Ozone: A Means of Stimulating Biological Activated Carbon Reactors

Abstract

Abstract To reduce the formation of chlorination byproducts in drinking water, the European strategy consists in developing techniques for the removal of organic matter. No chlorine is added to the water until the end of the treatment line, allowing a great reduction of the chlorine dose applied. Delaying the chlorination also improves the biological assimilation of organics within the filters. Identification of the basic properties (i.e., molecular weight, biodegradability) of the molecules which react with chlorine shows that the combination of ozone and biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration is an efficient and economical technique for the removal of these undesirable byproducts. More and more, drinking water suppliers are faced with the worrisome problem of chlorinated byproducts. This concern was prompted largely by the degradation of raw waters. Chlorinated byproducts are caused by the effect of chlorine on organic matter dissolved in water.