CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL-WATER FOR POTENTIAL TO OXIDIZE ORGANIC POLLUTANTS WITH OZONE

A laboratory study has been designed to investigate the decomposition of ozone in natural water and to determine its potential to produce hydroxyl free radicals for the oxidation of micropollutants during the ozonation process of drinking water. This report describes the first data obtained using a continuous flow reactor capable of observing reactions with relatively short time scales (Q = 34 mL/min; 1.4 < t(c) < 27 sec). Rates of ozone decay were studied in fulvic acid solution in the presence, or in the absence of radical scavenger (tert-butyl alcohol) or of promoter of ozone decomposition (formic acid), and a micropollutant of interest (tetrachloro-ethylene). Also, three natural waters were studied, illustrating that OH radical formation depends on chemical composition of the waters.