AOPs for degrading metaldehyde in surface water used for drinking water
UK
Intensive farming and the associated use of pesticides is one of the main reasons that these regulated substances can be found in the drinking water reservoirs of a large number of British water utilities.
The substance metaldehyde contained in slug pellets is a special challenge for the water utility as this substance is able to easily pass through the conventional treatment steps (ozonization + activate carbon).
In order to check whether so called Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are suitable for reducing metaldehyde below the limit value, an eight-month pilot phase was conducted on site.