A simple process for removing chloroform from water

Abstract

Chloroform in water is a byproduct of the chlorination process ( 1). Bathing or showering in chlorinated tap water exposes individuals to chloroform by ingestion, inhalation, or dermal contact. Some epidemiological studies have suggested that exposure to chlorinated water causes bladder cancer ( 2, 3) and is associated with rectal cancer ( 3) and potential birth defects (4). Several studies, including some based on exhaled breath analysis, suggest that significant dermal exposure to chloroform occurs while showering, and the dose is roughly comparable to that resulting from inhalation ( 5, 6).(Breath analysis measures the time elapsed between first skin contact and when the chloroform is first observed in the exhaled breath.) Other studies have extended this work to swimming in indoor pools (7, 8). Most of these investigations have used breath measurements to determine total exposure.