Influence of bromide and iodide on the formation of disinfection by-products in drinking water treatment

Modeling chloramine stability and disinfection byproduct formation in groundwater high in bromide

“…In addition, bromamines have been shown to be more reactive with DOM than their chlorinated counterparts, and are suspected of forming greater concentrations of DBPs (Allard, Cadee, et al, 2018; Duirk & Valentine, 2007; Heeb et al, 2017; Mensah et al, 2022; Yang et al, 2014). Although few studies have investigated the role of brominated amines in DBP formation (Criquet & Allard, 2021), a recent investigation found that bromamines can yield substantial levels of bromoform when exposed to more reactive DOM associated with aromatic and phenolic moieties (Mensah et al, 2023). Although there is a growing body of research elucidating bromamine formation and decay mechanisms as well as kinetics in laboratory pure water (Allard, Cadee, et al, 2018; Brodfuehrer et al, 2022; Mensah et al, 2022; Wahman et al, 2017), more research is needed to evaluate the impact bromide has on the stability of a chloramines in natural waters and the ability of kinetic models to predict NH 2 Cl decomposition.…”

“…The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Stage II Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule sets maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) at 80 μg/L and the sum of five HAAs (HAA5s) at 60 μg/L. Because toxicology studies have suggested that brominated DBPs are more toxic than chlorinated DBPs, regulatory agencies could lower MCLs for bromine‐containing DBPs and/or regulate additional brominated DBPs (Criquet & Allard, 2021; Yang et al, 2014). For example, the USEPA incorporated all nine HAAs (HAA9), which includes HAA5s and four additional brominated HAAs, in the fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR4).…”