Compounds In Tap Water Research Articles

Simultaneous Electrochemical Determination of Hydroquinone, Catechol and Bisphenol A using Nickel Oxide@Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites in Water Samples

Phenolic compounds, prevalent in both human life and the natural environment, pose a significant threat to human health due to their toxic effects. Therefore, accurate determination of these compounds are crucial. Herein, we developed a new electrochemical sensor based on a NiO/C@reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (NiO/C@rGO) to simultaneously assess three phenolic compounds: hydroquinone (HYQ), catechol (CAT), and bisphenol A (BPA). The NiO/C@rGO nanocomposite was synthesized via Ni(gallate)@GO pyrolysis and extensively characterized using various techniques. Subsequently, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with the NiO/C@rGO nanocomposite was utilized as the electrochemical sensor to simultaneously detection. The developed nanosensor (NiO/C@rGO/GCE) exhibited exceptional selectivity and a broad linear ranges for HYQ, CAT, and BPA, spanning from 0.01 to 100 μM, with impressively low detection limits. Furthermore, the NiO/C@rGO nanocomposite demonstrated remarkable stability and high reproducibility. Moreover, we successfully applied the NiO/C@rGO-based sensor to evaluate the three phenolic compounds in tap water, drinking water, and mineral water samples. The results underscore the potential of the developed electrochemical sensor as a reliable tool for the sensitive and fast detection of phenolic compounds in various water sources, addressing the critical need for safeguarding human health and the environment from their adverse effects.

Occurrence, efficiency of treatment processes, source apportionment and human health risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and xenoestrogen compounds in tap water from some Ghanaian communities

The occurrence of pharmaceuticals and xenoestrogen compounds (PXCs) in drinking water presents a dire human health risk challenge. The problem stems from the high anthropogenic pollution load on source water and the inefficiencies of the conventional water treatment plants in treating PXCs. This study assessed the PXCs levels and the consequential health risks of exposure to tap water from selected Ghanaian communities as well as that of raw water samples from the respective treatment plants. Thus the PXCs treatment efficiency of two drinking water treatment plants in the metropolises studied was also assessed. The study also conducted source apportionment of the PXCs in the tap water. Twenty six (26) tap and raw water samples from communities in the Cape Coast and Sekondi-Takoradi metropolises were extracted using SPE cartridges and analysed for PXCs using Ultra-fast-HPLC-UV instrument. Elevated levels of PXCs up to 24.79 and 22.02 μg/L were respectively recorded in raw and tap water samples from the metropolises. Consequently, elevated non-cancer health risk (HI > 1) to residential adults were found for tap water samples from Cape Coast metropolis and also for some samples from Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. Again, elevated cumulative oral cancer risks >10−5 and dermal cancer risk up to 4 × 10−5 were recorded. The source apportionment revealed three significant sources of PXCs in tap water samples studied. The results revealed the inefficiency of the treatment plants in removing PXCs from the raw water during treatments. The situation thus requires urgent attention to ameliorate it, safeguarding public health. It is recommended that the conventional water treatment process employed be augmented with advanced treatment technologies to improve their efficacy in PXCs treatment.

Amino Acids as Potential Precursors to Odorous Compounds in Tap Water during Spring Runoff Events.

The onset of spring runoff in northern climates and tap water odor events are difficult to predict because common water quality parameters cannot fully explain the intermittent odor events that occurred over past decades. Studies have shown that small polar water-soluble compounds, such as amino acids (AAs), leach first from ice/snowmelt. AAs are known to produce odorous compounds, such as aldehydes and chloroaldimines, upon chlorination. Therefore, we proposed that AAs may serve as markers for small and soluble organics that contribute to the odor of chlorinated tap water. Here, we studied the occurrence of AAs in source water collected at two water treatment plants and the odor profiles of tap water at >300 homes during the 2021 and 2022 spring runoff events. AA concentrations were at baseline levels (<100 ng/L) during the 2021 runoff but much higher (up to 5500 ng/L) in 2022 and associated with an escalation in odor complaints. AA concentrations peaked at the onset of the 2022 spring runoff and corresponded with the strongest reported odor intensities in tap water. We obtained high resolution MS and MS/MS spectra of chloroaldimines and confirmed the formation of chloroaldimines under chlorination of the six AAs detected in source water. The results indicate that AAs signal the onset of spring runoff and represent small polar water-soluble compounds that may contribute to tap water odor problems.

Nitrate and/or Nitric Acid Formation in the Presence of Different Radical Scavengers during Ozonation of Water Samples; Are Scavengers Effective?

