Evaluation of 2-Methyl Isoborneol and Geosmin Concentrations of Source and Tap Water from Water Supply Plants in Gyeongnam Area

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Research article

Journal of the Korean Society for Environmental Analysis 2014;17(4):223-235.

경남지역 상수 원·정수의 냄새물질 발생 특성 평가

박미애¹, 이정준², 최형섭¹

¹경상남도보건환경연구원
²경삼남도보건환경연구원

Abstract

Geosmin and 2-methyl isoborneol (2-MIB) levels in tap water and source water were estimated by comparingalgal species and populations for about one year from January to December 2013. The detected concentrationsof geosmin ranged from the method detection limit (MDL) to 274.0 (±17.0) ng/L. The highest levelof geosmin was found in the source water of Jinyang-ho lake during the first week of August. The highest levelof 2-MIB was observed in the source water of Changam water intake station in September, in the range ofMDL to 386.0 (±46.0) ng/L. Myeongdong and Shindosi water supply plants in Kimhae and Yangsan had goodperformance with as much as 100% removal efficiencies of odorous substances achieved in September, whenodorous substances usually reach the highest level during the year. Chilsu water supply plant was found torequire additional care to remove odorous substances because it had a similar level of 2-MIB with that of secondarydrinking water regulations. Jinju water supply plant, which did not have activated carbon filtration andozonation facilities, showed a geosmin level of 40.0 (±11.7) ng/L, higher than that of secondary drinking waterregulations. Cyanobacteria accounted for 47.9%, 48.3%, and 93.4% in Chilsu, Changam, and Mulgeum plantswhen 2-MIB concentrations were between 56.0 and 386.0 ng/L in September. Standing stocks of the dominantMicrocystis aeruginosa were also found different depending on the sampling sites: Chilsu, Changam, andMulgeum showed 18,000, 6,400, and 4,150 cells/mL, respectively. Further studies will be needed to betterunderstand the mechanisms of 2-MIB microbial production because it is still not be clear if the dominance ofMicrocystis aeruginosa leads to the highest level of 2-MIB directly.

Key Words: 2-MIB, Algae, Anabena sp., Chlorophyll-a, Cyanophta, Geosmin, Microcystis sp.