Influence of seasonal climate differences on the pharmaceutical, hormone and personal care product removal efficiency of a drinking water treatment plant.
The potential presence of pharmaceuticals, hormones and personal care products in drinking water supplies has raised concerned over the efficiency with which these substances are removed by water treatment processes. In this work, we analyzed samples of raw, unprocessed water collected in different periods and found them to contain higher levels of these contaminants in the colder periods (viz. 12-314 ng L(-1) in autumn and winter as compared to 8-127 ng L(-1) in spring and summer) as a result of their biodegradation being favoured by high temperatures and solar irradiance. We also assessed the efficiency with which these contaminants are removed from drinking water by a water treatment plant operating in south-eastern Spain. Preoxidation with potassium permanganate and chloramination with sodium hypochlorite in the presence of highly concentrated ammonia were found to be the treatment steps most markedly contributing to the removal of pharmaceuticals, hormones and personal care products from drinking water (especially in the warmer periods, where these contaminants were completely removed from the water). By contrast, water treated in the colder periods (autumn and winter) still contained small amounts of ibuprofen and carbamazepine (0.09-0.5 ng L(-1)) which, however, accounted for less than 0.2% of their original concentrations in the water prior to treatment.
Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, E.P.S of Linares, University of Jaén, Alfonso X, El Sabio 28, 23700 Linares, Jaén, Spain.
Abdelmonaim
A
Azzouz
Evaristo
E
Ballesteros
D002980:Climate; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006728:Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018508:Water Purification
D003358:Cosmetics; D006728:Hormones; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Drinking water treatment plant; Hormones; Personal care product; Pharmaceuticals; Seasonal differences