Use of moss to reduce disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants

Abstract

A method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants including contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products. A method of determining the effectiveness of a first method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants, the first method including contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products, the method including determining the effectiveness of the first method by measuring the level of the disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants and contacted with the amount of non-decomposed moss.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants comprising contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water has been treated with a disinfectant selected from the group consisting of chlorinated, brominated, or other halogen containing disinfectants. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the disinfectant is a disinfectant that includes chlorine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is in the form of leaves or parts of leaves. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is in the form of compressed leaves or parts of leaves. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is placed in a carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the carrier is a mesh bag. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is placed in a contact chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is placed in a filter cartridge housing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is placed in a surge tank of a pool. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water is water in a spa, swimming pool, or splash deck. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products in the water is reduced by 20 percent or more after eight weeks. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products in the water is reduced by 40 percent or more after eight weeks. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products in the water is reduced by 60 percent or more after eight weeks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-decomposed moss is selected from the group consisting of sphagnum papillosum, sphagnum cristatum, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products is reduced in the air above the water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products in the air above the water is reduced by 20 percent or more after 28 weeks. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products in the air above the water is reduced by 40 percent or more after 28 weeks. 
     
     
         19 . A method of determining the effectiveness of a first method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants, the first method comprising contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products, the method comprising determining the effectiveness of the first method by measuring the level of the disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants and contacted with the amount of non-decomposed moss. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products is measured in the water before and after treating the water with the non-decomposed moss. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products is measured in the water at a first time and at a second time. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the disinfection by-products whose level is measured comprise one or more of chloroform, bromoform, dichlorobromomethane, dibromochloromethane, 1,1,1-trichloro-2-propanone, 1,1,1-trichloroacetonitrile, chloral hydrate, dibromochloroacetic acid, dichlorobromoacetic acid, tribromoacetic acid, and trichloroacetic acid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the disinfection by-products whose level is measured comprise one or more of chloroform, bromoform, dichlorobromomethane, and dibromochloromethane. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the disinfection by-products whose level is measured consist of the group of chloroform, bromoform, dichlorobromomethane, dibromochloromethane, 1,1,1-trichloro-2-propanone, 1,1,1-trichloroacetonitrile, chloral hydrate, dibromochloroacetic acid, dichlorobromoacetic acid, tribromoacetic acid, and trichloroacetic acid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the disinfection by-products whose level is measured consist of the group of chloroform, bromoform, dichlorobromomethane, and dibromochloromethane. 
     
     
         26 . A method of determining the effectiveness of a first method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants, the first method comprising contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products, the method comprising determining the effectiveness of the first method by measuring the level of the disinfection by-products in the air above the water treated with disinfectants and contacted with the amount of non-decomposed moss. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products is measured in the air above the water before and after treating the water with the non-decomposed moss. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the level of disinfection by-products is measured in the air above the water at a first time and at a second time. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the disinfection by-products whose level is measured is chloroform.