Differential toxicity of drinking water disinfected with combinations of ultraviolet radiation and chlorine

Role of iron homeostasis in the mutagenicity of disinfection by-products in mammalian cells

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) generated from water treatment have serious adverse effects on human health and natural ecosystems. However, research on the mutagenicity of DBPs with different chemical structures is still limited. In the present study, we compared the mutagenicity of 8 typical DBPs in human-hamster hybrid (AL) cells and clarified the mechanisms involved. Our data displayed that the rank order for mutagenicity was as follows: iodoacetamide (IAcAm) > iodoacetonitrile (IAN) > iodoacetic acid (IAA) > bromoacetamide (BAcAm) ≈ bromoacetonitrile (BAN) > bromoacetic acid (BAA), which was confirmed by DNA double strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage. In contrast, bromoform (TBM) and iodoform (TIM) had minimal mutagenicity. The mutation spectrum analysis further revealed that IAN, IAcAm, and IAA could induce multilocus deletions in mammalian cells. Interestingly, nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs) and IAA were found to cause varying degrees of iron overload and lipid peroxidation, which was mediated by the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Moreover, the presence of deferoxamine (DFO), an iron ion inhibitor, effectively reduced γ-H2AX and 8-OHdG induced by N-DBPs and IAA. These results indicated that the variations in genotoxicity among DBPs with different structures were associated with their ability to disrupt iron homeostasis. This study provided new insights into the mechanisms underlying the structure-dependent toxicity of DBPs and established a foundation for a more comprehensive understanding and intervention of the health risks associated with DBPs.

UV-chlorine advanced oxidation for potable water reuse: A review of the current state of the art and research needs

This paper reports conclusions from a recent study completed for the Water Research Foundation and the State of California to offer guidance on UV-chlorine advanced oxidation for potable water reuse. The fundamentals of UV-chlorine advanced oxidation are discussed, and lessons learned from some of the early adopters of this technology are presented. Important highlights include the significant impact of ammonia and chloramines on UV-chlorine treatment, challenges associated with predicting UV-chlorine performance due to complex photochemistry, and an ongoing need to monitor potential byproducts and transformation products when employing any form of advanced oxidation for potable reuse.

Overlooked Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity to Mammalian Cells Caused by the Oxidant Peroxymonosulfate during Wastewater Treatment Compared with the Sulfate Radical-Based Ultraviolet/Peroxymonosulfate Process

Byproduct formation (chlorate, bromate, organic halogen, etc.) during sulfate radical (SO₄^•-)-based processes like ultraviolet/peroxymonosulfate (UV/PMS) has aroused widespread concern. However, hypohalous acid (HOCl and HOBr) can form via two-electron transfer directly from PMS, thus leading to the formation of organic halogenated byproducts as well. This study found both PMS alone and UV/PMS can increase the toxicity to mammalian cells of wastewater, while the UV/H₂O₂ decreased the toxicity. Cytotoxicity of two wastewater samples increased from 5.6-8.3 to 15.7-29.9 mg-phenol/L, and genotoxicity increased from 2.8-3.1 to 5.8-12.8 μg 4-NQO/L after PMS treatment because of organic halogen formation. Organic halogen formation from bromide rather than chloride was found to dominate the toxicity increase. The SO₄^•--based process UV/PMS led to the formation of both organic halogen and inorganic bromate and chlorate. However, because of the very low concentration (<20 μg/L) and relatively low toxicity of bromate and chlorate, contributions of inorganic byproducts to toxicity increase were negligible. PMS would not form chlorate and bromate, but it generated a higher concentration of total organic halogen, thus leading to a more toxic treated wastewater than UV/PMS. UV/PMS formed less organic halogen and toxicity because of the destruction of byproducts by UV irradiation and the removal of byproduct precursors. Currently, many studies focused on the byproducts bromate and chlorate during SO₄^•--based oxidation processes. This work revealed that the oxidant PMS even needs more attention because it caused higher toxicity due to more organic halogen formation.

Multiple Roles of Dissolved Organic Matter in Advanced Oxidation Processes

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) can degrade a wide range of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) to improve the quality of potable water or discharged wastewater effluents. Their effectiveness is impacted, however, by the dissolved organic matter (DOM) that is ubiquitous in all water sources. During the application of an AOP, DOM can scavenge radicals and/or block light penetration, therefore impacting their effectiveness toward contaminant transformation. The multiple ways in which different types or sources of DOM can impact oxidative water purification processes are critically reviewed. DOM can inhibit the degradation of TrOCs, but it can also enhance the formation and reactivity of useful radicals for contaminants elimination and alter the transformation pathways of contaminants. An in-depth analysis highlights the inhibitory effect of DOM on the degradation efficiency of TrOCs based on DOM's structure and optical properties and its reactivity toward oxidants as well as the synergistic contribution of DOM to the transformation of TrOCs from the analysis of DOM's redox properties and DOM's transient intermediates. AOPs can alter DOM structure properties as well as and influence types, mechanisms, and extent of oxidation byproducts formation. Research needs are proposed to advance practical understanding of how DOM can be exploited to improve oxidative water purification.

Relationships between regulated DBPs and emerging DBPs of health concern in U.S. drinking water

A survey was conducted at eight U.S. drinking water plants, that spanned a wide range of water qualities and treatment/disinfection practices. Plants that treated heavily-wastewater-impacted source waters had lower trihalomethane to dihaloacetonitrile ratios due to the presence of more organic nitrogen and HAN precursors. As the bromide to total organic carbon ratio increased, there was more bromine incorporation into DBPs. This has been shown in other studies for THMs and selected emerging DBPs (HANs), whereas this study examined bromine incorporation for a wider group of emerging DBPs (haloacetaldehydes, halonitromethanes). Moreover, bromine incorporation into the emerging DBPs was, in general, similar to that of the THMs. Epidemiology studies that show an association between adverse health effects and brominated THMs may be due to the formation of brominated emerging DBPs of heath concern. Plants with higher free chlorine contact times before ammonia addition to form chloramines had less iodinated DBP formation in chloraminated distribution systems, where there was more oxidation of the iodide to iodate (a sink for the iodide) by the chlorine. This has been shown in many bench-scale studies (primarily for iodinated THMs), but seldom in full-scale studies (where this study also showed the impact on total organic iodine. Collectively, the THMs, haloacetic acids, and emerging DBPs accounted for a significant portion of the TOCl, TOBr, and TOI; however, ∼50% of the TOCl and TOBr is still unknown. The correlation of the sum of detected DBPs with the TOCl and TOBr suggests that they can be used as reliable surrogates.

