The contribution of dissolved organic nitrogen and chloramines to nitrogenous disinfection byproduct formation from natural organic matter

► Dihaloacetonitriles linearly correlated with trihalomethanes + dihaloacetic acids. ► Correlation between DCAN and THM + HAA was independent to DON. ► Chloramines contributed to over 70% nitrogen of dichloroacetonitrile. ► Trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids and haloacetonitriles have similar precursors. ► Chloramines and organic-N contributed to N-nitrosodimethylamine formation equally.