Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions

Raymond M. Hozalski; Ben Ma; Ashley N. Evans; Sarah E. Page; Zhong Zhang; William A. Mitch; Caroline Russell; Sigrid Peldszus; Michele I. Van Dyke; Peter M. Huck

doi:10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166

Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions

Raymond M. Hozalski, Ben Ma, Ashley N. Evans, Sarah E. Page, Zhong Zhang, William A. Mitch, Caroline Russell, Sigrid Peldszus, Michele I. Van Dyke, Peter M. Huck

Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pilot-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters were operated in parallel to study the effect of media type and operating conditions on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursor change across the biofilters. Precursor concentrations were assessed by quantifying NDMA formation under simulated distribution system (NDMA_SDS) conditions in preliminary testing and under uniform formation conditions (NDMA_UFC) in all subsequent tests. NDMA_SDS and NDMA_UFC concentrations in the biofilter influent and effluents were highly variable and typically increased across the biofilters, by as much as 177 ng/L. Backwashing with nonchloraminated filtrate proved to be beneficial in decreasing NDMA_UFC production compared to chloraminated backwash water, especially for the GAC-sand biofilters. In addition, the GAC-sand biofilters produced significantly lower NDMA_SDS and NDMA_UFC concentrations than the anthracite-sand biofilters. The change in NDMA_SDS concentration across the biofilters linearly correlated with ATP concentration in both GAC-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters, suggesting that biological activity is important for promoting precursor increase through biofilters. Finally, the fraction of particle-associated NDMA precursors increased across the biofilters, suggesting that biofilm or biofilm-associated compounds are an important contributor to NDMA precursors in the filtrate. Overall, this study provided novel insights into the effects of filter media type and backwashing conditions on NDMA precursor production across biofilters.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	661-671
Number of pages	11
Journal	ACS Environmental Science and Technology Water
Volume	1
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166
State	Published - Mar 12 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The research team acknowledges the generous support of the MWTDS and their staff for assistance in the design, construction, and operation of the pilot plant. Funding was provided by a grant from the Water Research Foundation (Project 4669). We acknowledge our project manager Djanette Khiari as well as the project advisory committee members (John Haley, Mike Hotaling, Lutgarde Raskin, and Paul Westerhoff). Finally, we thank research team members Jason Carter and Allison Wheeler from Arcadis for their support on this project.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Chemical Society.

Keywords

biofilm
byproducts
chloramines
disinfection
drinking water
nitrosamines

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166

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Hozalski, R. M., Ma, B., Evans, A. N., Page, S. E., Zhang, Z., Mitch, W. A., Russell, C., Peldszus, S., Van Dyke, M. I., & Huck, P. M. (2021). Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions. ACS Environmental Science and Technology Water, 1(3), 661-671. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166

Hozalski, RM, Ma, B, Evans, AN, Page, SE, Zhang, Z, Mitch, WA, Russell, C, Peldszus, S, Van Dyke, MI & Huck, PM 2021, 'Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions', ACS Environmental Science and Technology Water, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 661-671. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166

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title = "Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions",

abstract = "Pilot-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters were operated in parallel to study the effect of media type and operating conditions on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursor change across the biofilters. Precursor concentrations were assessed by quantifying NDMA formation under simulated distribution system (NDMASDS) conditions in preliminary testing and under uniform formation conditions (NDMAUFC) in all subsequent tests. NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations in the biofilter influent and effluents were highly variable and typically increased across the biofilters, by as much as 177 ng/L. Backwashing with nonchloraminated filtrate proved to be beneficial in decreasing NDMAUFC production compared to chloraminated backwash water, especially for the GAC-sand biofilters. In addition, the GAC-sand biofilters produced significantly lower NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations than the anthracite-sand biofilters. The change in NDMASDS concentration across the biofilters linearly correlated with ATP concentration in both GAC-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters, suggesting that biological activity is important for promoting precursor increase through biofilters. Finally, the fraction of particle-associated NDMA precursors increased across the biofilters, suggesting that biofilm or biofilm-associated compounds are an important contributor to NDMA precursors in the filtrate. Overall, this study provided novel insights into the effects of filter media type and backwashing conditions on NDMA precursor production across biofilters.",

keywords = "biofilm, byproducts, chloramines, disinfection, drinking water, nitrosamines",

author = "Hozalski, \{Raymond M.\} and Ben Ma and Evans, \{Ashley N.\} and Page, \{Sarah E.\} and Zhong Zhang and Mitch, \{William A.\} and Caroline Russell and Sigrid Peldszus and \{Van Dyke\}, \{Michele I.\} and Huck, \{Peter M.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The research team acknowledges the generous support of the MWTDS and their staff for assistance in the design, construction, and operation of the pilot plant. Funding was provided by a grant from the Water Research Foundation (Project 4669). We acknowledge our project manager Djanette Khiari as well as the project advisory committee members (John Haley, Mike Hotaling, Lutgarde Raskin, and Paul Westerhoff). Finally, we thank research team members Jason Carter and Allison Wheeler from Arcadis for their support on this project. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 American Chemical Society.",

