Removal of disinfection by‐products and their precursors during drinking water treatment processes

In this study, we investigated the control efficiency of a wide variety of disinfection by‐products (DBPs) (including trihalomethanes [THMs], haloacetic acids [HAAs], haloacetonitiles [HANs], haloketones [HKs], haloaldehydes [Has], and trihalonitromethanes [THNMs]) with different drinking water treatment processes including pre‐ozonation, coagulation–sedimentation, sand filtration, and ozone combined with biological activated carbon (O3‐BAC) advanced treatment processes. The assessment of the treatment efficiency regarding the removal of organic matter was measured by the excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectra. There was a superior efficiency in reducing the formation of DBPs and their precursors by different drinking water treatment processes. Though some DBPs such as THMs could be promoted by ozonation, these by‐products from ozonation could be degraded by the following BAC filtration process. In addition, the organic matter from the aromaticity, fulvic acid‐like, protein, and soluble microbial by‐products‐like regions could be further degraded by the O3‐BAC treatment. Practitioner points A wide variety of DBPs in different drinking water treatment processes was investigated. The treatment efficiency regarding the removal of organic matter was measured. Some DBPs such as THMs and HAAs could be increased by ozonation. The removal percentage of nitrogen precursors and organic carbon would be increased by BAC filtration. The control efficiency of a wide variety of disinfection by‐products (DBPs) in different drinking water treatment processes was investigated.