Toxicology of drinking water disinfection byproducts from nutrients. Rate studies of destruction of polyunsaturated fatty acids in vitro by chlorine-based disinfectants.

Abstract

As model reactions between unsaturated fats and water disinfectants in the GI tract, relative rates of destruction of seven polyunsaturated fatty acids (L, alpha Ln, gamma Ln, Ara, EPA, DH, and DT) by OCl- and NH2Cl were investigated in vitro. Using millimolar solutions of seven PUFAs combined with various OCl- mole ratios, disappearance of PUFAs was followed by UV spectrophotometry at pH = 9.5 and at 35 degrees C via conjugated hydroperoxydienes at 234 nm. While OCl- rapidly destroyed all PUFAs, NH2Cl was inert. Overall second-order rate constants computed for L at increasing times disclosed that the attack on the cis-CH=CHCH2CH=CH moiety by OCl- does not follow simple second-order kinetics. Using a logit-log transform and second-order polynomial regression analysis of L's disappearance in a stoichiometric ([L] = 1.2 mM; [ClO-] = 2.4 mM) mix, data were analyzed by the time ratio method of Schwemer and Frost. These agreed with a sequential system of at least two irreversible second-order reactions having k1 = 15.6 L.mol-1.s-1 and k2 = 2.6 L.mol-1.s-1. Preliminary GC/MS analysis indicated that the initial product is a mix of chlorohydrin isomers. These undergo second addition of HOCl and/or lose halogens and polymerize. Additional minor products were also C5-C9 mono- and bifunctional carboxylates and mixed acid aldehydes. Studies with mol equiv of Cl- - free 36ClO- allowed estimation of covalent binding of Cl by L at various times, supporting the kinetic findings. For other PUFAs of higher degree unsaturation, the complexity of feasible reactions precluded an analogous approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)