Dissolved Organic Carbon and Disinfection By-Product Precursors in Waters of theChickahominy River Basin, Virginia, and Implications for Public Supply

摘要

Surface water that is treated for use in public supplies typically is disinfectedwith chlorine to help ensure potability. When water containing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is chlorinated, chlorinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), such as trihalomethanes, are formed. Only certain types of dissolved organic compounds, however, produce DBPs; these compounds are commonly called DBP precursors. Water treatment removes a large part of the DOC from the water but cannot selectively remove DBP precursors. Although treating water before chlorination reduces concentrations of DBPs in finished water, concentrations can still exceed drinking-water standards.