Abstract

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Using the Pearson Correlation technique, this paper established significant linear relationship among pairs of analysed physic-chemical parameters with the determined regulated (regTHMsDBPs) and emerging (emergTHMsDBPs) Tri-halomethanes Disinfection By-Products in the drinking water produced by the Ahmadu Bello University water treatment plant. Using standard methods including the USEPA Method 551.1, selected physico-chemical parameters and the levels of the regulated and emerging tri-halomethanes were determined. These were subsequently subjected to statistical correlation analyses. Statistical correlation of pairs of the some of the chemical parameters with total mean tri-halomethanes, show that total mean regulated tri-halomethanes DBPs (TregTHMs) values significantly correlated positively with temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), total organic carbon (TOC) and residual chlorine values, while significantly correlating negatively with pH. On the other hand, total mean emerging tri-halomethane DBPs (TemergTHMs) significantly correlated with nitrates concentration levels (F=0.62578*) while being highly significantly correlating with residual chlorine (F=5.2670**), total organic carbon (F=13.3882**), total dissolved solids (F=6.2695**) and pH (F=2.7783**) and total mean regulated THMs (TregTHMs) with F=25.4016**. Similarly, the resulting grand total THM (GTTHMs) concentration levels (comprising of the regulated and the emerging THMs) showed highly significant correlation with the total regulated THMs (TregTHMs) (F=54.9578**) and with total emerging THMs (TemergTHM2)(F=289.2349**) but with pH (F=3.3757**) as the only physico-chemical parameter. These signify that the concentrations of both emerging and regulated THMs are both significantly affected by the proportions of the total dissolved solids, nitrates, total organic carbon and residual chlorine. The generation of these models has established additional frontier to manipulate the concentrations of DBPs in treated drinking water by controlling independent physic-chemical variables in the drinking water treatment process. These predictive models could be safely used to predict the levels of these DBPs even though additional testing and analyses can enhance the confidence in such recommendation and extrapolation.

Keywords: Regulated and emerging Tri-halomethanes Disinfection By-Products, Pearson’s Correlation, drinking water, carcinogenicity