The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Fluorescence spectroscopy for the characterization of total organic carbon and disinfection by-product formation
Author:	Washington, Matthew Brendan
View Online:	njit-etd1998-029 (xii, 61 pages ~ 2.9 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Civil Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Marhaba, Taha F. (Committee chair) Dresnack, Robert (Committee member) Lippincott, R. Lee (Committee member)
Date:	1998-05
Keywords:	Humic acid. Fluorimetry. Water chemistry. Drinking water--Purification.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	One of the concerns facing the drinking water industry is the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during the disinfection stage of treatment. Organic DBPs form during the oxidation of the natural organic matter (NOM) found in natural waters by the application of a disinfectant, such as chlorine. NOM is composed of two aggregate materials, humic and non-humic substances. It is unknown which portions of NOM react with the oxidant to form DBPs. Methods used to predict the formation of DBPs include total organic carbon (TOC) analysis and Trihalomethane Formation Potential (THMFP), which are time consuming and do not give specific information. This research explored the use of fluorescence spectroscopy to identify the humic portion of NOM and to predict the formation of DBPs.