ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the chemicals of concern in the desalinated water. By drawing upon fundamentals of water chemistry, the carbonate system has been introduced and it has been explained that the system is a function of the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide, the concentration of bicarbonate ions, the concentration of carbonate ions, the pH value, the total inorganic carbon content, and the total alkalinity. In the most recent edition of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality the maximum value for boron in drinking water has increased to 2.4 mg/L. Seawater contains large amounts of bromine, in the form of bromide. Even with relatively effective removal of the element, the desalinated water may contain up to several milligrams of bromide per liter. There are two types of water hardness: temporary and permanent hardness. Temporary hardness is due to the presence of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates.
