N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a carcinogen known to be present in various
foods and industrial products. The US Environmental Protection Agency has
established a 10(-6) cancer risk level for NDMA of 0.7 ng/l. NDMA has been found
in the effluents of various water and wastewater plants, but its formation
mechanism is not yet understood. This study evaluated NDMA formation during
various water and wastewater treatment processes including chlorination and
chloramination, ozonation, and ion exchange. On the basis of the limited results
obtained in this study, NDMA appears to be a byproduct of the chloramination of
water and wastewater, with the level of NDMA formed directly related to the
chloramine dose. In the waters tested, NDMA did not form on contact with free
chlorine or ozone. Contact of one water with typical levels of amine-based
polymer did not form any measurable NDMA levels (<2 ng/L). Batch testing was
conducted with four strong-base anion exchange resins contacted with untreated
groundwater and with buffered deionized water. Results showed that some resins
might leach or form NDMA and the level of NDMA produced is a function of the
chemical functional group on the surface of the resin. Includes 19 references, tables, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. 93 - No. 2 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 200 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 8 |
| Published : | 02/01/2001 |