Disinfection Byproduct Recovery during Extraction and Concentration in Preparation for Chemical Analyses or Toxicity Assays

Over 700 disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have been identified, but they account for only ∼30% of total organic halogen (TOX). Extracting disinfected water is necessary to assess the overall toxicity of both known and unknown DBPs. Commonly used DBP extraction methods include liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE), which may use either XAD resins or other polymeric sorbents. With few exceptions, DBP recoveries have not been quantified. We compared recoveries by LLE, XAD resins, and a mixture of Phenomenex Sepra SPE sorbents (hereafter SPE) for (semi-)volatile DBPs and nonvolatile model compounds at the 1-L scale. We scaled up the three methods to extract DBPs in 10 L of chlorinated creek waters. For (semi-)volatile DBPs, XAD resulted in lower recoveries than LLE and SPE at both 1- and 10-L scales. At the 10-L scale, recovery of certain trihalomethanes and trihalogenated haloacetic acids by XAD was negligible, while recovery of other (semi-)volatile DBPs extracted by XAD (<30%) was lower than by SPE or LLE (30-60%). TOX recovery at the 10-L scale was generally similar by the three extraction methods. The low TOX recovery (<30%) indicates that the toxicity assessed by bioassays predominantly reflects the contribution of the nonvolatile, hydrophobic fraction of DBPs.

Unravelling molecular transformation of dissolved effluent organic matter in UV/H2O2, UV/persulfate, and UV/chlorine processes based on FT-ICR-MS analysis

Ultraviolet-based advanced oxidation processes (UV-AOPs) are very promising in advanced treatment of municipal secondary effluents. However, the transformation of dissolved effluent organic matter (dEfOM) in advanced treatment of real wastewater, particularly at molecular level, remains unclear. In this study, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) coupled with multiple statistical analysis were performed to better understand the transformation of dEfOM in UV/H₂O₂, UV/persulfate (UV/PS), and UV/chlorine treatments. An obvious increase in oxygen content of dEfOM was observed after every UV-AOPs treatment, and the detailed oxygenation processes were further uncovered by mass difference analysis based on 24 types of typical reactions. Generally, UV/H₂O₂ process was subjected to the most oxygenation reactions with the typical tri-hydroxylation one (+3O), whereas di-hydroxylation reaction (+H₂O₂) was dominant in UV/PS and UV/chlorine processes. Additionally, the three UV-AOPs shared the majority of precursors, and more proportions of unique products were identified for each process. The precursors with lower H/C and higher aromaticity were readily degraded by UV/chlorine over UV/H₂O₂ and UV/PS, with the products featuring lower molecular weight. Moreover, dEfOM of high aromaticity tended to produce chlorinated byproducts through addition reactions in chlorination and UV/chlorine processes. Among these UV-AOPs, the highest reduction of both acute toxicity and specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA₂₅₄) was observed for UV/chlorine, implying the potential for UV/chlorine process in advanced treatment of wastewater. In addition, acute toxicity was highly correlated with SUVA₂₅₄ and CHOS compounds. This study is believed to help better understand the different fates of dEfOM in real wastewater during UV-AOPs treatment.

Iodinated trihalomethanes formation in iopamidol-contained water during ferrate/chlor(am)ination treatment

Iopamidol is a commonly used iodinated X-ray contrast media in medical field, and its residue in water can react with disinfectants to form highly toxic iodinated disinfection by-products (I-DBPs). This study investigated the degradation of iopamidol and formation of DBPs, especially iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs), during ferrate (Fe(VI)) pre-oxidation and subsequent chlor(am)ination under raw water background. It was found that iopamidol degradation efficiency in raw water by Fe(VI) at pH 9 could reach about 80%, which was much higher than that at pH 5 and pH 7 (both about 25%). With Fe(VI) dose increasing, iopamidol removal efficiency increased obviously. During the iopamidol degradation by Fe(VI), IO₃^- was the dominant product among all the iodine species. After pre-treated by Fe(VI), yields of THM4 and I-THMs can be reduced in subsequent chlor(am)ination. Besides, pH was a crucial factor for Fe(VI) pre-oxidition controlling DBPs. With the pH increasing from 5 to 9, the yield of THM4 kept increasing in subsequent chlorination but showed the highest amount at pH 6 in subsequent chloramination. The yield of I-THMs increased first and then decreased with the increase of pH in both subsequent chlorination and chloramination. I-THM concentrations in chlorinated samples were lower than chloraminated ones under acidic conditions but became higher under neutral and alkaline conditions. The total CTI of THMs during Fe(VI)-chloramination was higher than that during Fe(VI)-chlorination under neutral condition, but sharply decreased under alkaline conditions. In summary, Fe(VI)-chloramination subsequent treatment under alkaline conditions should be an effective method for iopamidol removal and DBP control.

Reactivity of Chlorine Radicals (Cl• and Cl2•-) with Dissolved Organic Matter and the Formation of Chlorinated Byproducts

Chlorine radicals, including Cl^• and Cl₂^•-, can be produced in sunlight waters (rivers, oceans, and lakes) or water treatment processes (e.g., electrochemical and advanced oxidation processes). Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a major reactant with, or a scavenger of, Cl^• and Cl₂^•- in water, but limited quantitative information exists regarding the influence of DOM structure on its reactivity with Cl^• and Cl₂^•-. This study aimed at quantifying the reaction rates and the formation of chlorinated organic byproducts produced from Cl^• and Cl₂^•- reactions with DOM. Laser flash photolysis experiments were conducted to quantify the second-order reaction rate constants of 19 DOM isolates with Cl^• (k_DOM-Cl•) and Cl₂^•- (k_DOM-Cl2•-), and compare those with the hydroxyl radical rate constants (k_DOM-•OH). The values for k_DOM-Cl• ((3.71 ± 0.34) × 10⁸ to (1.52 ± 1.56) × 10⁹ M_C^-1 s^-1) were orders of magnitude greater than the k_DOM-Cl2•- values ((4.60 ± 0.90) × 10⁶ to (3.57 ± 0.53) × 10⁷ M_C^-1 s^-1). k_DOM-Cl• negatively correlated with the weight-averaged molecular weight (M_W) due to the diffusion-controlled reactions. DOM with high aromaticity and total antioxidant capacity tended to react faster with Cl₂^•-. During the same experiments, we also monitored the formation of chlorinated byproducts through the evolution of total organic chlorine (TOCl) as a function of chlorine radical oxidant exposure (CT value). Maximum TOCl occurred at a CT of 4-8 × 10^-12 M·s for Cl^• and 1.1-2.2 × 10^-10 M·s for Cl₂^•-. These results signify the importance of DOM in scavenging chlorine radicals and the potential risks of producing chlorinated byproducts of unknown toxicity.

