Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems

Since the 1974 discovery of trihalomethanes as disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, the regulatory and public health focus has been primarily directed at halogenated compounds, even though it is well established that chlorination and chloramination also produce non-halogenated DBPs. Sp...

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Main Authors: Charrois, Jeffrey, Boyd, J., Froeses, K., Hrudey, S.
Format: Journal Article
Published: N R C Research Press 2007
Online Access:http://www.nrcresearchpress.com
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38584
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author Charrois, Jeffrey
Boyd, J.
Froeses, K.
Hrudey, S.
author_facet Charrois, Jeffrey
Boyd, J.
Froeses, K.
Hrudey, S.
author_sort Charrois, Jeffrey
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Since the 1974 discovery of trihalomethanes as disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, the regulatory and public health focus has been primarily directed at halogenated compounds, even though it is well established that chlorination and chloramination also produce non-halogenated DBPs. Specific halogenated DBPs that could reasonably explain the correlation of some adverse health outcomes with consumption of disinfected drinking water in a number of epidemiologic studies have yet to be identified. We therefore explored an emerging class of non-halogenated DBPs, N-nitrosamines, which warrant consideration given public health concerns regarding possible correlations of bladder cancer with exposure to chlorinated drinking water. We developed a dual media (Ambersorb® 572 and LiChrolut® EN), off-line, solid-phase extraction method that utilized a modified commercially-available extraction manifold combined with our previous GC–MS ammonia positive chemical ionization (PCI) quantitative method for analyzing N-nitrosamines in drinking water. We surveyed 20 Alberta municipal drinking-water distribution systems for the presence of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and seven other N-nitrosamine species. Analytical results revealed the occurrence of NDMA (up to 100 ng/L) as well as two other N-nitrosamines (N-nitrosopyrrolidine and N-nitrosomorpholine) within select Alberta drinking water supplies.Key words: Alberta, chloramination, disinfection by-products, distribution system, drinking water, N-nitrosamines, NDMA, public health, survey.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-385842017-09-13T14:19:01Z Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems Charrois, Jeffrey Boyd, J. Froeses, K. Hrudey, S. Since the 1974 discovery of trihalomethanes as disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, the regulatory and public health focus has been primarily directed at halogenated compounds, even though it is well established that chlorination and chloramination also produce non-halogenated DBPs. Specific halogenated DBPs that could reasonably explain the correlation of some adverse health outcomes with consumption of disinfected drinking water in a number of epidemiologic studies have yet to be identified. We therefore explored an emerging class of non-halogenated DBPs, N-nitrosamines, which warrant consideration given public health concerns regarding possible correlations of bladder cancer with exposure to chlorinated drinking water. We developed a dual media (Ambersorb® 572 and LiChrolut® EN), off-line, solid-phase extraction method that utilized a modified commercially-available extraction manifold combined with our previous GC–MS ammonia positive chemical ionization (PCI) quantitative method for analyzing N-nitrosamines in drinking water. We surveyed 20 Alberta municipal drinking-water distribution systems for the presence of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and seven other N-nitrosamine species. Analytical results revealed the occurrence of NDMA (up to 100 ng/L) as well as two other N-nitrosamines (N-nitrosopyrrolidine and N-nitrosomorpholine) within select Alberta drinking water supplies.Key words: Alberta, chloramination, disinfection by-products, distribution system, drinking water, N-nitrosamines, NDMA, public health, survey. 2007 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38584 10.1139/S06-031 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com N R C Research Press restricted
spellingShingle Charrois, Jeffrey
Boyd, J.
Froeses, K.
Hrudey, S.
Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title_full Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title_fullStr Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title_full_unstemmed Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title_short Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
title_sort occurrence of n-nitrosamines in alberta public drinking-water distribution systems
url http://www.nrcresearchpress.com
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38584