EFFECT OF OZONATION ON SOME PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES OF AQUATIC NATURAL ORGANIC-MATTER

Natural Organic Matter (NOM) was isolated and extracted from a moderat ely-colored surface water, then fractionated using hydrophobic and ion exchange resins into eight groups. Each was subjected to batch ozonat ion, and the rate of loss of ozone was measured. Then, selected fracti ons were analyzed for changes in functional group content, molecular s ize and hydrophobicity; some were further fractionated by size prior t o functional group analysis. Fulvic acids and humic acids were the mos t reactive. These groups also showed the greatest change in carboxyl g roup content and hydrophobicity. The results are discussed with respec t to impacts on coagulation. Although hydrophilic neutrals were of low to moderate reactivity, they showed the greatest promise for improved coagulation following preozonation.