In this study, we investigated the effect of different radical scavengers on the nitrate and/or nitric acid (NO3− and/or HNO3) formation chain in liquid while the dielectric barrier discharge plasma system (DBD) was used for ozone (O3) generation. The effects of the excess concentration of each scavenger were studied individually. In addition, ultrapure water (UPW), tap water, and surface water samples were examined in the same condition. Due to the absence of scavengers in the UPW, we expected the highest NO3− formation in this experiment because all active species produced by the DBD system should have formed NO3−. However, the obtained results were unexpected; the highest NO3− formation was obtained in the tap water at 385 ± 4.6 mg/L. The results can be explained by some compounds in tap water acting as a trap for radicals involved in chain reactions that form NO3− and/or HNO3. The second highest result was obtained in the sodium hydroxide solution as 371 ± 4.9 mg/L, since the OH− ions accelerated the decomposition of O3 to its intermediates such as hydroperoxide (HO2−), ozonide (O3−), and hydroxyl radical (OH•), and, by increasing radicals in the liquid, more chain reactions can be promoted that lead to the formation of NO3− and/or HNO3. On the other hand, the quenching of radicals by scavengers such as carbonate ion and phosphoric acid and/or the long-term stabilization of O3 as O3 negatively affected the chain reactions that generate NO3− and/or HNO3.

Monitoring System Of Radon Gas Concentration In Groundwater In Real-Time For Earthquake Detection

Several studies that have been carried out can identify signs of an impending earthquake. One example of changes in the concentration of Rn (Radon) in the area affected by an earthquake. The purpose of this study is to design and create a prototype of an earthquake early detection system through real-time measurement of radon gas concentrations in the air where the measurement data results can be uploaded to the internet network and viewed by users in real time through a site. To detect it, a scintillation detector is used, in the design of the detector system the ZnS(Ag) scintillation type will be used. Data analysis was carried out in several ways, stability analysis of the count by measuring n times at the same concentration of radon gas and counting time, counting efficiency, calibration of counting and detection of limits. The data monitoring system is carried out through the website in real-time. Data is sent using an internet provider with sim900 every minute to 58 every hour. From the tests carried out on tap water continuously in the BATAN market area for 24 hours, it can be seen on the site that the average concentration value of Radon compounds in tap water at that location is 59.91 Bq/M3 where the total concentration is still below the threshold value. set by the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) is around 200 Bq/M3.

High-performance nontarget analysis of halogenated organic compounds in tap water, fly ash, soil and sediment using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry and scripting approaches based on Cl/Br-specific search algorithms

Halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) are a huge group of pollutants, which have caused severe environmental pollution worldwide. This study developed a nontarget analysis method for characterization of known and unknown HOCs in tap water, fly ash, soil and sediment using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) with aid of scripting data-processing approaches. The FT-ICR-MS was equipped with an electrospray ionization source operated in negative ion mode, and full scan at a mass resolution around 200,000 was applied. Data screening scripts were developed based on exact mass differences and abundance ratios between neighboring chlorine/bromine isotopologues. Cosine similarity analysis was applied to evaluating similarity between measured and simulated isotopologue distributions which were constituted by abundance ratios between neighboring isotopologues for identification of polychlorinated and polybrominated compounds. From huge amount of peaks in raw mass spectra, thousands of MS features of HOCs were screened out. In total 824 HOC formulae were finally identified, including 702 organochlorines, 108 organobromines, and 14 mix-chlorine/bromine-containing organic compounds (OClBrs), mainly being monochlorinated/monobrominated compounds (∼90%) whose abundances were also the most prominent. Dozens of HOCs were tentatively structurally elucidated, including halogenated phenols, carboxylic acids, benzenesulfonic acids, etc. Three novel OClBrs were structurally identified, i.e., bromochlorobenzoic acid, bromodichlorophenol and bromotrichlorophenol. The data-processing scripts and strategies can facilitate accurate and high-throughput nontarget analysis of both common and novel/emerging halogenated organic pollutants in complex matrices. The research results provide informative insights into pollution profiles of HOCs in the environment, suggesting that halogenated organic pollutants remain to be seriously concerned.

