Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
11:19
Measuring Carbon-based Contaminant Mineralization Using Combined CO2 Flux and Radiocarbon Analyses
Published on: October 21, 2016
12.3K
Modeling Trihalomethane Increases Associated with Source Water Bromide Contributed by Coal-Fired Power Plants in the
Environmental Science & Technology
|December 18, 2019
Summary
Coal-fired power plants significantly contribute to elevated bromide levels in rivers, impacting drinking water quality. These bromide loads increase the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and associated health risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Quality
- Public Health
Background:
- Rising bromide concentrations in source waters pose challenges for drinking water treatment.
- Bromide is a precursor to disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which have adverse human health effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of bromide discharges from coal-fired power plant wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) on Monongahela River bromide concentrations.
- To assess the contribution of these bromide loads to trihalomethane (THM) formation and associated health risks.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of in-stream bromide concentrations in the Monongahela River Basin for WY 1998 and WYs 2013-2017.
- Modeling of wet FGD bromide discharges and their contribution to observed bromide levels.
- Application of a model to estimate power plant contributions to total THM (TTHM) and associated risks.
Main Results:
- Wet FGD bromide discharges accounted for a significant fraction (27-57%) of observed bromide concentrations under mean flow conditions.
- Elevated bromide concentrations were predicted during lower flow periods (Q3-Q4).
- Power plant TTHM contributions were estimated between 7.6 to 27 μg/L, with a median risk contribution of 0.0014.
Conclusions:
- Coal-fired power plant wet FGD systems are a significant source of in-stream bromide in the Monongahela River.
- Bromide discharges from these facilities contribute to the formation of potentially harmful DBPs in drinking water.
- The study provides an analytical approach for assessing power plant contributions to TTHM and associated health risks.
Related Concept Videos
02:46Halogenation of Alkenes
18.2K
Halogenation is the addition of chlorine or bromine across the double bond in an alkene to yield a vicinal dihalide. The reaction occurs in the presence of inert and non-nucleophilic solvents, such as methylene chloride, chloroform, or carbon tetrachloride.
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
18.2K
02:41Formation of Halohydrin from Alkenes
14.5K
An alkene, such as propene, reacts with bromine in the presence of water to yield a halohydrin. Halohydrins contain a halogen and a hydroxyl group attached to adjacent carbons. When the halogen is bromine, it is called a bromohydrin, while a chlorohydrin has chlorine as the halogen.
14.5K
01:15Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution: Chlorination and Bromination of Benzene
10.4K
Chlorination and bromination are important classes of electrophilic aromatic substitutions, where benzene reacts with chlorine or bromine in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst to give halogenated substitution products. A Lewis acid such as aluminium chloride or ferric chloride catalyzes the chlorination, and ferric bromide catalyzes the bromination reactions. During the bromination of alkenes, bromine polarizes and becomes electrophilic. However, in the bromination of benzene, the bromine...
10.4K
01:27Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents
9.7K
In the presence of heat or light, alkanes react with molecular halogens to form alkyl halides by a substitution reaction called radical halogenation. This reaction has three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination, as seen in the radical chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...
9.7K
01:26Radical Substitution: Hydrogenolysis of Alkyl Halides with Tributyltin Hydride
2.2K
Radical substitution reactions can be used to remove functional groups from molecules. The hydrogenolysis of alkyl halides is one such reaction, where the weak Sn–H bond in tributyltin hydride reacts with alkyl halides to form alkanes. Here, the reagent Bu3SnH yields tributyltin halide as a byproduct.
The bonds formed in this reaction are stronger than the bonds broken, making it energetically favorable. The reaction follows a radical chain mechanism similar to radical halogenation reactions,...
The bonds formed in this reaction are stronger than the bonds broken, making it energetically favorable. The reaction follows a radical chain mechanism similar to radical halogenation reactions,...
2.2K
02:35Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Hydrohalogenation
11.2K
Electrophilic addition of hydrogen halides, HX (X = Cl, Br or I) to alkenes forms alkyl halides as per Markovnikov's rule, where the hydrogen gets added to the less substituted carbon of the double bond. Hydrohalogenation of alkynes takes place in a similar manner, with the first addition of HX forming a vinyl halide and the second giving a geminal dihalide.
11.2K