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Potable aqua drinking water purification tablets (C) Daniel FriedmanUse of Ozone for Drinking Water Disinfection

Ozone water treatment for disinfection or purification:

This article describes the use of ozone or ozonization to remove contaminants from drinking water or from septic effluent discharge. We include recent research citing interesting findings including the apparent ability of ozone treatment of water to remove trace levels of pesticides, endocrine disruptors & other chemicals.

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Is Ozone for Drinking Water Disinfection an Effective Method?

William Glaze (1987) discussed the combination of use of ozone with other methods for water disinfection and in a separate article (Glaze 1987) also reviewed the chemistry of drinking water treatment or wastewater treatment using ozone as well as hydrogen peroxide and UV light, comparing these systems. The authors summarized the history of use of ozone for water treatment:

Ozone came into use as a drinking-water disinfectant as early as 1906 at the Bon Voyage plant in Nice, France; since then more than 1000 facilities throughout Europe have adopted the practice. Some use ozone as the primary or sole disinfectant; others use it as an oxidant for the contrl of flora, odor, and color and to reuce the manganese and iron content of drinking water. Lately [1986] engineers at European water plants are finding that preozonation enhances the flocculation of suspended particles in surface waters, and its use for this purpose is expanding.

[By1986] ... the use of ozone in North America, however, [had] only recently begun to gain acceptance. According to Rice, the number of ozonation plants in the United States [had] increased from five in 1977 to 20 in 1984. During the same period, the number of plants in Canada increased from 23 to nearly 50. - Glaze (1987)

By 1998, ten years later ozone water treatment was widely discussed, and we find Camel reviewing additional treatment steps that can be required:

... In fact, oxidants may be added at several points throughout the treatment: pre-oxidation, intermediate oxidation or final disinfection. So, the numerous effects of chemical oxidation are discussed along the water treatment: removal of inorganic species, aid to the coagulation-floculation process, degradation of organic matter and disinfection.

Of prime importance in potable water production is the removal of organic matter (natural humic substances, as well as micropollutants, especially pesticides) to avoid degradation of the distributed water (mainly bad odors and tastes; formation of disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes; microbial regrowth in the distribution system).

... As a matter of fact, complete mineralization hardly occurs during the process; as a consequence, further treatment (i.e. sand or granular activated carbon filtration) is required to improve the distributed water quality, and to meet the drinking water regulations.

In noting the effectiveness of ozone for drinking water purification, Lazarova (1999) pointed out that there was considerable variation in the effectiveness of the more traditional use of chlorination as a water disinfectant depending on the beginning water quality:

Chlorination/dechlorination and advanced disinfection processes (UV irradiation, ozonation, membrane filtration) have been reviewed in terms of their efficiency, regrowth potential, design parameters, experimental set-up, scale-up and industrial experiences. Existing results show the great influence of water quality, in particular of suspended matter concentration and organic content.

... The critical analysis of the literature data and experimental results highlights UV irradiation as an effective and competitive advanced disinfection process.

Ozonation is a viable solution in case of higher requirements for water quality including virus and protozoa removal.

Ultrafiltration is a highly efficient process producing an excellent quality and totally disinfected effluent, particularly recommended for groundwater recharge and potable wastewater reuse.

The choice between these advanced disinfection technologies depends on wastewater quality, existing standards, specific reuse applications and wastewater treatment work capacity. - Lazarova (1999)

Kasprzyk-Hordern (2003) explained catalytic ozonation as a "new means of contaminants removal" in the laboratory with implications for more general water treatment:

This paper presents a review of catalytic ozonation and methods of enhancing molecular ozone reactions in water treatment. It is also an attempt to propose general ideas about mechanisms governing catalytic ozone reactions.

Catalytic ozonation is a new means of contaminants removal from drinking water and wastewater. Its application is mainly limited to laboratory use. However, due to successful results further investigation is to be carried out. The majority of models proposed represent more of a speculative approach to the problem than a hypothesis based on experimental data.

