Chlorine is a naturally occurring substance. Chlorine has proven to be useful in the sanitation of water and its viability as a disinfectant. However, its manipulation and use in forming artificial chemical products has had devastating effects on the environment. Chlorine plays a major role in environmental problems such as depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and acid rain. It is most common in salt, but it is also prominent as organochlorines in solvents, pesticides, plastics, disinfectants, and paper products. In order to prevent the adverse effects of chlorine-containing products and chlorine-containing wastes scientists and researchers have developed methods of dechlorination. These methods prove to help the environment, aquatic
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This method is used in industrial applications such as beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing. GAC is commonly used to adsorb natural organic compounds, taste and odor compounds, and synthetic organic chemicals in drinking water treatment. Activated carbon is an effective adsorbent because it is a highly porous material and provides a large surface area to which contaminants may adsorb (Makram 1996). However, GAC filters also can serve as an incubator of bacteria because of their porous structure and nutrient-rich environment. The GAC filters may also cause unexpected chlorine breakthrough, which could be very serious, that is, hemodialysis.
Also, sodium metabisulfite or sodium bisulfate is used in dechlorination. This method is adopted in the pharmaceutical and semi-conductor industries. Sodium metabisulfite or sodium bisulfate exists as a powder or solution and is mixed on site. However, the solution itself becomes an incubator of bacteria, causing biofouling of the reverse osmosis membranes. Additionally, the two compounds are hazardous to handle, maintenance of the equipment used is expensive and sodium sulphate may be formed, which in turn can act as a stimulant to sulphate reducing bacteria(Bagchi …show more content…
Vitamin C does not dissolve oxygen as much as sulphur-based chemicals do, thus, it is not toxic to aquatic life (Using Vitamin C, 2005). However, ascorbic acid is slightly acidic and is capable of lowering the pH of the treated water or substance. The ascorbic acid reacts with hypochlorous acid to produce dehydroascorbic acid, hydrochloric acid and water. The production of hydrochloric will lower the pH of the treated water or substance. This can be detrimental to aquatic life and anyone who digests the dechlorinated water. On the other hand, sodium ascorbate is neutral and will not affect the pH of the treated water or substance. Sodium ascorbate reacts with hypochlorous acid to produce dehydroascorbic acid, sodium chloride and water. Sodium chloride is a neutral salt, thus, poses less harm than the production of the hydrochloric acid when ascorbic acid is
This method is used in industrial applications such as beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing. GAC is commonly used to adsorb natural organic compounds, taste and odor compounds, and synthetic organic chemicals in drinking water treatment. Activated carbon is an effective adsorbent because it is a highly porous material and provides a large surface area to which contaminants may adsorb (Makram 1996). However, GAC filters also can serve as an incubator of bacteria because of their porous structure and nutrient-rich environment. The GAC filters may also cause unexpected chlorine breakthrough, which could be very serious, that is, hemodialysis.
Also, sodium metabisulfite or sodium bisulfate is used in dechlorination. This method is adopted in the pharmaceutical and semi-conductor industries. Sodium metabisulfite or sodium bisulfate exists as a powder or solution and is mixed on site. However, the solution itself becomes an incubator of bacteria, causing biofouling of the reverse osmosis membranes. Additionally, the two compounds are hazardous to handle, maintenance of the equipment used is expensive and sodium sulphate may be formed, which in turn can act as a stimulant to sulphate reducing bacteria(Bagchi …show more content…
Vitamin C does not dissolve oxygen as much as sulphur-based chemicals do, thus, it is not toxic to aquatic life (Using Vitamin C, 2005). However, ascorbic acid is slightly acidic and is capable of lowering the pH of the treated water or substance. The ascorbic acid reacts with hypochlorous acid to produce dehydroascorbic acid, hydrochloric acid and water. The production of hydrochloric will lower the pH of the treated water or substance. This can be detrimental to aquatic life and anyone who digests the dechlorinated water. On the other hand, sodium ascorbate is neutral and will not affect the pH of the treated water or substance. Sodium ascorbate reacts with hypochlorous acid to produce dehydroascorbic acid, sodium chloride and water. Sodium chloride is a neutral salt, thus, poses less harm than the production of the hydrochloric acid when ascorbic acid is