Transiently gene-modulated cell reporter for ultrasensitive detection of estrogen-like compounds in tap water

Abnormal elevation of indispensable steroid hormone estrogens and exposure to exogenous estrogen-like compounds pose adverse health effects to aquatic animals and human alike. These compounds generally display functionally important estrogenic activity even at extremely low picomolar concentrations. In this study we identified one critical but lethal gene (TAF1) that remarkably represses estrogenic activity. This gene is selected as a candidate for genetically modulating an estrogen-responding cell line. To overcome its lethality, instead of adopting a gene knockout strategy, we developed a transient TAF1 depletion strategy using a designed small interfering RNA. By the transient knockdown of TAF1 in the estrogen-responding reporter cell line, the maximum induction signals for endogenous estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2) and environmental estrogens 17α-ethynyl estradiol (EE2) and bisphenol compounds were enhanced by 4.8–13.3 folds. The limit of detection for EE2 is about 8 × 10−15 mol/L. Moreover, by the established method, trace estrogenic activity (14.7–24.2 pg E2 equivalents (E2Eq)/L) can be detected in a portion of Tap water samples.

Highly selective simultaneous electrochemical detection of trace level of heavy metals in water samples based on the single-crystalline Co3O4 nanocubes modified electrode

This study discussed the simultaneous electrochemical detection of highly toxic Pb2+, Cu2+, Hg2+ heavy metals by the Co3O4 modified electrode. The Co3O4 nanocubes (Co3O4-NC) are prepared by the facile hydrothermal synthesis route which produces highly crystalline particles without an annealing process. The structural properties are characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, FESEM, and HRTEM analysis. The SAED pattern endorses the single-crystalline nature of Co3O4-NC. The prepared material was subjected to detect the heavy metals electrochemically via DPV techniques. The Co3O4-NC/SPCE revealed good electroanalytical activity towards both individual and simultaneous detection of heavy metals. The developed heavy metal sensor exhibited good sensitivity (16.73 ± 0.8 µA µM−1 cm−2 for Pb2+, 11.46 ± 0.5 µA µM−1 cm−2 for Cu2+, and 16.86 ± 0.7 µA µM−1 cm−2 for Hg2+) and LOD (4.1 ± 0.2, 0.9 ± 0.04, 0.1 ± 0.005 nM for Pb2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, respectively) in the simultaneous detection. Moreover, the Co3O4-NC/SPCE exhibited high selectivity with the other potential interfering metal ions and nitro compounds in tap water and pond water samples. Additionally, the Co3O4-NC/SPCE reveals good recoveries of about 100–101.5% for tap water and 97–101% for pond water samples. Hence, our proposed Co3O4-NC/SPCE is a good electrode material for the determination of toxic heavy metal pollutants in real-time monitoring sensor devices.

A Monitor Calibrator as a Portable Tool for Determination of Luminescent Compounds

A monitor calibrator has been tested as a portable, available, and cost-effective tool for the detection of luminescence. Prospects of this device as an all-sufficient analog of an analytical fluorometer have been outlined. Its ability to determine luminescent compounds was demonstrated by the example of rhodamine 3B and fluorescein. The determination is based on simultaneous impulse irradiation of a fluorescent sample with the incorporated continuous-spectrum light emitter in the visible and near UV ranges and registration of the luminescence. The appropriate cuvettes for the analysis and the device sealing film were chosen. The lowest relative detection limit for the developed approach was 0.03 μmol L-1 for rhodamine 3B and 0.01 μmol L <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-1</sup> for fluorescein; the lowest absolute detection limits were 0.01 and 0.002 nmol for rhodamine 3B and fluorescein, respectively. Using the proposed approach, it was possible to determine the luminescent compounds in tap water.

A paper-based colorimetric sensor array for discrimination and simultaneous determination of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides in tap water, apple juice, and rice.

A colorimetric paper-based sensor is proposed for the rapid monitoring of six major organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. The assay was constructed by dropping gold and silver nanoparticles on the hydrophilic zones of a paper substrate. The nanoparticles were modified by L-arginine, quercetin, and polyglutamic acid. The mechanism of sensing is based on the interaction between the pesticide and the nanoparticles. The color of nanoparticles changed during the interactions. A digital camera recorded these changes. The assay provided a unique response for each studied pesticide. This method can determine six individual pesticides including carbaryl, paraoxon, parathion, malathion, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos. The limit of detection for these pesticideswere 29.0, 22.0, 32.0, 17.0, 45.0, and 36.0ngmL-1, respectively. The assay was applied to simultaneously determine thesix studied pesticides in a mixture using the partial least square method (PLS). The root mean square errors of prediction were 11, 8.7, 9.2, 10, 12, and 11 for carbaryl, paraoxon, parathion, malathion, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. The paper-based device can differentiate two types of studied pesticide (organophosphate and carbamate) as well as two types of organophosphate structures (oxon and thion). Furthermore, this sensor showed high selectivity to the pesticides in the presence of other potential species (e.g., metal ions, anions, amino acids, sugar, and vitamins). This assay is capable of determining the pesticide compounds in tap water, apple juice, and rice samples.Graphical abstract.

