Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Factors controlling N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation from dissolved organic matter

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The formation of cancinogenic nitrosamines, esp. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in water and wastewater treatment plants has drawn much attention in recent years. Dissolved organic matter from the transported Luan River water as water source of Tianjin was fractionated with different XAD resins and a series of ultra-filtration membranes with molecular weight (MW) cut-offs of 5k Da, 3k Da, and 1k Da, respectively. The NDMA yields from the raw water and each fraction were measured to investigate their role in NDMAyield. Results indicated that the hydrophilic fraction had a higher NDMA yield than those of hydrophobic fraction and transphilic fraction. The fraction with MW below 1k Da had a higher NDMAyield than that with larger MW. NDMA formation increased as the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) ratio decreased, which indicated that DON might serve as the real important precursor for NDMA. The correlation between NDMA yield and specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254) suggested that the latter might not represent the specific precursors for NDMA in the water. Besides the water quality, the influences of pH, disinfectant dosage, and disinfection contact time on the formation of NDMA were also examined. These results will help water treatment plants establish measures to control this harmful disinfection by-product.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Charrois JWA, Arend MW, Froese K L, Hrudey S E. Detecting N-nitrosamines in drinking water at nanogram per liter levels using ammonia positive chemical ionization. Environmental Science & Technology, 2004, 38(18): 4835–4841

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Charrois J W A, Boyd J M, Froese K L, Hrudey S E. Occurrence of N-nitrosamines in Alberta public drinking-water distribution systems. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science, 2007, 6(1): 103–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Planas C, Palacios O, Ventura F, Rivera J, Caixach J. Analysis of nitrosamines in water by automated SPE and isotope dilution GC/ HRMS occurrence in the different steps of a drinking water treatment plant, and in chlorinated samples from a reservoir and a sewage treatment plant effluent. Talanta, 2008, 76(4): 906–913

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Asami M, Oya M, Kosaka K. A nationwide survey of NDMA in raw and drinking water in Japan. The Science of the Total Environment, 2009, 407(11): 3540–3545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. N-nitrosodimethylamine CASRN 62-75-9, Intergrated Risk Information Service (IRIS) Substance File. Washington DC, USA: USEPA, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  6. Zhao Y Y, Boyd J, Hrudey S E, Li X F. Characterization of new nitrosamines in drinking water using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Environmental Science & Technology, 2006, 40(24): 7636–7641

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Choi J, Valentine R L. Formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) from reaction of monochloramine: a new disinfection byproduct. Water Research, 2002, 36(4): 817–824

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mitch W A, Sedlak D L. Formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) from dimethylamine during chlorination. Environmental Science & Technology, 2002, 36(4): 588–595

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Weissmahr K W, Sedlak D L. Effect of metal complexation on the degradation of dithiocarbamate fungicides. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2000, 19(4): 820–826

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Mitch W A, Sedlak D L. Characterization and fate of N-nitrosodimethylamine precursors in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Environmental Science & Technology, 2004, 38(5): 1445–1454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Lee W, Westerhoff P, Croué J P. Dissolved organic nitrogen as a precursor for chloroform, dichloroacetonitrile, N-nitrosodimethylamine, and trichloronitromethane. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(15): 5485–5490

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chen W H, Young T M. Influence of nitrogen source on NDMA formation during chlorination of diuron. Water Research, 2009, 43 (12): 3047–3056

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Park S H, Wei S T, Mizaikoff B, Taylor A E, Favero C, Huang C H. Degradation of amine-based water treatment polymers during chloramination as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors. Environmental Science & Technology, 2009, 43(5): 1360–1366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gerecke A C, Sedlak D L. Precursors of N-nitrosodimethylamine in natural waters. Environmental Science & Technology, 2003, 37(7): 1331–1336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Chen Z, Valentine R L. Formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) from humic substances in natural water. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(17): 6059–6065

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhao Y Y, Boyd JM, Woodbeck M, Andrews R C, Qin F, Hrudey S E, Li X F. Formation of N-nitrosamines from eleven disinfection treatments of seven different surface waters. Environmental Science & Technology, 2008, 42(13): 4857–4862

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chen Z, Valentine R L. Modeling the formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) from the reaction of natural organic matter (NOM) with monochloramine. Environmental Science & Technology, 2006, 40(23): 7290–7297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mitch W A, Gerecke A C, Sedlak D L. A N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursor analysis for chlorination of water and wastewater. Water Research, 2003, 37(15): 3733–3741

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Aiken G R, McKnight D M, Thorn K A, Thurman E M. Isolation of hydrophilic organic acids from water using nonionic macroporous resins. Organic Geochemistry, 1992, 18(4): 567–607

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Yang X, Shang C, Lee W, Westerhoff P, Fan C. Correlations between organic matter properties and DBP formation during chloramination. Water Research, 2008, 42(8-9): 2329–2339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. APHA, AWWA, WEF. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 18th ed. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wu V C H, Kim B. Effect of a simple chlorine dioxide method for controlling five foodborne pathogens, yeasts and molds on blueberries. Food Microbiology, 2007, 24(7–8): 794–800

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA/600/R-05/054. Determination of Nitrosamines in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction and Capillary Column Gas Chromatography with Large Volume Injection and Chemical Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS). Washington, DC: USEPA, 2004

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hua G, Reckhow D A. Characterization of disinfection byproduct precursors based on hydrophobicity and molecular size. Environmental Science & Technology, 2007, 41(9): 3309–3315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Chen C, Zhang X J, Zhu L X, He W J, Han H D. Changes in different organic matter fractions during conventional treatment and advanced treatment. Journal of Environmental Sciences-China, 2011, 23(4): 582–586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Chen C, Zhang X J, Zhu L X, Liu J, He W J, Han H D. Disinfection by-products and their precursors in a water treatment plant in North China: seasonal changes and fraction analysis. The Science of the Total Environment, 2008, 397(1–3): 140–147

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Pehlivanoglu-Mantas E, Sedlak D L. Measurement of dissolved organic nitrogen forms in wastewater effluents: concentrations, size distribution and NDMA formation potential. Water Research, 2008, 42(14): 3890–3898

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Croue J P, Korshin G V, Benjamin M. Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Drinking Water. Denver: AWWA Research Foundation, 1999

    Google Scholar 

  29. Westerhoff P, Mash H. Dissolved organic nitrogen in drinking water supplies: a review. Journal of Water Supply: Research & Technology — Aqua, 2002, 51(8): 415–448

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Westerhoff P, Chao P, Mash H. Reactivity of natural organic matter with aqueous chlorine and bromine. Water Research, 2004, 38(6): 1502–1513

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Najm I, Trussell R R. NDMA information in water and wastewater. Journal — American Water Works Association, 2001, 93(2): 92–102

    Google Scholar 

  32. Luo X H. Formation studies on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in natural waters. Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. Columbia: University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Chengkun Wang, Xiaojian Zhang, Chao Chen & Jun Wang

Authors
  1. Chengkun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaojian Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chao Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chao Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, C., Zhang, X., Chen, C. et al. Factors controlling N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation from dissolved organic matter. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 7, 151–157 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0482-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0482-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation