Characteristics Of Natural Organic Matter Research Articles

Natural Organic Matter Character in Drinking Water Distribution Systems: A Review of Impacts on Water Quality and Characterization Techniques

Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in water arises from decomposed plant and animal matter and is ubiquitous in drinking water sources. The variation in NOM concentrations and characteristics, influenced by events like floods and droughts, plays a crucial role in water treatment efficiency and water quality received by the public. For example, increased NOM concentrations necessitate higher levels of coagulants and disinfectants, leads to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), and plays a key role in biofilm development. When considering impacts of NOM, it is not only the presence or concentration but the makeup or proportion of varying sub-groups which can impact water quality. Formation of DBPs, corrosion and scaling, pollutant transport, aesthetic deterioration, and biofilm growth are dependent on the relative composition of NOM within the distribution system. Although the role of NOM concentration and characteristics is well studied during treatment, the impacts of residual NOM in water distribution systems have received less attention. In particular, it is clear, due to the varying roles of NOM sub-groups, that greater consideration of NOM characteristics in distribution systems is needed. This paper reviews the broad implications of NOM characteristics for water distribution systems and explores challenges and opportunities in NOM characterization within distribution systems. Furthermore, the influence of NOM characteristics in premise plumbing is examined. The review highlights the necessity for precise NOM characterization and real-time monitoring, aiming to strengthen water distribution system resilience.

Unravelling substrate availability and redox interactions on methane production in peat soils of China

AbstractThe availability of electron acceptors (EAs) in peatlands determines the potential of methane (CH4) formation under waterlogged conditions. Previous studies suggested that EAs can suppress CH4 production based on Gibbs free energy under the Redox Ladder Theory. However, growing evidence challenges this theory, raising the question of how the coupling of soil substrates with EAs influences CH4 emissions. To answer this key question, peat soils were collected across different climatic zones with different degrees of soil degradation. Anoxic incubation experiments were set up, and continuous addition of SO42−, Fe3+ and humic acid (HA) at different concentrations was followed by characterization of dissolved organic matter using fluorescence spectroscopy. Results suggest that low concentrations of SO42− (1000 μmol L−1), Fe3+ (100 μmol L−1) and HA (30 mgC L−1) promoted CH4 production in most of the peat soils. With the addition of SO42− and HA, increased CH4 emissions were attributed to the facilitation of dissolved organic carbon and increased quinone‐like component C1, which increased the substrate availability for methanogenesis. Furthermore, strengthened microbial activity as indicated by fluorescence component C2 led to higher CH4 production under Fe3+ treatments. On the other hand, at high concentrations of SO42− (5000 μmol L−1), Fe3+ (500 μmol L−1) and HA (50 mgC L−1), CH4 emissions rapidly decreased by 70.65 ± 1.57% to 96.25 ± 0.45% compared to control group without EAs addition, accompanied by increased δ13C‐CH4 signatures indicating the outweighed CH4 production under anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) when coupling with reduced EAs. The effect of EAs on CH4 emissions in peat soils could also be related to lability and characteristics of natural organic matter. Our results suggest that the CH4 production in waterlogged peatlands could be facilitated by regulating organic substrates at low EAs concentrations, but excessive EAs will reduce net CH4 emissions through AOM. The valuable discovery of CH4 production and oxidation processes provides insights for mitigating methane emissions from peatlands and regulating global climate change.

Molecular characteristics of natural organic matter in the groundwater system with geogenic iodine contamination in the Datong Basin, Northern China

Natural organic matter (NOM) plays an important role in the iodine mobilization in the groundwater system. In this study, the groundwater and sediments from iodine affected aquifers in the Datong Basin were collected to perform chemistry analysis and molecular characteristics of NOM by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS). Total iodine concentrations in groundwater and sediments ranged from 1.97 to 926.1 μg/L and 0.001–2.86 μg/g, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between DOC/NOM and groundwater/sediment iodine. FT-ICR-MS results showed that the DOM in the high-iodine groundwater system is characterized by less aliphatic and more aromatic compounds with higher NOSC, indicating the features of more unsaturated larger molecule structures and more bioavailability. Aromatic compounds could be the main carriers of sediment iodine and were easily absorbed on amorphous iron oxides to form the NOM-Fe-I complex. More aliphatic compounds, especially those containing N/S, experienced a higher degree of biodegradation, which further mediated the reductive dissolution of amorphous iron oxides and the transformation of iodine species, thereby causing the release of iodine into groundwater. The findings of this study provide some new insights into the mechanisms of high-iodine groundwater.

