Removal of Iodinated X-Ray Contrast Media During Drinking Water Treatment

Environmental Context. In recent years, many micro-organic pollutants, e.g. pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP), have been observed to be persisting through wastewater treatment and occurring in the environment. Persistent micropollutants are of particular concern owing to the fact that some of them have been found in drinking water, and iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) are one group of such pollutants.

Abstract. The present study investigates the removal of five iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) during drinking water production from surface water at a full-scale water works, which comprises coagulation/flocculation, intermediate ozonation, in-line filtration and adsorption with activated carbon. The elimination rates over all treatment units for the non-ionic ICM (iomeprol, iopromide, iohexol and iopamidol) were determined to be approximately 70%. In particular, intermediate ozonation can remove 30% on average of the non-ionic ICM, whereas it cannot remove the ionic diatrizoic acid, and the granulated activated carbon filters can achieve a further 50% removal of non-ionic ICM. However, over 100 ng L⁻¹ of ionic diatrizoic acid and 40–100 ng L⁻¹ of non-ionic ICM were found in the produced drinking water.