A study at a Paris, France, treatment site investigated the
identity and origin of a musty taste in drinking water. This
case was not attributable to algal metabolites such as
geosmin or 2-methylisoborneol. When standard analytical
approaches could not pinpoint the suspect compound, the
authors turned to a new and more sensitive analytical
approach: large-volume gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry.
The musty taste was traced to the presence of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole,
a compound with an extremely low odor threshold
concentration of 30 pg/L. In this case, a storage tank with a
cement-based coating leached tribromophenol, which converted to
tribromoanisole in the tank and imparted a musty odor
to the water.
This study highlights two important concerns for distribution
systems: many cases of earthy-musty off-flavors will remain
unsolved unless more sensitive measures, capable of detection
limits of subnanograms per litre, are used; and, utilities should
be aware that inappropriate distribution system coatings can lead to
serious taste and odor problems. In Paris, French health authorities
had approved the coating material for drinking water contact, based
on leaching tests carried out by the city's control laboratory. More
extensive tests are required to determine precursors of biologically
formed products that may later affect water quality.
Includes 36 references, tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. 94 - No. 7 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 290 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 12 |
| Published : | 07/01/2002 |
