An Evaluation of Microbial and Chemical Contamination Sources Related to the Deterioration of Tap Water Quality in the Household Water Supply System

Yoonjin Lee
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Yoonjin Lee: Department of General Education, Konyang University, 121 Daehakro, Nonsan, Chungnam 320-711, Korea

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: The predominant microorganisms in samples taken from shower heads in residences in the Korean city “ N ” were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , Sphingomonas paucimobilis , Acidovorax temperans , and Microbacterium lacticum . Legionella was not detected in this case. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) vinylacetate, NN-DMA, cis -1,2-dichloroethylene, epichlorohydrin, and styrene were measured in five types of plastic pipes: PVC, PB, PP, PE, and cPVC. The rate of multiplication of the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) attached on the copper pipe in contact with hot tap water was higher than the rate for the copper pipe in contact with cold tap water. Biofilm accumulation on stainless steel pipes with added acetate (3 mg/L) was 2.56 times higher than the non-supplemented condition. Therefore, the growth of HPC in the pipe system was affected by the type and availability of nutrients and depended on variables such as heating during the hot water supply.

Keywords: drinking water; biofilm; volatile organic compounds; water supply systems; household plumbing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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