Chlorination

Since 1910 chlorine has been used in the disinfection process of wastewater because of its success in eliminating high rates of water-borne illnesses.^[1]

Chlorine (Cl₂) reacts with water (H₂O):^[2]

Cl₂ + H₂O → HOCl + HCl

The resulting hypochlorous acid (HOCl) disassociates into hydrogen (H⁺) and hypochlorite (OCl^-) ions:

HOCl ---> H+ + OCl¯

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a weak acid that penetrates the cell membrane of wastewater pathogens, destroying the enzymes within the cytoplasm. Wastewater pathogens killed through chlorination include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and amoebic cysts.^[3]

Chlorine’s effectiveness as a disinfectant depends upon:^[3]

• chlorine detention time and concentration
• wastewater pH and temperature
• total suspended solids (turbidity)
• other reactive species in the water (hydrogen sulfide, organics)
• pathogen (cryptosporidium, for example, is highly resistant to chlorine)

See also[edit | edit source]

• Arcata Marsh chlorination

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Authors	Nicole Kraft, Chris Watkins
License	CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language	English (en)
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Created	March 31, 2008 by Nicole Kraft
Last modified	April 30, 2024 by StandardWikitext bot
Cite as	Nicole Kraft, Chris Watkins (2008–2024). "Chlorination". Appropedia. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
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