1. Chemical oxidation

1.1 General

Remember that an oxidizing molecule is an acceptor of electrons removed from oxidized molecules. Each oxidant has an associated reductant: chloride ion for chlorine, chlorite ion for chlorine dioxide, oxygen for ozone. The ability to oxidize is represented on a numerical scale defining the oxidation potential.

In water treatment, oxidation is used to transform troublesome molecules into molecules that are acceptable from health, organoleptic and even visual points of view.

Oxidation can be achieved by simple aeration, or by the use of reagents such as potassium permanganate; to obtain a marked and easily controllable effect, chlorine and its derivatives and/or ozonation are used. The first two processes are mainly used in...