Scientist helps EPA validate test method

Louisville Water Scientist Taylor Rosenhagen helped the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) perform a validation study for one of its test methods.

EPA Methods are approved procedures for measuring the presence and concentration of physical and chemical pollutants, evaluating properties of chemical substances, or measuring the effects of substances under various conditions.

Rosenhagen, with the help of Louisville Water’s Water Quality and Compliance Manager, Chris Bobay, performed a validation study for Method 127: Determination of Monochloramine Concentration in Drinking Water.

Louisville Water and a few other utilities were selected to help the EPA with this method by performing Method Detection Limits (MDLs) on three different types of instrumentation.  Monochloramine preparation, testing, and data collection were performed over the course of a year.

“I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to not only network and assist the EPA but also to grow my skill as a researcher and scientist,” Rosenhagen said.

EPA Method 127 is intended to be used by water treatment plants that use chloramination disinfection to measure monochloramine residual.  Chloramination is a method of disinfection consisting of a ratio of ammonia to chlorine and occurs right after the water has had a proper amount of contact time with just chlorine. Having the ability to accurately test this ratio lets utilities optimize their disinfection process.