Modeling ClO2–NOM Reactions for Predicting Byproduct Formation and Micropollutant Degradation in Surface Water

Abstract

Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) is a promising alternative disinfectant/oxidant to free chlorine in drinking water treatment, while it reacts with natural organic matter (NOM) to form free chlorine, chlorite ions (ClO₂^–), and chlorate ions (ClO₃^–) as byproducts. Predicting the ClO₂ consumption and the formation of these byproducts using a kinetic model helps to balance the trade-off between disinfection/oxidation efficiency and byproduct formation. This study establishes a summative equation to describe the reaction between ClO₂ and ClO₂-reactive moieties in the NOM (CRNOM). The average molar yields of ClO₂^–, free chlorine, Cl^–, and ClO₃^– from the reactions between ClO₂ and nine NOM isolates are determined to be 0.576 ± 0.017, 0.258 ± 0.022, 0.141 ± 0.010, and 0.039 ± 0.002 per consumed ClO₂, respectively. The bimolecular rate constants of CRNOM toward ClO₂ (k_CRNOM-ClO2) are comparable among nine NOM isolates (683 ± 57 M^–1·s^–1 at pH 7.0). The CRNOM concentrations and k_CRNOM-ClO2 increase by 2-fold and 1.3-fold, respectively, as pH increases from 6.0 to 9.0, while pH barely affects the molar yields of inorganic products. A kinetic model is established and enables the accurate prediction of ClO₂^– and ClO₃^– formation and ofloxacin degradation during ClO₂ oxidation in surface water.