Spectroscopic surrogates for real time monitoring of water quality in wastewater treatment and water reuse

Abstract This review examines the potential of spectroscopic methods in online and real time water quality monitoring. Extensive research has shown that measurements of changes of absorbance and fluorescence of wastewater and drinking water during its treatment are predictive of the reduction of levels of trace-level organic contaminants (TrOC) or pathogens. Changes of water fluorescence and absorbance are also correlated with the formation of bromate, biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) and products of the oxidation of TrOC or dissolved organic matter (DOM). The review concludes that the current level of the development and implementation of spectroscopic methods for online/real time water quality monitoring is far from its real potential.