It is therefore useful to provide a summary of the accomplishments concerning catalytic ozonation and methods of enhancing molecular ozone reactions that were published so far. A survey of the application of several homo- and heterogeneous catalysts, their activity and the parameters influencing the efficiency of catalytic systems is presented here as a short overview, the aim of which is to raise awareness of possible new approaches to water purification. - Kasprzyk-Hordern (2003)

Ozone Treatment of Drinking Water to Remove Trace Levels of Chemical Contaminants

An important difference between ozone treatment of drinking water and possibly wastewater and the use of chlorination in those applications is the possibility that the oxidizing effects of ozone in water may improve the removal of chemical contaminants, not just biological ones.

Robeck (1967) discussed the removal of pesticides from water using ozone treatments, and more recently, Broséus (2009) explains efforts to remove trace levels of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals from water:

This study investigates the oxidation of pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds and pesticides during ozonation applied in drinking water treatment. In the first step, second-order rate constants for the reactions of selected compounds with molecular ozone (kO3)(kO3) were determined in bench-scale experiments at pH 8.10: caffeine (650 ± 22 M−1 s−1), progesterone (601 ± 9 M−1 s−1), medroxyprogesterone (558 ± 9 M−1 s−1), norethindrone (2215 ± 76 M−1 s−1) and levonorgestrel (1427 ± 62 M−1 s−1).

Compared to phenolic estrogens (estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol and 17α-ethinylestradiol), the selected progestogen endocrine disruptors reacted far slower with ozone.

In the second part of the study, bench-scale experiments were conducted with surface waters spiked with 16 target compounds to assess their oxidative removal using ozone and determine if bench-scale results would accurately predict full-scale removal data.

Overall, the data provided evidence that ozone is effective for removing trace organic contaminants from water with ozone doses typically applied in drinking water treatment.

Ozonation removed over 80% of caffeine, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors within the CT value of about 2 mg min L−1. As expected, pesticides were found to be the most recalcitrant compounds to oxidize. Caffeine can be used as an indicator compound to gauge the efficacy of ozone treatment.

WELL DISINFECTANT pH ADJUSTMENT may also be necessary for effective water disinfection.

Ozone Water Treatment Effectiveness Research


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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

  • Am Water Works Res, F., Bruno Langlais, David A. Reckhow, and Deborah R. Brink. Ozone in water treatment: application and engineering. CRC press, 1991.
  • Andreozzi, Roberto, Vincenzo Caprio, Amedeo Insola, and Raffaele Marotta. "Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) for water purification and recovery." Catalysis today 53, no. 1 (1999): 51-59.
    Abstract
  • Andrzejewski, Przemysław, Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, and Jacek Nawrocki. "The hazard of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation during water disinfection with strong oxidants." Desalination 176, no. 1 (2005): 37-45.
  • Arnold, Benjamin F., and John M. Colford Jr. "Treating water with chlorine at point-of-use to improve water quality and reduce child diarrhea in developing countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis." American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 76, no. 2 (2007): 354-364.
  • Broséus, R., S. Vincent, K. Aboulfadl, A. Daneshvar, S. Sauvé, B. Barbeau, and M. Prévost. "Ozone oxidation of pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors and pesticides during drinking water treatment." Water research 43, no. 18 (2009): 4707-4717.
  • Camel, Vand, and A. Bermond. "The use of ozone and associated oxidation processes in drinking water treatment." Water Research 32, no. 11 (1998): 3208-3222.
  • Glaze, William H. "Drinking-water treatment with ozone." Environmental science & technology 21, no. 3 (1987): 224-230.
  • Glaze, William H., Joon-Wun Kang, and Douglas H. Chapin. "The chemistry of water treatment processes involving ozone, hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation." (1987): 335-352.
    Abstract:
    Advanced oxidation processes are defined as those which involve the generation of hydroxyl radicals in sufficient quantity to affect water purification. The theoretical and (practical yield of OH from O3 at high pH, 03/H202, O3/UV and H202/UV systems is reviewed. New data is presented which illustrates the importance of direct photolysis in the O3/UV process, the effect of the H202:03 ratio in the O3/H202 process, and the impact of the low extinction coefficient of H202 in the H202/UV process.
  • Johnson, Clayton J., and Philip C. Singer. "Impact of a magnetic ion exchange resin on ozone demand and bromate formation during drinking water treatment." Water Research 38, no. 17 (2004): 3738-3750.
  • Jyoti, K. K., and A. B. Pandit. "Ozone and cavitation for water disinfection." Biochemical Engineering Journal 18, no. 1 (2004): 9-19.
  • Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara, Maria Ziółek, and Jacek Nawrocki. "Catalytic ozonation and methods of enhancing molecular ozone reactions in water treatment." Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 46, no. 4 (2003): 639-669.
    Abstract:
    This paper presents a review of catalytic ozonation and methods of enhancing molecular ozone reactions in water treatment. It is also an attempt to propose general ideas about mechanisms governing catalytic ozone reactions.

