ABSTRACT
The concentrations of the relatively volatile halogenated compounds were determined in unchlorinated and chlorinated effluents from treatment plants treating wastewaters containing 0%, 25%, and 50% industrial wastewater contributions. Despite the high background levels observed for the volatile halogenated organic compounds, the more exacting nature indicated that plant number five did produce volatile halogenated organic compounds (trihalomethane) during effluent chlorination. In addition, disinfection of domestic wastewater treatment plant effluents employing combined chlorine residual likewise results in the formation of little or no volatile halogenated organic compounds. The addition of chlorine to organic molecules, however, may cause the formation of chlorinated organics having objectionable physiological activities – such as odor, toxicity, mutagenicity or carcinogenicity. The results from the disinfection employing chlorination of effluents from plants treating mixtures of domestic and industrial wastes are not so easy to interpret. With the exception of a certain plant, all plants that employed chlorination maintained only combined residuals.
