Stabilized Halogen Biocides for Low-THM Water Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The formation of toxic trihalomethanes (THMs) in industrial water systems treated with hypochlorous and hypobromous acids is a significant issue due to their reactivity with organic species, leading to regulatory challenges and health risks.
Innovation Solution
The use of stabilized halogen biocides, such as those stabilized with sulfamic acid or hydantoin, reduces THM formation by decreasing the reactivity of halogen biocides, allowing them to be used in water systems with high total organic carbon (TOC) without the need for hypochlorous or hypobromous acids, maintaining antimicrobial efficacy while minimizing side reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hypochlorous acid or hypobromous acid is used as an antimicrobial agent, then effective microbial control is achieved, but trihalomethane formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces stabilized halogen biocides as an intermediary substance that maintains antimicrobial efficacy while reducing THM formation. The stabilization mechanism using sulfamic acid or hydantoin acts as a mediator that controls the reactivity of halogen biocides, preventing excessive reactions with organic species that lead to THM formation while preserving the antimicrobial function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of halogen biocides by stabilizing them with sulfamic acid or hydantoin. This parameter change reduces the reactivity of the halogen biocide toward organic species, thereby decreasing THM formation while maintaining sufficient antimicrobial activity through controlled halogen release.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If stabilized halogen biocide is used to reduce THM formation, then trihalomethane levels decrease, but antimicrobial efficacy may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilization compounds (sulfamic acid or hydantoin) act as intermediaries that modulate the release of active halogen species. This controlled release mechanism ensures sufficient antimicrobial efficacy while preventing excessive halogen reactions that produce THMs, thus balancing both requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilized halogen biocide system dynamically adjusts halogen availability through controlled release from the stabilization compound. This dynamic behavior allows the system to maintain antimicrobial efficacy when needed while limiting THM formation under normal operating conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The stabilized halogen biocides significantly reduce THM formation, achieving levels below regulatory limits, with treated water containing less than 200 ppb of THMs, compared to untreated water, while maintaining effective microbial control.
Implementation Method 1
These disinfection by-products form when the halogen based antimicrobial reacts with organic species in the water
Implementation Method 2
stabilized with at least one of sulfamic acid and a hydantoin
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for treating water in a water system to reduce the amount of trihalomethanes (“THM”) in the water. The methods include combining with the water a stabilized halogen biocide that is stabilized with at least one of sulfamic acid and a hydantoin in sufficient amounts so that the water has a residual total halogen amount that is from 0.1 ppm to 50 ppm, for example. The THM in the treated water can be significantly reduced as compared to treatments in which hypochlorous acid and/or hypobromous acid are the only antimicrobial agents.