The Effect of Membrane Treatment on Chlorine Decay and Trihalomethanes Formation in Water Distribution Systems

The experiment was carried out to measure the effect of membrane treatment on the kinetics of chlorine decay in PE pipes in the water distribution systems. The results revealed that water had the potential to form halomethane compounds with chloroform being the most dominant. The formation of THMs is no longer relatively exponential relationship with the reaction time, but also decided by complex elements, including DOC, pH, conductivity, flow rate, and several other indexes. Since Chloroform (CHCl3) has the maximum concentration of the four THMs, clear understanding of its causes, pathway and mechanism will help to regulate and solve the THMs problem.