AWWA WQTC63988

In 2002/2003 several Dutch organizations cooperated in a screening program on the occurrence and significance of pharmaceuticals in Dutch drinking water and drinking water sources. Out of a screening set of 105 pharmaceuticals, 44 pharmaceuticals were detected in surface water, 3 in groundwater and 9 in drinking water. The amounts of the pharmaceuticals found in drinking water were far below the health guidelines. A result of the project was a more focussed screening on pharmaceuticals, Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs) and other organic micropollutants by water companies and water research organizations. Because regular analysis of drinking water for all emerging substances is not possible, it is necessary to predict the removal of the substances through the drinking water treatment plant. Research is carried out to obtain fundamental insight in the removal of organic micropollutants. Using the Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR), the behavior of organic micro-pollutants in drinking water treatment processes can be modelled, taking into account the design and operation of the process and varying influent quality parameters. As a first step to develop QSARs the occurring pharmaceuticals and EDCs in the Dutch surface waters are classified and indicator compounds are chosen. An inventory of the relation between the indicator compounds and their removal by coagulation, ozonation and granular activated carbon filtration is made. Includes 34 references, tables, figures.