Recently, as part of an on-going American Water Works Association Research
Foundation project, a two-page survey (i.e., SUVA survey) was conducted among drinking water
practitioners and researchers (Karanfil et al., 2002). The survey objectives were to determine
current practices for measuring dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and ultraviolet (UV)
absorbance, thus their implications on specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) determination,
and to compare them with the procedures specified in Standard Methods and the US Environmental Protection Agency's
Enhanced Coagulation Guidance Manual. One hundred thirty-eight (138) responses, including
12 commercial and government laboratories, 21 university researchers and 105 water utilities,
were received from 34 states in the U.S. and three other countries. Survey results indicated that
filter selection (pore size and type), filter cleaning, and sample filtration are particular areas
where notable differences existed among respondents. Therefore, the present study was
undertaken to examine the impacts of filter selection, cleaning and sample filtration on DOC and
UV254 measurements.
Three factors can significantly impact DOC and UV254 measurement results, and thus
SUVA254 determinations: leaching of organic and UV254 absorbing components from filters;
adsorption of dissolved and colloidal organic matter by filters; and, fouling of filter
membrane surfaces by the buildup of particulate matter present in raw waters. This paper
summarizes the major findings from a systematic investigation of the first two factors. A
detailed summary of the findings from this work has recently been published in an article in the
Journal of American Water Works Association (Karanfil et al., 2003) and can also be found in
other documents currently being prepared (Karanfil et al., 2003; Erdogan, 2003). Includes 8 references, tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 340 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 8 |
| Published : | 06/15/2003 |
