Disinfection Byproducts in Chlorinated Drinking Water

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are disinfection byproducts formed through the reaction of chlorine and organic matter. There are four forms of Trihalomethanes: chloroform, bromoform, dibromochloromethane and bromodichloromethane. Studies have shown that chloroform, a principal disinfection byproduct, is carcinogenic in rodents. Although the presence of these hazardous materials are constantly being monitored by Water Treatment Plant and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they continue to be present at an unpredictable levels and the full effects of these byproducts are not fully understood. In this study, treated water sample was collected from Ashburton Water Filtration Plant (Baltimore, MD). The presence of THM in the treated water samples was analyzed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). A standard mixture of the four different THMs was used to confirm the free THMs present in the water sample after treatment. Results revealed that two (Dibromochloromethane and Bromoform) of the four THMs are present in Ashburton Water Filtration Plant.