Organic Halogen Group Parameters as Indicators of Ground Water Contamination |
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| Authors: | Christian Grøn |
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| Institution: | Christian Grøn obtained his B.S. degree in biochemistry and his M.S. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He has been employed as an environmental chemist at the Water Quality Institute, Denmark, with ground water investigations as his principal research interests. Grøn received his Ph.D. degree from the Technical University of Denmark, for a thesis on halogenated organics in ground water. He is presently employed at the Groundwater Research Centre, Department of Geology and Geotechnical Engineering, Block 204, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark. |
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| Abstract: | A regional survey of Danish ground water demonstrated the presence of adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) in almost all of 142 wells (99 percent). Generally, the presence of AOX was not related to point or non-point source contamination with halogenated organics. However, the AOX concentrations varied with the geology of the aquifers. Extractable organic halogens (EOX) and volatile organic halogens (VOX) were far less prevalent (detected in 4 percent of sampled wells) and the detection could, in most cases, be explained by contamination or chlorination of the wells. The VOX concentrations corresponded to the concentrations of identified, volatile contaminants. The study demonstrates the presence of a natural background level of AOX in the investigated aquifers. This must be considered in the interpretation of AOX results as an indicator of ground water contamination with haloorganics. Similar background levels of EOX or VOX were not delected. |
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