Current status and prospects of research on 1,4-dioxane pollution and treatment technologies in the water environment
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Abstract: 1,4-dioxane pollution is characterized by its early identification, widespread sources and extensive distribution. The pollutant is highly mobile and persistent in the water environment and is classified as a B2 (probable) human carcinogen. After reviewing recent researches on the pollution status, transport and transformation characteristics of 1,4-dioxane in the water environment, as well as the environmental pollution remediation and treatment technologies, and the status of environmental regulation, this paper addresses that the distribution of 1,4-dioxane in water bodies is significantly correlated with chlorinated hydrocarbon pollutants such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) and trichloroethylene (TCE). It is noteworthy that 1,4-dioxane often occurs in symbiosis with 1,1,1-TCA and has a similarity contamination plume distribution to 1,1,1-TCA. The natural attenuation of 1,4-dioxane in groundwater environment is weak, but there is a certain degree of biological oxidation attenuation. Current methods for treating 1,4-dioxane pollution mainly include extraction-treatment technology, advanced oxidation treatment technology, modified biological treatment technology and phytoremediation technology, all of which have their limitations in practical application. Currently, there is no environmental regulation available for the 1,4-dioxane pollution worldwide, and no enforceable standard established for defining the health trigger levels of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water. Research on this contaminant in China is generally limited to the site or laboratory scale, and there are no studies on the environmental risk and quality standards for 1,4-dioxane in the water environment.
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Key words:
- 1,4-dioxane /
- Chlorinated hydrocarbon /
- Environmental pollution /
- Attenuation
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Table 1. Drinking water guidelines and criteria for 1,4-dioxane (An et al. 2014; US EPA, 2017b; US EPA, 2018a, US EPA, 2018b; Health Canada, 2018; Mulisch et al. 2003; WHO, 2005; Yamamoto et al. 2018)
Jurisdiction Target concentration
/µg/LType of target Year target was introduced Non-enforced guidance values for 1,4-dioxane in developed countries and WHO Canada 50.0 Health Canada, Draft drinking water guidelines 2018 United States 0.35 US EPA, Screening levels for tap watera 2017 Korea 50.0 Ministry of the environment, Provisional standards 2014 Japan 50.0 Water pollution control Law, Drinking water standards 2009 Germany 0.1 EPA, Recommended guidance 2003 WHO 50.0 Guidance value 2005 Non-mandatory guidance values for 1,4-dioxane by US states New York 1.0 Draft minimum standards 2018 Michigan 7.2 Drinking water standards 2017 Alaska 77.0 Groundwater purification level 2016 Texas 9.1 Protection concentration level 2016 Maine 4.0 Guidance value 2016 Indiana 4.6 Groundwater screening level 2016 North Carolina 3.0 Drinking water standards 2015 New Jersey 0.4 Groundwater quality standards 2015 Connecticut 3.0 Intervention level 2013 Minnesota 1.0 Health risk limits 2013 California 1.0 Public health protection concentration 2011 Massachusetts 0.3 Guidance value 2004 a The US EPA has not set a minimum level of enforceable standards. -
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