In addition to many other halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs), a number
of halonitromethanes including chlorinated, brominated, and mixed bromochlorinated
nitromethanes, have been identified in drinking water. These halonitromethanes,
especially the brominated ones, are more cytotoxic and mutagenic than most of the
DBPs that are currently regulated in drinking water. In this work, gas chromatography-mass spectronomy (GC/MS) was used to
study the formation of halonitromethanes during the chlorination of laboratory prepared
water. The effect of preozonation and elevated bromide concentration on
halonitromethane formation was investigated.
Experiments were conducted in the laboratory using model compound precursors
spiked into deionized water to determine the source of the nitrogen in the nitro group of
the halonitromethanes. Precursors studied included humic and fulvic acid (Suwannee
River Standard), amino acids, 2,4- and 2,5-dichlorophenol, and chlorophyll b, which
were reacted with chlorine (0.4 mM-2.5 mM) in the presence and the absence of nitrite
(0 mM-1.0 mM). For most halonitromethane formation study, the solution of 100 mg/L
humic acid containing 1 mM nitrite and 0.02-0.8 mM bromide was chlorinated (2.5 mM
HOCl) for 24 hours. For the preozonation, 10.5 mg/L ozone was added into the solution
and reacted 10 minutes before chlorine addition. The pH was adjusted to 7.5 using 2
mM bicarbonate buffer. 15N labeled nitrite (15NO2-) was also reacted, and the mass
spectra of the halonitromethanes were examined. SPE polymeric sorbent cartridges
(100mg/6mL, Strata-X) were used for extraction. Gas chromatography (GC) with
electron ionization mass spectrometry (MS) was used to measure the
halonitromethanes. Includes 3 references, figures.