    Catalytic ozonation is a new means of contaminants removal from drinking water and wastewater. Its application is mainly limited to laboratory use. However, due to successful results further investigation is to be carried out. The majority of models proposed represent more of a speculative approach to the problem than a hypothesis based on experimental data.

    It is therefore useful to provide a summary of the accomplishments concerning catalytic ozonation and methods of enhancing molecular ozone reactions that were published so far. A survey of the application of several homo- and heterogeneous catalysts, their activity and the parameters influencing the efficiency of catalytic systems is presented here as a short overview, the aim of which is to raise awareness of possible new approaches to water purification.
  • Lazarova, V., Ph Savoye, M. L. Janex, E. R. Blatchley III, and M. Pommepuy. "Advanced wastewater disinfection technologies: state of the art and perspectives." Water Science and Technology 40, no. 4 (1999): 203-213.
  • Langlais, Bruno Langlais, David A. Reckhow, and Deborah R. Brink. Ozone in water treatment: application and engineering. CRC press, 1991. Am Water Works Res, F.,
  • Peeters, JOHAN E., E. Ares Mazas, Willy J. Masschelein, I. Villacorta Martiez de Maturana, and Emile Debacker. "Effect of disinfection of drinking water with ozone or chlorine dioxide on survival of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts." Applied and environmental microbiology 55, no. 6 (1989): 1519-1522. Abstract:

    Demineralized water was seeded with controlled numbers of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum purified from fresh calf feces and subjected to different treatments with ozone or chlorine dioxide. The disinfectants were neutralized by sodium thiosulfate, and neonatal mice were inoculated intragastrically and sacrificed 7 days later for enumeration of oocyst production.

    Preliminary trials indicated that a minimum infection level of 1,000 oocysts (0.1-ml inoculum) per mouse was necessary to induce 100% infection. Treatment of water containing 10(4) oocysts per ml with 1.11 mg of ozone per liter (concentration at time zero [C0]) for 6 min totally eliminated the infectivity of the oocysts for neonatal mice.

