GOALI: Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Water Recalcitrant to Removal by Conventional Treatment Processes

9805620 Cannon This is an award, the objective of which is to obtain a better understanding than now exists of the nature of natural organic matter in water that eludes removal by conventional water treatment processes. Characterization of this residual organic matter will be used to assist in design of processes for its removal. The research being conducted in this project involves further development and application of a new method for determination of lignin in sea water involving use of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide in a 'thermochemolysis' reaction to analysis of water for natural organic substances. This reaction produces methylated products, determinable by use of gas-chromatographic mass spectroscopy that provide insights into the structure of their parent organic substances. This knowledge is likely to provide insights into how carbon used for removal of natural organic substances from water can be activated to improve its adsorptive properties for the target organic substances, removal of which will reduce or eliminate the formation of undesirable byproducts in water during its disinfection. The proposal leading to this award was submitted under guidelines contained in NSF98-142 Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison With Industry (GOALI). The industrial partners in conduct of this project are the American Water Works Service Company, Inc. and Norit Americas, Inc. Results of this project are expected to provide the fundamental knowledge needed for activation of carbons that will be more capable of selective adsorption of natural organic matter from water that is possible with currently available activated carbon. ***