MINIATURE SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS

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Current law mandates that surface and groundwater municipal water utilities control the formation of toxic, halogenated disinfection by products (DBPs) in finished water by years 2001 and 2003, respectively. However, there appears to be no substitute for chlorine for providing a residual biocide in water delivery lines. Current treatment technologies available for DBP removal at the plant level do not provide a practical, economic or logistical solution. A practical and cost effective approach for reducing exposure to DBPs is the treatment of water at its point-of-use. The aim of the proposed work is to develop a miniature, point-of-use (POU), advanced oxidation photocatalytic water cleaning apparatus. Photocatalysis provides attractive benefits over other POU technologies (i. e., activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis) because (i) it adds nothing harmful to the water, (ii) does not require routine replacement or service; and (iii) does not provide a harbor for dangerous bacterial growth. However, miniature photocatalytic systems are not commercially available due to several technological barriers, including (i) efficient photocatalysts, (ii) light penetration for photoactivation of the catalyst; (iii) oxygen delivery into the photoreactor. Recent innovative developments will overcome these limitations, allowing the fabrication of an "under the sink" self-contained, low maintenance system for DPB removal. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The novel advanced oxidation photocatalytic process will find commercial applications in many areas where destruction of organic compounds, such as chlorination or bromination by products, synthetic organic compounds, surfactants, toxic solvents, dyes, taste and odor compounds, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is needed. These entities include contaminated rural (well) water supplied homes, municipal water treatment plants, chemical processing industries, pesticides manufacturers, textile industries, semiconductor industry, and any facility which produces organic chemicals in a waste water stream that requires treatment.