Biological Photonic Crystal-Enhanced Plasmonic Mesocapsules: Approaching Single-Molecule Optofluidic-SERS Sensing.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing in microfluidic devices, namely optofluidic-SERS, suffers an intrinsic trade-off between mass transport and hot spot density, both of which are required for ultra-sensitive detection. To overcome this compromise, photonic crystal-enhanced plasmonic mesocapsules are synthesized, utilizing diatom biosilica decorated with in-situ growth silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). In our optofluidic-SERS testing, 100× higher enhancement factors and greater than 1,000× better detection limit were achieved compared with traditional colloidal Ag NPs, the improvement of which is attributed to unique properties of the mesocapsules. First, the porous diatom biosilica frustules serve as carrier capsules for high density Ag NPs that form high density plasmonic hot-spots. Second, the submicron-pores embedded in the frustule walls not only create a large surface-to-volume ratio allowing for effective analyte capture, but also enhance the local optical field through the photonic crystal effect. Last, the mesocapsules provide effective mixing with analytes as they are flowing inside the microfluidic channel. The reported mesocapsules achieved single molecule detection of Rhodamine 6G in microfluidic devices and were further utilized to detect 1 nM of benzene and chlorobenzene compounds in tap water with near real-time response, which successfully overcomes the constraint of traditional optofluidic sensing.

Semi-volatile organic compounds in tap water from Hangzhou, China: Influence of pipe material and implication for human exposure

Investigations on environmental behaviors of SVOCs have recently received great attention. However, the SVOC occurrence and influence of pipe materials on SVOC levels in the tap water have received little attention. Herein, we collected tap water samples from 25 households constructed at different ages in Hangzhou, China. Concentrations of 61 SVOCs, including phthalate esters (PAEs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were simultaneously determined in these collected samples. The potential human exposure risks were evaluated via the hazard index calculation. Our results showed that the total concentration of detected SVOCs (∑SVOCs) ranged from 110 to 289 μg/L (mean, 179 μg/L), and the SVOCs were dominated by PAHs (mean, 116 ng/L) and PAEs (mean, 55 ng/L) in Hangzhou tap water. 12 PCB congeners were detected in Hangzhou tap water samples, with hepta-CBs (68% of samples) as the most frequently detected PCBs. Nearly all tap water samples contained measurable o, p’-DDE, p, p’-DDT, and p, p’-DDD, and ∑DDTs had significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations than ∑HCHs. All target PAHs had high detection frequencies (>72%) in tap water samples, with their mean concentrations in the range of 2.1–41 ng/L. Tap water from steel pipes had relatively lower SVOC concentrations than that from either reinforced concrete, gray cast iron, or ductile iron pipes. Although no carcinogenic risks originating from exposure to SVOCs through ingestion and bathing were observed, the tap water from steel pipes showed relatively low exposure risks than that from other materials. Data provided here, for the first, are helpful in understanding the influence of pipe materials on human SVOC exposure risks through tap water intake.

Evaluation of the current contamination status of PFASs and OPFRs in South Korean tap water associated with its origin

We investigated the concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in 44 tap water samples, collected from eight major cities in South Korea served by four representative watersheds, to evaluate the water contamination status. The total concentrations of PFASs and OPFRs ranged from 1.44 to 224ng/L (median=11.9ng/L), and 74.0 to 342ng/L (median=151ng/L), respectively. The predominant compounds in tap water were perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP). Tap water originating from the Nakdong River within an industrial complex showed a notably higher PFHxS proportion to total PFASs. In addition, significantly higher PFAS levels were found in river-originating tap water than in lake/reservoir-originating tap water (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05). Meanwhile, major OPFRs showed no clear difference in distribution by region, and no significant difference in major OPFR levels was observed according to tap water origin. Finally, the average human exposure via tap water consumption was estimated for PFASs (46.8ng/person/day) and OPFRs (254ng/person/day).

