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Assessing the performances of on-line analyzers can greatly improve free chlorine monitoring in drinking water

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Abstract

The performance of seven amperometric and one colorimetric on-line free chlorine analyzers for monitoring drinking water were assessed under both controlled and real conditions according to European standard EN 17075 “General requirements and performance test procedures for water monitoring equipment—Measuring devices” (EN 17075. Water quality—General requirements and performance test procedures for water monitoring equipment—Measuring devices. CEN Brussels, 2018). For that purpose, a laboratory test bench was developed and used to estimate under controlled conditions the metrological performances (repeatability, bias, deviation from linearity and limit of quantification) and the influence of factors such as pH and temperature. The expanded measurement uncertainties (k = 2) calculated from these performances ranged from 6 % to 38 % for amperometric sensors and colorimetric analyzer. A 7-month field trial was conducted to assess the performances under real conditions. The percentile 90 was calculated from 56 relative differences (in absolute value) between the free chlorine concentration measured by the on-line analyzer and the reference value obtained using a colorimetric method with a portable spectrophotometer. The percentiles 90 were found to be in between 10 and 19 % for all analyzers. Moreover, when looking at the continuous monitoring of free chlorine during the 7 months trial, most of the on-line analyzers showed no drift in free chlorine concentration. Control charts were also built as a tool to better monitor performances of sensors and analyzers. The control limits were fixed as the expanded measurement uncertainty of the reference method (e.g., 12 %) and the alarm limits as the expanded measurement uncertainty (k = 2) of the on-line free chlorine analyze or the maximum percentile 90 obtained under real conditions (e.g., 20 %).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais, 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75015, Paris, France

    Nathalie Guigues, Sandrine Raveau, Béatrice Lalere & Sophie Vaslin-Reimann

  2. Veolia, Business Support & Performance, 30 rue Madeleine Vionnet, 93 300, Aubervilliers, France

    Julien Chabrol

  3. Veolia Environnement Recherche & Innovation (VeRI), Pôle Technologies Et Systèmes Industriels, Chemin de la Digue - BP 76, 78603, Maisons-Laffitte, France

    Pierre Lavaud & Jérémie Magar

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  1. Nathalie Guigues
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  2. Julien Chabrol
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Correspondence to Nathalie Guigues.

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Guigues, N., Chabrol, J., Lavaud, P. et al. Assessing the performances of on-line analyzers can greatly improve free chlorine monitoring in drinking water. Accred Qual Assur 27, 43–53 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01488-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-021-01488-2

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