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Abstract: On a global scale, pathogenic contamination of drinking water poses the most significant
health risk to humans. In order to meet the drinking water criteria the classic water treatment processes
include: coagulation/decantation, filtration and disinfection. Chlorination is the most widely used
technique for disinfection of drinking water, it determines the formation of chlorination by-products such
as halogenated trihalomethane which depend strongly on the composition of the natural organic matter in
the raw water, pH, temperature, chlorine dose, reaction time, or diferent other factors from the pipe
environment (specific material from the pipe wall, biofilm, bioactivity of bacterial growth in biofilm).
The trihalomethanes have negative effects on human health like genotoxicity and carcinogenicity.

Keyword: drinking water, disinfection by chlorine, organic pollution, trihalomethanes, health effects