Carbamazepine and caffeine - potential screening parameters for groundwater contamination because of municipal waste water?

摘要

56 groundwater monitoring stations in Austria were sampled and analysed for carbamazepine and caffeine in order to test whether the active substances are detectable in groundwater and whether they are suitable for use as screening parameters for groundwater contamination from wastewater. The results measured in the course of this study show that the substances are not ubiquitous in groundwater. Carbamazepine seems to be suitable for use as an indicator of groundwater contamination from leakages in municipal sewage networks and infiltration of municipal wastewater (after biological as well as mechanical purification). For the identification of wastewater from leaky septic tanks and small-scale sewage treatment systems or the agricultural utilisation of waste water Carbamazepin is suitable only to a limited extent, in case an inhabitant uses the substance. In addition to this investigation, the Umweltbundesamt recommends site specific investigations at monitoring stations with elevated concentrations, and the development of local conceptual models. There were no provisions for site specific investigations in the pilot project.