Chloramine Breakdown in Drinking Water and Possible Consequences

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Table of Contents

Introduction: Chloramine As an Alternative
Conclusion: On the Significance and Impact
Reference List

Introduction: Chloramine As an Alternative

Among all the essentials that a human being cannot possibly live without, water takes the first place after oxygen – once deprived of the necessary amount ofH2O and disposed to a long-term drought, a human body stops functioning and starts to disintegrate into nothingness.

Luckily enough, water reserves on the Erath are more than satisfying for most of the humankind. However, according to the recent researches conducted in the sphere of water supplies, the existing cleaning system which makes use of chlorine leaves much to be desired, which the use of chloramine can improve the situation greatly.

The Problem Statement: Something to Be Greatly Concerned about

Since the level of the drinking water contamination is a rather important issue, it is obvious that it must be brought to the agenda of the economical, environmental and health concerns. Once making the water purification system more efficient and making sure that the by-products of the cleaning procedure are not hazardous for the human health or for the environment, one can be certain that the accepted system of water purification is efficient.

At present, the evidence pro and contra both means of cleaning the drinking water makes it obvious that each has its flaws, yet the b-products left as a result of the presence of chlorines in the drinking water are considerably more hazardous than the remaining of chloramines. Hence, the issue must be considered.

The Rationale for the Research: About Health Concerns

As one might have already guessed, the key rationale for the research on which of the by-products, the one emitted after chlorine cleaning or the ones left after the chloramine purification, are less harmful for people’s health is the key concern. As the numerous pieces of evidence claim, it is obvious that chlorine is extremely harmful for health.

However, it must be taken into account that chloramine also has its flaws, and that drinking water cannot be distillated in either way. Nevertheless, it has been proved that chloramine might be a possible solution for the given situation. Despite the fact that free chlorine is a far worse means of water clearing, chloramine purification also cannot be considered completely harmless, but only the least harmful.

The Statement of the Research Objectives: Why Bothering

It is obvious that the key goal of the given research is to check for the advantages and the disadvantages of the means of water purification and clarify which of the means in question is the most appropriate at the time given.

With the help of the given paper, a few issues can be clarified and the optimum way of making the drinking water clear can be figured out. However, it cannot be denied that the paper also has certain smaller aims to achieve apart from the grand goal. Therefore, the objectives of the given research are to check the prospects of the water purification system and its possible improvements.

The Hypothesis: The Factors and How to Drive Them to Zero

Analyzing the existing evidence concerning the chlorine and chloramine water purification, one can possibly claim that the latter is the most promising way of clearing the drinking water.

Definition of Terms: Explaining the Key Concepts and Phenomena

However, before proceeding with the research and the comparison of the two existing systems, a few terms and phenomena unknown to the general public have to be clarified.

Chlorine is a chemical element which in its natural form is a toxic gas of pale green color. As a means of purifying the drinking water, it can pass for a relatively efficient one, yet it obviously leaves a number of by-products which cause considerable health problems.

Chloramine is an ammonia solution in which two or three atoms of hydrogen are replaced with the atoms of hydrogen, which makes the chemical unstable. A colorless liquid, this can possibly be an alternative for a more hazardous chlorine solution.

By-product is secondary product appearing as a result of a reaction between two or more chemicals.

A haloacetic acid disinfection presupposes that the water is cleaned with the help of the dichloroacetic acid, yet the by-products which such disinfection leaves are harmful for people’s health.

Trihalomethane is a chemical compound. In the given compound, three atoms of methane out of the four are replaced with a halogen atom.

The Summary: What the Entire Research Boils Down to

Judging by the results of the researches which have been undertaken so far, one can state with a considerable amount of certainty that the chloramine water distillation is the most efficient and the least hazardous at present.

Indeed, according to what the researchers say, at first chlorine was the only means to purify the drinking water, yet further on chloramine was offered as an alternative, mainly because the number of by-products which the use of chlorine triggers. As ENDS (2009) claims, “Drinking water disinfected with chloramine instead of chlorine is more likely to pass the regulatory standards for disinfection” (27).

Review of the Literature: What Has Been Done so Far

However, before proceeding with the research itself, one has to update on its current status. Despite the fact that the issue is quite new, there have been a number of researches on the topic, which allows to suppose that there have already been a number of suggestions concerning the ways to improve the existing system of water distillation.

The first and the foremost, the paper by ENDS (2009) should be mentioned. Providing a detailed observation of the problem and mentioning that the chlorine system is no match for the chloramine one, the report explains in details the way in which the latter works, thus, offering detailed information on one of the issues.

As for the research conducted by Shang & Lo (2005), it can be considered a detailed report on how the awareness of the presence of by-products in the drinking water was raised.

Obolensky, Singer, & Shukairy (2007) in their paper state the scale of the problem. Apart from vivid descriptions and understandable explanations, the authors show how global the issue can grow and what tremendous scale it has gained so far.

However, Yang, Harrington & Noguera (2008), in contrast to the previously named authors, not only explain the effects of the by-products dissolving in the drinking water, but also offer a model to develop a probable solution. Despite the obvious limitations which the model has, it can be used as a perfect way to come up with a means to solve the problem.

Finally, Adams, Timmons, Seitz Lane & Levotch (2005) offer important details concerning the issue. Thus, one can see every single detail of the problem and take these details into account when modeling the solution.

As it has been stated above, the issue has been researched considerably, with all the major factors concerning the impact of both chemicals on the drinking water almost fully described. Therefore, what has been left is to sum up the major drawbacks and advantages of each and to offer a constructive idea concerning the issue of how to improve the existing distillation system.

