A team of researchers at the University of Arkansas led by Julian Fairey has identified a possibly toxic and previously unknown chemical compound in drinking water. The laboratory analysis conducted on the compound was described in the journal, Science. According to the study data, the “mystery” molecule called chloronitramide anion whose chemical formula is Cl-N-NO2, is produced by the degradation of inorganic chloramine, a chemical disinfectant used in many water systems in U.S. aqueducts serving more than 113 million people. As the study states, “Municipal drinking water in the United States is often treated with chloramines to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms, but these molecules can also react with dissolved organic and inorganic compounds to form potentially toxic disinfection byproducts.”
The authors point out that although very little is still known about this molecule, it appears to have much in common at the chemical level with some compounds that may be toxic to humans. For this reason, the experts reiterate that it is very important to analyze its health risk more thoroughly.
In more detail, as the study reports, analysis of U.S. drinking water fortified with chloraminates detected Cl-N-NO2- in all forty samples tested with an average concentration of 23 micrograms per liter. Thus, according to experts, although it is necessary to disinfect water in water systems, it is also important to always pay close attention to all the decomposition byproducts that these water treatment disinfectants can produce.
