Abstract
Number of potentially toxic hydrophobic organic contaminants e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins having entered aquatic environment, including potential sources of drinking water. Unfortunately, not all micropollutants can be removed during water treatment processes. What is more, disinfectants can react with some organic compounds already present in the water, and form disinfection by-products which also can be toxic. The aim of this study was to assess toxicity of water at different stages of water treatment and to verify usefulness semipermeable membrane devices in monitoring of drinking water. For this purpose, semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed in a surface water treatment plant. To determine the effect of water treatment on the presence of toxic micropollutants, study was conducted for a period of 5 months. Three sampling places were chosen: raw water input, stream of water just before disinfection and treated water output. After sampling dialysis in organic solvent was carried out and extracts were then analyzed with the Microtox acute toxicity test. The study has indicated the utility as well as some limitations of combining SPMDs with bioluminescence assay in the monitoring of biological effects of bioavailable hydrophobic pollutants in drinking water.
Highlights
Surface water, in comparison with the groundwater, contains an increased number of microbiological and chemical contaminants [1, 2]
It is necessary to carry out water treatment processes in order to enable it to human consumption
* Corresponding author: marta.pogorzelec@pwr.edu.pl chlorine dioxide and ozone) can react with chemicals already present in water, that can lead to a number of other hazardous substances, referred as disinfection by-products (DBPs), which may be toxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic [1,2,3,4,5]
Summary
In comparison with the groundwater, contains an increased number of microbiological and chemical contaminants [1, 2]. The purpose of disinfection is to destroy the living and spore forms of pathogenic organisms and preventing their redevelopment in the water distribution system. Disinfection of water by chemical methods is the addition of strong oxidants. Disinfectants (most frequently chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone) can react with chemicals already present in water, that can lead to a number of other hazardous substances, referred as disinfection by-products (DBPs), which may be toxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic [1,2,3,4,5]
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