The estimation of DBPs formation potential depending on the molecular structure of natural organic matter

Objectives:Since natural organic matter(NOM) is generated from an ecosystem, it has various characteristics depending on its origin. Especially, aquatic NOM reduces an efficiency of water treatment system and forms disinfection-by-products(DBPs) as a precursor. In this study, DBP formation potential was estimated according to the molecular structure of NOMs resulted by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(py-GC-MS). Methods:Five NOM samples were characterized: Suwannee River NOM(SRNOM), Mississippi River NOM(MRNOM), Nakdong River NOM(NR), NOM in effluent of Jinhae wastewater treatment plant(WP), and NOM in a small stream(SG) in Changwon city. The various analytical instruments were used including TOC analyzer, UV spectrometer, fluorescence spectrometer, and size-exclusion chromatography. After freeze drying of NOMs, molecular structure of samples was identified by py-GC-MS. Results and Discussion:Molecular weights of SRNOM and MRNOM were similar each other (~1400Da). The others(NR,WP,SG) were larger than the SRNOM and MRNOM. Hydrophobicity of the samples followed the order: SRNOM≒MRNOM > NR > WP > SG. Py-GC-MS results showed that SRNOM and MRNOM contain high portion of humic components. Otherwise, NR, WP, SG have protein which is originated from microbials. The DBP formation potential of SRNOM and MRNOM were the highest.Conclusion:This research shows the different characteristics of NOMs originated from different source. The results confirmed that NOM contained high portion of humic components results in the formation of high concentration of DBPs.

Analysis of Natural Organic Matter in Water from Cold and Hot Mineral Springs in South Korea Using 15T FT-ICR-MS.

The natural organic matter (NOM) properties in water from cold and hot mineral springs in South Korea are not well documented. We analyzed the characteristics of NOM in water from 25 cold and hot mineral springs located across South Korea. The NOM of each sample was concentrated using solid-phase extraction and analyzed using 15T Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The origin of NOM was identified using van Krevelen diagrams. This study suggests that an analytical method to evaluate the characteristics of water in each region of South Korea can be established and used as a baseline for further research.

Quantification of organic fluorophores in absorbing media by solid-phase fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (SPF-EEM) spectroscopy of modeled mixtures containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and colorants

Solid-phase fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (SPF-EEM) spectroscopy is beneficial for investigating the characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) in the solid phase without extraction procedures. However, inner filter effect (IFE) due to the presence of dark components in samples can make it difficult to quantify the fluorophore concentration. To establish a new method to determine unknown concentrations of a fluorescent material in a sample containing various absorbing materials by SPF spectroscopy, modeled mixtures containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and colorants at different ratios were examined. Fluorescence intensities of BSA against various concentrations afforded different saturation curves for different colorants in the mixtures, suggesting that it is difficult to use the SPF intensity for quantifying the concentration of fluorescent samples in which IFE has occurred, because one cannot obtain a single calibration curve that does not depend on the absorbing medium that it is mixed in. However, products of the fluorescence intensity and Kubelka–Munk (KM) function at the excitation wavelength were proportional to the first order of BSA weight concentrations, regardless of the colorant type. By using this trend as a calibration curve, it may be possible to quantify the amount of BSA from its SPF-EEM spectrum. In this study, the KM function was obtained using an ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrometer with an integrating sphere. To reduce the labor and equipment cost of UV–Vis spectroscopy, a substrate of the KM function also was obtained from the Rayleigh scattering in an SPF-EEM spectrum, which could be used as a parameter for calibration curves that quantify the BSA concentration. Although further studies are required, this study proposed that the product of the SPF intensity and KM function at the excitation wavelength can be partially used for an empirical formula to quantify a variety of fluorescent materials mechanically mixed with various absorbing materials.

Advanced oxidation processes and selection of industrial water source: A new sight from natural organic matter

Natural organic matter (NOM) refers to the dissolved organic matter in natural water that can pass through 0.45μm filter membrane. As a pivotal role in the surface water body, it has a significant effect on the efficiency of AOPs. In this study, Excitation emission matrix - parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis is used to elucidate the changes of NOM fluorescence peaks after electrochemical oxidation process, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-FTIR-COS) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) are utilized to clarify the molecular characteristics of NOM in surface water and the effects of electrochemical oxidation on NOM molecules. The results indicate that parts of NOM molecules are mineralized into simple compounds and precursors of refractory organic matters produced by some NOM molecules after AOPs. It is concluded that the precursors of these refractory organic matters may belong to terrestrial humus (C2). Therefore, for the purpose of avoiding more refractory organic pollutants produced by NOM which can reduce the performance of AOPs in the water treatment process, factories should choose water sources with less humus as industrial water supply, or degrade humus by physical or chemical methods before industrial water supply.

