What are the environmental and cost advantages of using peracetic acid (PAA) for disinfection?

• A. Not Effective for Disinfection
• B. More Environmentally Friendly, Reduces Disinfection By-Products, and Capital Cost Low
• C. More Toxic, Increases Disinfection By-Products, High Capital Cost
• D. Requires Special Handling and Is Expensive

Answer: (B)

Peracetic acid disinfects effectively while offering clear environmental and economic benefits. It breaks down rapidly into acetic acid, water, and oxygen, so it leaves few persistent residues and forms far fewer disinfection by-products than chlorine-based systems. That means lower potential for harmful DBPs in the treated water, which is a meaningful environmental advantage.

From a cost perspective, generating PAA on-site can reduce procurement, storage, and safety costs associated with large quantities of hazardous chemicals like chlorine. The on-site approach also lowers transportation and handling risks and can simplify or reduce permitting related to storage and dechlorination steps. While every chemical system has handling requirements, the overall package for PAA tends to be more economical in terms of capital and lifecycle costs.

In short, this option reflects that PAA provides environmental advantages (fewer harmful byproducts) and potential cost benefits (lower capital and handling/storage costs) compared with other disinfectants.