Jonerosto M.

Sinangote
EcE 122

Breakpoint Chlorination

Swimming pool water requires some form of purification in order to kill

bacteria and other micro-organisms that could be potentially harmful to the
pool equipment or more importantly, those swimming in the pool itself.
Adding chlorine (in the form of sodium hypochlorite) to pool water is the
most common form of sanitation. Following, is an explanation as to what
occurs when you add the appropriate amount of chlorine to pool water,
which ultimately leads to Breakpoint Chlorination.
When chlorine is added to water for normal residual chlorination it combines
(reacts) with ammonia and organic contaminants found in pool water (sweat,
urine, skin cells, and other organic matter) forming combined chlorine
compounds commonly called chloramines. The terms combined chlorine
and chloramines are often used interchangeably and refer generically to a
family of chlorinated compounds. It is the build-up of combined chlorine that
swimmers will most often notice in a pool, complaining of a chlorine smell
overhanging the pool surface as well as eye and nose irritation.
Besides normal residual chlorination, Chlorine is commonly used to shock
treat or super-chlorinate pool water in order break down contaminating
organic compounds, kill algae and other micro-organisms, destroy impurities
and dissolved waste products, and break apart the chemical bonds forming
combined chlorine. The point at which the chlorine concentration is high
enough for these chemical bonds to be broken is called Breakpoint.
Breakpoint chlorination eliminates the chloramines and other reductants
which otherwise cause an increased chlorine demand in the water.
In order to achieve breakpoint, a ratio of 7.6:1 free chlorine to combined
chlorine molecules is required. At or above this ratio combined chlorine
molecules are broken down and destroyed. Reaching the breakpoint is an all-
or-nothing reaction. Not adding enough chlorine to reach breakpoint will
result in more combined chlorine and lower free chlorine residual. When
completed, breakpoint chlorination destroys the chemical bonds with
ammonia leaving free chlorine, nitrogen, water and inorganic chloride (salt).
Several chemical reactions take place before breakpoint is achieved:
Free Chlorine (HOCl) reacts with Ammonia (NH3) to form Monochloramines
(NH2Cl).
HOCl also reacts with NH2Cl to form Dichloramines (NHCL2) and further with
NHCL2 to form Trichloramines (NHCL3) or nitrogen trichloride (NCl3) and
Nitrates (NO3).
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EcE 122

NCl3 forms when the HOCl to nitrogen molecular weight ratio is greater than
12:1. Oily, insoluble colloidal particles will appear, cloud the water, migrate
toward the water surface, and may be released into the air.
Shocking or super-chlorinating pool water to breakpoint should be done as
needed when the level of chloramines present reaches 0.2 ppm or greater.
Chlorine in any form may be used to reach breakpoint except stabilized
chlorine products or Isocyanurates such as Trichlor or Dichlor. These
products should not be used for breakpoint chlorination since excess
cyanuric acid would be added to the water solution concurrently inhibiting
the full reactions from occurring.

Before attempting breakpoint chlorination make sure that the water is

chemically balanced and that pH is 7.2 to 7.4 in order to maximize the
percentage of hypochlorous acid formed. Shock treating a pool with
unbalanced water, particularly with a high (basic) pH or high total alkalinity,
will result in the formation of a white carbonate precipitate which will cloud
the water. However, some operators prefer to raise the pH when using acidic
chlorine products like elemental gas chlorine for super-chlorination since
more offensive forms of chloramines develop rapidly at a very low pH.
ChlorineTo calculate breakpoint concentration necessary to super-chlorinate,
use a DPD (N, N-Diethyl-P-Phenelynediamine) or FAS (Ferrous Ammonium
Sulfate) test kit to find both the free and total available chlorine levels.
Subtract the Free Available Chlorine (FAC) from the Total Available Chlorine
(TAC) to find the Combined Available Chlorine (CAC) level. Multiply the CAC
by the factor 10, although only 7.6 is actually needed, to find the dose of
chlorine you must introduce into the pool in order to reach the breakpoint.
Ten is used as a factor because most pool operators are not sure of the
precise amount of water in their pools, or of the exact percentage of
available chlorine in the chlorine compound being used. We use ten as a
factor to err on the side of caution and so that enough chlorine is left over
after breakpoint has been achieved to satisfy the chlorine demand and leave
an adequate residual.
Some health department regulations may prohibit swimmers from using the
pool when chlorine concentrations are elevated. It is best to super-chlorinate
in the evening or during hours the pool is not in operation to avoid
respiratory irritation to users from off gassing during the super-chlorination
process, and to allow chlorine levels to drop back to normal levels. How fast
breakpoint is reached depends on several factors, including: pH, pool water
temperature, the ratio of free available chlorine to combined chlorine, and
the concentration of ammonia/nitrogen and organic nitrogen compounds
Jonerosto M. Sinangote
EcE 122

which place a demand on the chlorine. If the chemical reaction takes place
and breakpoint is reached, the large amounts of chlorine added to the water
will be used up in the process. Free chlorine will return to normal operating
levels, and the combined chlorines will be eliminated.