Disinfection By-products in Recycled Waters

Disinfection is an integral component of water treatment performed on large volumes of water worldwide. Chemical disinfection may, however, result in the unintended production of disinfectant by-products (DBPs) due to reactions between disinfectants and organic matter present in the source water. Due to their toxicity, levels of DBPs have been strictly regulated in drinking waters for many years. With water reuse becoming more common around the world, DBPs are now increasingly becoming a concern in recycled waters, where a much larger amount and variety of compounds may be formed due to higher abundance of organic material in the source water. With increasing temperatures and population growth in future, there is an increased need to make greater use of waste/recycled water to supplement supplies in countries such as Australia. This, in turn, necessitates a greater understanding of DBP formation in waste and recycled waters.