Abstract
The characteristics of disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation at 28 water treatment plants in Korea were investigated. Investigated species of DBPs were trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and chloral hydrate (CH). The maximum concentration of THMs was $84.1{\mu}g/L$, minimum and the averages were $6.9{\mu}g/L$ and $27.8{\mu}g/L$, respectively; the maximum concentration of $HAA_5$ was $90.8{\mu}g/L$, minimum and the averages were $3.8{\mu}g/L$ and $26.7{\mu}g/L$, respectively; while the maximum concentration of CH was $29.5{\mu}g/L$, minimum and the averages were $0.5{\mu}g/L$ and $7.4{\mu}g/L$, respectively. On the other hand, DBPs levels during summer months, when the water temperature was near $25^{\circ}C$, were nearly twice as great as DBPs levels during the winter season. The ratio of $THMs/HAA_5$ was 1.07, and $HAA_5$ and THMs were the dominant species of DBPS in the Kum-Sumjin river and Nakdong river, respectivley.