Trichloroanisole kinetics and musty tastes in drinking water distribution systems

Abstract

Trichloroanisoles (TCA) might contribute to several unsolved earthy-musty taste episodes, because their taste threshold concentrations are lower than the CLSA GC-MS detection limit. The relative importance of such taste-causing compounds in earthy-musty taste episodes in distribution systems was investigated by combining lab-scale and water aging experiments in a pipe loop pilot. Experiments showed that earthy-musty taste associated with TCA formation can easily occur in distribution systems and is linked mainly to fungi metabolism. By maintaining chlorine residual, a control of such tastes can be achieved. The masking effect of these earthy-musty tasters induced by TCA by chlorine is not very effective.