Insights into the properties of surface waters and their associated nanofiltration membrane fouling: The importance of biopolymers and high molecular weight humics

Nanofiltration (NF) membrane fouling by surface waters is still an unclear and unpredictable topic due to the heterogeneity and variability of natural organic matter (NOM) in waters. The objective of this study was to identify the key water quality parameter/s responsible for NF membrane fouling. Six representative surface waters were systematically investigated in terms of the water quality characteristics and their fouling potential on a polyamide NF membrane. The results showed that these waters exhibited significant discrepancies in DOC, Ca2+, composition, and chemical characteristics of NOM. Removal performance and membrane fouling analysis indicated a preferential rejection of hydrophobic over hydrophilic NOM, and the hydrophobicity of NOM was positively correlated with reversible fouling. The biopolymer content exhibited a strong positive correlation to the total membrane fouling and irreversible fouling, indicating that it could be used as a surrogate of NF fouling behaviors by surface waters. Ca2+ and humic substances contents could not explain the membrane fouling due to their insignificant correlation with membrane fouling. However, the proportion of high molecular weight component in humic substances (%-HMW) exhibited a negative correlation with the total membrane fouling and irreversible fouling, suggesting that the HMW component has a positive effect on NF membrane fouling prevention. A reasonable explanation is that the HMW component is preferentially deposited on the membrane surface, forming a ‘controlling layer’ that prevents low MW organics from entering and blocking the membrane pores.

Comparison of UV-based advanced oxidation processes for the removal of different fractions of NOM from drinking water

This study examined the effectiveness for degradation of hydrophobic (HPO), transphilic (TPI) and hydrophilic (HPI) fractions of natural organic matter (NOM) during UV/H2O2, UV/TiO2 and UV/K2S2O8 (UV/PS) advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The changing characteristics of NOM were evaluated by dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the specific UV absorbance (SUVA), trihalomethanes formation potential (THMFP), organic halogen adsorbable on activated carbon formation potential (AOXFP) and parallel factor analysis of excitation–emission matrices (PARAFAC-EEMs). In the three UV-based AOPs, HPI fraction with low molecular weight and aromaticity was more likely to degradate than HPO and TPI, and the removal efficiency of SUVA for HPO was much higher than TPI and HPI fraction. In terms of the specific THMFP of HPO, TPI and HPI, a reduction was achieved in the UV/H2O2 process, and the higest removal rate even reached to 83%. UV/TiO2 and UV/PS processes can only decrease the specific THMFP of HPI. The specific AOXFP of HPO, TPI and HPI fractions were all able to be degraded by the three UV-based AOPs, and HPO content is more susceptible to decompose than TPI and HPI content. UV/H2O2 was found to be the most effective treatment for the removal of THMFP and AOXFP under given conditions. C1 (microbial or marine derived humic-like substances), C2 (terrestrially derived humic-like substances) and C3 (tryptophan-like proteins) fluorescent components of HPO fraction were fairly labile across the UV-based AOPs treatment. C3 of each fraction of NOM was the most resistant to degrade upon the UV-based AOPs. Results from this study may provide the prediction about the consequence of UV-based AOPs for the degradation of different fractions of NOM with varied characteristics.

A Review on techniques used for removal of Natural Organic Matter (NOM) from the water

The natural organic matter in the water continuously affects the treatment units due to their transformations. The NOM characteristics are complex, and it is challenging to clarify and remove the NOM in water. Due to the modifications of NOM during the disinfections, which results in the formation of by-products, their removal is problematic and causes adverse effects on human health. Several techniques are adopted to remove NOM from the water; one standard method involves coagulation and similar processes. The current review provides insights about the methods available for removing the natural organic matter and highlights the coagulation techniques that are gaining prominence in the current scenarios to remove the NOM from the various sources. Key Words: Coagulants, Coagulation, Natural organic matter, coagulating aids.

