AWWA WQTC55103

Natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water sources is a major component of ozone demand yet very little is known about the byproducts of this interaction. One class of potential ozonation byproduct is epoxides, which can be formed by ozone oxidation of unsaturated carbon linkages, such as olefin groups present in NOM. An analytical method has been developed to detect epoxides present in drinking water by using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This technique is based on a reaction between the epoxide and 2,5-difluoroaniline to form a detectable product by chromatography. The reaction conditions were optimized as a function of temperature and other experimental conditions, thereby evolving a derivatization technique to isolate and detect the epoxides present in drinking water. Includes 7 references, table, figures.