DBP formation and toxicity alteration during UV/chlorine treatment of wastewater and the effects of ammonia and bromide

The UV/chlorine process is efficient for the abatement of micropollutants; yet, the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) and the toxicity can be altered during the treatment. This study investigated effluent organic matter characterization, DBP formation and toxicity alteration after the UV/chlorine treatment of wastewater; particularly, typical water matrix components in wastewater, namely, ammonia and bromide, were studied. The raw wastewater contained low levels of ammonia (3 µM) and bromide (0.5 µM). The UV/chlorine treatment efficiently eliminated 90 - 94% of fluorescent components. Compared with chlorination alone, a 20 min UV/chlorine treatment increased the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), chloral hydrate (CH), haloacetonitriles (HANs), trichloronitromethane (TCNM) and haloacetamides (HAcAms) by 90 - 508%. In post-chlorination after the UV/chlorine treatment, the formation of CH, HANs, TCNM and HAcAms increased by 77 - 274%, whereas the formation of both THMs and HAAs increased slightly by 11%. Meanwhile, the calculated cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of DBPs increased considerably after the UV/chlorine treatment and in post-chlorination, primarily due to the increased formation of HAAs and nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs). However, the acute toxicity of the wastewater to Vibrio fischeri and genotoxicity determined by the umu test decreased by 19% and 76%, respectively, after the 20 min UV/chlorine treatment. An additional 200 µM ammonia decreased the formation of all detected DBPs during the UV/chlorine treatment and 24 h post-chlorination, except that TCNM formation increased by 11% during post-chlorination. The acute toxicity of wastewater spiked with 200 µM ammonia was 32% lower than that of raw wastewater after the UV/chlorine treatment, but the genotoxicity was 58% higher. The addition of 1 mg/L bromide to the UV/chlorine process dramatically increased the formation of brominated DBPs and the overall calculated cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of DBPs. However, the acute toxicity and genotoxicity of the wastewater decreased by 7% and 100%, respectively, when bromide was added to the UV/chlorine treatment. This study illuminated that UV/chlorine treatment can decrease acute and geno- toxicities of wastewater efficiently.

Toxicity variability of urban road stormwater during storage processes in Shenzhen, China: Identification of primary toxicity contributors and implications for reuse safety

Urban road stormwater reuse is one of the most important ways to mitigate water resource shortage. Generally, stormwater is stored prior to reuse or further treatment. This study explored the stormwater toxicity variability during two types of storages, closed and open storages using Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), which are mammalian cells. The toxicity test by CHO cells can indirectly represent the risk related to human health. Both rainfall (without reaching ground surfaces) and urban road stormwater were collected to undertake laboratory-scaled storage experiments and basic water quality parameters (pH and dissolved oxygen), microorganisms (E.coli and total bacteria), total organic carbon and heavy metals (copper, Cu, zinc, Zn, nickel, Ni, chromium, Cr, cadmium, Cd and lead, Pb) were also investigated during storage processes. The outcomes showed that rainfall has a better water quality with lower toxicity than urban road stormwater (EC₅₀ values of rainfall were generally twice higher than road stormwater). Additionally, it is found that storing road stormwater for a certain period would reduce the toxicity and hence improve their reuse safety (EC₅₀ values in Day 1 were 10.30 mL and 8.46 mL for closed and open storage respectively while they were 14.3 mL and 13.0 mL in Day 7). Organic matters and Cu are important contributors of toxicity during both closed and open storages while bacteria is also essential in toxicity contribution in open storage. The research results implied that storing stormwater for a certain period has a benefit for reuse safety. This is related to cost-effectiveness in terms of treatment system design to avoid over engineering. Additionally, it is suggested that for reducing toxicity, the stormwater treatment designed before/after storage devices should focus on removal of organic matters and heavy metals (specially Cu) as well as restraining bacteria growth.

Haloacetonitriles and haloacetamides precursors in filter backwash and sedimentation sludge water during drinking water treatment

Haloacetonitriles (HANs) and haloacetamides (HAMs) are nitrogenous disinfection byproducts that are present in filter backwash water (FBW) and sedimentation sludge water (SSW). In many cases FBW and SSW are recycled to the head of drinking water treatment plants. HAN and HAM concentrations in FBW and SSW, without additional oxidants, ranged from 6.8 to 11.6 nM and 2.9 to 3.6 nM of three HANs and four HAMs, respectively. Upon oxidant addition to FBW and SSW under formation potential conditions, concentrations for six HANs and six HAMs ranged from 92.2 to 190.4 nM and 42.2 to 95.5 nM, respectively. Therefore, at common FBW and SSW recycle rates (2 to 10% of treated water flows), the precursor levels in these recycle waters should not be ignored because they are comparable to levels present in finished water. Brominated HAN and chlorinated HAM were the dominant species in FBW and SSW, respectively. The lowest molecular weight ultrafiltration fraction (< 3 kDa) contributed the most to HAN and HAM formations. The hydrophilic (HPI) organic fraction contributed the greatest to HAN precursors in sand-FBW and SSW and were the most reactive HAM precursors in both sand- or carbon-FBWs. Fluorescence revealed that aromatic protein-like compounds were dominant HAN and HAM precursors. Therefore, strategies that remove low molecular weight hydrophilic organic matter and aromatic protein-like compounds will minimize HAN and HAM formations in recycled FBW and SSW.

Removal of micropollutants in drinking water using UV-LED/chlorine advanced oxidation process followed by activated carbon adsorption

This study investigated the removal of three selected micropollutants (i.e., bisphenol A, diclofenac and caffeine) in drinking water using the UV-LED/chlorine advanced oxidation process (AOP) followed by activated carbon adsorption. The degradation of bisphenol A, diclofenac and caffeine was predominantly contributed by chlorination (>60%), direct UV photolysis (>80%) and radical oxidation (>90%), respectively, during the treatment by the UV-LED/chlorine AOP at three tested UV wavelengths (i.e., 265, 285 and 300 nm). The most effective UV wavelengths for the degradation of bisphenol A, diclofenac and caffeine were 265, 285 and 300 nm, respectively. The degradation of all the three micropollutants was enhanced with increasing pH from 6 to 8, though the reasons for the pH dependence were different. The residues of the micropollutants and their degradation (by)products were removed by post-adsorption using granular activated carbon (GAC). Interestingly and more importantly, the adsorption rates of the degradation (by)products were 2-3 times higher than the adsorption rates of the corresponding micropollutants, indicating the formation of more adsorbable (by)products after the AOP pre-treatment. The UV-LED/chlorine AOP followed by GAC adsorption provides a multi-barrier treatment system for enhancing micropollutant removal in potable water. The findings also suggest the merit of the sequential use of UV-LEDs followed by GAC in treating chlorine-containing potable water in small-scale water treatment systems (e.g., point-of-use or point-of-entry water purifiers).

