Abstract
Plastic pipes are susceptible to thermal degradation which can produce volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene that leach into drinking water.
Highlights
Water impactPlastic drinking water pipe thermal degradation and resulting water quality impacts were explored
This work identified that plastic pipe thermal degradation can be a source of volatile organic compound (VOC) and Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) drinking water contamination, much like what was observed in the water distribution systems after the Tubbs Fire, Camp Fire, and CZU Lightning Complex Fire
Contaminants produced varied by brand of plastic pipe, type of plastic, and exposure temperature
Summary
Water impactPlastic drinking water pipe thermal degradation and resulting water quality impacts were explored. Communities, especially with regards to their drinking water supply.[1,2,3] After recent wildfire events, volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in U.S drinking water systems has prompted questions about the source of these contaminants.[1,4] One of these VOCs included benzene, a carcinogen, which was found at 40 000 μg L−1 and greater than 2217 μg L−1 concentrations in the water distribution systems following the Tubbs Fire (2017) and Camp Fire (2018), respectively.[1,5,6] Both wildfires occurred in California, and contamination levels greatly exceeded the federal and California state long-term drinking water exposure limits by a factor of 200 to 40 000, and even short-term exposure limits of 26 μg L−1 (California) and 200 μg L−1 (USEPA).[7,8,9] The Camp Fire sample was collected two months after the fire was contained After six months, another Camp Fire water sample contained 530 μg L−1 benzene.[1] Water infrastructure is critical to public health, and contamination can hinder recovery.[10,11] More than one year was needed to remove chemical contamination from water systems impacted by the Tubbs Fire and the Camp Fire
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