Hyperchlorination of drinking tap water and colorectal cancer in the region of Mostaganem (West Algeria)

Résumé

Chlorine is commonly used for the disinfection of drinking water in Algeria. During chlorination, chlorine reacts with organics matter in water to form the chlorination by-products including trihalomethanes. The high concentration autorised in drinking water is 100µg/l. These are carcinogenic compounds for humans. Several epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess the risk of colorectal cancer among consumers of hyperchlorinated water. This problem leads us to undertake a study about hyperchloration and trihalomethanes analysis in drinking water, especially in Mostaganem region. In parallel, we conducted an epidemiological study in a period of 15 years of collected data of colorectal cancer at Che-Guivara hospital in Mostaganem. For this 18 samples of tap water are collected and analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction.

The results obtained have shown that the maximal concentration is 172.61µg/l was in Achaacha region and 17.54µg/l in Salamandre area. The results of retrospective study for colorectal cancer presented a male dominated (60%) against only 39% for female.

It was concluded that the drinking tap water distributed in Mostaganem region, contains a considerable amount of Trihalomethanes, chlorodibromomethane and bromoform are in majority, this could impact directly on consumer’s health during a long period of time.