|What is Disinfection?| |What are Disinfection Byproducts?|
|What Regulations Control Disinfection Byproducts?| |How are
Disinfection Byproducts and Pathogens Related?| What is
Disinfection? Disinfection is usually a chemical process used in
water systems which either chemicals are added to inactivate (or
kill) pathogens (i.e., disease causing organisms) found in the
source water (i.e., lake, river, reservoir, or ground water
aquifer from which water is drawn and treated). Disinfection
through inactivation usually involves the use of disinfectants
such as chlorine, ozone, and chlorine dioxide, and a combination
of chlorine and ammonia (chloramines) may render many of these
organisms harmless. What are Disinfection
Byproducts?Disinfection byproducts are formed when disinfectants
used in a water treatment react with bromide and/or natural
organic matter (i.e., decaying vegetation) present in the source
water. Different disinfectants produce different types or
amounts of disinfection byproducts. Disinfection byp