Online differential UV aborbance for DBP estimation

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Differential UV spectrophotometry (DUVS) can be used as a relatively simple, fast, and low-cost surrogate for regulated trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) that could help municipalities to overcome their problems with managing the levels of these unwanted substances. It is based on the principle that differences in UV absorbance at specific wavelengths before and after chlorination can be correlated to certain DBPs. Online spectrophotometer "probes" such as those from Aquatic Life Ltd. lend themselves particularly useful for the possibility of in situ real time estimation, monitoring and control of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in water treatment plants through the principles of DUVS. Current bottlenecks for such applications are context-specific (i.e. varied water quality characteristics resulting in UV spectra that can't be generalised) and operational (e.g. blockage of light path by flocculent material or precipitates). This project seeks to develop a protocol to enable Aquatic Life Ltd. to exploit the potentially strong correlations between UV spectra of water at different stages of a treatment chain (i.e. before and after disinfection) and DBP compounds of interest.