Determination of odour threshold concentrations and dose-response relations in water of several minor disinfection by-products: aldehydes and alkyl nitriles.

The odour threshold concentrations (OTCs) levels of aldehydes and alkyl nitriles, two groups of disinfection by-products of water treatment, have been studied in order to know if some of these compounds can be associated with off-flavour events. For aldehydes, as a result of the values obtained, which are in the low microg/L range, it is possible that they are related to these events. This is not the case for the other group, alkyl nitriles, with very high OTC values.