Detection method and toxicity study of a new disinfection by-product, 2,2,4-trichloro-5-methoxycyclopenta-4-ene-1,3-dione (TCMCD), in chlorinated drinking water

The detection method of 2,2,4-trichloro-5-methoxycyclopenta-4-ene-1,3-dione (TCMCD), a new disinfection by-product, was established and optimized. Drinking water samples from eight cities in Jiangsu Province, China, were analyzed and TCMCD was detected ranging from 42 to 171 ng/L among the water samples from the three cities. Toxicity of TCMCD was studied using the exposure of zebrafish and the human peripheral blood lymphocyte micronucleus assay. The results showed that TCMCD is fatal to zebrafish embryos and is a potential mutagen to human beings.