Treatment FAQ

why is chlorine used in water treatment

by Dr. Clare Dare MD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Key benefits of using chlorine dioxide:

  • It is a very potent, quick acting bactericide
  • It is effective at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm
  • Can disinfect surfaces
  • Do not form toxic by products
  • Can destroy problematic biofilm
  • Effective as a disinfectant and oxidant
  • Eliminate both planktonic and sessile bacteria

Drinking water chlorination is the addition of chlorine to drinking water systems. It is the most common type of drinking water disinfection. Disinfection kills bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that cause disease and immediate illness.Apr 4, 2019

Full Answer

Why does chlorine react vigorously with water?

Jul 11, 2019 · Water chlorination is the process of adding chlorine or chlorine compounds such as sodium hypochlorite to water. This method is used to kill bacteria, viruses and other microbes in water. In particular, chlorination is used to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.

What is advantage and disadvantage of chlorine?

Jun 18, 2020 · Why is chlorine used in water treatment? As a halogen, chlorine is a highly efficient disinfectant, and is added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, that commonly grow in water supply reservoirs, on the walls of water mains and in storage tanks.

Why does the water supply industry use chlorine?

Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water. Using or drinking water with small amounts of chlorine does not cause harmful health effects and provides protection against waterborne disease outbreaks.

Why is too much chlorine in pools so dangerous?

When reaching such plants the water contains pollutants such as parasites, chemicals, bacteria, or even human waste. At the water treatment plants, the unfiltered water is treated with chlorine dioxide, the potent disinfectant solution for wastewater treatment in Buena Park thanks to its capability to remove biofilm and other pathogens. Its high oxidation power removes electrons …

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Chlorine was the gas of choice earlier for water purification treatments, due to its water-solubility and germicidal properties. Chlorine dioxide is ten times more soluble in cold water than chlorine making it more effective in any chlorine-related applications. 👉 An effective Biocide

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What is chlorine dioxide?

It is a chemical compound in a gaseous form possessing antimicrobial properties, which is used to disinfect water, surfaces, and a host of other areas.

Why use chlorine dioxide solution in water treatment?

The water reaching our taps is removed of the most harmful pathogens in the water treatment plants using chlorine dioxide. When reaching such plants the water contains pollutants such as parasites, chemicals, bacteria, or even human waste.

Chlorine dioxide to safeguard cooling water systems

Cooling water systems are used as heat sink in industries to remove heat generated through industrial processes. If the heat is not removed the equipment used in industries can get damaged. However, the capacity of such heat sinks can suffer due to the formation of biofilm inside.

What is the best way to disinfect water?

Other methods of disinfection such as ultraviolet and ozonation are effective disinfectants but they do not provide a residual to prevent pathogen regrowth as chlorination does. When treatment plants are distant from the point of use, chlorination is the best way to provide safe water to the end user. Municipal water providers usually rely on measurements of “chlorine residual”—the amount of chlorine remaining in the water after it reaches its destination—as proof of safety. Residual requirements vary, but typical residual goal would be for 0.2 to 1 mg/L.

Why is chlorine used as a disinfectant?

Chlorine and pH. In general terms, the lower the pH of the water, the more effective chlorine is as a disinfectant. Again, speaking generally, a reason for dosing effectively is that chlorination raises the pH of water, so overdosing often raises the pH to levels where chlorine does not work effectively as a disinfectant.

What is calcium hypochlorite?

Calcium hypochlorite is manufactured from chlorine gas. It is best known as chlorine pellets and granules in residential water treatment. It is a white solid with a very pungent odor and it can create enough heat to explode, so it must not be stored near wood, cloth or petroleum products. Calcium hypochlorite increases the pH of the water being treated.

How much chlorine is needed for disinfection?

Residual requirements vary, but typical residual goal would be for 0.2 to 1 mg/L. In addition to disinfection, chlorine can be effectively used to oxidize iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide to facilitate their removal, to reduce color in water, and to aid in such treatment processes as sedimentation and filtration.

What is the best way to provide safe water to the end user?

When treatment plants are distant from the point of use, chlorination is the best way to provide safe water to the end user. Municipal water providers usually rely on measurements of “chlorine residual”—the amount of chlorine remaining in the water after it reaches its destination—as proof of safety. Residual requirements vary, but typical residual ...

Which is more effective for disinfecting: chlorine or hypochlorite?

Chemically, this has to do with the relationship between the two constituents of chlorine that together are often referred to as “free chlorine”—hypochlorus acid and hypochlorite ions. Hypochlorus acid is the more effective disinfectant and it dominates at lower pH levels, so a lower pH is preferred for disinfection.

