Municipal wastewater effluents from various treatment processes were analyzed
for concentrations of precursors for N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation during
chlorination. Certain polyacrylamide polymers containing tertiary amines with
dimethylamine functional groups used during solids thickening operations can serve as
significant NDMA precursors when residual water is returned to the wastewater
treatment stream and subjected to chlorine disinfection. Results indicate that
dimethylamine accounts for only approximately 10% of the filterable precursors for
NDMA in secondary municipal wastewater effluent. Other filterable precursors likely
consist of tertiary amines with dimethylamine functional groups or certain
dimethylcarbamates or dimethylthiocarbamates. A significant portion of these precursors
appear to be recalcitrant to extended biological treatment. However, extended biological
treatment can effectively reduce NDMA formation during chlorine disinfection by
fostering nitrification and thus precluding the formation of the monochloramine
precursor. Reverse osmosis treatment effectively removes NDMA precursors, including
dimethylamine. Includes 15 references, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 290 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 9 |
| Published : | 06/15/2003 |
