Occurrence and risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in multiple drinking water sources in the Yangtze River Delta region, China

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are widely present in water environment, which can threaten ecological sustainability and human health. The concentrations of VOCs and their ecological risks in drinking water are of great concern to human beings. Therefore, 54 kinds of VOCs were investigated from 58 locations of the Yangtze River Delta Region (Yangtze River, Qiantang River, Huangpu River, Taihu Lake and Jiaxing Urban River). Out of 54 target compounds, only 31 VOCs were detected, with total concentrations ranging from 0.570 to 46.820 μg/L from 58 locations of all drinking water sources. Among all detected VOCs compounds, only toluene and styrene can cause high-level ecological risk at location TH-2 of Taihu Lake. According to the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk index, compounds such as 1,2-dichloroethane, bromodichloromethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane posed a higher carcinogenic risk, and 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene and toluene posed a higher non-carcinogenic risk. Olfactory risks of water bodies in the Yangtze River Delta region are negligible. Although the concentrations of VOCs in the Yangtze River Delta region did not exceed national standards in China and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water, the presence of some ecological and health risks indicated that future monitoring studies and control practices are important to ensure ecological safety of drinking water sources.

Keywords: Drinking water sources; Ecological and health risks; Odor; Volatile organic compounds; Yangtze River Delta region.