A New Chemical Found in US Tap Water Raises Questions About Drinking Water Safety
Researchers have identified a previously unknown chemical in tap water across the United States, raising concerns about its potential impact on drinking water safety and public health. The study, published in the journal Science, detected the compound, called chloronitramide anion, in 40 drinking water samples from 10 different water systems that use chloramines for disinfection.
The levels of chloronitramide anion were found to be significant, reaching up to 100 micrograms per liter (μg/l), exceeding the typical regulatory limits of 60 to 80 μg/l for many disinfection by-products. Notably, the compound was not detected in ultrapure water or in drinking water treated without chlorine-based disinfectants.
While the existence of chloronitramide anion has been known for about 30 years, this new research sheds light on its prevalence in US drinking water and paves the way for further investigation.
A Byproduct of Chloramine Disinfection
Chloronitramide anion is a byproduct of the decomposition of chloramines, which are widely used as disinfectants in public water supplies. Chloramines have been increasingly adopted as an alternative to chlorine, the most common disinfectant, due to concerns about the health risks associated with chlorine disinfection byproducts.
However, the decomposition of chloramines also produces less-studied byproducts, such as chloronitramide anion. While the potential toxicity of this newly identified compound is currently unknown, its prevalence and similarity to other toxic molecules raise concerns.
Calls for Toxicological Evaluation and Reevaluation of Water Treatment Practices
The study's findings have prompted calls for immediate toxicological evaluation of chloronitramide anion to assess its potential health risks. Additionally, the discovery has led to calls for a reevaluation of water treatment practices, as it highlights the potential for unknown byproducts to be formed even with seemingly safer disinfection methods.
While further research is needed to understand the potential health implications of chloronitramide anion, the study's authors suggest that activated carbon filters, such as those found in Brita filters, may be effective in removing the compound from drinking water.