Arvin substances

Water constitutes a cornerstone of our daily lives and healthcare systems. Additives are incorporated into infrastructure to improve the integrity, performance, and lifespan of materials which are indispensable to guarantee the safe transport and storage of drinking water, such as plastic pipes and storage tanks. These chemicals, like antioxidants and UV light stabilisers, can break down over time which might create impurities that are not intentionally added during the production process.

Professor Erik Arvin, affiliated with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), identified a group of 10 chemicals migrating from plastic additives in contact with drinking water. These ten organic compounds are now commonly referred to as “Arvin substances”, from Arvin 1 to 10. He published his findings in 2002 (see footnote) . This opened the question of any potential risks associated with their migration into potable water.

Understanding and mitigating potential risks associated with these substances is a priority for the industry, who is conducting research aimed at safeguarding the quality of drinking water.

Download our presentation for more information on the substances and ELiSANA’s approach to safety.

Ref.: D. Brocca, E. Arvin, H. Mosbæk, 2002. Identification of organic compounds migrating from polyethylene pipelines into drinking water. Water Research, Elsevier Science Ltd, Volume 36, Issue 15, Pages 3675-3680, published online: 19/03/2002