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Size and resin fractionations of dissolved organic matter and trihalomethane precursors from four typical source waters in China

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Abstract

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its potential to form disinfection by-products (DBPs) during drinking water treatment raise challenges to water quality control. Understanding both chemical and physical characteristics of DOM in source waters is key to better water treatment. In this study, the DOM from four typical source waters in China was fractionated by XAD resin adsorption (RA) and ultrafiltration (UF) techniques. The trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) of all fractions in the DOM were investigated to reveal the major THM precursors. The fraction distributions of DOM could be related to their geographical origins in a certain extent. The dominant chemical fraction as THM precursors in the DOM from south waters (East-Lake reservoir in Shenzhen and Peal rivers in Guangzhou) was hydrophobic acid (HoA). The size fraction with molecular weight (MW) <1 kDa in both south waters had the highest THMFP. The results of cluster analysis showed that the parameters of fractions including DOC percentage (DOC%), UV254%, SUVA254 (specific UV254 absorbance) and THMFP were better for representing the differences of DOM from the studied waters than specific THMFP (STHMFP). The weak correlation between SUVA254 and STHMFP for either size or XAD fractions suggests that whether SUVA254 can be used as an indicator for the reactivity of THM formation is highly dependent on the nature of organic matter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Qunshan Wei, Dongsheng Wang, Qia Wei, Chunguang Qiao, Baoyou Shi & Hongxiao Tang

  2. Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361003, China

    Qunshan Wei

  3. Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Nanchang, 330063, China

    Qia Wei

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  1. Qunshan Wei
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  2. Dongsheng Wang
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  3. Qia Wei
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  4. Chunguang Qiao
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  5. Baoyou Shi
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  6. Hongxiao Tang
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Correspondence to Dongsheng Wang.

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Wei, Q., Wang, D., Wei, Q. et al. Size and resin fractionations of dissolved organic matter and trihalomethane precursors from four typical source waters in China. Environ Monit Assess 141, 347–357 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9901-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9901-1

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