Applying polarity rapid assessment method and ultrafiltration to characterize NDMA precursors in wastewater effluents.

Certain nitrosamines in water are disinfection byproducts that are probable human carcinogens. Nitrosamines have diverse and complex precursors that include effluent organic matter, some anthropogenic chemicals, and natural (likely non-humic) substances. An easy and selective tool was first developed to characterize nitrosamine precursors in treated wastewaters, including different process effluents.

Identification of tobacco-specific nitrosamines as disinfection byproducts in chloraminated water.

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) exist in environmental waters; however, it is unknown whether TSNAs can be produced during water disinfection. Here we report on the investigation and evidence of TSNAs as a new class of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Using five common TSNAs, including (methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) as the targets, we first developed a solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method capable of rapidly determining these TSNAs at levels as low as 0.

Heavy metals in bottled natural spring water.

New regulations regarding the presence of contaminants in bottled water went into effect in California in January 2009. These requirements include testing, reporting, and notification to regulate the presence of heavy metals in bottled natural spring water sold in California. In the study described in this article, six sources of bottled natural spring water were purchased and analyzed for silver, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, thallium, vanadium, and zinc.