Stability of trace organic substances in water: data obtained from interlaboratory tests

Abstract

Evidence is presented on the stability of drinking water samples for the determination of trihalomethanes, volatile solvents and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Data from interlaboratory tests suggest that trihalomethanes and solvents at concentrations in the range 1–100 µg l^–1 are not subject to changes in concentration of more than 15% over several weeks. Similar tests indicate serious losses of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons from spiked water samples. This is attributed to adsorptive losses of the determinands to the sample container.