Simple HPLC–UV Analysis of Phenol and Its Related Compounds in Tap Water after Pre-Column Derivatization with 4-Nitrobenzoyl Chloride

The purpose of this study is to develop an HPLC-UV (280 nm) method for simultaneous determination of phenol, five chlorophenols (2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol), and three phenylphenols (2-phenylphenol, 3-phenylphenol, and 4-phenylphenol) in tap water after pre-column derivatization with 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride. Standard curves were obtained after derivatization with 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride in borate buffer (pH 8.5) at 50°C for 1 min. The nine 4-nitrobenzoyl derivatives were well separated in less than 15 min on a Cholester column. Calibration plots were linear in the range of 0.02 ~ 0.12 to 0.9 mg/L, with r2 values ≥0.9928, for all compounds. The lower limits of detection were 0.006 to 0.05 mg/L. The coefficients of variation were less than 12.0%. The recovery values from tap water spiked with a standard mixture of test compounds were satisfactory. While the levels of phenol, five chlorophenols, and three phenylphenols in tap water were below the lower limit of determination, our method is expected to be useful for monitoring and/or identifying environmental water samples that are contaminated with these compounds, i.e., for assessing compliance with the official guidelines of the World Health Organization.

The occurrence of haloanisoles as an emerging odorant in municipal tap water of typical cities in China

In this study, occurrence of the haloanisoles odorous compounds in tap water of Chinese cities, were investigated by solid-phase microextraction (SPME)-GC/MS analysis. This study revealed the occurrence of four kinds of haloanisoles in 22 cities of China in both summer and winter. Except 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (2,4,6-TBA), all studied haloanisoles showed higher frequency of detection. 2,3,6-Trichloroanisole (2,3,6-TCA) and 2,3,4-trichloroanisole (2,3,4-TCA) showed higher occurrence concentration; however, the relative odor values of them was lower. These values of 2,4,6-TBA and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA) in all samples were greater than zero in both summer and winter, indicating the odor from haloanisoles could be felt by human noise. This study further showed that Beijing exhibited most serious occurrence of haloanisoles that were depended on the season and drinking water distribution system (country and city). From this study, it was confirmed that haloanisoles was important taste and odor compounds in tap water of China. Based on the survey of occurrence of halophenol and residual chlorine, the possible source for the formation of haloanisoles in tap water was discussed. Furthermore, several suggestions on control the haloanisoles odor in drinking water treatment plant and water distribution system were provided.

Widespread Occurrence of Benzotriazoles and Benzothiazoles in Tap Water: Influencing Factors and Contribution to Human Exposure.

Despite the frequent detection of benzotriazoles (BTRs) and benzothiazoles (BTHs) in groundwater and surface-water environments, knowledge on their occurrence and profile in tap water is still scarce. This study demonstrates widespread occurrence of these compounds in tap water from 51 major cities in China, which have ranges of <LOQ-310 ng/L for ΣBTRs (median: 15.6 ng/L) and 40.1-1310 ng/L for ΣBTHs (median: 406 ng/L). Relationship between BTRs in tap water and influencing factors (e.g., water-source type and gross domestic product of the cities) were discussed. Difference of concentration level and compound profile of BTRs and BTHs in tap water and their surface water source, as well as in wastewater treatment plant effluents, is described. For the first time, different sources of contamination (i.e. from the water source and from distribution systems) are proposed for BTRs and BTHs, respectively. In addition, the contribution of tap water to human exposure to these compounds is assessed.

Drugs of abuse and benzodiazepines in the Madrid Region (Central Spain): Seasonal variation in river waters, occurrence in tap water and potential environmental and human risk

