Journal Article

Emerging contaminants migration from pipes used in drinking water distribution systems: a review of the scientific literature

Spitz, Jörg, Schmidt, Torsten C., Malakootian, Mohammad, Mohammadi, Azam, Dobaradaran, Sina

2022

Overview

Migration of emerging contaminants (ECs) from pipes into water is a global concern due to potential human health effects. Nevertheless, a review of migration ECs from pipes into water distribution systems is presently lacking. This paper reviews, the reported occurrence migration of ECs from pipes into water distribution systems in the world. Furthermore, the results related to ECs migration from pipes into water distribution systems, their probable sources, and their hazards are discussed. The present manuscript considered the existing reports on migration of five main categories of ECs including microplastics (MPs), bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, nonylphenol (NP), perfluoroalkyl, and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from distribution network into tap water. A focus on tap water in published literature suggests that pipes type used had an important role on levels of ECs migration in water during transport and storage of water. For comparison, tap drinking water in contact with polymer pipes had the highest mean concentrations of reviewed contaminants. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the most frequently detected types of microplastics (MPs) in tap water. Based on the risk assessment analysis of ECs, levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were above 1, indicating a potential non-carcinogenic health risk to consumers. Finally, there are still scientific gaps on occurrence and migration of ECs from pipes used in distribution systems, and this needs more in-depth studies to evaluate their exposure hazards on human health.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Alkanesulfonic Acids - analysis / Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Bisphenol A / Carcinogens / Contaminants / Drinking water / Drinking Water - analysis / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Fluorocarbons - analysis / Health hazards / Health risks / human health / Humans / Literature reviews / Microplastics / Nonylphenol / nonylphenols / Nylons / Perfluoro compounds / Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances / Perfluorodecanoic acid / Perfluorohexane / perfluorohexane sulfonic acid / perfluorononanoic acid / Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid / Perfluorooctanoic acid / phthalates / Pipes / Plastic pollution / Plastics / poly(vinyl chloride) / Polyamide resins / Polyamides / polyethylene / Polyethylene terephthalate / Polyethylene Terephthalates / Polyethylenes / Polymers / Polypropylene / polypropylenes / Polypropylenes - analysis / Polyvinyl Chloride / Review Article / risk / Risk analysis / Risk assessment / Sulfonates / tap water / Waste Water Technology / Water distribution / Water distribution systems / Water engineering / Water Management / Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis / Water Pollution Control