Water Disinfection: A Relationship Between Ozone and Aldehyde Production

In the water potabilization plant of Turin city (Italy), the oxidation process is carried out with ozone. Due to its well-known insufficient performance, it is necessary to add alternative oxidants (hypochlorite ion and chlorine dioxide). In this paper, we discuss the formation of linear carbonyl groups during surface water treatment in Turin.

The results obtained in the field confirm the synthesis of some aliphatic carbonyl compounds of low molecular weight. This phenomenon happens preeminently during the ozone disinfection process and, secondarily, during the other disinfection processes.

Experimental results show that, in this last event, chlorine reacts with organic substances, and in a second moment, after organics consumption, if chlorine is still in a sufficient concentration, oxidizing them.