Use of multiple regression models to evaluate the formation of halonitromethane via chlorination/chloramination of water from Tai Lake and the Qiantang River, China

•The established models could well describe the HNMs formation.•DON did not play significant role in HNMs formation in chloramination.•NO2− did not raise the HNMs yields significantly in chlorination of NOM with low SUVA.•Factors affecting the bromine incorporation factors (BIF) for HNMs were evaluated.

The deterioration of water quality, especially organic pollution in Tai Lake and the Qiantang River, have recently received attention in China. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the formation of halonitromethanes (HNMs) using multiple regression models for chlorination and chloramination and to identify the key factors that influence the formation of HNMs in Tai Lake and the Qiantang River. The results showed that the total formation of HNMs (T-HNMs) during chlorination and chloramination could be described using the following models: (1) T-HNMCl2T-HNMCl2 = (10)5.267(DON)6.645(Br−)0.737(DOC)−5.537(Cl2)0.333(t)0.165 (R2 = 0.974, p < 0.01, n = 33), and (2) T-HNMNH2Cl = (10)−2.481(Cl2)0.451(NO2−)0.382(Br−)0.630(t)0.640(Temp)0.581 (R2 = 0.961, p < 0.05, n = 33), respectively. The key factors that influenced the T-HNM yields during chlorination were dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), bromide and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The nitrite and bromide concentrations and the reaction time mainly affected the T-HNM yields during chloramination. Additional analysis indicated that the bromine incorporation factors (BIFs) for trihalogenated HNMs generally decreased as the chlorine/chloramine dose, temperature and reaction time decreased and increased as the bromide concentration increased.