Formation potential of nine nitrosamines from corresponding secondary amines by chloramination

Abstract

Nitrosamines, a group of emerging disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, have recently caused significant concern because of their higher carcinogenic potential than that of currently regulated DBPs. In this study, the formation of nine representative nitrosamines by chloramination of their corresponding secondary amines was investigated under various conditions. All nine nitrosamines were detected in the corresponding reaction solutions, which confirmed that all the investigated secondary amines were the potential precursors of corresponding nitrosamines. The molar yields of nitrosamines from the corresponding secondary amines were quite different, depending on the structural characteristics of the secondary amines. The maximum molar yields for the formation of all nine nitrosamines occurred in the pH range of 7.0–9.0 and at the Cl/N molar ratio of 0.7 for chloramines, suggesting that monochloramine and unprotonated secondary amines may play a major role in the formation of nitrosamines. The molar yields of nitrosamines also exhibited a moderate upward tendency with rising temperature, but no consistent correlation was observed between the formation of nitrosamine and the initial concentrations of secondary amines and chloramines. The results of this study could be useful for devising strategies for controlling the formation of nitrosamines during the disinfection processes of drinking water.