Surficial N+ charge density indicating antibacterial capacity of quaternary ammonium resins in water environment

The antibacterial effects of quaternary ammonium resins (QARs) have been reported for decades, but there are few practical applications because of limited improvements in bactericidal capacity and the absence of an efficient antibacterial-indicating parameter. An in-situ determination method of surficial N⁺ groups for QARs, defined as surficial N⁺ charge density, was first established to merely quantify the exposed surficial quaternary ammonium groups (QAs). The mechanism of the new method depends on the tetraphenylboron sodium standard solution (TS), which is a colloidal solution with high steric hindrance, making it difficult to permeate into QARs and further react with the inner QAs. The results showed that the antibacterial efficacy of QARs correlates with the surficial N⁺ charge density with R² > 0.95 (R² of 0.97 for Escherichia coli, R² of 0.96 for Staphylococcus aureus) but not with the strong-base group exchange capacity or zeta potential. Furthermore, the surficial N⁺ charge density was demonstrated efficient to indicate the antibacterial capacities against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria for commercial QARs, including acrylic, styrene and pyridine resin skeletons, especially for the QARs with similar skeletons and similar QAs. Based on the finding that the bactericidal groups merely involve the surficial QAs of QARs, this study proposes a new direction for improving the antibacterial capacity by enriching the surficial QAs and enhancing the bactericidal property of these surficial QAs, and provides a practicable synthesis with two-step quaternization.

UV Photolysis of Mono- and Dichloramine Using UV-LEDs as Radiation Sources: Photodecay Rates and Radical Concentrations

UV-LEDs with four characteristic wavelengths (255, 265, 285, and 300 nm) were used to investigate the wavelength-dependence of the photolysis of two inorganic chloramines (NH₂Cl and NHCl₂) and their subsequent radical formation. The fluence-based photodecay rates of NH₂Cl decreased with increasing wavelength from 255 to 300 nm, while NHCl₂ photodecay rates exhibited the opposite wavelength-dependence. The fluence-based photodecay rate of NH₂Cl was comparable to that of NHCl₂ at 255 nm, but was lower than NHCl₂ at other tested wavelengths. The wavelength-dependence was more influenced by the molar absorption coefficient than the apparent/innate quantum yield and the lower photosensitivity was mainly attributed to the higher bond (N-Cl) dissociation energy (BDE) of NH₂Cl than NHCl₂. The steady-state concentrations of HO^• and reactive chlorine species (e.g., Cl₂^•-, ClO^•, and Cl^•) that were generated from the photolysis of NH₂Cl and NHCl₂ at different wavelengths were determined experimentally and compared with the simulated results by a kinetic model. UV photolysis of NHCl₂ at 265, 285, and 300 nm generated higher concentrations of radicals (e.g., HO^•, ClO^•, Cl^•, and Cl₂^-•) than NH₂Cl, while UV photolysis of NH₂Cl at 255 nm generated higher concentrations of HO^•, ClO^•, and Cl^• but not Cl₂^-• than NHCl₂. The findings of this study provide fundamental information to be used in selecting specific wavelengths of UV radiation for enhancing/optimizing NH₂Cl/NHCl₂ photodecay in swimming pools and radical generation for micropollutant abatement in drinking water treatment or potable water reuse.

Chloramination of iodide-containing waters: Formation of iodinated disinfection byproducts and toxicity correlation with total organic halides of treated waters

The formation of iodinated disinfection byproducts (I-DBPs) in drinking waters is of a concern due to their higher cyto- and genotoxicity than their chlorinated and brominated analogues. This study investigated the formation of I-DBPs under chloramination conditions using preformed chloramine and associated cyto- and geno-toxicities obtained with Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell assay. Cyto- and geno-toxicity of the samples were also calculated using DBP toxicity index values and correlated with total organic halide (TOX) formation. In low iodide (I^-) (0.32 μM, 40 μg L^-1) water, increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of selected waters from 0.1 to 0.25 mg L^-1 increased the formation of iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs), while further increases from 0.25 to 4 mg L^-1 produced an opposite trend. In high iodide water (3.2 μM, 400 μg L^-1), increasing DOC from 0.5 to 4 mg L^-1 gradually increased the I-THM formation, while a decrease was observed at 5.4 mg L^-1 DOC. Iodoform was the most influenced species from the changes in DOC concentration. While increasing the initial iodide concentration from 0 to 5 μM increased the formation of iodoform, it did not make any considerable impact on the formation of other I-THMs. The measured cytotoxicity of samples was significantly correlated with increasing DOC concentration. Unknown TOCl and TOI showed a high correlation with measured cytotoxicity, while calculated total organic chlorine (TOCl) and total organic iodine (TOI) did not correlate. The comparison of measured and calculated cytotoxicity values showed that the calculated values do not always represent the overall cytotoxicity, since the formation of unknown DBPs are not taken into consideration during the toxicity calculations.

Conversion of chlorine/nitrogen species and formation of nitrogenous disinfection by-products in the pre-chlorination/post-UV treatment of sulfamethoxazole

Pre-chlorination and UV disinfection are two common processes in drinking water treatment plants. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antibiotic widely detected in source water, was selected as a precursor to study the conversion of chlorine/nitrogen species and DBP formation in pre-chlorination/post-UV process. The combined chlorine (mainly organic chloramines) produced in pre-chlorination of SMX can self-degrade and release free chlorine back again as pre-chlorination time goes on. With free chlorine dose increasing, the self-degradation rate of combined chlorine increased obviously. But the combined chlorine stopped self-degrading and remained stable around 1 mg-Cl₂/L after adding 0.30 mM chlorine for 30 min. Post-UV treatment after pre-chlorination can enhance the degradation and achieve a complete removal of combined chlorine (including organic chloramines). Deamination occurred during pre-chlorination/post-UV process and deamination amount (-NH₂) per SMX concentration was 0.19 M/M. Radicals in this process had no obvious influence on chlorine/nitrogen species conversion. Direct chlorination of SMX had the lowest DBP formation potentials while the application of pre-chlorination and UV enhanced them. Compared with UV treatment only, dichloroacetonitrile formation potential of SMX reduced by 1.58 × 10^-3 mol/mol-SMX (17.37 μg/l) after pre-chlorination/post-UV treatment. During pre-chlorination/post-UV/final-chlorination treatment of SMX, Br^- and natural organic matter can enhance DBP formation and toxicity-weighted values. Acid conditions showed a very high DBP risk, while alkaline conditions could cut this risk obviously, especially for the toxicity-weighted values of these DBPs.

