Method for evaluating mutagenicity of water. I. A new method of preparing samples for mutagenicity test

A sample preparation method for a convenient and quantitative mutagenicity test of water was developed using two new superior resinous adsorbents. One, CSP800, is a small particle size and highly porous polystyrene resin, and the other, CHPA25, is a small particle size and highly porous anion-exchange resin. CSP800 adsorbed more nonionic compounds from water than conventional resins, and CHPA25 adsorbed anionic compounds not adsorbed by conventional resins. Sample water (10 l) at pH 5 was fed at 550 ml h-1 into two columns in series, one containing 5 ml of CSP800 and the other 2 ml of CHPA25. The adsorbed substances were subsequently desorbed by DMSO from CSP800 and by 4 N NaNO3 from CHPA25, at 10 ml h-1. Various organic substances, which were measured by different indices such as total trihalomethanes (THM), total organic halogen (TOX) and the absorbence at 260 nm, could be recovered by this method much more efficiently and conveniently than by conventional methods.