INTRODUCTION Disinfection is the process of killing all pathogens. Safe water means water (a) free from pathogenic bacteria, (b) aesthetically acceptable, and (c) free from excessive minerals, and poisonous matter. The substance used for disinfection is called disinfectant. Disinfectants must effectively reduce/destroy all types of pathogens without being toxic to humans or domestic animals. Additionally, it must not drastically change the taste or color of water and it must be persistent. FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFICIENCY OF DISINFECTION
Nature and concentration of organisms
Nature and concentration of disinfectant
Nature of water to be disinfected (interfering
substances like NH3, iron, Mn, organic matter) Temperature of water
Time of contact DISINFECTION METHODS Heat Mechanical (ultrasonic vibration, membrane filtration) Radiation (Gamma, Ultraviolet radiation)
Chemical
Halogens (chlorine, bromine, iodine)
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) Chloramines (ClNH2, Cl2NH, Cl3N) Ozone DISINFECTION KINETICS The kinetics of disinfection depends on the following Time of contact Concentration of disinfectant Concentration of organisms Temperature of water TIME OF CONTACT When a single unit of microorganisms is exposed to a single unit of disinfectant, the reduction in microorganisms follows a first-order reaction. This equation is known as Chick’s Law, which states that the number of organisms destroyed in a unit time is proportional to the number of organism remaining:
Where, N = number of microorganism (NO is initial number)
k = disinfection constant t = time CONCENTRATION OF DISINFECTANT The disinfection efficiency is generally estimated as,
where C is the concentration of the
disinfectant, t is the time required to effect a constant % kill of the organisms, and n is a coefficient of dilution. CHLORINATION Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant because it is readily available as gas, liquid, or powder is cheap is easy to apply due to relatively high solubility (7000mg/l) leaves a residual in solution which, while not harmful to humans, provides protection in the distribution system is very toxic to most microorganisms, stopping metabolic activities. CHLORINATION The chlorine dosage required is a function of the water's organic content (including the microorganisms) and the water's reduced inorganic content. Reduced inorganic include species such as Fe2+, Mn2+, NH3, etc. which will be oxidized by chlorine. Chlorine is added to the water supply in two ways. as a gas, Cl2(g), from the vaporization of liquid chlorine. As a salt, such as sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) or bleach. CHLORINATION Chlorine gas dissolves in water following Henry's Law. KH moles Cl 2(g) Cl 2(aq) K H 6.2 10 2 (at 25 C) l atm
When chlorine is added to water, a mixture of
hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) is formed: Cl2(g) + H2O HOCl + H+ + Cl- Hypochlorous acid is a weak acid that dissociates to form hypochlorite ion (OCl-). HOCl OCl - H CHLORINATION Hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion compose what is called free chlorine residual. These free chlorine compounds can react with many organic and inorganic compounds to form chlorinated compounds. If the products of these reactions posses oxidizing potential, they are considered as combined chlorine residual. In the presence of ammonia, chlorine form chloramines, which is mainly monochloramine (NH2Cl), some dichloramine (NHCl2) and trichloramine (NCl3). BREAKPOINT REACTION Monochloramine Formation Reaction. This reaction occurs rapidly when ammonia nitrogen is combined with free chlorine up to a molar ratio of 1:1. HOCl + NH 3 NH 2 Cl H 2 O
Breakpoint Reaction. When excess free chlorine
is added beyond the 1:1 initial molar ratio, monochloramine is removed as follows: 2NH 2 Cl + HOCl N 2(g) 3H + + 3Cl - + H 2 O BREAKPOINT REACTION
Chlorine demand: The difference between the amount of
chlorine added to water and the amount of residual chlorine after a specified contact period. CHLORINATION PRACTICE Required application rate is site specific. Need to establish a combined residual after a reasonable contact time in the plant and with no detectable indicator organism concentration. Common dosage range for breakpoint is 4 to 10 mg/L as Cl2. Common contact times 10 to 20 minutes. Total combined residual leaving the plant 0.5 to 2.0 mg/L. Maintain residual sufficient to ensure 0.2 mg/L free residual available at the farthest points in the distribution system. Chlorine to ammonia weight ratios for chloramine formation 3:1 to 4:1. Any Questions?