Polyelectrolyte determination in drinking water

Abstract

Chemical contaminants that occur in drinking water are not usually associated with acute health effects when compared to microbial contaminants and are usually given a lower priority. Those that are of concern have cumulative toxic properties such as metals and substances that are carcinogenic. Some of these potentially hazardous chemical contaminants are a con sequence of the treatment chemicals themselves e.g. organic polyelectrolytes used as coagulant aids in water treatment. The presence of residues of the un-reacted monomer in these polyelectrolyte products is a cause for concern. Historically, inorganic coagulants such as aluminium sulphate and ferric chloride have been used as coagulants/floc culants in the treatment of drinking water. The residual amounts of these chemicals were easy to detect and to control using readily available standard methods. The increasing use of polyelectrolytes has created a problem for the potable water indus try as there are no readily available methods for the determination of residual polyelectrolyte concentration.

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