Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Influence of nitrogen source on NDMA formation during chlorination of diuron.

Authors: Chen, Wei-Hsiang; Young, Thomas M

Published In Water Res, (2009 Jul)

Abstract: N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is formed during chlorination of water containing the herbicide diuron (N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethylurea) but formation is greatly enhanced in the presence of ammonia (chloramination). Groundwater impacted by agricultural runoff may contain diuron and relatively high total nitrogen concentrations; this study examines the impact of the nitrogen form (ammonium, nitrite or nitrate) on NDMA formation during chlorination of such waters. NDMA formation during chlorination of diuron increased in the order nitrite<nitrate<ammonium for a given chlorine, nitrogen, and diuron dose. Formation of dichloramine seemed to fully explain enhanced NDMA formation in the presence of ammonium. Nitrate unexpectedly enhanced nitrosation of diuron derivatives to form NDMA compared to the cases of no added nitrogen or nitrite addition. Nitrite addition is less effective because it consumes more chlorine and produces intermediates that react rapidly with diuron and its aromatic byproducts. Differences between surface water and groundwater in nitrogen forms and concentrations and disinfection approaches suggest strategies to reduce NDMA formation should vary with drinking water source.

PubMed ID: 19457535 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Ammonia/chemistry; Dimethylnitrosamine/chemistry*; Diuron/chemistry*; Halogenation; Herbicides/chemistry*; Nitrates/chemistry; Nitrites/chemistry; Nitrogen/chemistry*; Water Pollution, Chemical/analysis*

Back
to Top