This work analyzes the seasonal variation (winter and summer) of ten drugs of abuse, six metabolites and three benzodiazepines in surface waters from the Jarama and Manzanares Rivers in the Madrid Region, the most densely populated area in Spain. The occurrence of these compounds in tap water in this region is also investigated and a preliminary human health risk characterization performed for those substances found in tap water. Finally, a screening level risk assessment that combines the measured environmental concentrations (MECs) with dose–response data to estimate Hazard Quotients (HQs) for the compounds studied is also presented.The results of this study show the presence of fourteen out of the nineteen compounds analyzed in winter and twelve of them in summer. The most ubiquitous compounds, with a frequency of detection of 100% in both seasons, were the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE), the amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) ephedrine (EPH), the opioid methadone (METH), the METH metabolite 2-ethylene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), and the three benzodiazepines investigated, namely alprazolam (ALP), diazepam (DIA) and lorazepam (LOR). The highest concentrations observed corresponded to EPH (1020ngL−1 in winter and 250ngL−1 in summer). The only compounds not detected in both seasons were heroin (HER) and its metabolite 6-acetylmorphine (6ACM), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its metabolite 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD (O-H-LSD), and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In terms of overall concentration, all sampling points presented higher concentrations in winter than in summer. Statistical analyses performed to gather evidence concerning occasional seasonal differences in the concentrations of individual substances between summer and winter showed statistically significantly higher concentrations (p<0.05) of BE, EPH and the opioid morphine (MOR) in winter than in summer. Two out of the nineteen compounds studied, namely cocaine (CO) and EPH, were detected in tap water from one sampling point at concentrations of 1.61 and 0.29ngL−1, respectively. The preliminary human health risk characterization showed that no toxic effects could be expected at the detected concentration level in tap water.The screening level risk assessment showed that MOR, EDDP and the THC metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) were present in at least one of the sampling sites in a concentration leading to a Hazard Quotient (HQ) value between 1.0 and 10.0, thus indicating some possible adverse effects. The cumulative HQ or Toxic units (TUs) calculated for each of the groups studied showed that opioids and cannabinoids were present at concentrations high enough to potentially generate some adverse effects on at least one sampling point.

Monitoring endocrine disrupting compounds and estrogenic activity in tap water from Central Spain.

The aims of this study are to investigate the presence of 30 substances known or thought to act as endocrine disrupting compounds in tap water from the main water supply areas for region of Madrid, to determine the total estrogenic activity of the samples analysed and to estimate the health risk for the population resulting from those compounds found at detectable concentrations. To this end, a one-off composite sampling was performed in August 2012 in which six tap water samples were collected from private residences in the drinking water supply network of the region of Madrid. A total of 14 of the 30 endocrine disruptors analysed were found at concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 165ng/L. The organophosphorus flame retardants were detected at the highest concentrations followed by the plasticizer bisphenol A, alkylphenols, anticorrosion agents and preservatives. Tap water in the region of Madrid is contaminated with traces (ng/L) of compounds with endocrine disrupting properties. Although the concentrations of endocrine disrupting compounds obtained are too low to be able to confirm a public health risk, and no risk has been detected upon evaluation, it should be remembered that these compounds act at very low doses and that their effects may only appear in the long term.

Determination of endosulfan isomers and their metabolites in tap water and commercial samples using microextraction by packed sorbent and GC–MS

A simple, rapid, accurate and sensitive method using microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) followed by GC-MS has been pursued for the determination of organochlorine insecticide endosulfan isomers (α and β) and their metabolites (ether, lactone and sulfate). MEPS is a miniaturised version of SPE employing C18 packing material. It is very efficient technique as it employs as low as 10 μL of sample volume. The distinct feature of MEPS is the magnitude of the elution volume that could be directly injected to GC system. Various parameters such as extraction cycles, washing solvent, elution solvent, elution volume and pH, which influenced the MEPS performance, were tested and optimised. The calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range 1-500 ng/mL. The results showed a close correlation coefficient (R(2) > 0.991) for all analytes in the calibration range studied. The LOD and LOQ obtained for GC-MS under selected ion monitoring acquisition are between 0.0038-0.01 and 0.0125-0.033 ng/mL, respectively. The developed method is applicable for the quantification of these compounds in tap water and commercial samples. This method has been shown to be selective as no interferences from endogenous substances were detected by analysis. This method not only decreases sample preparation time but is cheaper, eco-friendly and easier to perform compared to traditional techniques.

Needle-type extraction device for the purge and trap analysis of 23 volatile organic compounds in tap water

We developed a rapid determination technique for trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in tap water by introducing a novel needle-type extraction device coupled to a purge-and-trap method. To extract a wide range of VOCs, a new extraction needle containing particles of divinylbenzene and activated carbon was developed in this study. During the active sampling of the headspace gas in a glass vial by the extraction needle, pure N2 gas was used for purging the aqueous sample. After the optimization of several experimental parameters, such as the addition of the salt and conditions of dry purging and desorption, the extraction performance of the device and method was evaluated for 23 VOCs that are typically found in tap water samples. The quantification limits of the method were 0.6μg/L for 1,1-dichloroethylene and less than 0.5μg/L for other VOCs, with good repeatability being confirmed for all the target compounds. Taking advantage of the excellent recovery of VOCs, the determination of VOCs in real tap water samples was carried out successfully. Because the developed method does not require sample heating and/or cryogenic focusing, simple and rapid analyses can be performed along with satisfactory sensitivity for typical tap water samples.