Researchers identify previously unknown compound in drinking water
A team of researchers from the United States and Switzerland have reported the discovery of a previously unknown compound in chloraminated drinking water. Inorganic chloramines are commonly used to disinfect drinking water to safeguard public health from diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. It's estimated that more than 113 million people in the United States alone drink chloraminated water.
The researchers have now identified chloronitramide anion, chemically expressed as Cl-N-NO2−, as an end product of inorganic chloramine decomposition. While its toxicity is not presently known, its prevalence and similarity to other toxic compounds is concerning and warrants further study to assess its public health risk. Simply identifying the compound has been a challenge and breakthrough.
Julian Fairey, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, was the first co-author on the paper published in Science. Fairey noted that researchers have known about the compound for decades but have been unable to identify it. He himself began trying to unravel the mystery 10 years ago.
