The Relationship between Free and Bound Hydrophobic Organic Pollutants and Dissolved Organic Matter in Drinking Water

Hydrophobic organic pollutants (HOPs), such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons primarily from automobile exhausts and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. The interaction between DOM and HOPs minimizes the bioavailability of HOPs and their potential health effects. In addition, DOM is also the precursor of disinfection by-products. It is very important to understand the relationship between free and bound HOPs and DOM in drinking water. This chapter will explore the binding phenomenon between HOPs and DOM in raw and treated water from water treatment plants. This chapter introduces the analytical methodologies for characterizing DOM and the hazardous potential of HOPs and thus understanding their relationship. Initial studies have been completed and showed that monitoring both the free and bound forms of HOPs as well as disinfection by-products (such as trihalomethanes) and their relationship to DOM during drinking water treatment processes is necessary to better understand drinking water quality.