Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2007ME98B

The influence of chloride and natural organic matter gradients on disinfection by-product formation in Maine

Institute: Maine
Year Established: 2007 Start Date: 2007-03-01 End Date: 2008-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,208 Total Non-Federal Funds: $20,551

Principal Investigators: John Peckenham, Gail Lipfert, Touradj Solouki, Andy Tolman

Abstract: This project evaluates the potential of disinfection by-product (DBP) formation in source waters for the purpose of determining the availability of treatable water resources. This project quantifies the spatial controls on watershed and total organic carbon (TOC) characteristics and chloride gradients to predict disinfection by-products (DBPs) in source water across the state of Maine. Concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), total organic carbon (TOC), and the ratios of THM to HAA increase with distance from the ocean, whereas chloride concentrations decrease. The relationships among these trends, however, are not clear cut. Structural, compositional, and reactive properties of TOC are measured and compared with watershed properties, such as land use, land cover, drainage ratio, and soil adsorption. The role of the chloride gradient is tested by measuring DBP formation with variable chloride concentrations experimentally.