Resumen de Gas Chromatography Analyses for Trihalomethanes: An Experiment Illustrating Important Sources of Disinfection By-Products in Water Treatment
Alicia C. Gonzalez, V. R. Vasquez, Terese M. Olson
Chlorination processes are an important disinfection strategy in drinking water treatment. Side-reactions of chlorine species with naturally present organic matter, however, are known to produce toxic disinfection by-products (DBPs). One important class of DBPs is trihalomethanes. This experiment demonstrates how trihalomethanes form in a chlorination process by using a model substrate, resorcinol, to mimic the reactive moieties present in natural organic matter. To further simulate how bromo-substituted trihalomethanes are typically obtained in a chlorination process, bromide is also added to the resorcinol solution. Reaction pathways and yields for the formation of trihalomethanes are discussed. The experiment provides a meaningful example of gas chromatography analyses of mixtures of environmentally relevant compounds and is suitable for an undergraduate junior/senior level or graduate environmental chemistry course.
