CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PRODUCTS FROM THE REACTION OF HYDROXYBENZOIC AND HYDROXYCINNAMIC ACIDS WITH AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF CHLORINE, CHLORINE DIOXIDE, AND CHLORAMINE.

Phenolic acids are ubiquitous in nature, present notably in plant materials and as the degradation products of humic substances. Consequently, they represent common components of the organic material in water undergoing disinfection. Since the initial identification of chloroform from disinfected drinking water, much effort has gone into identification of chloroform precursors. It is well recognized that only a small portion of the chlorinated organic content has been identified, and efforts therefore continue to better evaluate the overall chemical and biological consequences of chemical disinfection. The current study provides additional insight into the disinfection chemistry of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids by comparing the reactions of chlorine with two commonly suggested disinfectants: chlorine dioxide and chloramine.