OCCURRENCE OF SELECTED ANTHROPOGENIC ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER FROM RURAL AREAS OF EASTERN ROMANIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the trend of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), trihalomethanes (THMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in drinking water sampled from rural areas located in Eastern Romania. After chemical analyses and data processing, 86% of the collected samples were found to be compliant with the Romanian and EU regulations. The set limits for measured contaminants in accordance with the Directive 98/83/EC were exceeded in the cases of THMs and benzo(a)pyrene. A diagnostic ratio method was applied in order to determine possible PAH sources in collected samples (petrogenic or pyrolitic). Our results evidenced a high percentage contribution of low molecular weight PAHs (96%) combined with high ratio for low/high molecular weight (31.4) suggesting that the contamination of the drinking water can be attributed to petrogenic pollution of the water sources rather than due its’ storage and transport.