Tap Water

Chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semivolatiles (SVs), including pesticides, was performed on 623 and 568 samples, respectively, of household drinking water, as well as on 113 samples from 71 brands of bottled water available in Kuwaiti markets. The analysis was performed according to United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) Methods 524.2 and 525.2. Nine VOCs and eight SVs were found in household water. Furthermore, between one and seven of 12 VOCs were detected in 93% of the bottled water brands. All bottled waters were found to be completely free of SVs. Styrene was the main pollutant found in all brands packaged in polystyrene containers of sizes 200-mL and 250-mL, with levels generally higher than the WHO guideline value of 20 microg/L. The levels of styrene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes were found to increase with storage time, which indicates that these VOCs were migrating from the container material. No effect was detected due to changes in the storage temperature. All detected VOCs and SVs in household and bottled waters, except styrene, were found at concentrations much lower than those established as safe by WHO guidelines and US-EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), respectively.

Bubble columns and airlift photobioreactors can be useful for culturing phototrophic organisms requiring light as a nutrient. Light availability in bubble columns and airlift devices is influenced by aeration rate, gas holdup, and the liquid velocity (mixing and turbulence). The photosynthetically generated oxygen also needs to be removed, as excessive dissolved oxygen suppresses photosynthesis. Oxygen removal capacity is governed by the magnitude of the overall gas–liquid mass-transfer coefficient, kLaL. This work characterizes the relevant hydrodynamic and mass-transfer parameters in three air-agitated reactors: bubble column, split-cylinder airlift device and concentric draft-tube sparged airlift vessel. The reactors are then evaluated for culture of the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum. All reactors were about 0.06 m3 in working volume, and the working aspect ratio was about 10. Data were obtained in tap water for a base-line comparison and in Mediterranean seawater, as a potential medium for algal culture. A theoretical relationship was developed and proved between kLaL and the aeration rate. In addition, a method based on mechanistic relationships was proved for predicting the liquid circulation velocity and kLaL in airlift reactors. Existing correlations applied satisfactorily to gas holdup and kLaL data obtained in the bubble column. Aqueous solution of sodium chloride (0.15 M) closely resembled seawater in terms of its hydrodynamics and oxygen transfer behavior. Under the conditions tested, all three reactors attained a biomass concentration of about 4 kg·m−3 after ∼260 h. The mean maximum specific growth rate was 0.022 h−1 in all cases at a power input of 109 W·m−3.

O monitoramento microbiológico da água utilizada no procedimento de hemodiálise é de extrema importância, principalmente devido à imunodebilidade dos pacientes com insuficiência renal crônica. Nosso objetivo foi verificar qualitativa e quantitativamente a presença de bactérias na água de um centro de hemodiálise do interior do Estado de São Paulo. Foram realizadas 22 coletas de cada um dos cinco pontos do sistema de distribuição; 36 amostras de 19 máquinas de hemodiálise, prontas para utilização; quatro amostras do sistema de reuso e 13 amostras do sistema de armazenamento de água, empregando-se a técnica da membrana filtrante com poros de 0,22 µm para bactérias e de 0,45 µm para micobactérias. A identificação foi realizada através de métodos microbiológicos convencionais e de biologia molecular. Isolados bacterianos foram obtidos de sistema de distribuição (128), águas das máquinas (43) e sistema de reuso (3). Entre os isolados 32 foram de bacilos Gram-positivos, 120 bacilos Gram-negativos, 20 Cocos Gram-positivos e 11 micobactérias. Neste estudo, sugerimos que suprimentos de água para o Centro de Hemodiálise devam ser monitorados, adotando-se medidas profiláticas eficazes que minimizem a exposição destes pacientes imunodeficientes a fontes aquáticas ambientais contaminadas.

This paper presents an efficient process to generate hydrogen, using aluminum dross particles activated by mechano-chemical methods and tap water with a pH value ≥ 10.4, obtained by adding of NH 3 aqueous solution 25 wt%/L. The effect of pH value and aluminum amount on hydrogen yield has been studied. For these tests pure aluminium particles and aluminum dross were employed, and SEM analysis was used to study the changes in surface properties of metal occurring due to metal hydrolysis and hydrogen release. The obtained results show that the rate of hydrogen generation increases with the increasing of pH value and aluminum quantity. A hydrogen continuous device was designed and operated. The economical and environmental key aspects associated with the production of hydrogen, using Al dross, are discussed. The data obtained in this research can provide the basis for scale implementation of the aluminum dross hydrolysis process to generate H 2 of high purity (>99.5 vol.%).

An investigation on filtration procedures and SPE sorbents used for the determination of traces of the most common veterinary fluoroquinolones (FQs), marbofloxacin (MAR) and enrofloxacin (ENR) used as antibacterial agents in cattle and swine farms in the province of Pavia (Italy), was performed in natural waters. The filter composition and the sorbent used in the SPE strongly influence the correct recovery, both in terms of total and dissolved FQs concentration. An accurate comparison among different filters and SPE sorbents showed that a full determination of analytes was possible on nylon filters followed by anionic (WAX) and hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) resins as SPE. Quantitative analysis was done by chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD). Fluoroquinolones recovery was between 90 and 116% with RSD not greater than 10% (sample volume 250 mL). The developed method allowed to determine both dissolved and NOM-absorbed fractions of FQs, therefore a full determination of the analytes was possible. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were, respectively, 0.7 and 2.2 ng/L for ENR and 2 and 6 ng/L for MAR. The kinetics of degradation under solar light was explored.

