Where do the odorous halogenated phenols in drinking water resources come from?

An SPME-GC/MS method was optimised for the analysis of halogenated phenols in raw and treated wastewaters. Method detection limits range from 50 to 200 ng/L in treated wastewaters. The method was applied at six wastewater plants sampled on three consecutive days. Seven halophenols were found in the wastewater effluents at concentrations up to 340 ng/L. It is concluded that wastewater emissions contribute to the presence of halophenols in water resources and, depending on the dilution ratio, may represent an organoleptic threat during the subsequent production of drinking water.