Degradation kinetics and N-Nitrosodimethylamine formation during monochloramination of chlortoluron

The degradation of chlortoluron by monochloramination was investigated in the pH range of 4–9. The degradation kinetics can be well described by a second-order kinetic model, first-order in monochloramine (NH2Cl) and first-order in chlortoluron. NH2Cl was found not to be very reactive with chlortoluron, and the apparent rate constants in the studied conditions were 2.5–66.3 M−1 h−1. The apparent rate constants were determined to be maximum at pH 6, minimum at pH 4 and medium at alkaline conditions. The main disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed after chlortoluron monochloramination were identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography-ESI-MS and GC-electron capture detector. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and 5 volatile chlorination DBPs including chloroform (CF), dichloroacetonitrile, 1,1-dichloropropanone, 1,1,1-trichloropropanone and trichloronitromethane were identified. The distributions of DBPs formed at different solution pH were quite distinct. Concentrations of NDMA and CF were high at pH 7–9, where NH2Cl was the main disinfectant in the solution. NDMA formation during chlortoluron monochloramination with the presence of nitrogenous salts increased in the order of nitrite < nitrate < ammonium for a given monochloramination and chlortoluron concentration.

► Kinetics of chlortoluron monochloramination can be described by second-order model.
► More N-DBPs formed in chlortoluron monochloramination than that in chlorination.
► NDMA formation varied with the presence of different nitrogenous salts.