A survey of contamination of surface and drinking waters around Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy with polar anthropogenic environmental pollutants has been conducted. The target analytes were polar herbicides, pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics), steroid estrogens, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (including perfluorooctanoate PFOA), nonylphenol and its carboxylates and ethoxylates (NPEO surfactants), and triclosan, a bactericide used in personal-care products. Analysis of water samples was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) then liquid chromatography–triple-quadrupole (tandem) mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). By extraction of 1-L water samples and concentration of the extract to 100 μL, method detection limits (MDLs) as low as 0.05–0.1 ng L−1 were achieved for most compounds. Lake-water samples from seven different locations in the Southern part of Lake Maggiore and eleven samples from different tributary rivers and creeks were investigated. Rain water was also analyzed to investigate atmospheric input of the contaminants. Compounds regularly detected at very low concentrations in the lake water included: caffeine (max. concentration 124 ng L−1), the herbicides terbutylazine (7 ng L−1), atrazine (5 ng L−1), simazine (16 ng L−1), diuron (11 ng L−1), and atrazine-desethyl (11 ng L−1), the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine (9 ng L−1), sulfamethoxazole (10 ng L−1), gemfibrozil (1.7 ng L−1), and benzafibrate (1.2 ng L−1), the surfactant metabolite nonylphenol (15 ng L−1), its carboxylates (NPE1C 120 ng L−1, NPE2C 7 ng L−1, NPE3C 15 ng L−1) and ethoxylates (NPEn Os, n = 3-17; 300 ng L−1), perfluorinated surfactants (PFOS 9 ng L−1, PFOA 3 ng L−1), and estrone (0.4 ng L−1). Levels of these compounds in drinking water produced from Lake Maggiore were almost identical with those found in the lake itself, revealing the poor performance of sand filtration and chlorination applied by the local waterworks.

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the distribution of fluoride in selected drinking water source of Ethiopia. The study includes data from 2003 to 2011, which was tested in Environmental Public Health Chemistry Laboratory at Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI). This study used 977 water samples that collected from different regions of the country and from these 548 were from the well water, 191 from spring water and the remaining 238 were from tap water samples. The results of the water samples analysis indicate that the fluoride concentration in the water sample varied from 0.0 mg/L to 40 mg/L. Generally in analyzed data, 32.8 % (n = 180) of the well water, 46.1 % (n = 88) of the spring water and 53.4 % (n = 127) of the Tap water samples are below 0.5 mg/L of fluoride concentration. On the other hand, 38.5 % (n = 211) of the well water, 15.18 % (n = 29) of the spring water and 12.18 % (n = 29) of the Tap water samples had fluoride concentration higher than the WHO ...

The occurrence and the fate of trihalomethanes (THMs) in the water supply system of Hanoi City, Vietnam was investigated from 1998 to 2001. The chlorination efficiency, THM speciation, and, THM formation potential (THMFP) was determined in the water works and in tap water. With regard to THM formation, three types of groundwater resources were identified:(I) high bromide,(II) low bromide, and (III) high bromide combined with high ammonia and high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Under typical ...

This study presents perceptions of consumers of bottled water in their households in three Brazilian municipalities. Data from interviews were analyzed using the Discourse Collective Subject method. Interviewees spent, on average, the equivalent of 40% of their water bill for the public water supply on the purchase of bottled water. The decision about water consumption in the household was predominantly made by women. Interviewees were particularly concerned with health risks and expressed a strong preference for the safety and organoleptic qualities of bottled water, particularly in cases where the tap water supply did not fully meet the regulated water quality standards. Interviewees were largely unaware of the origin, type, storage, and social and environmental impacts of bottled water. Results highlight the importance of water education efforts among the general population and the key role of women in the processes related to drinking water. The need for gender-specific interven...

A sequential injection (SI) method was developed for the spectrophotometric determination of chlorine based on the reaction between tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and free chlorine. The advantages resulting from the use of TMB are considerable: TMB is highly selective for chlorine, it enables a fairly low quantification limit and represents a less toxic alternative to reagents such as tolidine. The use of this reaction in SI adds other advantages as it enhances the degree of automation, minimisation of reagent consumption (6.8mug TMB/assay) and low effluent production (2.5mL/determination). The developed method allowed a quantification limit of 90mug/L with a working range of 0.09-1.30mgOCl(-)/L and a determination rate of 60det./h. Based on these features, the system was applied to tap-water and surface water samples with no previous treatment required. The results obtained with the developed system were compared to the reference method, diethyl-p-phenylelediamine (DPD) colorimetric me...

La microirrigation est une technique dont l'uniformité de distribution d'eau par les goutteurs est très sensible aux faibles variations de pression. Pour maîtriser ces variations, avec davantage de précision, le présent travail est basé sur une analyse hydraulique approfondie de l'écoulement aboutissant à des équations différentielles aux dérivées partielles dont la pression et la vitesse de l'eau sont des inconnues. Ces équations non linéaires sont résolues en utilisant la méthode d'intégration Runge-Kutta d'ordre quatre. Les modèles développés dans la présente étude permettent de simuler la dynamique de l'eau dans la rampe et dans le réseau et sont utilisés pour déterminer le dimensionnement optimal du réseau. Les résultats obtenus corroborent ceux publiés par d'autres auteurs ayant utilisé la méthode des volumes de contrôle ou la méthode des éléments finis.