Taste and odour threshold concentrations of potential potable water contaminants
- 1 February 1996
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier BV in Water Research
- Vol. 30 (2), 331-340
- https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(95)00173-5
Abstract
Taste and odour complaints from consumers are a major problem for suppliers of drinking water. Small quantities of chemicals, either naturally present in raw water or from industrial sources, or even produced during water treatment, can affect the organoleptic properties of drinking water. Taste and odour threshold concentrations in water were determined for 59 potential drinking water contaminants, including pesticides, phenol, chlorinated phenolic compounds and anisoles, geosmin, 2-methyl-isoborneol and aluminium sulphate. Panels comprising a minimum of six specially selected and trained assessors were used. Taste and odour threshold concentrations are presented as geometric means as well as the lowest detected concentration; in addition, descriptors are reported. Threshold concentrations are also compared with health-based limits established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and drinking water guideline values recommended by the World Health Organisation. The results indicated that there was no correlation between organoleptic effects of drinking water contaminants and their toxicity. Chemicals with the lowest taste and odour threshold values included chemicals such as geosmin, 2-methyl-isoborneol and similar microbial metabolites, and chlorinated phenols and anisoles.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Flavour perception of chloroanisoles in water and selected processed foodsJournal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1987
- The Chemistry and Physiology of Odor SensitivityJournal AWWA, 1986
- Sensory properties and analysis of two muddy odour compounds, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol, in water and fishWater Research, 1980
- Chloroform and chlorophenol production by decarboxylation of natural acids during aqueous chlorinationEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1979
- ODOR THRESHOLD OF 2,3,6‐TRICHLOROANISOLE IN WATERJournal of Food Science, 1978
- ODOUR PROPERTIES OF CHLOROANISOLES - EFFECTS OF REPLACING CHLORO- BY METHYL GROUPSChemical Senses, 1977
- SENSORY PROPERTIES OF THE CHLORO-ANISOLESChemical Senses, 1974
- On the nature of odours in drinking water resources of The NetherlandsScience of The Total Environment, 1973
- SENSORY EXAMINATION OF MINERALIZED, CHLORINATED WATERSJournal AWWA, 1970
- Threshold Odors of Organic ChemicalsJournal AWWA, 1963