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The priority substances of List I, 76/464/EEC Directive, some of which belong to the new Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, have been monitored in the surface waters of Greece through the developed network of 53 sampling stations. The analytical methods used for the determination of these substances included Purge and Trap-Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry for volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detection for organochlorine insecticides, High Performance Liquid Chromatography for pentachlorophenol and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for metals. The results have shown the presence of several priority substances in Greek surface waters, in most cases at concentrations well below the regulatory limits. However, non-compliance was observed for a limited number of compounds. The monitoring network and the analytical determinations have to be expanded to more water bodies and more priority substances, in order to safeguard the quality of Greek surface waters.

Trihalomethanes are a major class of chlorination by-products in drinking water. They are formed when chlorine reacts with bromide (Br-) and natural organic matter (NOM) in source waters. Toxicology studies have shown all THMs to be carcinogenic or to cause adverse reproductive or developmental effects in laboratory animals. THMs are small volatile molecules, which are hydrophobic, non biodegradable and adsorbable on granular activated carbon (GAC). The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the adsorption capacity for individual THMs of a GAC filter-adsorber (A) and a GAC postfilter-adsorber (B), both fed with chlorinated natural water. For this purpose, a GAC pilot plant was operated as a filter-adsorber and a postfilter-adsorber in Galatsi WTP, Athens (GTP) until the removal of individual THMs by GAC was eliminated (breakthrough). Regular sampling was performed during operation and the parameters measured were: THMs, DOC, free residual chlorine, bromide, turbidity, pH and temperature. From the experimental data, GAC bed life, GAC usage rate, GAC loading and operation time to breakthrough were calculated for most THMs. TBM was almost not detected. Some desorption of THMs, especially TCM and BDCM, was noticed during the operation of both adsorbers. Near breakthrough for THMs, equilibrium between adsorbed and dissolved THMs was considered to have been established. The GAC equilibrium loading of individual THMs was assumed to depend on the mean value of their influent concentration, which was not constant. By correlating the equilibrium data by linear regression to conform to the Freundlich isotherm, the Freundlich constants 1/n and k were determined for each of THMs. They are related to the physicochemical characteristics and background organics of water and the specific GAC used. The strength of the adsorption bond and the GAC capacity was higher for DBCM, lower for BDCM and even lower for TCM for both adsorbers. In addition, the GAC(B) capacity for BDCM and DBCM was higher than that of GAC(A), probably due to larger surface area and surface chemistry of GAC(B). Also, the lower particle size and the higher uniformity coefficient of GAC(B), along with the lower flow rate may have attributed to that by enhancing GAC equilibration. However, TCM was less adsorbed by GAC(B), probably due to the stronger competition effect by BDCM and DBCM, being in much higher mean influent concentration. The DOC content of influent water seems also to reduce significantly the adsorption of THMs (especially of TCM), as the comparison of our results with the isotherm results with distilleddeionized water by other researchers showed.