Unraveling the impact of iron oxides-organic matter complexes on iodine mobilization in alluvial-lacustrine aquifers from central Yangtze River Basin

The biodegradation of organic matter triggers the reductive dissolution of iron oxides with the transformation among iodine species has been mostly accepted as the key iodine mobilization process in groundwater system. However, molecular characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) and their interaction with iron oxides on geogenic iodine enrichment remain unclear. We used Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) to characterize the molecular composition of both dissolved organic matter (DOM) in groundwater and water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) in aquifer sediments being depth-matched with groundwater from monitoring wells in typical iodine-affected aquifers within the central Yangtze River Basin. The results show that WSOM in high-iodine sediments contains more high molecular weight (HMW) organic compounds with higher aromaticity and nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC), including polycyclic aromatics, polyphenols and highly unsaturated compounds. These compounds are mostly positively associated with amorphous iron oxides (Feox1) in aquifer sediments. The association between iodine and WSOM is highly consistent with that between amorphous Feox1 and WSOM, but is contrary to that between crystalline iron oxides (Feox2) and WSOM. DOM in groundwater with higher iodine concentration contains more aliphatic compounds and less polyphenols. The complexation of HMW organic compounds of WSOM to iodine-bearing amorphous Feox1 plays an important role in iodine mobilization, which could inhibit the amorphous Feox1 transformation to crystalline Feox2. These observations indicate the biodegradation of HMW organic matter (polycyclic aromatics, polyphenols and highly unsaturated compounds) in WSOM fueling the reductive dissolution of amorphous Feox1 predominantly promotes the release of iodine from aquifer sediments into groundwater. This research provides new insights into the mobilization mechanisms of iodine in alluvial-lacustrine groundwater system controlled by the Fe-OM complexation at the molecular level.

Molecular investigation on changing behaviors of natural organic matter by coagulation with non-targeting screen using high-resolution mass spectrometry

Natural organic matter (NOM) can tremendously influence the purification efficiency of the drinking water treatment process. Coagulation was the first and primary process of NOM removal in the drinking water treatment process. The interaction between coagulants and NOM molecules remains unclear. Three typical coagulants (Al13, FeCl3, and AlCl3) were used to investigate the effects on NOM removal. The measurement of NOM was conducted using 15 T Electrospray Ionization coupled Fourier-Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR MS). The coagulation process altered the mass peak numbers as well as relative intensity of the peaks which were positively correlated with TOC value. The lignin-like compound was the most abundant moiety in raw water. Al-based coagulants remove more unsaturated larger compounds (lower KMD and higher carbon number). Al13 remove the unsaturated hydrocarbons preferably. FeCl3 is more reactive with NOM molecules and removes more fully saturated compounds. These findings revealed the coagulation removal mechanism of NOM with different structural characteristics and advise the practical use of coagulants for various raw water with different NOM characteristics.

Characterization of the transformation of natural organic matter and disinfection byproducts after chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation and ultraviolet irradiation/chlorination treatment

The ultraviolet (UV)/chlorination process provides an emerging strategy to disinfect and remove trace organic contaminants in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. Different strategies for UV irradiation, chlorination, and UV/chlorination affect the characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) and the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The underlying effect remains poorly understood. In this work, Orbitrap-high resolution mass spectrometry, with a high accuracy for mass identification and a low cost, was used to investigate NOM transformation and DBP formation with UV irradiation, chlorination, and UV/chlorination. Of the untreated and treated (UV irradiation, chlorination, and UV/chlorination) NOM sample, most identified compounds were phenolic and highly unsaturated aliphatic compounds. Compared with UV irradiation, chlorination, and UV/chlorination had a stronger effect on the transformation of NOM molecular composition and resulted in more oxidized groups. A comparison of UV/chlorination with chlorination showed that UV/chlorination formed less nitrogen-containing Cl-containing DBPs, and more oxidized and saturated Cl-containing DBPs. After chlorination and UV/chlorination, more than 60% of the identified DBPs could track their precursors on the basis of electrophilic substitution and addition reactions. The UV/chlorination precursors were more saturated than for chlorination. This systematic investigation is expected to guide the future advanced development of water treatment strategies and provide a method to auto-analysis of mass spectra data and visualize the DBP character.

