Understanding VOCs in Drinking Water: Risks, Sources, and Removal Solutions

What are VOCs?

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that can easily evaporate into the air or dissolve in water. These compounds are widespread in modern life, with applications in industry, agriculture, transportation, and household products. VOCs are used in a range of everyday products, including gasoline, paints, solvents, and cleaning agents. While many VOCs are beneficial, they can also be harmful to both human health and the environment.

VOCs are produced and released into the environment through various activities, such as driving a car, using certain cleaning products, or even having clothes dry cleaned. While VOCs tend to evaporate from surface water, once they enter groundwater, they can remain in the environment for extended periods.

How do VOCs end up in drinking water?

VOCs can enter drinking water supplies through a variety of pathways, particularly when released into the environment during industrial or consumer activities. For instance, leaking underground storage tanks, which hold gasoline, can release VOCs like benzene and MTBE into the soil and groundwater. Additionally, the use of pesticides and fumigants in agriculture can introduce VOCs into the soil, which may then seep into groundwater.

Once VOCs reach groundwater, their behavior depends on their chemical properties. Some VOCs are highly soluble in water, making it easier for them to travel with groundwater as it moves through aquifers. Other VOCs may bind to particles in the soil and move more slowly. Unfortunately, many VOCs are resistant to natural breakdown processes and can remain in groundwater for long periods, sometimes even decades.

How do VOCs affect my health?

VOCs can have serious health effects, especially when they contaminate drinking water. Although not all VOCs are equally dangerous, many are toxic and can pose significant health risks to humans. Long-term exposure to certain VOCs has been linked to a variety of health problems, ranging from headaches and dizziness to liver and kidney damage, neurological issues, and even cancer.

• For example, MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether), a compound once commonly used as an additive in gasoline, has been found to cause neurological symptoms in humans and liver tumors in animals. Similarly, exposure to benzene, another common VOC found in groundwater, is associated with an increased risk of leukemia.
• Some VOCs, like chloroform, are byproducts of water treatment processes. Trihalomethanes (THMs), including chloroform, are formed when chlorine used to disinfect drinking water reacts with organic matter. Although these compounds are usually present at low levels, prolonged exposure can increase the risk of cancer and other health issues.

How to remove VOCs from tap water?

There are several methods to remove VOCs from drinking water. If you’re concerned about VOCs in your tap water, it's important to know your options for treatment. The most effective method includes Reverse Osmosis (RO). Reverse osmosis systems are highly effective at removing VOCs, along with other contaminants, by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. This process removes many harmful substances, including VOCs, bacteria, and heavy metals.

By understanding what VOCs are, how they get into water, their potential health risks, and how to remove them, you can take steps to protect yourself and your family from harmful water contaminants. Regular monitoring and filtration are key to ensuring that your drinking water remains safe and clean.

Source: USGS