The formation of volatile DBPs and haloacetic acids (HAAs) from algal organic matter (AOM) in different chloramination conditions (i.e., different monochloramine (NH₂Cl) dosages, pH values, and bromide concentrations) was studied. In chloramination of AOM, HAAs were the major DBP species, followed by trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), and haloketones (HKs). The levels of THMs, HAAs, HKs, and HANs generated in chloramination were 75%, 69%, 68%, and 122% of those in chlorination, respectively. The concentrations of THMs and HAAs both doubled as the NH₂Cl dosage doubled. The proportions of bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane in THMs and the proportions of dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid in HAAs increased with the NH₂Cl dosage. Accelerating the pH value enhanced the formation of THMs, HAAs, and HANs, respectively, and favored the formation of brominated THMs. The HAN species distribution was unaffected by the NH₂Cl dosage and pH. Increasing bromide levels slightly increased the yield of THMs and slightly decreased the yields of HAAs and HKs. The species shift from the chlorinated to the brominated was more significant for THMs and HANs than for HAAs. The THM-BSF and dichloroacetonitrile-BSF values were lower in chloramination than in chlorination. The high pH value and bromide level significantly accelerated the THM-BSFs. The maximum values of THM-BSFs and dichloroacetonitrile-BSF were 0.6 and 0.5.

During drinking water treatment processes, anthropogenic compounds act as important precursors of disinfection by-products such as haloacetic acids (HAAs). Several transformations in these precursors occur prior to the disinfection stage, such as partial biodegradation. We hypothesized that this partial biodegradation of anthropogenic compounds potentially affects their HAA formation potentials (HAAFPs). In this study, the HAAFPs of 51 anthropogenic compounds after short-term contact (less than 1 h) and long-term contact (24 h) with activated sludge were compared. Considerable changes were observed particularly in trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) formation potentials (FPs) of phenols, demonstrating that biodegradation should be considered in investigations of potential precursors of HAAs. Phenols with low HAAFPs, such as hydroquinone, show higher HAAFPs after biodegradation, but HAAFPs of most phenols and anilines decreased after biodegradation. Thus, biodegradation will most likely have a positive impact on water quality from the standpoint of HAAFP reduction. For most aliphatic compounds, changes in HAAFP were negligible, but the dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) FP of acrylic acid largely increased. This study illustrates that biodegradation may have a large effect on the HAAFPs of anthropogenic compounds.