An international group of researchers has discovered an unknown chemical compound in drinking water in the United States, which could be toxic to consumers.
The compound, called chloronitramide anion, was found in water treated with inorganic chloramines. This water is consumed by approximately 11.3 million people, or about one in five individuals.
Chloramine is a compound used to disinfect water by eliminating germs, and it has been in use since the 1930s for this purpose.
Chloramine can kill germs in water pipes for longer than chlorine (a chemical used for disinfection since 1908). A concentration of up to four milligrams per liter of this compound is considered safe.
Julien Fairey, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas and co-author of the study, stated that this is a very stable, low molecular weight chemical. “It is a chemical that is difficult to find, and the hardest part was identifying it and proving the structure we had discovered.”
Researchers had known about chloronitramide anion for decades but were unable to identify it. After years of work, Julien Fairey successfully created a compound in the lab that had never been made before.
This compound forms after the dissolution of inorganic chloramine disinfectant in drinking water. The question now is whether it is harmful to public health.
There is no information yet on its toxicity, but scientists say its resemblance to other toxic substances is concerning. Further research is needed to determine its effects on human health.
