Method for determining chlorine demand in water

1. A method for determining chlorine demand in water comprising:

(a) obtaining a known volume of a test water sample from the water and adding to the test water sample:

a selected amount of a source of chlorine and

a selected amount of a source of bromide, followed by

(b) heating the test water sample to about 50° C. to about 80° C. for about 15 to 25 minutes to oxidize contaminants in the test water sample, followed by

(c) determining by known techniques the content of residual chlorine present in the test water sample and calculating from the residual chlorine content the chlorine demand for the water.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the test water sample is obtained from pool or spa water.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of chlorine is selected from the group consisting of sodium dichloroisocyanurate, trichloroisocyanurate, sodium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of bromide is a bromide salt.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the bromide salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium bromide, sodium bromide and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to step (c) the test water sample is cooled to room temperature prior to determining the content of residual chlorine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content of residual chlorine in the test water sample is determined by iodometric titration.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing a result from step (c) to a result obtained from a control sample containing substantially no contaminants which has been treated according to steps (a), (b) and (c) in a manner identical to the test sample.

9. The method for determining chlorine demand in water of claim 1 comprising preparing a chlorine source stock solution of sodium dichloroisocyanurate, trichloroisocyanurate, sodium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite or mixtures thereof in water, preparing a bromide source stock solution of potassium bromide, sodium bromide or mixtures thereof in water; and

(a) adding to a known volume of a test water sample a selected amount of the chlorine source stock solution and a selected amount of the bromide source stock solution, followed by

(b) heating the test water sample to about 50° C. to about 80° C. for about 15 to about 25 minutes, and

(c) determining by titration or spetrophotometric techniques the content of residual chlorine present in the test water sample.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising comparing a result from step (c) to a result obtained from a control sample containing substantially no contaminants which has been treated according to steps (a), (b) and (c) in a manner identical to the test sample.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the content of residual chlorine in the test water sample is determined in step (c) by an iodometric titration.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (a) comprises adding the chlorine source stock solution and the bromide source stock solution simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (a) comprises adding the chlorine source stock solution and the bromide source stock sequentially.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises adding the chlorine source and the bromide source simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises adding the chlorine source and the bromide sequentially.