TRACE-LEVEL DETERMINATION OF BROMATE IN OZONATED DRINKING-WATER USINGION CHROMATOGRAPHY

Bromate is one of the disinfection by-products produced by the ozonati on of drinking water. The US Environmental Protection Agency is consid ering regulating bromate to the low mu g/l level. A method using ion c hromatography has been developed which will quantify bromate at this l evel, even in the presence of high (mg/l) levels of common anions such as chloride and sulfate. A berate eluent system was used to improve t he separation of bromate from chloride. The level of chloride in the s ample was reduced by pretreating the sample using a silver-form cation -exchange resin. The lower chloride level allowed a larger sample volu me and preconcentration which reduced the bromate method detection lim it to 1 mu g/l.