AWWA ACE58172

Municipal wastewater effluents from various treatment processes were analyzedfor concentrations of precursors for N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation duringchlorination. Certain polyacrylamide polymers containing tertiary amines withdimethylamine functional groups used during solids thickening operations can serve assignificant NDMA precursors when residual water is returned to the wastewatertreatment stream and subjected to chlorine disinfection. Results indicate thatdimethylamine accounts for only approximately 10% of the filterable precursors forNDMA in secondary municipal wastewater effluent. Other filterable precursors likelyconsist of tertiary amines with dimethylamine functional groups or certaindimethylcarbamates or dimethylthiocarbamates. A significant portion of these precursorsappear to be recalcitrant to extended biological treatment. However, extended biologicaltreatment can effectively reduce NDMA formation during chlorine disinfection byfostering nitrification and thus precluding the formation of the monochloramineprecursor. Reverse osmosis treatment effectively removes NDMA precursors, includingdimethylamine. Includes 15 references, figures.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

06/15/2003

Number of Pages:

9

File Size:

1 file , 290 KB