Radiation-induced decomposition of small amounts of trichloroethylene in drinking water.

Solutions of 10 ppm trichloroethylene in air-saturated drinking waters are decomposed by gamma radiation with initial G-values, G0, around 3-5 molecules per 100 eV. At lower concentrations, the G0-values decrease with decreasing trichloroethylene concentration and with increasing amounts of inorganic (especially HCO3- and NO3-) and organic solutes. From the results, a semi-empirical formula is derived which allows an estimation of G0-values for the trichloroethylene decomposition in drinking waters of given composition.