Developing a chloramine decay index to understand nitrification: A case study of two chloraminated drinking water distribution systems

The management of chloramine decay and the prevention of nitrification are some of the critical issues faced by water utilities that use chloramine as a disinfectant. In this study, potential association between high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) data obtained with multiple wavelength Ultraviolet (UV) detection from two drinking water distribution systems in Australia and nitrification occurrence was investigated. An increase in the absorbance signal of HPSEC profiles with UV detection at lambda = 230 nm between apparent molecular weights of 200 to 1000 Da was observed at sampling sites that experienced rapid chloramine decay and nitrification while its absorbance signal at lambda = 254 nm decreased. A chloramine decay index (C.D.I) defined as the ratio of area beneath the HPSEC spectra at two different wavelengths of 230 and 254 nm, was used in assessing chloramine decay occurrences. The C.D.Is of waters at locations that experienced nitrification were consistently higher than locations not experiencing nitrification. A simulated laboratory study showed that the formation of nitrite/nitrate and/or soluble microbial products and/or the release of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) during nitrification may contribute to the C.D.I. increase. These findings suggest that C.D.I derived from HPSEC with multiple wavelength UV detection could be an informative index to track the occurrence of rapid chloramine decay and nitrification. (C) 2016 The Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V.