• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.758-766
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• 2008

To evaluate homologue patterns and removal efficiency before and after water treatment, the concentrations of dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) were determined in 122 samples from 42 drinking water treatment plants throughout Japan over a two year period. The mean concentrations and toxic equivalent (TEQ) values of dioxins in raw and treated waters were 60.24 pg/L (0.14 pg-WHO-TEQ/L) and 4.15 pg/L (0.016 pg-WHO-TEQ/L), respectively. The dioxins contribution ratio of drinking water in relation to dioxins tolerable daily intake (TDI, 4 pg-TEQ/kg/day) was 0.016%. The mean TEQ removal rate of dioxins by drinking water treatment was over 88%. However, the mean removal rate of 2, 3, 7, 8-TeCDF (tetrachlorodibenzofuran) by water treatment in the 122 samples was minus 17%. Therefore, to identify which process affected the level of 2, 3, 7, 8-TeCDF, the removal efficiencies at both the advanced and conventional water treatment plants were investigated. For the TEQ removal rate across the processes, the dioxin congeners, TeCDF and non-ortho-PCBs remarkably indicated minus values after chlorination in both the advanced and conventional water treatments plant. From this study, the level of 2, 3, 7, 8-TeCDF was found to be increased as a result of chlorination.