CHLORINATION

- Dr.E.Raghunath - PG Comm.Med

Disinfection
Chemical agent to be potentially useful as disinfectant in water supplies needs to satisfy the following criteria.. Should be capable of destroying the pathogenic organisms present, Should not leave products of reaction which render the water toxic /impart color/taste, Reasonable cost permitting convenient, safe, and accurate application of water,

Contd
Possess the property of leaving residual concentration to deal with small possible recontamination.
Be amenable to detection by practical, rapid and simple analytical techniques in the small conc. range,

Chlorination
Greatest advances of water purification It is a supplement not a substitute to sand filtration. Chlorine kills pathogenic bacteria, but it has no effect on spores, and certain viruses( polio, hep) except in high conc. It has some other secondary properties in treatment of water, Oxidation, destroys some taste and odour producing constituents. It controls algae and slime organisms

Action of chlorine
When chlorine is added to water, there is formation of hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids. Hcl is neutralized by the alkalinity of water. Hypochlorous acid ionizes to form hydrogen ions and hypochlorite ions. H2O + Cl2 HCl +HOCl HOCl H + OCl

 The dis infecting action of chlorine is due to hypo chlorus acid and a small amount is due to hypochlorite acid. Hypochlorous acid is 60-70 times effective than hypo chlorite. Effective when the Ph is around 7. When the Ph is around 8.5 it is unreliable as a disinfectant because about 90% hypochlorous acid gets ionized to hypochlorite acid..

Principles of chlorination
Water should be clear and free from turbidity. Chlorine demand of the water should be estimated it is the difference between the amount of chlorine added to the water and residual chlorine remaining at the end of 60mins. In other words the amount of chlorine needed to destroy bacteria and oxidise the organic matters and ammoniacal substances in water.the point at which the chlorine need is met it is called break point. Presence of free rediual chlorine for a period of atleast one hour is essential. The minimum requirement of free chlorine is 0.5mg/l for one hour

Method of chlorination
Chlorine gas cheap quick efficient and easy to apply .chlorinating equipment is required to apply gas. patersons chloronome is one such device for mesuring, regulating and administering chlorine gas. Chloramines are compound of chlorine and ammonia. Perchloron or high test hypochlorite(60-70% od chlorine)

Superchlorination
It is followed by dechlorination comprises the addition of large doses of chlorine to the water and removal of excess of chlorine after disinfection. Used in heavily polluted waters and with fluctuated quality. Orthotolidine test Orthotolidine arsenite test

Ozonation : - Relatively unstable gas - Eliminates undesirable odour - Powerful oxidising agent - Strong virucidal effect - Many municipalities consider this treatment for potable water. - Drawback is lack of residual effect. - So can be used as pre treatment and then residual effect by chlorination.

 Ultraviolet irradiation - 200-295Nm wavelength

Purification in small scale

Boiling Chemical disinfection Bleaching powder (33% of available chlorine) On exposure to air, light and moisture it rapidly losses chlorine content - Store in a dark cool, dry place . Chlorine solution - 4 kg of bleaching powder with 25% chlorine is mixed with 20 lts to give 5% chlorine solution.

 High test hypochlorite solution. Chlorine tablets Iodine solution (2% ethanol solution of iodine will suffice for one liter of clean water)` - contact time 20-30 mins needed. - It does not act against ammonia or organic compounds. Potassium permanganate