Volatile and semi-volatile organochlorine compounds in tap and riverine waters in the area of influence of a chlorinated organic solvent factory

Abstract The study of volatile and semi-volatile organochlorinated compounds, VOC and SVOC, respectively, in the river and tap water of an area under the influence of a chlorinated organic solvent factory has shown that the industrial activities are reflected in the composition of the river waters, namely by the presence of chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, penta and hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene as major pollutants, but that the tap waters are free from products which can be related to this origin. However, the potable water contains significant concentrations of species derived from chlorination, namely chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform, as well as pesticides of wide use in agriculture, α- and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane. The VOC and SVOC compositions in these tap waters are very similar to that found in the waters of Barcelona, a reference urban area which is not under the influence of large organochlorine solvent factories.