Removal of pesticide residues after conventional drinking water treatment: byproducts and acetylcholinesterase inhibition

Abstract

Water is of extreme importance to living creatures. However, due to human’s action, that resource has been contaminated by different compounds, among them, the pesticides. Whenever in water, pesticides can cause some damage to aquatic environments or to those who consume it. In this way, it becomes a concern if the water treatment systems can remove these pollutants from water. In this perspective, the objective of this work is to investigate whether conventional water treatment has the ability to remove the pesticides atrazine, ametryn, malathion and chlorpyrifos. According to the results, it was observed that the conventional treatment after filtration was not capable of removing those pesticides with efficiency, being the organophosphorus (malathion and chlorpyrifos) removed in a higher percentage than the triazines (atrazine and ametryn). Postchlorination reduced the pesticides levels, however were generated the byproducts malaoxon and ametryn sulphoxide, which caused a greater acetilcolinesterase inhibition. Thus, advanced steps are required to the conventional treatment to remove these persistent contaminants.