Guo Xiuhong ,Sun Jichao ,Chen Xi ,Huang Guanxing

Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Shijiazhuang,Hebei, China

Abstract: The active China quality standard for groundwater was very influential on groundwater investigation, assessment and exploitation in the past over 10 years. But with the development of economy and technology, its limitation is appearing and it needs to be revised urgently. Revision of the regulated compounds/elements is one of the most important job.The revision followed continued, consistent and innovative principle, based on compounds/elements’ representative, toxicity, effects on groundwater research and capability to be determined. Several standards and lots of data recognized in the world or China were consulted. Three elements were eliminated, 7 inorganic and 32 organic compounds/elements/ions were supplied.

Key words: groundwater, standard, indices, revision

The active water quality standard for groundwater (GB/T14848-93) is the first water quality standard for groundwater in China, which drafted by Zhang Xigen, Li Meiling and many other experts, and published in October, 1993. There are 39 regulated coumpouds/elements/ions in it, including 2 trace organic compounds, 27 inorganic indices and 10 other kinds of indices. It was very influential on groundwater investigation, assessment and exploitation in the past over 10years. But with the development of technology and society, its limitation is appearing, which one of them is that the kinds and amount of indices can not gratify the needs of environmental research and protection. Revision organized by China bureau of Geological Survey began in 2005, and the first draft has been finished. This paper highlighted the revision of the regulated compounds/elements/ions, at which I worked.

1 Inorganic Elements/ions

Groundwater investigation results in recent 10 years showed that molybdenum, cobalt and barium were seldom detected in groundwater samples. They were relatively less toxic either. So the 3 elements were eliminated from the standard.

Generally, Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、K⁺、Na⁺、HCO₃^- are nontoxic, but they are indispensable indices in defining groundwater type, groundwater formation and movement researching. So they were added in the new standard (first draft) as routine indices.

Thallium and stibium are toxic and widely used elements, and are regulated in “priority control contaminants” and many standards. Because their concentration levels are low in groundwater, they were added in the new standard as special indices.

2 Organic Compounds

With the development of chemical industry, the amount of organic compounds is increasing in the environment. 7000,000 organic compounds have been known in 1990s^[1].184 organic compounds were detected in groundwater in US in 1993^[2]. In 1980s nearly 200 organic compounds were detected in groundwater in China^[3-5]. 36 and 19 organic compounds were detected in groundwater in one big city in northern China and in a delta in southern China respectively in recent a few years. The active groundwater standard of China contains 2 organic indices only. Lack of organic compounds in groundwater standard will bring adverse effects on groundwater research and protection, and the gap with other water standards is becoming wider (See table 1).

During the revision, 32 organic compounds were picked out from over 200 compounds according to their severe toxicity, wide use, existing widely in groundwater and capability of sampling and analysis (table 2).

The standards and data consulted during selection of organic compounds included:

Priority control pollutants in water. (US, 1970s)

Priority control pollutants in water.(China, 1989)

Dringking water standard and health advisory.(US. EPA.,2004)

Guidelines for dringking water quality.(WHO, 1998)

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)

Standard for drinking water (China, 2005)

Organic contaminants detected in groundwater in China.

Organic contaminants detected in groundwater in US.