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Pilot study examines herbicides and byproducts in Irish drinking water, suggesting public health concerns.
Safe drinking water is a crucial component of public health. Pesticides and disinfection byproducts are known pollutants of concern. This study aimed to investigate the levels of the herbicide glyphosate and disinfection byproducts in Irish drinking water. Drinking water samples ( N = 72) were analysed for glyphosate and its metabolite, using high‐performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LOQ 0.04 μg/L) and chlorate and perchlorate using ion chromatography with mass spectrometry (LOQ 0.1 μg/L). Glyphosate and AMPA were not detected in any sample. The detection rates for chlorate and perchlorate were 81.9% and 2.8%, respectively. One sample (1.4%) exceeded the WHO guidance level of 700 μg/L for chlorates, and eight samples (11.1%) exceeded the upcoming EU drinking water guidance value of 250 μg/L. These results generated novel data, although the sample size was limited. With some samples exceeding the recommended guidance values, it emphasises the need for future research.
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Lee et al. (2026) studied this question.
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