Is Chloramine a Better Disinfectant for Water Systems?
Water disinfection is critical to supplying clean, safe drinking water; many technologies and chemistries exist to aid water system managers in the task of supplying clean water. Ultraviolet disinfection, ozonation, and filtration are often employed. Additionally, chlorine is widely used; well known for its ability to disinfect water, chlorine was perhaps the most common means of water purification in the last century. One group of chemicals that is gaining in popularity are chloramines; chloramines are a potential alternative to chlorination that have been in use for decades, but some have questioned their use.
Rivers Under Stress
Rivers, one of the greatest sources of freshwater on the planet may be in peril according to a new study recently published in the journal Nature. The study found, among other things, that rivers worldwide are experiencing similar stresses and are being degraded. Rivers most removed from human populations – in the arctic and the tropics – appear to be in the best state.
The symptoms of this degradation are almost as complex as the causes. Agricultural intensification, industrial development and river habitat modification were noted in the majority of the world’s watersheds. No longer limited to the developed world, the damage appears far-flung and crosses many economic and cultural boundaries.
The symptoms of this degradation are almost as complex as the causes. Agricultural intensification, industrial development and river habitat modification were noted in the majority of the world’s watersheds. No longer limited to the developed world, the damage appears far-flung and crosses many economic and cultural boundaries.
Challenge Of Delivering Safe Drinking Water To The Developing World
Addressing the challenge of delivering safe drinking water to the developing world would be a major step forward in reducing the incidence of disease and increasing life span. In recent years, a growing number of innovative solutions have been fielded in an attempt to directly solve this problem; in fact H2Bid has featured many of these solutions as a part of this regular column. The devices range from mechanical to chemical in design with the common thread being the inventors striving to keep their solutions simple and easy to operate. Joining these solutions is perhaps the simplest yet: SODIS or Solar Water Disinfection.