Ultrafiltration fouling behavior of natural organic matter: a perspective of EEM and molecular weight distribution

Abstract As natural organic matter (NOM) can cause serious ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling, most previous studies on UF fouling caused by NOM focused on the contribution of NOM characteristics. In this study, the correlation of molecular weight and fluorescence characteristics was examined and the fouling behavior of NOM was examined in a comprehensive manner through a lot of analysis including redundancy analysis (RDA), parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results showed that NOM from Tong Xin river was composed of humic acid (500 Da–8,000 Da), tryptophan-like substance, soluble microbial product (SMP) and aromatic protein (600,000 Da–2,000,000 Da). Notably, UF performance was significantly affected by the humic acid-like substance. Concurrently, the combined mechanism (CM) model was adopted to evaluate the fouling mechanism of NOM. The results indicated that the cake-intermediate model played an important part during membrane fouling and the cake layer fouling had a larger predominance over the intermediate blocking, which can be further proved in the membrane morphology detection.

Coagulation-ultrafiltration integrated process for membrane fouling control: Influence of Al species and SUVA values of water

Natural organic matter (NOM) pollution is a great challenge for the ultrafiltration (UF) process owing to the inevitable membrane fouling. In this study, three Al species coagulants (Ala/Alb/Alc) and their composites in combination with Poly dimethyl ammonium chloride (PolyDMDAAC) were used as a pretreatment strategy for the UF process. Then, test waters with different NOM fractions (i.e., humic acid, fulvic acid, protein, and polysaccharide) were prepared to analyze the effects of NOM characteristics on membrane fouling behaviors. The results indicated that compared with Alb and Alc, Ala showed higher removal efficiencies for hydrophobic NOM, aromatic organic matters, and suspended particles, but a limited effect on removing dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Ala or Ala-PolyDMDAAC effectively mitigated membrane fouling by removing the hydrophobic NOM in the coagulation process and forming the porous cake layer in the UF process. The test waters with higher specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) resulted in more severe total and reversible membrane fouling but lighter irreversible fouling. After pretreatment by Ala or Ala-PolyDMDAAC, water samples with the medium SUVA value exhibited remarkable alleviation of membrane fouling due to the formation of large, compact, and robust flocs, as well as the construction of loose and poriferous cake layer on the membrane surface. Although hydrophilic NOM was challenging to be removed by coagulation, the interception and re-adsorption of porous cake layers contributed to the alleviation of irreversible fouling.

Optimizing NOM Removal: Impact of Calcium Chloride

Understanding the character of natural organic matter (NOM) and assessing its impact on water quality is paramount for managers of catchments and water utilities. For drinking-water producers, NOM affects disinfectant demand and the formation of by-products which can have adverse health effects. NOM content in raw waters also has an impact on water treatment processes by increasing required coagulant dosages, reducing the effectiveness of adsorption processes and fouling membrane systems. This study investigated the effects of calcium chloride (CaCl2) as a co-coagulant in Al3+ and Fe3+ assisted coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation processes for NOM-removal from raw water collected from Lake Bolmen, in southern Sweden. Jar tests were conducted at Ringsjö Water Works (WW), a surface water treatment plant (WTP), to investigate the potential reduction in primary coagulants aluminum sulphate (Al2(SO4)3) and ferric chloride (FeCl3). This work shows that CaCl2 can, in certain situations, reduce the need for primary coagulants, which would reduce the environmental impact and costs associated with primary coagulant consumption.

The combination effect of preozonation and CNTs layer modification on low-pressure membrane fouling control in treating NOM and EfOM

In this study, the combination effect of preozonation and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) layer modification on low-pressure membrane (LPM) fouling control was systematically investigated. To understand the alleviation mechanism of the hybrid process, natural organic matter (NOM) from IHSS and effluent organic matter (EfOM) from actual sewage effluent were both selected as the typical organic foulants presented in actual surface water and wastewater. A dead-end continuous flow model combined with programmable logic control system was used to operate four membrane filtration units and their backwash processes. With a constant permeates flux, the fouling resistant of CNT modified LPM after preozonation could be evaluated according to the increase in transmembrane pressure (TMP). The results revealed that the hybrid approach of preozonation and CNTs modification could significantly improve the anti-fouling ability of LPM, reduce the backwash frequency, and improve the reversibility of membrane fouling. During the filtration of EfOM and NOM, preozonation improved the water treatment capacity of the CNTs modified membranes. The experiment of mass balance revealed that preozonation enhanced the recoverability of CNTs modified membrane and greatly increased its operation time in treating EfOM and NOM. The molecular weight distribution as well as EEM analysis demonstrated the dissimilar characteristics of EfOM and NOM, which caused the different treatment efficiency by preozonation and CNT modification. The mechanism of EfOM/NOM fouling on LPM was summarized as the primary blocking by medium-MW EfOM/NOM. CNTs modification had a better effect on the control of LPM fouling when treating EfOM, as it removed the medium-MW EfOM by adsorption and prevented the pores blockage of the original PVDF membrane. Preozonation had a better effect on the control of LPM fouling when treating NOM, as it greatly changed the MWD of NOM by removing medium-MW NOM. The combination effect of the hybrid preozonation and CNTs modification resulted in the most effective fouling control of LPM by both decreasing the medium-MW and large-MW EfOM/NOM. At the same time, it decreased irreversible fouling related with membrane pore blocking. The hybrid approach demonstrated its promising application for LPM fouling control in actual sewage water and surface water treatment process.

