Chemical compound found in U.S. drinking water that could harm millions

The new compound was found in drinking water treated with the disinfectant chloramine

A group of international researchers has discovered a previously unknown chemical compound in U.S. drinking water — and it could be toxic.

The compound — known as chloronitramide anion — is found in water treated with inorganic chloramines, which more than one in five Americans, or around 113 million people, drink. Chloramine is a disinfectant used to treat drinking water and has been used by water utilities since the 1930s. Chloramine can kill germs in water pipes longer than chlorine, a disinfectant that has been in tap water used since 1908. Levels of up to four milligrams per liter are considered to be safe.

“It’s a very stable chemical with a low molecular weight,” Julian Fairey, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, said. “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.”

A young boy drinks a glass of water. Researchers have identified a previously unknown chemical compound in US drinking water that could affect millions of Americans (Getty Images/iStock)

Fairey was the first co-author on a paper published Thursday in the journal Science.

Researchers have known about chloronitramide anion for decades, but have been unable to identify it. Fairey worked for years to synthesize the compound in his lab: something that had never been done.

The compound was formed by the decay of inorganic chloramine disinfectants in drinking water. The question now, is whether it’s a risk to public health.

While, its toxicity is not currently known, scientists say its prevalence and similarity to other toxic compounds is concerning. Further study is needed to better understand how the compound affects humans.

“Protecting America’s drinking water is a top priority for EPA and the Biden-Harris Administration is fulfilling its commitment that all Americans have access to safe drinking water. The study advances understanding of the byproducts of chloramination, which is a disinfectant used in some drinking water treatment processes. Further investigation of this previously unidentified product of chloramine decomposition will be needed before EPA can determine if regulatory action is warranted,” the Environmental Protection Agency told The Independent in an emailed statement.

“The agency follows the process specified in Safe Drinking Water Act when evaluating whether to develop regulations for drinking water contaminants. These processes rely upon the best available peer reviewed science and data on contaminant health effects and occurrence in drinking water,” it said.

Julian Fairey, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas, sits in his lab. Fairey has been working on this research for years (University of Arkansas)

While Fairey notes that there is some toxicity created when drinking water is disinfected, scientists haven’t yet identified the chemicals that drive it. Scientists have linked drinking water to cancer-causing carcinogens. While studies have examined whether there’s a connection between cancer and fluoride levels in drinking water, the American Cancer Society says most have not found a strong link.

“Even if it is not toxic,” Fairey said of chloronitramide anion, “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.”