EFFECTS OF OZONE ON THE PRODUCTION OF BIODEGRADABLE DISSOLVED ORGANIC-CARBON (BDOC) DURING WATER-TREATMENT

This article deals with the oxidation effect of ozone on the increasing fraction of biodegradable organic matter with the ''ozotest'' method, a laboratory technique which simulates the effect of ozonation and allows a complete oxidation assessment. Ozone treatment was performed on river water samples and sand filter effluent samples. Ozone consumption, reduction of UV absorbance and BDOC formation were monitored with applied ozone doses from 0 to 10 mg/L and with contact times from 0 to 60 min. The BDOC formation was optimum at an applied ozone dose of 0.25-0.5 mg O-3 per mg DOC (contact time = 5 min) corresponding to apparition of traces of residual ozone and maximum UV reduction. Maximum ozone consumption, UV reduction and BDOC formation occurred simultaneously during the first two minutes of treatment. Concerning BDOC formation, applied ozone dose showed a greater effectiveness than contact time. For the same quantity of consumed ozone, a short contact time associated with a high ozone dose was preferable to a long contact time and a low ozone dose.