Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are routinely measured in drinking water but less frequently in water affected by wastewater effluent. Samples from several locations below effluent discharges were collected to better characterize DBPs as environmental contaminants. Produced waters are fluids that are co-produced with oil and gas production, and include brines with elevated concentrations of bromide (up to thousands of mg/L), an important inorganic precursor of several toxic DBPs. Pennsylvania wastewater treatment plants that accept produced waters discharge greater amounts of brominated DBPs. Sites below commercial wastewater treatment plants (CWTs) had elevated concentrations (up to 8.5 �g/L) of dibromochloronitromethane. Sites below publicly owned wastewater treatment plants (POTWs) had elevated numbers (up to 15) and concentrations of DBPs, especially brominated and iodinated trihalomethanes (THMs) (up to 12 �g/L total THM concentration), and brominated haloacetonitriles (up to 0.9 �g/L total haloacetonitriles). Samples from a POTW in Boulder, Colorado were collected prior to and following the conversion from chlorine to ozone/UV disinfection to determine how the treatment change affects DBP production. Pre-conversion samples had 15 DBPs detected at least once and individual concentrations generally ranged from 0.05-1 �g/L. After the upgrade, only two DBPs were detected and concentrations were < 0.2 �g/L. Additional samples were collected in the Potomac River watershed (Maryland and Virginia) from several locations including downstream of four POTWs. A total of nine DBPs were detected at two sites downstream of POTWs, and while concentrations for most compounds were less than 0.2 �g/L, concentrations of dichloroacetonitrile were greater than 1 �g/L at both sites, indicating that this compound may be either generated more during wastewater treatment in this area or may be more persistent than the other DBPs generated. Ongoing research is further characterizing additional sources of DBPs to the environment.

Disinfection by-products formed during the treatment of wastewater including produced waters from oil and gas productions

248th National Meeting (2014)

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