Formation of oxidation byproducts from ozonation of wastewater

Disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation in tertiary wastewater was examined after ozonation (O(3)) and advanced oxidation with O(3) and hydrogen peroxide (O(3)/H(2)O(2)). O(3) and O(3)/H(2)O(2) were applied at multiple dosages to investigate DBP formation during coliform disinfection and trace contaminant oxidation. Results showed O(3) provided superior disinfection of fecal and total coliforms compared to O(3)/H(2)O(2). Color, UV absorbance, and SUVA were reduced by O(3) and O(3)/H(2)O(2), offering wastewater utilities a few potential surrogates to monitor disinfection or trace contaminant oxidation. At equivalent O(3) dosages, O(3)/H(2)O(2) produced greater concentrations of assimilable organic carbon (5-52%), aldehydes (31-47%), and carboxylic acids (12-43%) compared to O(3) alone, indicating that organic DBP formation is largely dependent upon hydroxyl radical exposure. Bromate formation occurred when O(3) dosages exceeded the O(3) demand of the wastewater. Bench-scale tests with free chlorine showed O(3) is capable of reducing total organic halide (TOX) formation potential by at least 20%. In summary, O(3) provided superior disinfection compared to O(3)/H(2)O(2) while minimizing DBP concentrations. These are important considerations for water reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and advanced wastewater treatment applications.