Characterization and determination of organic compounds in the mutagenic XAD-2 extracts of drinking water.

Amberlite XAD-2 extracts, which exhibit mutagenicity in the Ames assays, of drinking water sampled each month during the period from April 1988 to March 1989 were studied in order to characterize and determine the organic pollutants. The major organic pollutants were phthalate ester plasticizers such as dibutyl and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Several polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the organocholorine pesticide oxadiazon were also identified to be present at low concentrations. The XAD-extractable and chromatographable organic pollutants were found to be composed of PAHs with a mean concentration of 0.136 micrograms/l(ca. 10% of the total amount of organic compounds detected), phthalates with a mean value of 0.405 micrograms/l(ca. 30%) and other compounds with a mean value of 0.845 micrograms/l(ca. 60%). The concentrations and compositions of these organic pollutants were correlated with the effective rainfall content of the river and with the water temperature.