With funding from the Organic Dynamics Program, Professor Heasley at Point Loma Nazarene College will investigate the mechanisms associated with the halogenation of humic acids. In this study, various phenols will be used as models for humic acids. Phenolic residues are known to be building blocks of humic acids. This problem presents itself because it is common practice to purify drinking water supplies by halogenation. With regard to humic acids, which are present in nearly all water supplies, halogenation yields toxic products rather than the desired non-toxic products. This research is intended to elaborate the mechanisms of this process so as to facilitate methodologies to counter the undesirable reaction. All to often procedures implemented to take care of one problem create problems in another sector which compromise the entire methodology. In this case, drinking water is purified with the oxidant, halogen. While this is effective for destroying many toxic contaminants, it converts other substances such as humic acids to toxins. In this research, the undesired reaction will be investigated with the goal of averting the toxic product formation during the drinking water purification procedure. This investigation has potential significant impact on an environmentally sensitive health issue.
