Trace Organic Pollutants in Drinking Water

The sources of organic pollutants in drinking water can be mainly divided into three aspects: industrial wastewater and domestic sewage discharge, air pollution, and urban and agricultural runoff. my country's sewage treatment rate is very low, and coupled with the low operational efficiency of existing treatment facilities, approximately 80% of sewage is discharged into nearby water bodies without proper treatment. Statistics show that 82% of my country's rivers are polluted to varying degrees. Pollution is even more severe in major water bodies such as the Haihe River, Liaohe River, Huaihe River, Chaohu Lake, Dianchi Lake, and Taihu Lake. Air pollution causing water pollution has gradually attracted attention in recent years. Hydrocarbon pollutants emitted from vehicle exhaust participate in photochemical reactions to produce photochemical smog, generating some organic pollutants harmful to human health, which enter surface water bodies through rainfall and other pathways. Urban surface runoff introduces some organic pollutants into water bodies, while agricultural runoff introduces pesticides and fertilizers into water bodies. Although the concentration of trace organic pollutants is very low (generally in the range of ng/L to μg/L), accounting for only a small portion of the total organic matter in water (generally <10%, calculated by comprehensive indicators such as total organic carbon or permanganate index), they are diverse, pose significant health risks, and exhibit high mutagenic activity. Statistics show that nearly 40% of the river sections in my country's seven major river systems are unsuitable as drinking water sources; 78% of urban river sections are unsuitable for drinking water; and approximately 50% of urban groundwater is polluted. Water pollution exacerbates the contradiction of water scarcity.

Currently, most water plants in my country still use traditional treatment processes, which cannot effectively remove trace organic pollutants in a dissolved state. This results in some harmful substances, including carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic trace organic pollutants, remaining in drinking water.