The comparative study of trihalomethanes in drinking waters

The purpose of this study was to assess exposure of four trihalomethanes (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform) in drinking waters of Okinawa Island and Samoa. Trihalomethanes compounds were determined in the drinking water samples that were collected from the selected consumption sites and treatment plants of both Okinawa and Samoa in 2003-2004. The Chatan and Nishihara Water Treatment Plants (Okinawa) uses both ozonation and chlorination for primary and secondary disinfection. For Samoa Water Treatment Plants only chlorination is used as primary disinfection. Results showed that the mean concentration of trihalomethanes from treatment plants in Okinawa ranged from 0.30 +/- 1.81 mu g/L to 11 +/- 2.68 mu g/L and from the consumption sites ranged from 2.08 +/- 0.32 mu g/L to 19.39 +/- 100 mu g/L. In comparison, the mean concentration of trihalomethanes from the treatment plants in Samoa ranged from 226 +/- 81.2 mu g/L to 267 92.3 mu g/L and from the consumption sites were in the ranges 212 +/- 101 mu g/L to 387 +/- 125 mu g/L. Brominated compounds were commonly seen in all samples collected in Okinawa. Among the trihalomethanes compounds, chloroform was the common detected trihalomethanes in the samples collected from Samoa. The trihalomethanes levels in all samples collected in Okinawa and Samoa were generally below the guideline values in Japan, but some samples displayed levels which exceeded the level of Japan Water Quality and WHO Standards for chlorinated and brominated compounds.