An issue of concern to both utilities and the public is that of metals
in drinking water. The Lead and Copper Rule, which is currently being reassessed, was
designed to limit the amounts of these metals in drinking water. An important question
being asked by consumers and the water industry is: can consumers be sentinels of water
quality and detect problems at or below regulatory or guideline levels? This study examined
this question in terms of copper corrosion and the taste of copper in drinking water. The study investigated both copper chemistry and taste. Thirty-six healthy
volunteers participated in taste testing for copper at ten concentrations from 0.1 to 8 mg/L.
The results indicate that about 75% of the consumers tested could taste copper below the
aesthetic based SMCL of 1 mg/L, but the other 25% could not and some consumers could
not even taste copper at 8 mg/L which was the highest concentration tested. Thus, some
consumers could be effective sentinels for detecting copper in their tap water, while
others cannot. Includes 12 references, figure.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 150 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 4 |
| Published : | 11/01/2005 |