    A level of 2.27 mg of ozone per liter (C0) was necessary to inactivate water containing 5 x 10(5) oocysts per ml within 8 min. Also, 0.4 mg of chlorine dioxide per liter (C0) significantly reduced infectivity within 15 min of contact, although some oocysts remained viable.
  • Richardson, S. D., A. D. Thruston Jr, T. V. Caughran, P. H. Chen, T. W. Collette, K. M. Schenck, B. W. Lykins Jr, Ch Rav-Acha, and V. Glezer. "Identification of new drinking water disinfection by-products from ozone, chlorine dioxide, chloramine, and chlorine." In Environmental Challenges, pp. 95-102. Springer Netherlands, 2000.
  • Robeck, Gordon G., Kenneth A. Dostal, Jesse M. Cohen, and James F. Kreissl. "Effectiveness of Water Treatment Processes in Pesticide Removal (PDF)." Journal-American Water Works Association 57, no. 2 (1965): 181-199.
  • Schoenen, D. "Role of disinfection in suppressing the spread of pathogens with drinking water: possibilities and limitations." Water research 36, no. 15 (2002): 3874-3888.
  • Scott, Jon P., and David F. Ollis. "Integration of chemical and biological oxidation processes for water treatment: review and recommendations." Environmental Progress 14, no. 2 (1995): 88-103.
  • Shin, Gwy-Am, and Mark D. Sobsey. "Inactivation of norovirus by chlorine disinfection of water." Water research 42, no. 17 (2008): 4562-4568.
  • Sobsey, Mark D., Sanitation Water, and World Health Organization. "Managing water in the home: accelerated health gains from improved water supply/prepared by Mark D. Sobsey." (2002).
  • Xu, Xiaoming, Philip S. Stewart, and Xiao Chen. "Transport limitation of chlorine disinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa entrapped in alginate beads." Biotechnology and bioengineering 49, no. 1 (1996): 93-100.
  • Peter Andrey Smith, "A Quest for Even Safer Drinking Water", The New York Times, 27 August 2013, p. D3
  • Dr. Omar Amin, of the Tempe AZ Parasitology Center, corresponded with one of our readers asking about peroxide: "You can use hydrogen peroxide if you want to but we do not have a track record of percentage dilution". Dr. Amin has done research for the US military and for the CDC.
  • Potable Aqua® emergency drinking water germicidal tablets are produced by the Wisconsin Pharmacal Co., Jackson WI 53037. 800-558-6614 pharmacalway.com
  • Wilderness Medical Society has advice about boiling water for consumption
  • Princeton University - www.princeton.edu
  • "Bacteria in Drinking Water" - "Chlorine," Karen Mancl, water quality specialist, Agricultural Engineering, Ohio State University Extension. Mancl explains factors affecting the effectiveness of chlorine in water as a means to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms. OSU reports as follows:

    Chlorine kills bacteria, including disease-causing organisms and the nuisance organism, iron bacteria. However, low levels of chlorine, normally used to disinfect water, are not an effective treatment for giardia cysts. A chlorine level of over 10 mg/1 must be maintained for at least 30 minutes to kill giardia cysts. -- http://ohioline.osu.edu/b795/index.html is the front page of this bulletin.

  • Crystal Clear Supply provides portable ceramic water filter purifiers and portable reverse osmosis water treatment equipment - see http://www.crystalclearsupply.com/category_s/7.htm
  • "Do Iodine Water Purification Tablets Provide an Effective Barrier against Cryptosporidium parvum?", Starke, Jeffrey A., Bowman, Dwight D., Labare, Michael, Fogarty, Elizabeth A., and others, Military Medicine, 25 October 2001 [possibly a later version of this article appeared in 2005 -DF] http://www.amsus.org/military medicine/milmed.htm
  • "Drinking Water Safety in Emergencies", University of Minnesota extension, extension.umn.edu/info-u/nutrition/BJ646.html
  • FDA Warning about drinking hydrogen peroxide: www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/h/hydrogen-peroxide.htm This article cites a 2003 entry in Journal of Food and Science on using Hy.Perox to sterilize vegetables, referring to E.coli - NOT to Giardia.
  • www.epa.gov/ogwdw/mdbp/pdf/alter/chapt_2.pdf provides an article on use of disinfectants for water treatment
  • Principles and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation and Sterilization (Hardcover)
    by A. D. Russell (Editor), W. B. Hugo (Editor), G. A. J. Ayliffe (Editor), Blackwell Science, 2004. ISBN-10: 1405101997, ISBN-13: 978-1405101998.
  • Handbook of Disinfectants and Antiseptics, Joseph M. Ascenzi (Editor), CRC, 1995, ISBN-10: 0824795245 ISBN-13: 978-0824795245 "The evaluation of chemical germicides predates the golden age of microbiology..." -
  • WELL CHLORINATION & SHOCKING - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
  • Crystal Clear Supply provides portable ceramic water filter purifiers and portable reverse osmosis water treatment equipment - see http://www.crystalclearsupply.com/category_s/7.htm
  • Handbook of Disinfectants and Antiseptics, Joseph M. Ascenzi (Editor), CRC, 1995, ISBN-10: 0824795245 ISBN-13: 978-0824795245 "The evaluation of chemical germicides predates the golden age of microbiology..." -
  • In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested

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