Disinfection methods for swimming pool water: Byproduct formation and control

Ilyas, Huma; Masih, Ilyas; van der Hoek, J.P.

doi:10.3390/w10060797

Disinfection methods for swimming pool water

Title

Disinfection methods for swimming pool water: Byproduct formation and control

Author

Ilyas, Huma (Water Treatment and Management Consultancy)
Masih, Ilyas (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education; Water Treatment and Management Consultancy)
van der Hoek, J.P. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering; Strategic Centre)

Date

2018-06-16

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive and critical comparison of 10 disinfection methods of swimming pool water: chlorination, electrochemically generated mixed oxidants (EGMO), ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, UV/chlorine, UV/hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), UV/H₂O₂/chlorine, ozone (O₃)/chlorine, O₃/H₂O₂/chlorine, O₃/UV and O₃/UV/chlorine for the formation, control and elimination of potentially toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs): trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), trihaloacetaldehydes (THAs) and chloramines (CAMs). The statistical comparison is carried out using data on 32 swimming pools accumulated from the reviewed studies. The results indicate that O₃/UV and O₃/UV/chlorine are the most promising methods, as the concentration of the studied DBPs (THMs and HANs) with these methods was reduced considerably compared with chlorination, EGMO, UV irradiation, UV/chlorine and O₃/chlorine. However, the concentration of the studied DBPs including HAAs and CAMs remained much higher with O₃/chlorine compared with the limits set by the WHO for drinking water quality. Moreover, the enhancement in the formation of THMs, HANs and CH with UV/chlorine compared with UV irradiation and the increase in the level of HANs with O₃/UV/chlorine compared with O₃/UV indicate the complexity of the combined processes, which should be optimized to control the toxicity and improve the quality of swimming pool water.