The Prediction of Trihalomethane’s Concentration in Drinking Water

Abstract

Preparation of drinking water for infiltration water intake, as a rule, includes the stage of water disinfection with chlorine-containing agents. When chlorinating drinking water, trihalomethanes (TGM)-halogen organic compounds are formed, which can have a negative impact on human health, have remote carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. The similarity found in the curves of the change in the chlorine dose introduced into the treated water in order to ensure bactericidal action and the total concentration of the components of THM suggests a possible relationship between the values of these parameters. As a result, it was found that the «chlorine dose-concentration of TGM components» dependence is described by a linear relationship for both the total TGM value and for its individual components: chloroform (CHF), bromochloromethane (DBH), dibromochloromethane (DBH) with correlation coefficients equal to 0,79; 0.81; 0.77 respectively. The obtained values of correlation coefficients on the Caddock scale indicate the presence of a high coupling strength between the indicators considered. The total content of TGM and its components in drinking water has been predicted, depending on the dose of chlorine injected using proportional dependencies. It is established that the error of the proposed forecast is 11-30 % with an accuracy of analytical determination of the concentrations of the THM components, which is 26-42 %. Thus, it is possible to roughly estimate the total contents of TGM and their components in drinking water after chlorination, using the chlorine dose in calculations or based on the concentration of TGM and its components, taking into account the periods preceding the predicted one.