The occurrence of organic micropollutants in the river Rhine and the river Maas in 1974

For several years KIWA has investigated the pollution of the river Rhine and river Maas for specific organic groups. A quantity of 20 l. of water was extracted weekly with hexane and the extract divided into several groups. The extracts were analysed by gas chromatography and mass-spectrometry. The results of these investigations during 1974 have been summarized in this article and show that the river Rhine is heavily polluted by oil, a number of aromatics and aromatic bases and a number of oxygenated substances. The river Maas however, is much less polluted by these substances with the exception of oil.