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An ignored and potential source of taste and odor (T&O) issues—biofilms in drinking water distribution system (DWDS)

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Abstract

It is important for water utilities to provide esthetically acceptable drinking water to the public, because our consumers always initially judge the quality of the tap water by its color, taste, and odor (T&O). Microorganisms in drinking water contribute largely to T&O production and drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) are known to harbor biofilms and microorganisms in bulk water, even in the presence of a disinfectant. These microbes include T&O-causing bacteria, fungi, and algae, which may lead to unwanted effects on the organoleptic quality of distributed water. Importantly, the understanding of types of these microbes and their T&O compound-producing mechanisms is needed to prevent T&O formation during drinking water distribution. Additionally, new disinfection strategies and operation methods of DWDS are also needed for better control of T&O problems in drinking water. This review covers: (1) the microbial species which can produce T&O compounds in DWDS; (2) typical T&O compounds in DWDS and their formation mechanisms by microorganisms; (3) several common factors in DWDS which can influence the growth and T&O generation of microbes; and (4) several strategies to control biofilm and T&O compound formation in DWDS. At the end of this review, recommendations were given based on the conclusion of this review.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported jointly by Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LY17E080014), the National Science and Technology Major Project of China-Water Pollution Control and Treatment (2012ZX07403-003) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2016FZA4017).

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  1. College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China

    **nyan Zhou, Kejia Zhang, Tuqiao Zhang, Cong Li & **nwei Mao

  2. Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Safety and Distribution Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China

    Kejia Zhang, Tuqiao Zhang & Cong Li

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  1. **nyan Zhou
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Zhou, X., Zhang, K., Zhang, T. et al. An ignored and potential source of taste and odor (T&O) issues—biofilms in drinking water distribution system (DWDS). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 101, 3537–3550 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-017-8223-7

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