Toxicological Comparison of Water, Wastewaters, and Processed Wastewaters

Drinking water utilities will increasingly rely on alternative water sources in the future, including wastewater reuse. Safety must be assured in the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and supporting treatments for wastewater effluent reuse. This study developed toxicological profiles for source and tap waters, wastewaters, and treated effluents by different processes from four military installation locations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of extracted organics from diverse source waters and after reuse treatments. The toxicity analyses included thiol reactivity, mammalian cell cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity. Differences in toxicity between source or tap waters and effluents from wastewater treatment processes supported AOP treatment to reduce risks of potable reuse. An anoxic and aerobic activated sludge process followed by sand filtration controlled toxicity to levels similar to a municipal drinking water. An anaerobic membrane bioreactor process exceeded the toxicity levels of a typical drinking water. Two AOP processes (ultraviolet (UV) + reverse osmosis (RO) + chlorination (NaOCl) or RO + UV-H₂O₂ + NaOCl) significantly reduced toxicity. The integration of the wastewater systems with ultrafiltration, AOP, and RO was effective to reduce the toxicity to levels comparable to, or better than, tap water samples.

Environmental risk appraisement of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in plant model system: Allium cepa

The organic toxicants formed in chlorinated water cause potential harm to human beings, and it is extensively concentrated all over the world. Various disinfection by-products (DBPs) occur in chlorinated water are genotoxic and carcinogenic. The toxicity is major concern for chlorinated DBPs which has been present more in potable water. The purpose of the work was to evaluate genotoxic properties of DBPs in Allium cepa as a plant model system. The chromosomal aberration and DNA laddering assays were performed to examine the genotoxic effect of trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), trichloromethane (TCM), and tribromomethane (TBM) in a plant system with distinct concentrations, using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) as positive control and tap water as negative control. In Allium cepa root growth inhibition test, the inhibition was concentration dependent, and EC₅₀ values for trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), trichloromethane (TCM), and tribromomethane (TBM) were 100 mg/L, 160 mg/L, and 120 mg/L respectively. In the chromosome aberration assay, root tip cells were investigated after 120 h exposure. The bridge formation, sticky chromosomes, vagrant chromosomes, fragmented chromosome, c-anaphase, and multipolarity chromosomal aberrations were seen in anaphase-telophase cells. It was noticed that with enhanced concentrations of DBPs, the total chromosomal aberrations were more frequent. The DNA damage was analyzed in roots of Allium cepa exposed with DBPs (TCAA, TCM, TBM) by DNA laddering. The biochemical assays such as lipid peroxidation, H₂O₂ content, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and catalase were concentration dependent. The DNA interaction studies were performed to examine binding mode of TCAA, TCM, and TBM with DNAs. The DNA interaction was evaluated by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric studies which revealed that TCAA, TCM, and TBM might interact with Calf thymus DNA (CT- DNA) by non-traditional intercalation manner.

Genotoxicity assay and potential byproduct identification during different UV-based water treatment processes

Formation of genotoxic byproducts during different ultraviolet (UV) -related water/wastewater treatment processes (including medium pressure (MP) UV oxidation, LP UV oxidation, chlorination, biological activated carbon (BAC) treatment, H₂O₂ oxidation, and two or more combined processes) was investigated by Ames fluctuation test using Salmonella strains TA98 and TA100 with and without rat liver enzyme extract S9. Byproducts responsible for genotoxicity were identified. The results showed that MP UV can induce mutagenicity and LP UV treatment does not induce mutagenicity. H₂O₂ oxidation could degrade part of genotoxic compounds. Compared with chlorination, BAC treatment is more effective in removing genotoxicity. Mutagenicity was found mostly in samples tested with TA100 instead of TA98, especially with TA100 without S9, indicating that guanosine and/or cytosine adducts contribute to mutation or toxicological effects in MP UV treated samples. Potential genotoxic byproducts were selected, most of which were nitrogenous organic compounds with more than 10 carbon atoms. Nitrosamines and histidine were excluded from potential genotoxic candidates. The results could contribute to evaluation of mutagenicity of various UV-based water treatment processes.

The combined toxicity of UV/chlorinated products from binary ibuprofen (IBP) and tyrosine (Tyr) on Escherichia coli: Emphasis on their occurrence and underlying mechanism

In this study, the combined toxicity of UV/chlorinated products on Escherichia coli (E. coli) was investigated when ibuprofen (IBP) and tyrosine (Tyr) were used as two precursors. The median-effect equation and combined index (CI)-isobologram equation were used to evaluate the combined toxicity of UV/chlorinated products. Results revealed that the UV/chlorinated products originated from binary Tyr and IBP showed a synergism in toxicity on Escherichia coli at low concentration level while it turned into a clear antagonism effect above a f_a value of 0.2 in the toxicity trial. The combined toxic effects on E. coli were determined by both the potential toxicity mode of specific disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and the complicated interaction caused by Tyr and IBP. The addition of IBP decreased the yield of N-DBPs generated from Tyr, which dominated the effect of combined toxicity. Even though the antagonism predominated in toxicity effect on E. coli, the synergistic toxicity at low dose levels should be getting attention, which was more close to the natural concentration of N-DBPs in waters.

The Biological Basis for Ballast Water Performance Standards: "Viable/Non-Viable" or "Live/Dead"?

