Levels of Chlorophenols in the River, Ground and Drinking Water in the Zagreb Area

Abstract

The presence of 4-chloro-, 2,4-dichloro-, 2,4,5- and 2,4,6-trichloro-, 2,3,4,6-tetrachloro- and pentachlorophenol was investigated in sample of the Sava river water and of ground and drinking water collected in the Zagreb area. In almost all of the 25 river water samples higher chlorophenols were detected, with pentachlorophenol present in highest concentrations, but not exceeding 160 ng dm-3. The levels of chlorophenols in ground water samples collected in 18 wells depended on the location and distance of the well from the Sava river bed. Their presence in the river water did not appear to have an effect on the purity of ground water sampled from wells about 2 km away from the river, among which ten supplying water to the Zagreb waterworks. However, single chlorophenols were detected in samples of both chlorinated municipal drinking water and non-chlorinated drinking water from privately owned wells. The occurrence of chlorophenols in drinking water samples seemed to be mainly a consequence of occasional contamination of ground waters network in the city of Zagreb, where waterworks pumpstations and private wells are located in certain city areas often near industrial plants.