Multiphasic screening of priority chemical compounds in drinking water by process control and human health risk

Yan Liu,Xue Li,Dan Li,Haiyan Wang,Simin Ge,Xiaocui Qiao,Xingru Zhao

doi:10.1186/s12302-021-00566-z

Abstract

BackgroundThe residual chemical pollutants in drinking water may cause adverse effects on human health. Chemical compounds potentially affecting human health have been widely explored, while the multiphasic evaluation of chemical compounds by process control and human health risk is still rarely reported. In the present study, we used multiphasic criteria to assess the health risk including effluent concentration, accumulation index, purification index for the removal efficiency during the drinking water treatment processes, carcinogen classification based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer standards, non-carcinogenic health hazards and carcinogenic risk.ResultsAmong the monitored chemicals, 47 and 44 chemical compounds were detected in raw water and treated water, respectively. The generation and removal of chemical compounds implied that the migration and transformation of chemicals during the purification processes affected the effluent concentration, posing a direct potential health risk. Of these compounds, 41 contaminants’ profiles were screened as priority chemical compounds (PCCs).ConclusionsThe top eight PCCs with high carcinogenic risk were highlighted. Some effective steps, such as protecting the raw water sources, improving the removal performance and reducing the disinfection by-products during the purification process by introducing advanced treatment technologies, were suggested to maintain drinking water security. Collectively, our findings provided novel scientific supports for the sustainable management of drinking water to promote human health.Graphical

Highlights

The residual chemical pollutants in drinking water may cause adverse effects on human health
A majority of chemical substances with relatively low concentrations in fine fresh surface water can be removed via the purification process in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), while some chemicals can be generated through the degradation, biosynthesis and accumulation during the water purification processes owing to the limitations of water purification technologies in the utilities of DWTPs [13]
The detection rate (DR) values of 10 chemical compounds in the influent were more than 50%, including Ba (99.3%), dibutyl phthalate (92.1%), dioctyl phthalate (91.4%), polychlorinated biphenyls (81.4%), di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (59.3%), trichlorobenzene (57.9%), dichloromethane (55.0%), dichloromethane (53.6%), microcystin-LR (50.7%), and 1,2-dichloroethane (50.7%)

Summary

Introduction

The residual chemical pollutants in drinking water may cause adverse effects on human health. Liu et al Environmental Sciences Europe (2022) 34:7 contaminants in the drinking water, such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), are being concerned [11, 12] It becomes a worldwide problem for the management of the government sector in the screening of PCCs. A majority of chemical substances with relatively low concentrations in fine fresh surface water can be removed via the purification process in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), while some chemicals can be generated through the degradation, biosynthesis and accumulation during the water purification processes owing to the limitations of water purification technologies in the utilities of DWTPs [13]. Monitoring the concentrations of chemical compounds in source water and identifying the removal effect of drinking water purification processes (that is the dynamics of chemical compounds from raw water source to treated drinking water) are two important factors in the assessment of drinking water

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Conclusion