The shipping industry is critical to international commerce; however, contemporary shipping practices involve uptake and discharge of ballast water, which introduces the potential for transfer of nonindigenous, invasive species among geographically distinct habitats. To counteract this hazard, regulations for ballast water management have been implemented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and by regulatory agencies such as the United States Coast Guard (USCG). IMO and USCG discharge standards are numerically identical, but involve different definitions of treatment end points, which are based on fundamentally different biological assays for quantification of ballast water treatment effectiveness. Available assays for quantification of the responses of organisms in the 10-50 μm size range include vital stains based on fluorescein diacetate (FDA), sometimes used in combination with 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate (CMFDA), observations of motility, and the most probable number dilution culture method (MPN). The mechanisms and implications of these assays are discussed relative to the Type Approval process, which quantitatively evaluates compliance with ballast water discharge standards (BWDSs) under controlled shipboard and land-based tests. For antimicrobial processes that accomplish treatment by preventing subsequent replication of the target species, the FDA/CMFDA and MPN methods can yield dramatically different results. An important example of a treatment process that is affected by the choice of assay is ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Results of laboratory and field experiments have demonstrated UV-based technologies to be effective for accomplishing the objectives of ballast water treatment (inactivation of cellular reproduction), when the MPN assay is used as the basis for evaluation. The FDA, CMFDA, motility, and MPN methods are subject to well recognized sources of error; however, the MPN method is based on a response that is consistent with the objectives of ballast water management as well as the mechanism of action of UV-based inactivation. Complementary assays are available for use in compliance testing; however, the development of relevant indicative tests remains as a research priority. Historical lessons learned from applications of vital stains (and other indirect methods) for quantification of microbial responses to UV irradiation in other settings also support the use of assays that provide a direct measure of growth and reproduction, such as MPN. Collectively, these observations point to the use of MPN assays as the standard for type testing, especially when UV-based treatment is employed.

Thiol Reactivity Analyses To Predict Mammalian Cell Cytotoxicity of Water Samples

An in chemico high throughput assay based on N-acetylcysteine was developed and used in conjunction with previous and new mammalian cell cytotoxicity data. Our objective was to derive an empirical equation with confidence levels for mammalian cell cytotoxicity prediction. Modeling data included 16 unique sources of waters and wastewaters of distinct water qualities to encompass a wide range of real environmental samples. This approach provides a quick screen to identify those water and wastewaters that could be prioritized for in depth analytical biological analyses and toxicity. The resulting model can serve as a preliminary convenient tool to screen for potential mammalian cell cytotoxicity in organic extracts of a wide variety of water samples.

Mass Spectrometry-Inspired Degradation of Disinfection By-Product, 2,6-Dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone, in Drinking Water by Heating

2,6-Dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (DCBQ), a highly toxic and carcinogenic disinfection by-product, was degraded during the electrospray process by elevating the source temperature. This unexpected finding inspired us to use heating to degrade DCBQs in drinking water. The results show that about 99% of DCBQs in the drinking water were degraded in one minute by heating to 100°C with room light irradiation. Therefore, a conclusion can be drawn that heating enables the degradation of DCBQs in drinking water.

Degradation of lipid regulators by the UV/chlorine process: Radical mechanisms, chlorine oxide radical (ClO•)-mediated transformation pathways and toxicity changes

Degradation of three lipid regulators, i.e., gemfibrozil, bezafibrate and clofibric acid, by a UV/chlorine treatment was systematically investigated. The chlorine oxide radical (ClO^•) played an important role in the degradation of gemfibrozil and bezafibrate with second-order rate constants of 4.2 (±0.3) × 10⁸ M^-1 s^-1 and 3.6 (±0.1) × 10⁷ M^-1 s^-1, respectively, whereas UV photolysis and the hydroxyl radical (HO^•) mainly contributed to the degradation of clofibric acid. The first-order rate constants (k') for the degradation of gemfibrozil and bezafibrate increased linearly with increasing chlorine dosage, primarily due to the linear increase in the ClO^• concentration. The k' values for gemfibrozil, bezafibrate, and clofibric acid degradation decreased with increasing pH from 5.0 to 8.4; however, the contribution of the reactive chlorine species (RCS) increased. Degradation of gemfibrozil and bezafibrate was enhanced in the presence of Br^-, whereas it was inhibited in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). The presence of ammonia at a chlorine: ammonia molar ratio of 1:1 resulted in decreases in the k' values for gemfibrozil and bezafibrate of 69.7% and 7%, respectively, but led to an increase in that for clofibric acid of 61.8%. Degradation of gemfibrozil by ClO^• was initiated by hydroxylation and chlorine substitution on the benzene ring. Then, subsequent hydroxylation, bond cleavage and chlorination reactions led to the formation of more stable products. Three chlorinated intermediates were identified during ClO^• oxidation process. Formation of the chlorinated disinfection by-products chloral hydrate and 1,1,1-trichloropropanone was enhanced relative to that of other by-products. The acute toxicity of gemfibrozil to Vibrio fischeri increased significantly when subjected to direct UV photolysis, whereas it decreased when oxidized by ClO^•. This study is the first to report the transformation pathway of a micropollutant by ClO^•.

Impact of Suspended Solids on the Use of LuminoTox to Detect Toxicity of Micropollutants

There is an increasing need for tools to monitor toxicity of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in wastewater. The purpose of this work was to assess interferences in the presence of total solids (TS) and total suspended solids (TSS) in the LuminoTox at concentrations typical of those found in municipal secondary effluent (SE) and to evaluate a simple sample enrichment method for increased CEC sensitivity. 4 or 10 µg/L atrazine in different TS concentrations and in corresponding filtrates (TSS removed) exhibited equivalent toxicities. Because the only difference between these two fractions is the TSS, this result demonstrates that, generally, this fraction does not induce toxicity nor interfere with the bioassay. At constant medium-low TS, the LuminoTox was able to detect the presence of 4 µg/L of atrazine but could not distinguish the change in atrazine concentration between 4 and 6 µg/L. No inhibition was observed in the presence of a mix of 14 CECs each at 0.23 µg/L. However, upon sample enrichment by lyophilization (50×), an inhibition of 81 ± 3% was observed. The enriched SE alone (not spiked with CECs) led to an inhibition of 49 ± 1%, indicating the detection of the CEC contribution to toxicity after sample preconcentration. The LuminoTox is a promising tool for monitoring SE; however, if the intent is to detect CECs, enrichment method optimization is required.

