What is produced as a result of breakpoint chlorination?

Breakpoint chlorination is a critical process in water treatment, particularly when dealing with chloramines and organic nitrogen compounds in water. The primary goal of this process is to effectively eliminate chloramines and achieve a desired level of free chlorine residual in the water.

During breakpoint chlorination, an adequate amount of chlorine is added to the water to reach a certain threshold concentration. At this point, the combined chlorine and organic matter reach their saturation levels. When more chlorine is introduced beyond the breakpoint, a series of reactions occur that leads to the destruction of chloramines and other nitrogenous compounds. This process results in the formation of free chlorine, which is the desired outcome for ensuring water disinfection and maintaining a residual for bacteriological control.

The presence of free chlorine is significant because it provides ongoing disinfection as the water moves through the distribution system. This is essential for protecting water quality, preventing microbial regrowth, and ensuring that treated water remains safe for consumption.

The other options, while related to chlorine chemistry in water treatment, do not directly result from the breakpoint chlorination process. Ethanol is not produced in water chlorination processes; sodium hypochlorite is a chlorine compound that can be used for disinfection but is not the result of breakpoint chlorination;