The comparison of THMs and HAAs formation and speciation by chlorination and chloramination for different water sources

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) can be controlled by using alternative disinfectants to chlorine, removing DBPs precursors prior to chlorination and removing DBPs after formed. Chloramine is widely used as an alternative disinfectant to chlorine usage. In this study to evaluate trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) formation and speciation for Altinapa and Omerli dam water isolates after chlorination and choramination procedures at different pH values was aimed. Compared with chlorination, the formation of THMs was reduced by approximately 4-fold in chloramination for Omerli dam water. Total THM concentrations remained below detection limits in Altinapa isolate after chloramination. The dominant species were CF and followed by BDCM and CDBM in case of chlorination, and almost no BF formed. BF is the dominant specie together with CF in case of chloramination, and no BDCM and CDBM formed at all pHs for Omerli dam water. HAA concentrations resulting from the use of chlorine were obtained 4.8-5.1 times higher from resulting from the use of chloramines at different pH values for Omerli Dam water; but this value was 5.5-8.7 for Altinapa Dam water. MCAA, DCAA and BCAA concentrations were a large part of the total HAA concentrations which obtained from chloramines usage for both isolates.