Investigación de trihalometanos en agua potable del Estado Carabobo, Venezuela

Sarmiento, A.; Rojas, M.; Medina, E.; Olivet, C.; Casanova, J.

doi:10.1016/S0213-9111(03)71711-7

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Resumen

Objetivo

La desinfeccion del agua con cloro en las plantas de potabilizacion da lugar a la formacion de trihalometanos (THM). Estos compuestos estan asociados a efectos adversos para la salud. En este estudio se determino la concentracion de THM en el agua para consumo humano suministrada por las redes de distribucion de los dos principales sistemas de potabilizacion de agua del Estado Carabobo, la planta Alejo Zuloaga y el embalse Pao-Cachinche que forman el Sistema Regional del Centro I (SRC-I) y la planta Lucio Baldo Soules y el embalse Pao-La Balsa que forman el Sistema Regional del Centro II (SRC-II).

Metodos

Se analizaron un total de 144 muestras recolectadas durante 6 muestreos que se realizaron durante los anos 2000 y 2001. La concentracion de THM se determino por cromatografia de gases, mediante la tecnica de headspace. Se determinaron las concentraciones para los siguientes THM: cloroformo (CHCl3), bromoformo (CHBr3), dibromoclorometano (CHBr2Cl) y diclorobromometano (CHCl2Br).

Resultados

La concentracion de THM totales estuvo entre 47,84 y 93,23 μg/l. El CHCl3 fue el compuesto predominante, representando el 83% de total de THM para el SRC-I y el 82% en el SRC-II. Se encontro que las concentraciones de THM totales en el SRC-I (Red Baja y Red San Diego) son significativamente superiores (p < 0,05) con respecto a la concentracion maxima permisible establecida por la Agencia de Proteccion Ambiental de los EE.UU. (80 μg/l) para el total de los cuatro THM.

Conclusiones

Los resultados demuestran que en la zona de estudio existe un riesgo de efectos adversos para la salud por la presencia de THM en agua de consumo humano, especialmente en la Red Baja y Red San Diego del SRC-I.

Palabras clave:

Cloro

Desinfeccion

Trihalometanos

Agua potable

Abstract

Objective

Disinfection of water with chlorine in water treatment plants leads to the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs). These compounds are associated with adverse health effects. The aim of this study was to analyze THM concentrations in the water provided for human consumption in the two main water treatment systems of Carabobo State: the Alejo Zuloaga plant and the Pao-Cachinche reservoir, which form the Central Regional System I (CRS I), and the Lucio Baldo Soules plant and the Pao-La Balsa reservoir, which form the Central Regional System II (CRS II).

Methods

We analyzed 144 water samples collected in 6 samplings carried out in 2000 and 2001. THM concentrations were determined by gas chromatography using the headspace technique. The concentrations of the following THMs were measured: chloroform (CHCl3), bromoform (CHBr3), chlorodibromomethane (CHBr2Cl) and bromodichloromethane (CHCl2Br).

Results

The concentration of total THMs was between 47.84 μg/l and 94.23 μg/l. CHCl3 was the most commonly formed compound representing 83% of all THMs in the CRS I and 82% in the CRS II. The concentrations of total THMs in the CRS I, specifically in the Baja and San Diego networks, were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than permissible levels set by the American Environmental Protection Agency (80 μg/l) for the sum of all four THMs.

Conclusions

The results show that in the area studied there is a risk of adverse health effects due to THMs in drinking water, especially in the Baja and San Diego networks.

Key words:

Chlorine

Disinfection

Trihalomethanes

Drinking water

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