Potable water hazardous substances

The latter concept implies providing local life support systems for unfriendly environments. By now, Ukrainian scientists and engineers have developed a variety of processes for potable water treatment by adsorption, electrochemical oxidation, electrocoagulation, electro-coprecipitation, electrodialysis, electrofloatation, floatation, membrane techniques etc. Each family must get small units for water purification, air cleaning and removal of hazardous substances from the food as soon as possible, for it may take decades to introduce cleaner production on a national scale. Here, we should follow the example of Western business people who bring with them to Ukraine devices enabling a safe existence in this unfriendly environment. 

Another class of environmentally hazardous projects comprises finished stores of toxic, explosive, and flammable substances. In Ukraine, it comprises depositaries of benzene, petroleum, and oil products, ammonia, inorganic acids, rubber resin, pesticides, mineral fertilizers, and many other materials. The quantities of substances kept in those stores amount to tens and hundreds of tons. Many of them are situated near beds of potable water bodies. Besides being environmentally hazardous, they present attractive targets for terrorist acts, since in case of their damage the chemical contamination of the environment may spread over vast territories and water areas creating an extremely dangerous situation for the population. 

Nitrosamines are toxic compounds as well as potent animal and human carcinogens (Patnaik, 1992). These substances occur in trace quantities in tobacco smoke, meat products, and salted fish. Some of these compounds are classified by U.S. EPA as priority pollutants in industrial wastewaters, potable waters, and hazardous wastes. These nitrosamines are listed in Table 2.16.1. Such pollutants occurring in environmental samples can be determined by U.S. EPA s analytical procedures (U.S. EPA 1990, 1992). 

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