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doi = "10.1021/acsestwater.0c00166",

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T1 - Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions

AU - Hozalski, Raymond M.

AU - Ma, Ben

AU - Evans, Ashley N.

AU - Page, Sarah E.

AU - Zhang, Zhong

AU - Mitch, William A.

AU - Russell, Caroline

AU - Peldszus, Sigrid

AU - Van Dyke, Michele I.

AU - Huck, Peter M.

N1 - Funding Information: The research team acknowledges the generous support of the MWTDS and their staff for assistance in the design, construction, and operation of the pilot plant. Funding was provided by a grant from the Water Research Foundation (Project 4669). We acknowledge our project manager Djanette Khiari as well as the project advisory committee members (John Haley, Mike Hotaling, Lutgarde Raskin, and Paul Westerhoff). Finally, we thank research team members Jason Carter and Allison Wheeler from Arcadis for their support on this project. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 American Chemical Society.

PY - 2021/3/12

Y1 - 2021/3/12

N2 - Pilot-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters were operated in parallel to study the effect of media type and operating conditions on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursor change across the biofilters. Precursor concentrations were assessed by quantifying NDMA formation under simulated distribution system (NDMASDS) conditions in preliminary testing and under uniform formation conditions (NDMAUFC) in all subsequent tests. NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations in the biofilter influent and effluents were highly variable and typically increased across the biofilters, by as much as 177 ng/L. Backwashing with nonchloraminated filtrate proved to be beneficial in decreasing NDMAUFC production compared to chloraminated backwash water, especially for the GAC-sand biofilters. In addition, the GAC-sand biofilters produced significantly lower NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations than the anthracite-sand biofilters. The change in NDMASDS concentration across the biofilters linearly correlated with ATP concentration in both GAC-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters, suggesting that biological activity is important for promoting precursor increase through biofilters. Finally, the fraction of particle-associated NDMA precursors increased across the biofilters, suggesting that biofilm or biofilm-associated compounds are an important contributor to NDMA precursors in the filtrate. Overall, this study provided novel insights into the effects of filter media type and backwashing conditions on NDMA precursor production across biofilters.

AB - Pilot-scale granular activated carbon (GAC)-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters were operated in parallel to study the effect of media type and operating conditions on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursor change across the biofilters. Precursor concentrations were assessed by quantifying NDMA formation under simulated distribution system (NDMASDS) conditions in preliminary testing and under uniform formation conditions (NDMAUFC) in all subsequent tests. NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations in the biofilter influent and effluents were highly variable and typically increased across the biofilters, by as much as 177 ng/L. Backwashing with nonchloraminated filtrate proved to be beneficial in decreasing NDMAUFC production compared to chloraminated backwash water, especially for the GAC-sand biofilters. In addition, the GAC-sand biofilters produced significantly lower NDMASDS and NDMAUFC concentrations than the anthracite-sand biofilters. The change in NDMASDS concentration across the biofilters linearly correlated with ATP concentration in both GAC-sand and anthracite-sand biofilters, suggesting that biological activity is important for promoting precursor increase through biofilters. Finally, the fraction of particle-associated NDMA precursors increased across the biofilters, suggesting that biofilm or biofilm-associated compounds are an important contributor to NDMA precursors in the filtrate. Overall, this study provided novel insights into the effects of filter media type and backwashing conditions on NDMA precursor production across biofilters.

KW - biofilm

KW - byproducts

KW - chloramines

KW - disinfection

KW - drinking water

KW - nitrosamines

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SN - 2690-0637

VL - 1

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EP - 671

JO - ACS Environmental Science and Technology Water

JF - ACS Environmental Science and Technology Water

IS - 3

ER -

Production of N‑Nitrosodimethylamine Precursors by Biofilters Is Highly Dynamic and Affected by Filter Media Type and Backwashing Conditions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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