The Research Method and the Reasons to Choose the One

Among the possible research methods which can suit the given research the on which comprises the quantitative and the qualitative methods seems to be the most efficient.

On the one hand, it is required to calculate the percentage of by-products in the drinking water distillated with the help of both means, in which case the quantitative method is the most appropriate; on the other hand, a comparison between the two means of distillation and the analysis of the two is what the given research is going to be based on, which calls for the use of a qualitative method. Therefore, it is most reasonable to comprise the two, offering both the statistical data and a thorough analysis of the latter.

The Participants of the Research: All Those Involved

Since the give research is aimed at a specific area and deals with a particular issue, answering a single question, it is more than reasonable that the research is conducted solely by the author.

Naturally, the author is going to consult to the supervisor and take into account the pieces of advice from t5he latter, as well as conduct the research in the course offered by the latter; however, the gathering of the data, its analysis and the development of cohesive conclusions is going to be undertaken solely by me, which is why the given research will have only one participant.

The Research Design: Pacing the Procedure Carefully

The research is going to be carried out so that the statistical data could be collected in the most accurate way. In addition, it is highly desirable that the data should be collected from different sources, thus, providing the maximum objectivity of the information.

First of all, the five articles taken from reliable sources and described above are going to be sued as the key source of information and the theoretical background to rely on when making conclusions. However, since the issue is topical, newer data is required, which various questionnaires are bound to provide.

Thus, first of all, the data concerning the drinking water distillation will be collected. Further on, the analysis of the above-mentioned data is going to be conducted. Since at certain point, the pieces of information can contradict each other, the research is going to be detailed and take into account every single fact even if it does not fit into the frame of the hypothesis.

Further on, the positive and the negative effects of each means of water distillation are going to be considered. After analyzing these effects, the author of the research is going to draw the suppositions concerning the possible solutions.

Data Collection Plans: Where and How. The Key Instruments

The data required for the research is going to be obtained from journals, databases and with the help of questionnaires.

The Proposed Analysis: Expecting the Results. Anticipations and Plans

For a detailed analysis, the following data is going to be used: the percentage of by-products in the water distillated by chloramines; the percentage of by-products in the water distillated by chlorines.

Implications and Limitations: Where the Borders Lie

Like any other research, the given one also has its limitations. The first one to be mentioned is the lack of technical equipment and, hence, the inability to check for the presence of by-products in the distilled water. Another limitation concerns the fact that distilled water can exist only in a laboratory – in ordinary life, it will cease to be distilled as soon as it comes in contact with the air or even the glass.

Time Schedule: Planning Each Step Carefully

Since the research is split into several parts, it will supposedly take two or more weeks. During the first several days, the data is going to be collected and the questionnaires are going to be designed. During the next several days, the analysis of the data is going to be conducted. Finally, the conclusions will be made and solutions will be offered.

Resources Needed: Calculating the Essentials for the Research

Among the resources which the given research requires, one must name the scholarly articles, a report concerning the chloramine and chlorine for water distillation and the results of the polls held among the participants.

The Probable Personnel: Those Who Can Assist the Research

Among the people who can assist the researcher, one must mention the respondents to the questions in the questionnaires.

Expanding the Budget: Money Makes the World Go Round

Supposedly, the given research is not going to have a big budget. What will demand the most money will be printing questionnaires. As for the rest of the research, it will thrive on the obtained articles and the author’s ability to make logical conclusions.

Required Assurances: Including the Alternative Sources of Information

Apart from the five articles listed above, it is required to add other sources which can be considered less official and more up-to-date. Hence, it will be a good idea to use questionnaires among several groups of students conceding the quality of the drinking 3water distillated with the help of chlorine and chloramine. With the help of some five questions which will presuppose that the students should give long and detailed answers, one can assess the state of affairs ore precisely.

Developing the Questions for the Questionnaires/Interviews/Surveys

To be more particular about the surveys, it is necessary to mention that they are going to include not only the standard questions like “Which type of drinking water did you find corresponding to the standards more accurately?”, but also choosing the appropriate characteristics for the drinking water disinfected in a certain way; i.e., it could be such question as “Did the water have a specific taste, and if so, what did it taste of?”.

Thus, checking the respondents’ answers and referring to the qualities of water disinfected with the help of a certain solution, one can possibly come to the conclusion which type of drinking water seems to follow the standards and which flaws even the best method of water disinfection has.

Conclusion: On the Significance and Impact

Therefore, judging by the above-mentioned facts, it can be considered that the impact of the given study is rather big, since it not only offers a better perspective for the water purification system, which, in its turn, is likely to decrease a number of health concerns, but also introduces the entire purification system to a new level.

Emphasizing the strengths and the weaknesses of both chlorine and chloramine and encompassing the latest researches in the given field, the paper provides an honest and precise account of the situation and works for the progress.

Reference List

Adams, C., Timmons, T., Seitz, T., Lane, J., & Levotch, S. (2005). Trihalomethane and haloacetic acid disinfection by-products in full-scale drinking water systems. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 131(4), 526-534.

ENDS (2009). Chloramine disinfection cuts-by products: Study. Environmental Data Services, 418, 27.

Obolensky, A., Singer, P., & Shukairy, H. M. (2007). Information collection rule data evaluation and analysis to support impacts on disinfection by-product formation. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 133(1), 53-63.

Shang, C., Qi, Y., & Lo, I. M. C. (2005). Factors affecting inactivation behavior in the monochloramination range. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 133(1), 119-129.

Yang, J., Harrington, G., & Noguera, D. (2008). Nitrification modeling in pilot-scale chloraminated drinking water distribution systems. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 134(9), 731-742.

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