Identification of potential nitrogenous organic precursors for C-, N-DBPs and characterization of their DBPs formation

Nitrosamines are a class of emerging disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are mainly formed when water is treated by chloramination. Nitrosamines are highly carcinogenic and are hence a major concern for drinking water supplies. Although dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds such as dimethylamine (DMA) have been recognized as important precursors of nitrosamines, many of them have not been identified, especially those used in consumer products. In this study, nine representative nitrogenous organic compounds with different DON characteristics and structures were selected to react with free chlorine, chlorine dioxide and monochloramine, respectively, for their DBP formation characteristics (nitrosamines, trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs)). It was found that in addition to DMA, benzyldimethyltetradecylamine (benzalkonium chloride, BKC) and 3-(N,N-dimethyloctyl-ammonio)propanesulfonate (3-N,N-DAPSIS) inner salt were potent precursors for carbonated DBPs (C-DBPs) and nitrogenated DBPs (N-DBPs). The DBP formation potential (DBPFP) tests showed that 1 mM of BKC formed more than 2 × 105 ng/L of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) when treated with monochloramine and high levels of C-DBPs (2713 ± 145 μg/L of THMs and 356 ± 5 μg/L of HAAs) when treated with chlorine. 3-N,N-DAPSIS was a less potent DBP precursor: 1 mM of 3-N,N-DAPSIS generated 1155 ± 7 ng/L of NDMA, 1351 ± 66 μg/L of THMs and 188 ± 1 μg/L of HAAs. DMA, 3-N,N-DAPSIS and BKC were examined for their DBPFPs at various pH and temperatures to determine the impact of pH and reaction temperature on DBP yields and their formation mechanisms. The results showed that DBP yields apparently increased with rising temperature. However, no consistent correlations were observed between DBPs yields and pH. Bromide shifted the DBP species into brominated DBPs, and this phenomenon was more apparent when BKC was treated with chloramine.

► Nine organic nitrogen compounds are tested for DBPFP with Cl2, ClO2 and NH2Cl.
► Benzalkonium chloride (BKC) forms high level of NDMA when treated with Cl2 and NH2Cl.
► DMA, BKC and 3-N,N-DAPSIS are important NDMA precursors for NH2Cl, NaOCl and ClO2.
► The NDMAFP increases with temperature except when NH2Cl is used as disinfectant.
► The NDMAFP of the precursors have the highest levels at pH 7 and decrease at pH 10.