Is chlorine used in water treatment?

“Pure chlorine” is seldom used for water treatment. The three most common chlorine-containing substances used in water treatment are chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, and calcium hypochlorite. The choice of the chlorine type to be used often depends on cost, on the available storage options and on the pH conditions required. Chlorination affects pH and pH affects results—a fact that is commonly overlooked in residential water treatment.

How does chlorine dioxide affect bacteria?

Chlorine dioxide reacts with the organic substances in bacterial and microbial cells, interrupting many of its internal processes. It also combines with amino acids to hamper protein synthesis in the organism . Viruses are killed by chlorine dioxide combining with peptone, a water-soluble product of hydrolysis of proteins into amino acids, thus preventing protein synthesis in the cells. It is much more effective as a biocide than other gases like ozone or chlorine.

What metals are neutralized by chlorine?

Metallic impurities like iron compounds, manganese and bromides are effectively neutralized with chlorine dioxide treatment. These metals are often found in complex compound forms in unpurified water – chlorine dioxide removes them effectively while not reacting with nitrogen, ammonia, amines and other oxidizable organic substances.

When was chlorine dioxide discovered?

Chlorine dioxide was discovered by Sir Humphrey in 1814. It is still produced by using similar methods. It is an unstable synthetic, green yellowish gaseous compound, turns into a reddish liquid at -59 degrees and reverts into the gas at 11 degrees. It is highly soluble in water, yet does not hydrolyze. There are many advantages of using chlorine dioxide over other gaseous purifying agents due to its stable nature in dissolved form. It is therefore used extensively in many water treatment and purification processes.

Is chlorine dioxide a good disinfectant?

Chlorine dioxide is a faster and more potent source of disinfectant capability without any worry of high Ph levels. This disinfectant is more soluble than others as it has a dissolving capacity 10 times faster than chlorine. Using chlorine dioxide is good for any sized company in need of slime control due to product efficacy at low ppm levels, low infrastructure needs, and competitive product pricing. Please reach out with slime control needs and we will be happy to help

Does chlorine dioxide make water smell?

Chlorine dioxide does not give off any odor when dissolved in water in recommended quantities. Also, it removes other odorous substances such as phenols with can cause odor and taste problems in purified water.

Does chlorine dioxide break down?

One of the most important attributes of chlorine dioxide is its high degree of water solubility. Also, it does not hydrolyze (break down) when dissolved in water, it stays as a gas in solution. Thus, it is easy to remove it through aeration or using carbon dioxide. These properties combined with other advantages discussed below have made it one of the most important chemicals used in cooling tower water treatment and any other water purification processes in modern times.

Why is disinfection important?

Disinfection is an essential step in the water treatment process because it can destroy microorganisms that may cause diseases in humans. Public water systems utilize various disinfection practices, some of which may potentially lead to undesired, harmful chemical byproducts. Following the regulations for disinfection treatments and byproducts is an important measure to ensure water is safe to drink.

What is the normal level of chloramine in water?

Normal levels of chloramine found in drinking water range from 0 – 4 mg//L, and are considered safe to drink (1). The maximum contaminant level for chloramine is 4 mg/L (9). Higher levels of chloramine are not associated with significant health outcomes below 200 ppm or 9.5 mg/Kg/Day (10). The careful monitoring and control of chloramine, chlorine and the formation of DBPs in drinking water are important to reduce potential health problems with drinking water. DBPs are associated with increased risk for adverse health outcomes (11); however, it is difficult to assess which DBPs are most toxic and how mixtures affect overall toxicity (12). Toxic effects from nitrogenous DBP’s formed from chloramination of wastewater effluents have been observed, although the complex mixture of DBP’s that can be formed make it difficult to determine which compounds exhibit toxic effects (13).

What is chloramine used for?

Chloramine is a chemical formed by the reaction of chlorine and ammonia (chloramination) and may be used as primary or secondary disinfection for drinking water. According to the US EPA, more than one in five Americans use drinking water treated with chloramines (1). Chlorine is still considered the most effective disinfectant used in water treatment plants to disinfect the water for distribution and consumption of drinking water (2). Ammonia is either present at some concentration in the source water or is added for purposes of disinfection as chloramine. Chloramine is often used as a secondary disinfectant and is increasingly used based on its effectiveness as a disinfectant and its longer residence time in distribution systems (3). Increased regulation of disinfection byproducts (chemicals formed from the use chlorine disinfection) has caused water utilities to seek more cost effective approaches to disinfection – such as chloramination – and is the primary reason for the increase of chloramination treatment in recent years (4, 5) because it can significantly reduce the formation of regulated disinfection byproducts (DBPs).

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