Recent advances in the analysis of nitrogenous disinfection by-products

The potential occurrence of nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs) in drinking water raises concerns because of their high genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and carcinogenicity compared to those of carbonaceous DBPs. To meet water quality indexes, drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) adopt a shift from chlorination to chloramination during disinfection to control the formation of regulated DBPs, namely trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Meanwhile, DWTPs exploit source waters, which contain natural organic matter with high organic nitrogen content, impacted by algal blooms or municipal wastewater effluents to couple with the increasing water demands. However, these changes can result in the increase in the amounts of certain N-DBPs for the incomplete removal of organic nitrogen content and the addition of inorganic nitrogen content. To study the occurrence, formation, and control of N-DBPs, fundamental analysis techniques are indispensable for identifying and quantifying DBPs and their precursors (formation potential) in lab and real water samples. The analytical determination and quantification of DBPs mainly involve three steps, which are pre-treatment, compound separation by chromatography, and identification by detectors. In this paper, we provide a short review and summary of pre-treatment and analytical methods used in the determination of four types of frequently detected N-DBPs, namely halonitromethanes, haloacetonitriles, haloacetamides, and N-nitrosamines. In addition, the analytical methods for other emerging N-DBPs are also covered in this review.