Water Nuggets Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

When chlorine is added to water, particularly in contexts such as swimming pools or drinking water treatment, it undergoes a series of reactions with substances present in the water, such as ammonia. Before reaching the breakpoint—the point at which free chlorine is available for disinfection—chlorine reacts with ammonia to form chloramines.

Chloramines are persistent compounds that can affect water quality and are often responsible for the characteristic smells in chlorinated water. This formation of chloramines occurs during the initial phase of chlorination, and it is a critical step as the system works to break down ammonia and other nitrogenous compounds present.

At the breakpoint, the chlorine demand is satisfied, and any remaining chlorine can serve as an effective disinfectant. Thus, the formation of chloramines before this point highlights the dynamic interactions of chlorine with contaminants in the water. The concept of breakpoint chlorination emphasizes the importance of understanding these reactions as part of efficient water treatment processes.