Catalytic destruction of chloramine to nitrogen using chlorination and activated carbon--case study.

The paper presents the results of laboratory and pilot studies on the removal of chloramine from potable water using chlorination with a less-than-breakpoint dosage of chlorine, followed by treatment with catalytic activated carbon. The effect of the chlorine-to-nitrogen ratio, temperature, and carbon contact time were investigated to optimize conditions for chloramines removal and minimize the production of ammonia. Results demonstrated that prechlorination of water, followed by treatment with catalytic activated carbon, can degrade monochloramine to nitrogen gas as a main product. For all chlorine-to-ammonia ratios studied, the observed rates of monochloramine removal were higher at a temperature of 20 degrees C than they were at 5 degrees C. Generation of ammonia was slightly higher at the lower temperature. However, at both temperatures, practically all monochloramine was destroyed, and only insignificant amounts of ammonia were formed when a chlorine-to-ammonia ratio of 7:1 was applied. The described method is simple and cost-effective, because it eliminates the requirement of removal of ammonia, typically formed during the treatment of chloramines with activated carbon.