A study on the feasibility and mechanism of enhanced co-coagulation dissolved air flotation with chitosan-modified microbubbles

Water from the Yellow River reservoir is treated by dissolved air flotation (DAF), but the flocs formed are loose and easily desorbed. To solve this problem, a new air flotation process, i.e., Posi-co-coagulation dissolved air flotation (Posi-CCDAF), was developed by combining DAF with microbubble surface modification technology. The feasibility of the Posi-CCDAF process was verified by using chitosan to modify the surfaces of the microbubbles. The optimal dosage ratio of chitosan/coagulant was 0.4, and the optimal pH of the reflux water was 6.00. The removal characteristics of organic pollutants under the optimal conditions were studied. The removal characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM) with different molecular weights before and after adding chitosan were compared, and the removal efficiency of disinfection byproduct precursors was evaluated. Microscopic analysis was used to observe the bubble floc adhesion process and flocs during the copolymerization process before and after the addition of chitosan. The results showed that chitosan promoted the removal of hydrophobic macromolecular organics and the trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) by CCDAF. On the one hand, the surface of modified microbubbles in Posi-CCDAF was positively charged, which provided electrostatic force to enhance the adhesion of flocs during polymerization; on the other hand, the combination of chitosan and macromolecular organics in water formed a capture network, which made the bubble flocs larger and caused them to adhere tightly, improving the removal effect of air flotation.

Impact of natural organic matter characteristics and inorganic anions on the performance of ion exchange resins in natural waters

Abstract Ion exchange (IX) process is increasingly used as a cost-effective treatment for the removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from drinking water. However, fundamental studies under the influence of variable NOM characteristics and inorganic anions have often been overlooked. This is important given NOM characteristics (such as charge density and molecular weight) and inorganic anions concentrations are geographically and seasonally variable. We examined the performance of a strongly basic IX resin for the simultaneous removal of NOM, inorganic ions and micropollutants (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and algal toxins), from different surface and recycled waters. The results indicated >70% removal of NOM for ∼20,000 Bed Volumes (BV) with an uptake of NOM fractions following the order of their respective charge densities. IX pore blockage and consequent site reduction was observed in the presence of higher molecular weight NOM fractions (breakthrough ∼7,000 BV). Moreover, NOM and inorganic ions breakthrough corresponded to ∼85–90% site occupancy (in meq) in the absence of pore blocking compounds. IX also provided simultaneous removal of inorganic ions (>90%) and charged micropollutants. Complete removals of Microcystin-LR and multiple long- and short-chained PFAS were achieved at environmentally relevant concentrations with dosages of 1,000 mg/L (or 4.5 mL/L) or higher.

Monitoring the characteristics and removal of natural organic matter fractions in selected South African water treatment plants

Abstract This study used spectroscopic methods to investigate the fate and dynamics of natural organic matter (NOM) as it traverses the treatment train at three water treatment plants (WTPs) in South Africa. The character, quantity, and removability of NOM at specific treatment stages was investigated by measuring changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, specific ultra-violet absorbance, UV absorbance, various spectroscopic indices, and maximum fluorescence intensity levels. A novel method of identifying and quantifying fluorescent fractions by combining synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS) and Gaussian peak fitting is presented. The dynamics of NOM removal were modeled using 2D-SFS correlation spectroscopy. Humic and fulvic substances dominated coastal plants and were the most amenable for removal by coagulation as shown by Hermanus WTP (plant H), which had a 42% DOC removal at the coagulation stage. Tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like and microbial humic-like substances were degraded or transformed concurrently at plant Flag Bushiole (FB) whereas, at plant H, fulvic-like matter was transformed first followed by tyrosine-like then humic-like matter. Through 2D-SFS, this study revealed that NOM transformation was varied as a consequence of NOM character, the type and dosage of treatment chemicals used, and WTPs operational parameters.