Influence of UV irradiation and UV/hydrogen peroxide oxidation process on natural organic matter fluorescence characteristics

Natural organic matter is ubiquitous in aquatic systems, and has long been associated with disinfection by-product (DBP) formation during chlorination in water treatment plants and distribution systems. In this study modelled water was irradiated with either ultraviolet (UV) lamps or with UV combined with the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The changes in the fluorescence intensity between the pretreated and post-treated samples were measured to determine the changes in the molecular size distribution of this reactive fraction of NOM. It was determined that the UV/H2O2 process reduces the concentration of these potential DBP precursors more effectively than UV irradiation alone.