UNS: Formation and Toxicity of Disinfection Byproducts in Desalinated Waters

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

1511051 Amy Currently, seawater reverse osmosis is the most commonly used desalination technology. Specifically, the blending of reverse osmosis desalinated water with single or multiple treated fresh waters drawn from other sources is a low-cost method to meet the demands of drinking water and to increase the concentration of some desired ions. Therefore, the objective of this project is to conduct a comprehensive and systematic study to examine the formation and speciation of reaction byproducts of disinfection and the toxicity changes of seawater reverse osmosis desalinated waters as a consequence of blending. This is the first comprehensive research that combines a disinfection byproduct study on the formation, speciation, and factors affecting bromide/iodide incorporation with a toxicology study to determine possible toxicities on mammalian cells. In this study, the PIs propose to investigate: 1) the formation and speciation of brominated/iodinated disinfection byproducts in the presence of hydrophilic organic matter (e.g., algal organic matter, wastewater effluent organic matter, natural organic matter) of different origins in treated waters that are likely to be used for blending with seawater reverse osmosis permeate, 2) the effects of pH and temperature on the formation and speciation of brominated/iodinated disinfection byproducts, 3) the change in mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of waters from blending, and 4) the ability of total organic halide species and/or other individual brominated/iodinated disinfection byproducts to predict the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the blended waters based on a multiple regression. The project will be conducted in two phases: Phase 1, which entails a disinfection byproduct study on the formation, speciation, and factors affecting bromide/iodide incorporation under various mixing scenarios and using chlorine and chloramine for post-disinfection (i and ii); and Phase 2, which entails a toxicity study on mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of waters from blending and multiple regression analysis between total organic halide components and experimentally measured water toxicities (iii and iv). Educational components of the project will provide opportunities for undergraduate (e.g., Creative Inquiry Program at Clemson, UIUC WaterCamps program, the UIUC Global Safe Water Institute) and high school student research, including recruitment of underrepresented groups in scientific research.