The Influence of Some Physicochemical Parameters of Surface Waters on the Formation of Trihalomethanes During the Drinking Water Treatment Process.

Publisher: MDPI Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 100964009 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1420-3049 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14203049 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Molecules Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Basel, Switzerland : MDPI, c1995-

Trihalomethanes*/analysis ; Trihalomethanes*/chemistry ; Drinking Water*/chemistry ; Drinking Water*/analysis ; Water Purification*/methods ; Water Pollutants, Chemical*/analysis ; Water Pollutants, Chemical*/chemistry; Seasons ; Temperature ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Romania ; Environmental Monitoring ; Water Quality

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are a class of disinfectant by-products present in chlorinated tap water. Mainly due to their carcinogenic potential, their concentration in drinking water is now limited by regulations. In Romania, little is known about their distribution in urban drinking water supply systems, their magnitude, or their seasonal variation. Drinking water suppliers periodically adapt and optimise their water treatment methods for economic reasons and in response to regulatory changes and technological developments. The formation of THMs is influenced by the physicochemical parameters of water (pH, temperature, total organic carbon-TOC) and by environmental factors (geographical, climatological). Most of these factors have significant seasonal variations that lead to the formation of THMs in variable concentrations. In this study, we analysed the seasonal trends in surface water quality (considering variations in temperature, pH, and TOC) and correlated them with the concentration of THMs in drinking water over two calendar years. Water samples were collected from the Arges River, in a geographical area comprised of plains. The results show that the formation of THMs is enhanced by increasing temperature over the course of a year, with the highest concentrations being obtained in July 2022 (98.7 µg/L THMs at 30.5 °C) and in August 2023 (81.9 µg/L THMs at 30.4 °C). The main parameters that trigger the formation of THMs are the organic matter content and the disinfectant dose; the pH has a moderate effect, and its effect is correlated with the concentration of organic matter. There were noted strong seasonal changes in the concentration of THMs, with the maximum peak being in the middle and late summer and the minimum peak being in winter. This indicates the possibility that the quality of drinking water may change as a result of climate change. In addition, monitoring and chlorination experiments have established that the concentration of THMs is directly proportional with the TOC.

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Keywords: amount of natural organic substances in water; drinking water; pH; temperature; trihalomethanes

0 (Trihalomethanes)
0 (Drinking Water)
0 (Water Pollutants, Chemical)

Date Created: 20250730 Date Completed: 20250730 Latest Revision: 20250801

20250801

PMC12300601

10.3390/molecules30142983

40733249