heterogeneous mixture of DOM from domestic and industrial waste (fulvic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids).In drinking water treatment DOM interferes with most of the treatment processes. DOM is responsible for unpleasant odour and taste in water, formation of carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), fouling of filtration membranes, increased disinfectant demands and microbial regrowth in the distribution system. The main focus in water treatment studies has been on improving the organic matter removal efficiency (i.e. enhanced coagulation, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, membrane filtration, ion exchange) and development of novel techniques of DOM characterization. Hydrophilic fraction is in general recalcitrant to coagulation removal, significantly contributes to biodegradable OM responsible for biofilm formation in the distribution system, and is the major precursor of HAAs (Kim and Yu, 2005; Soh et al, 2008)

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