CHEMSCAN
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    • Municipal Water Monitoring >
      • Ammonia Feed
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      • Peak Point Chloramination Control
      • Phosphate Sequesterant Feed Control
      • Reservoir Monitoring
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    • Wastewater Monitoring and Control >
      • Aeration Control and Energy Cost Reduction
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      • Chloramination /Breakpoint Avoidance
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      • Nitrification
      • Nutrient Deficiency Analysis
      • Lagoon Discharge
      • SBR Stage Control
      • TOC Monitoring
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    • ChemScan Mini Analyzer >
      • mini oP (Ortho Phosphate)
      • mini oP (Ortho Phosphate) Extended Range
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      • mini UV-254
      • mini LowAm (Low Ammonia)
      • mini Mn (Manganese)
      • mini LowMn (Low Manganese)
      • mini LowChlor (Low Chlorine)
      • mini Sulfite
      • mini Ammonia
      • mini FreeAm (Free Ammonia)
      • mini Fe (Iron)
      • mini Ni (Nickel)
      • mini PAA (Peracetic Acid)
      • mini ChlorAm
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    • ChemScan Process Analyzers with HMI >
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Total Ammonia in Water and Wastewater

​Statement of the Problem

Ammonia can be found in surface water, groundwater and wastewater. When this water is disinfected through the addition of chlorine, there are interactions between the chlorine and ammonia that result in the formation of chloramines. The exact form of chloramine is a function of the chlorine to nitrogen ratio, pH and reaction time. Ammonia is sometimes intentionally added to potable water to form monochloramine prior to discharge of the potable water into the distribution system. Monochloramine has been shown to be less reactive with organics and therefore less likely to form disinfection byproducts. (See ChemScan Application Summaries #86, Chloramination Control and #154 Peak Point Chloramination Control).

In water or wastewater disinfection applications, Total Ammonia (expressed as NH3-N) is the sum of the free ammonia-nitrogen plus the amount of nitrogen from ammonia that has combined with chlorine.

ChemScan Analysis Method

Total ammonia is calculated by performing an analysis of free ammonia (See ChemScan Method Summary #41) and a separate analysis of monochloramine (See ChemScan Method Summary #122) and the higher chloramines (See ChemScan Method Summary #162). Nitrogen from free ammonia and the chloramines can be summed to provide a total ammonia-nitrogen value.

​This value is especially useful for the ratiometric method of chloramination control, which attempts to maintain the Cl2 to N ratio in a range between 3 to 1 and 5 to 1.
ChemScan, Inc.
2325 Parklawn Dr., Suite I, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA 53186
​Phone: 262-717-9500
Toll Free: 800-665-7133
  • Applications
    • Municipal Water Monitoring >
      • Ammonia Feed
      • Chloramination Control
      • Chlorination
      • Color Analysis
      • Distribution Monitoring
      • Ion Exchange Breakthrough
      • Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Removal
      • Peak Point Chloramination Control
      • Phosphate Sequesterant Feed Control
      • Reservoir Monitoring
      • Security Monitoring
      • TOC Monitoring in Water
      • Well Blending
    • Wastewater Monitoring and Control >
      • Aeration Control and Energy Cost Reduction
      • Biological Nutrient Removal
      • Biological Phosphorus Removal
      • Chemical Phosphorus Removal
      • Chloramination /Breakpoint Avoidance
      • Chlorination/De-Chlorination
      • De-Nitrification Monitoring
      • Nitrification
      • Nutrient Deficiency Analysis
      • Lagoon Discharge
      • SBR Stage Control
      • TOC Monitoring
      • UV Disinfection Control
    • Industrial Water Treatment >
      • Boiler Water Analysis
      • Cooling Water Analysis (Closed Loop)
    • Industrial Process Monitoring >
      • Electroless Plating
    • ASA Technical Papers (ALL)
    • ChemScan Installation Photos
    • Success Stories
    • ChemScan Webinars
  • Service
    • Contact Service Request Form
    • ChemScan Service Team
    • MSDS
    • Communication Protocols
    • Software Utilities
    • Service Videos
  • Parts
  • Company
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Contact Form (General Inquiry)
    • Contact Service
    • Application Data Sheet
    • Employment Opportunities
    • ChemScan Representatives and Distributors
  • Products
    • ChemScan Mini Analyzer >
      • mini oP (Ortho Phosphate)
      • mini oP (Ortho Phosphate) Extended Range
      • mini Cu (Copper)
      • mini LoP (Low Ortho Phosphate)
      • mini UV-254
      • mini LowAm (Low Ammonia)
      • mini Mn (Manganese)
      • mini LowMn (Low Manganese)
      • mini LowChlor (Low Chlorine)
      • mini Sulfite
      • mini Ammonia
      • mini FreeAm (Free Ammonia)
      • mini Fe (Iron)
      • mini Ni (Nickel)
      • mini PAA (Peracetic Acid)
      • mini ChlorAm
    • ChemScan mini Accessories
    • ChemScan Process Analyzers >
      • ChemScan 2150/S Chloramination Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2150/DC Chem Feed Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2150/N Aeration Rate Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2150/NoP Chem Feed Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2150/NHoP Nutrient Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2150 Process Analyzer
      • ChemScan UV-3150 Process Analyzer
      • ChemScan 4100 Nutrient Control
      • ChemScan 6101 Nutrient Control
    • ChemScan Process Analyzers with HMI >
      • ChemScan 2250/S HMI Chloramination Analyzer
      • ChemScan 4200 HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 3250 HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2250/NoP HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2250/NHoP HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2250/N HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 2250 HMI Analyzer
      • ChemScan 6201 HMI Analyzer
    • ChemScan Analyzer Accessories
    • ChemScan Sensor Family