Chlorinated anisoles and veratroles in a Canadian river receiving bleached kraft pulp mill effluent. Identification, distribution, and olfactory evaluation

Extracts of water samples from the Athabasca river, Alta., collected during ice-cover in winter downstream from the outfall of a bleached kraft pulp mill, contained 1 chlorinated anisole and 3 chlorinated veratroles. The concentrations were close to or below odour threshold concentrations. Chemical structure was more important than volatility in determining odour threshold concentrations. Olfactory gas chromatography, using the human nose as detector, showed several odour peaks in the extracts in addition to chlorinated anisole and veratroles. Several of these compounds were detected up to 1100 km below the pulp mill during ice cover.