Researchers recently identified a new chemical in drinking water that could potentially cause cancer, raising concerns among millions of American households.
According to Mail Online, a study pinpointed chloronitramide anion, a byproduct of chloramine disinfectant, in the tap water of about one-third of U.S. homes.
Scientists have traced chloronitramide anion to the tap water consumed by tens of millions of Americans. This chemical forms through the natural decomposition of chloramine, a widely used disinfectant made by combining chlorine and ammonia.
Water treatment facilities have used chloramine for more than a century, including in cities like Denver and regions such as Scotland, Australia, and Canada. In the United States, approximately 113 million people rely on water treated with chloramine.
Although researchers have yet to determine the specific effects of chloronitramide anion on human health, they view the compound as perilously similar to other toxic chemicals. Consequently, this finding has prompted health authorities to investigate further.
Julian Fairey, the lead author of the revealing study, expressed concerns about the formation of toxic byproducts like chloronitramide anion during the water disinfection process. He noted that, although chronic toxicity issues from water disinfection have been well recognized, they remain poorly defined in terms of the specific chemicals responsible.
Fairey’s research team has worked to pinpoint these compounds, revealing that chloronitramide anion, in particular, is a stable chemical with a low molecular weight, making it difficult to identify. Moreover, its stability and unassuming molecular structure made the identification process challenging.
"It's a very difficult chemical to find. The hardest part was identifying it and proving it was the structure we were saying it was," Fairey commented, highlighting the significant breakthrough in the recent study.
The newfound awareness of chloronitramide anion's presence in drinking water and its potential risks compels a deeper investigation into its health impacts. Fairey hinted that this chemical, due to its toxicity profile, could be linked to cancer risks observed in populations over several decades though no direct causality has been established yet. "A certain number of people may get cancer from drinking water over several decades. But we haven't identified what chemicals are driving that toxicity," he explained.
In response to these findings, Fairey advises using household water filtration systems, such as Brita filters, to potentially reduce exposure to chloronitramide anion. However, the effectiveness of such filters on this new compound remains unconfirmed.
Additionally, the researcher warns against boiling water as a method to remove the chemical. He explains that boiling could actually increase its concentration. Unlike bacteria, chloronitramide anion cannot be eradicated by heat due to its chemical stability.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently deems water containing up to 4 milligrams per liter of chloramine safe for all household uses. However, given the discovery of chloronitramide anion, this may prompt the EPA to reevaluate these standards due to its potential health implications.
As the research progresses, Fairey and his team are focused on understanding how such compounds form and finding ways to control their formation. "Even if it is not toxic, finding it can help us understand the pathways for how other compounds are formed, including toxins. If we know how something is formed, we can potentially control it," Fairey stated.
This forward-looking approach aims not only to mitigate the risks associated with chloronitramide anion but also to enhance the overall safety and quality of drinking water. Consequently, moving forward, the research will continue to assess the toxicity of chloronitramide anion and its link to long-term health problems like cancer.
