Abstract
Increasing public awareness about the aesthetics and safety of water sources has shifted researchers’ attention to the adverse effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on humans and aquatic organisms. A total of 17 VOCs, including 10 volatile halogenated hydrocarbons and seven volatile non-halogenated hydrocarbons, were investigated at 36 sites of the Han River Basin, which is the largest and most important drinking water source for residents of the Seoul metropolitan area and Gyeonggi province in South Korea. The VOC concentrations ranged from below detection limits to 1.813 µg L−1. The most frequently detected VOC was 1,2-dichloropropane, with a detection frequency of 80.56%, as it is used as a soil fumigant, chemical intermediate, and industrial solvent. In terms of geographical trends, the sampling sites that were under the influence of sewage and industrial wastewater treatment plants were more polluted with VOCs than other areas. This observation was also supported by the results of the principal component analysis. In the present study, the detected concentrations of VOCs were much lower than that of the predicted no-effect concentrations, suggesting low ecological risk in the Han River. However, a lack of available ecotoxicity data and limited comparable studies warrants further studies on these compounds.
Highlights
Accepted: 30 March 2021As drinking water sources are frequently exposed to numerous pollutants generated by human and natural processes, it is very important to ensure safety
Surface water sources contribute 78% of total water used in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries [3]
This study focuses on the Han River Basin, which is the largest river basin (26,219 km2 )
Summary
Accepted: 30 March 2021As drinking water sources are frequently exposed to numerous pollutants generated by human and natural processes, it is very important to ensure safety. As population and demand grow, investigations on the quality of drinking water sources and potential pollutants are essential [1,2]. In Korea, 87% of the water used by humans originates from surface water sources, such as streams, rivers, and lakes, whereas only ~13% of the water is obtained from groundwater sources [1]. It is critical to investigate the concentrations of pollutants in surface waters and rivers. Most of the urbanized and agricultural areas are located along rivers in Korea, and this causes the unavoidable reuse of effluents from the upstream regions by the people in the downstream regions. Korea is focusing on the management of water quality in areas near surface water systems through various approaches [10]
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