The Seasonality of Nitrite Concentrations in a Chloraminated Drinking Water Distribution System

Pirjo-Liisa Rantanen, Ilkka Mellin, Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola, Merja Ahonen and Riku Vahala
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Pirjo-Liisa Rantanen: Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
Ilkka Mellin: Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis, Aalto University, School of Science, 02150 Espoo, Finland
Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola: Faculty of Technology, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, 26101 Rauma, Finland
Merja Ahonen: Faculty of Technology, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, 26101 Rauma, Finland
Riku Vahala: Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-17

Abstract: We studied the seasonal variation of nitrite exposure in a drinking water distribution system (DWDS) with monochloramine disinfection in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In Finland, tap water is the main source of drinking water, and thus the nitrite in tap water increases nitrite exposure. Our data included both the obligatory monitoring and a sampling campaign data from a sampling campaign. Seasonality was evaluated by comparing a nitrite time series to temperature and by calculating the seasonal indices of the nitrite time series. The main drivers of nitrite seasonality were the temperature and the water age. We observed that with low water ages (median: 6.7 h) the highest nitrite exposure occurred during the summer months, and with higher water ages (median: 31 h) during the winter months. With the highest water age (190 h), nitrite concentrations were the lowest. At a low temperature, the high nitrite concentrations in the winter were caused by the decelerated ammonium oxidation. The dominant reaction at low water ages was ammonium oxidation into nitrite and, at high water ages, it was nitrite oxidation into nitrate. These results help to direct monitoring appropriately to gain exact knowledge of nitrite exposure. Also, possible future process changes and additional disinfection measures can be designed appropriately to minimize extra nitrite exposure.

Keywords: nitrite; disinfection by-product; drinking water distribution systems; seasonality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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