Characteristics and removal mechanism of the precursors of N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide in a drinking water treatment process at Taihu Lake

doi:10.1007/s11783-020-1338-6

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (5) : 93 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1338-6

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Characteristics and removal mechanism of the precursors of N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide in a drinking water treatment process at Taihu Lake

Mengqing Ge^1,², Tao Lin^1,²(

), Kemei Zhou³, Hong Chen⁴, Hang Xu^1,², Hui Tao^1,², Wei Chen^1,²

¹. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
². College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
³. Nanjing Water Group Company Limited, Nanjing 210002, China
⁴. Soil and Environmental Analysis and Testing Center, Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China

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Abstract

• N-Cl-DCAM, an emerging N-DBP in drinking water was investigated.

• A new BAC has a better removal efficiency for N-Cl-DCAM precursors than an old BAC.

• N-Cl-DCAM precursors are more of low molecular weight and non-polar.

• Adsorption of GAC plays a major role in removal of N-Cl-DCAM precursors by an O₃-BAC.

N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide (N-Cl-DCAM) is an emerging nitrogenous disinfection by-product (N-DBP) which can occur in drinking water. In this study, an analytical method based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed to validate the concentration of N-Cl-DCAM, which was found to be 1.5 mg/L in the effluent of a waterworks receiving raw water from Taihu Lake, China. The changes of N-Cl-DCAM formation potential (N-Cl-DCAMFP) in the drinking water treatment process and the removal efficiency of its precursors in each unit were evaluated. Non-polar organics accounted for the majority of N-Cl-DCAM precursors, accounting for 70% of the N-Cl-DCAM FP. The effect of conventional water treatment processes on the removal of N-Cl-DCAM precursors was found to be unsatisfactory due to their poor performance in the removal of low molecular weight (MW) or non-polar organics. In the ozonation integrated with biological activated carbon (O₃-BAC) process, the ozonation had little influence on the decrease of N-Cl-DCAM FP. The removal efficiency of precursors by a new BAC filter, in which the granular activated carbon (GAC) had only been used for four months was higher than that achieved by an old BAC filter in which the GAC had been used for two years. The different removal efficiencies of precursors were mainly due to the different adsorption capacities of GAC for individual precursors. Low MW or non-polar organics were predominantly removed by GAC, rather than biodegradation by microorganisms attached to GAC particles.

Keywords N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry Precursors Removal efficiency Ozonation integrated with biological activated carbon

Corresponding Author(s): Tao Lin

Issue Date: 17 December 2020

Cite this article:

Mengqing Ge,Tao Lin,Kemei Zhou, et al. Characteristics and removal mechanism of the precursors of N-chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide in a drinking water treatment process at Taihu Lake[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2021, 15(5): 93.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-020-1338-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2021/V15/I5/93

Fig.1 N-Chloro-2,2-dichloroacetamide (N-Cl-DCAM) (MW= 162.5 g/mol).

Tab.1 The water quality characteristics of Taihu Lake

Fig.2 A process diagram of the waterworks.

Tab.2 The characteristics of the new and old GAC used in the BAC filters

Fig.3 Standard calibration graph for N-Cl-DCAM.

Fig.4 Total ion flow chromatogram of a 5 mg/L N-Cl-DCAM standard solution.

Tab.3 A comparison of the N-Cl-DCAM FP obtained using the LC-MS/MS method and the UPLC/TOFMS method

Fig.5 Total ion flow chromatogram of raw water.

Fig.6 The N-Cl-DCAN FP in the effluent of different processes.

Fig.7 Relative abundances of bacterial genera on the new and old BAC.

Tab.4 Removal of N-Cl-DCAM FP by biological activated carbon and inactivated carbon

Tab.5 The MW distribution of N-Cl-DCAM precursors in the different processes

Fig.8 The MW distribution of organic matter in the effluent of new and old BAC filters.

Tab.6 Removal of different MW N-Cl-DCAM precursors by biological activated carbon and inactivated carbon

Tab.7 Polar and non-polar properties of N-Cl-DCAM precursors

Tab.8 The polar and non-polar properties of N-Cl-DCAM precursors in the different processes

Fig.9 Polarity and non-polarity of organic matter in the effluent of new and old BAC filters.

Tab.9 Removal of polar and non-polar organics of N-Cl-DCAM precursors by biological activated carbon and inactivated carbon

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