Removal of Diuron and Hexazinone from Public Water Supply Using a Filter System

ABSTRACT: The intensive use of pesticides, such as the herbicides diuron and hexazinone, leads to a concern about the preservation of the water quality of the water resources destined for human consumption. Currently, conventional water treatment techniques do not have high capacity to remove herbicides; therefore, the need to study other techniques arises. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the removal of diuron and hexazinone herbicides present in water through a commercial filtration system. The study was carried out in a filtration system composed of the following sequence of filters: sand filter and coconut shell activated granular carbon, polypropylene filter 20 mm, activated carbon filter with silver salts, polypropylene filter 5 mm and reverse osmosis. The affluent contained an initial concentration of 12.06 mg mL-1 of hexazinone and 37.70 mg mL-1 of diuron. The samples were collected in all filters and subjected to the analysis of turbidity and presence of herbicides by high performance liquid chromatography. The filter set removed 99.31; 99.84 and 99.99% of water turbidity, hexazinone and diuron respectively at the end of the system. After the filtration process, the treated water presented adequate quality for public supply and human consumption. The technique employed in this study is easy to operate and has a low acquisition and maintenance cost.