A comparison of genotoxicity change in reclaimed wastewater from different disinfection processes

Effluents before disinfection from four wastewater reclamation plants were treated with chlorine (Cl₂), ozone (O₃), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), medium-pressure ultraviolet (MPUV) and four different combinations of the above, to evaluate the effect of disinfection processes on the genotoxicity removal by the SOS/umu test. Results showed that the genotoxicity increased after MPUV irradiation (10-100 mJ/cm²), but declined when adopting other disinfection processes. The effectiveness of genotoxicity reduction by five chemical disinfectants was identified as: O₃ > pre-ozonation with Cl₂ ≈ ClO₂ > combination of ClO₂ and Cl₂ > Cl₂. The sequential combination of MPUV, Cl₂ and O₃ reduced the genotoxicity to a level similar to the source water. The influence of differential disinfection process varied on iodinated wastewater, which is closely related to the competitive reactions between disinfectants, iodine and dissolved organic matters. The removal of genotoxic pollutants and the formation of genotoxic disinfection by-products are the two major factors that lead to the change in genotoxicity during disinfection.

UV-induced effects on toxicity of model disinfection byproducts

UV (Ultraviolet)-based treatment has been demonstrated to be effective for removal of some disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and to be beneficial for reduction of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in chlorinated water. However, to a large extent, UV-induced effects on chemistry and toxicology have been treated as a black box, in the sense that little or no UV dose-dependent behavior has been reported. To address this issue, the effects of UV₂₅₄ irradiation on 1,4-dibenzoquinone (BQ), 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (DCBQ), and chlorocreatinine (Cl-Cre) as model DBPs were examined, both in terms of photodegradation and cytotoxicity. These compounds have been identified as DBPs that are relevant in swimming pool settings; however, these compounds will be relevant in other water treatment settings, including drinking water production and wastewater reuse. UV₂₅₄ irradiation was shown to promote photodecay of all three compounds. However, for BQ and DCBQ, the corresponding cytotoxicity of the UV-irradiated samples remained essentially unchanged, even when the compound was completely photodegraded. These results indicate that the photodegradation products of BQ and DCBQ carry similar cytotoxicity as their respective parent compounds. On the other hand, UV₂₅₄-irradiation of Cl-Cre yielded a decrease in cytotoxicity that correlated with photodechlorination of Cl-Cre. These experiments also demonstrated a reduction in cytotoxicity in connection with photodechlorination of an N-chlorinated organic compound. Overall, the results of these experiments indicate the importance of defining products of UV photodecay processes, both in terms of chemistry and toxicity; these attributes are expected to be important in many UV-based applications, including potable water production, water reuse, and recreational water settings.

Effect of medium-pressure UV-lamp treatment on disinfection by-products in chlorinated seawater swimming pool waters

Several brominated disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed in chlorinated seawater pools, due to the high concentration of bromide in seawater. UV irradiation is increasingly employed in freshwater pools, because UV treatment photodegrades harmful chloramines. However, in freshwater pools it has been reported that post-UV chlorination promotes the formation of other DBPs. To date, UV-based processes have not been investigated for DBPs in seawater pools. In this study, the effects of UV, followed by chlorination, on the concentration of three groups of DBPs were investigated in laboratory batch experiments using a medium-pressure UV lamp. Chlorine consumption increased following post-UV chlorination, most likely because UV irradiation degraded organic matter in the pool samples to more chlorine-reactive organic matter. Haloacetic acid (HAA) concentrations decreased significantly, due to photo-degradation, but the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetonitriles (HANs) increased with post-UV chlorination. Bromine incorporation in HAAs was significantly higher in the control samples chlorinated without UV irradiation but decreased significantly with UV treatment. Bromine incorporation was promoted in THM and HAN after UV and chlorine treatment. Overall, the accumulated bromine incorporation level in DBPs remained essentially unchanged in comparison with the control samples. Toxicity estimates increased with single-dose UV and chlorination, mainly due to increased HAN concentrations. However, brominated HANs are known in the literature to degrade following further UV treatment.

CHO cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity analyses of disinfection by-products: An updated review

The disinfection of drinking water is an important public health service that generates high quality, safe and palatable tap water. The disinfection of drinking water to reduce waterborne disease was an outstanding public health achievement of the 20th century. An unintended consequence is the reaction of disinfectants with natural organic matter, anthropogenic contaminants and bromide/iodide to form disinfection by-products (DBPs). A large number of DBPs are cytotoxic, neurotoxic, mutagenic, genotoxic, carcinogenic and teratogenic. Epidemiological studies demonstrated low but significant associations between disinfected drinking water and adverse health effects. The distribution of DBPs in disinfected waters has been well defined by advances in high precision analytical chemistry. Progress in the analytical biology and toxicology of DBPs has been forthcoming. The objective of this review was to provide a detailed presentation of the methodology for the quantitative, comparative analyses on the induction of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of 103 DBPs using an identical analytical biological platform and endpoints. A single Chinese hamster ovary cell line was employed in the assays. The data presented are derived from papers published in the literature as well as additional new data and represent the largest direct quantitative comparison on the toxic potency of both regulated and emerging DBPs. These data may form the foundation of novel research to define the major forcing agents of DBP-mediated toxicity in disinfected water and may play an important role in achieving the goal of making safe drinking water better.

Chloramination of wastewater effluent: Toxicity and formation of disinfection byproducts

The reclamation and disinfection of waters impacted by human activities (e.g., wastewater effluent discharges) are of growing interest for various applications but has been associated with the formation of toxic nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs). Monochloramine used as an alternative disinfectant to chlorine can be an additional source of nitrogen in the formation of N-DBPs. Individual toxicity assays have been performed on many DBPs, but few studies have been conducted with complex mixtures such as wastewater effluents. In this work, we compared the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of wastewater effluent organic matter (EfOM) before and after chloramination. The toxicity of chloraminated EfOM was significantly higher than the toxicity of raw EfOM, and the more hydrophobic fraction (HPO) isolated on XAD-8 resin was more toxic than the fraction isolated on XAD-4 resin. More DBPs were also isolated on the XAD-8 resin. N-DBPs (i.e., haloacetonitriles or haloacetamides) were responsible for the majority of the cytotoxicity estimated from DBP concentrations measured in the XAD-8 and XAD-4 fractions (99.4% and 78.5%, respectively). Measured DBPs accounted for minor proportions of total brominated and chlorinated products, which means that many unknown halogenated compounds were formed and can be responsible for a significant part of the toxicity. Other non-halogenated byproducts (e.g., nitrosamines) may contribute to the toxicity of chloraminated effluents as well.

