Occurrence and distribution of taste and odor compounds in subtropical water supply reservoirs and their fates in water treatment plants

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017, Vol.24 (3), p.2904-2913
• Main Authors: Bai, Xiuzhi, Zhang, Ting, Wang, Chaoyi, Zong, Dongliang, Li, Haipu, Yang, Zhaoguang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-Methylisoborneol; Anisoles; Aquatic Pollution; Aroma compounds; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bornanes - analysis; China; Drinking water; Dry season; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological monitoring; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Filtration; Geosmin; Ionone; Naphthols - analysis; Nondestructive testing; Norisoprenoids; Odorants; Pyrazines; Rainy season; Raw water; Research Article; Reservoirs; Surface water; Taste; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control; Water Purification; Water shortages; Water Supply; Water treatment; Water treatment plants
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7966-5

Taste and odor (T&O) problems in surface water supplies attract growing environmental and ecological concerns. In this study, 10 T&O compounds, 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), geosmin, β-ionone, 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IPMP), 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), 2,3,6-trichloroanisole (2,3,6-TCA), 2,3,4-trichloroanisole (2,3,4-TCA), 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (2,4,6-TBA), and trans -2, cis -6-nonadienal (NDE) were investigated in 13 water supply reservoirs and 2 water treatment plants (WTPs) in S City of China. 2-MIB, geosmin, and β-ionone were detected in most of the reservoirs and WTPs. The highest concentrations in reservoirs reached 196.0 ng L −1 for 2-MIB, 11.4 ng L −1 for geosmin, and 39.7 ng L −1 for β-ionone. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to examine the relationship between the 3 T&O compounds and environmental parameters of the reservoirs. The results showed that TP was strongly positively correlated with 2-MIB in wet season and negatively correlated in dry season. It was suggested that controlling nutrient (TP, TN/TP, and NH 3 -N) inputs was required for better management of drinking water reservoirs. Furthermore, the maximum concentrations in raw water of WTPs was kept at 82.1 ng L −1 for 2-MIB, 5.6 ng L −1 for geosmin, and 66.1 ng L −1 for β-ionone. β-Ionone could not be detected in the post-filtration and finished water of two WTPs, and both 2-MIB and geosmin significantly decreased in the water of XWTP. It was indicated that T&O compounds could be removed partly or completely by the filtration of conventional treatment processes.