Fate of quaternary ammonium compounds upon the UV/monochloramine process: Kinetics, transformation pathways and the formation of N-nitroso-N-methyl-N-alkylamines.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are widely detected in the aquatic environment due to their extensive use in a wide array of antibacterial products during the pandemic. In the current study, UV/monochloramine (UV/NHCl) was used to degrade three typical QACs, namely benzalkonium compounds (BACs), dialkyl dimethyl ammonium compounds (DADMACs), and alkyl trimethyl ammonium compounds (ATMACs). This process achieved high efficiency in removing BACs from water samples.