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Limitations of Conventional Drinking Water Technologies in Pollutant Removal

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Applications of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) in Drinking Water Treatment

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 67))

Abstract

This chapter gives an overview of the more traditional drinking water treatment from ground and surface waters. Water is treated to meet the objectives of drinking water quality and standards. Water treatment and water quality are therefore closely connected.

The objectives for water treatment are to prevent acute diseases by exposure to pathogens, to prevent long-term adverse health effects by exposure to chemicals and micropollutants, and finally to create a drinking water that is palatable and is conditioned in such a way that transport from the treatment works to the customer will not lead to quality deterioration.

Traditional treatment technologies as described in this chapter are mainly designed to remove macro parameters such as suspended solids, natural organic matter, dissolved iron and manganese, etc. The technologies have however only limited performance for removal of micropollutants. Advancing analytical technologies and increased and changing use of compounds however show strong evidence of new and emerging threats to drinking water quality. Therefore, more advanced treatment technologies are required.

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Abbreviations

°D:

German degree

AC:

Activated carbon

AOC:

Assimilable organic carbon

BB:

Building block

BP:

Biopolymer

DAF:

Dissolved air flotation

DOC:

Dissolved organic carbon

E. coli :

Escherichia coli

E2:

17-Beta-estradiol

EC:

European Commission

EDC:

Endocrine-disrupting compound

EE2:

17-Alpha-ethinylestradiol

FEEM:

Fluorescence excitation emission matrix

GAC:

Granular activated carbon

HS:

Humic substance

LC-OCD:

Liquid chromatography – organic carbon detection

LMw:

Low molecular weight

LP:

Low pressure (UV lamp, 253.7 nm)

LRV:

Logarithmic reduction values

LSI:

Langelier saturation index

MP:

Medium pressure (UV lamp, 200–300 nm)

Mw:

Molecular weight

NOM:

Natural organic matter

PAC:

Powdered activated carbon

PACl:

Polyaluminium chloride

PCCPP:

Practical calcium carbonate precipitation potential

PRAM:

Polarity rapid assessment method

QMRA:

Quantitative microbial risk assessment

REACH:

Registration, evaluation, and authorization chemicals

SAX:

Strong anion exchanger

SDWA:

Safe Drinking Water Act

SEC:

Size exclusion chromatography

SI:

Saturation index

SMP:

Soluble microbiological product

SPE:

Solid phase extraction

SUVA:

Specific UV absorbance

TCCPP:

Theoretical calcium carbonate precipitation potential

TH:

Total hardness

TOC:

Total organic carbon

TTC:

Threshold of toxicological concern

UV:

Ultraviolet

UV-A:

315–380 nm

UV-B:

280–315 nm

UV-C:

200–280 nm

VUV:

Vacuum ultraviolet (100–200 nm)

WHO:

World Health Organization

WWTP:

Wastewater treatment plant

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. KWR Watercycle Research Institute, PO Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    Roberta Hofman-Caris

  2. Water Innovation and Research Centre, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Jan Hofman

Authors
  1. Roberta Hofman-Caris
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  2. Jan Hofman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roberta Hofman-Caris .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sciences, Public University of Navarra , Pamplona, Spain

    Antonio Gil

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Nariño, Pasto, NARIÑO, Colombia

    Luis Alejandro Galeano

  3. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain

    Miguel Ángel Vicente

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Hofman-Caris, R., Hofman, J. (2017). Limitations of Conventional Drinking Water Technologies in Pollutant Removal. In: Gil, A., Galeano, L., Vicente, M. (eds) Applications of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) in Drinking Water Treatment. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 67. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_83

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