Genotoxicity of drinking water treated with different disinfectants and effects of disinfection conditions detected by umu-test

The genotoxicity of drinking water treated with 6 disinfection methods and the effects of disinfection conditions were investigated using the umu-test. The pretreatment procedure of samples for the umu-test was optimized for drinking water analysis. The results of the umu-test were in good correlation with those of the Ames-test. The genotoxicity and production of haloacetic acids (HAAs) were the highest for chlorinated samples. UV+chloramination is the safest disinfection method from the aspects of genotoxicity, HAA production and inactivation effects. For chloramination, the effects of the mass ratio of Cl₂ to N of chloramine on genotoxicity were also studied. The changes of genotoxicity were different from those of HAA production, which implied that HAA production cannot represent the genotoxic potential of water. The genotoxicity per chlorine decay of chlorination and chloramination had similar trends, indicating that the reaction of organic matters and chlorine made a great contribution to the genotoxicity. The results of this study are of engineering significance for optimizing the operation of waterworks.

UV/chlorine treatment of carbamazepine: Transformation products and their formation kinetics

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is one of the pharmaceuticals most frequently detected in the aqueous environment. This study investigated the transformation products when CBZ is degraded by chlorine under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (the UV/chlorine process). Detailed pathways for the degradation of CBZ were elucidated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS). CBZ is readily degraded by hydroxyl radicals (HO) and chlorine radicals (Cl) in the UV/chlorine process, and 24 transformation products were identified. The products indicate that the 10,11-double bond and aromatic ring in CBZ are the sites most susceptible to attack by HO and Cl. Subsequent reaction produces hydroxylated and chlorinated aromatic ring products. Four specific products were quantified and their evolution was related with the chlorine dose, pH, and natural organic matter concentration. Their yields showed an increase followed by a decreasing trend with prolonged reaction time. CBZ-10,11-epoxide (I), the main quantified transformation product from HO oxidation, was observed with a peak transformation yield of 3-32% depending on the conditions. The more toxic acridine (IV) was formed involving both HO and Cl with peak transformation yields of 0.4-1%. All four quantified products together amounted to a peak transformation yield of 34.5%. The potential toxicity of the transformation products was assayed by evaluating their inhibition of the bioluminescence of the bacterium Vibrio Fischeri. The inhibition increased at first and the decreased at longer reaction times, which was in parallel with the evolution of transformation products.

Increase of cytotoxicity during wastewater chlorination: Impact factors and surrogates

Toxic and harmful disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were formed during wastewater chlorination. It was recently suggested that cytotoxicity to mammalian cells reflects risks posed by chlorinated wastewater. Here, ATP assays were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Chlorination significantly increased cytotoxicity of treated wastewater. Factors affecting cytotoxicity formation during wastewater chlorination were investigated. Quenching with sodium thiosulfate and ascorbic acid decreased the formed cytotoxicity, while ammonium kept the cytotoxicity stable. The chlorine dose required for the maximum cytotoxicity increase was dramatically affected by DOC and ammonia concentrations. The maximum cytotoxicity increase, defined as the cytotoxicity formation potential (CtFP), occurred when wastewater was treated for 48h with a chlorine dose of 2·DOC+11·NH₃N+10 (mg-Cl₂/L). During chlorination, the amounts of AOX formation was found to be significantly correlated with cytotoxicity formation when no DBPs were destroyed. AOX formation could be used as a surrogate to estimate cytotoxicity increase during wastewater chlorination. Besides, the CtFP of 14 treated wastewater samples was assessed ranged from 5.4-20.4mg-phenol/L. The CtFP could be estimated from UV₂₅₄ of treated wastewater because CtFP and UV₂₅₄ were strongly correlated.

Effects of UV-based treatment on volatile disinfection byproducts in a chlorinated, indoor swimming pool

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and chlorination are commonly used together in treatment of swimming pool water because they function as complementary disinfectants and because UV-based processes have been shown to promote photodecay of chloramines. However, UV-based treatment also has the potential to promote formation of some disinfection byproducts (DBPs). As a result, the overall effects of UV irradiation with chlorination on swimming pool chemistry remain unclear. To address this issue, a three-year study was conducted in a chlorinated, indoor swimming pool under three different operating conditions: conventional chlorination (1st year) which served as a control, chlorination augmented by MP UV irradiation (2nd year), and chlorination augmented by LP UV irradiation (3rd year). Water samples were collected from the pool for measurement of pH, temperature, total alkalinity, free and combined chlorine, eleven volatile DBPs, and urea concentration. After installation of MP UV, the concentrations of most volatile DBPs decreased; similar effects were observed after inclusion of LP UV. Collectively, these results imply an overall improvement in water quality as a result of the inclusion of the both UV systems. In general, MP UV was more efficient than LP UV for reducing the concentrations of most of the volatile DBPs measured in this pool. However, a need exists to standardize the application of UV systems in recreational water settings.

Roles of reactive chlorine species in trimethoprim degradation in the UV/chlorine process: Kinetics and transformation pathways

The UV/chlorine process, which forms several reactive species including hydroxyl radicals (HO) and reactive chlorine species (RCS) to degrade contaminants, is being considered to be an advanced oxidation process. This study investigated the kinetics and mechanism of the degradation of trimethoprim (TMP) by the UV/chlorine process. The degradation of TMP was much faster by UV/chlorine compared to UV/H₂O₂. The degradation followed pseudo first-order kinetics, and the rate constant (k') increased linearly as the chlorine dosage increased from 20 μM to 200 μM and decreased as pH rose from 6.1 to 8.8. k' was not affected by chloride and bicarbonate but decreased by 50% in the presence of 1-mg/L NOM. The contribution of RCS, including Cl, Cl₂^- and ClO, to the degradation removal rate was much higher than that of HO and increased from 67% to 87% with increasing pH from 6.1 to 8.8 under the experimental condition. The increasing contribution of RCS to the degradation with increasing pH was attributable to the increase in the ClO concentration. Kinetic modeling and radical scavenging tests verified that ClO mainly attacked the trimethoxybenzyl moiety of TMP. RCS reacted with TMP much faster than HOCl/OCl^- to form chlorinated products (i.e., m/z 325) and chlorinated disinfection byproducts such as chloroform, chloral hydrate, dichloroacetonitrile and trichloronitromethane. The hydroxylation and demethylation of m/z 325 driven by HO generated m/z 327 and m/z 341. Meanwhile, reactions of m/z 325 with HO and RCS/HOCl/OCl^- generated dichlorinated and hydroxylated products (i.e., m/z 377). All the chlorinated products could be further depleted to produce products with less degree of halogenation in the UV/chlorine process, compared to dark chlorination. The acute toxicity to Vibrio fischeri by UV/chlorine was lower than chlorination at the same removal rate of TMP. This study demonstrated the importance of RCS, in particular, ClO, in the degradation of micropollutants in the UV/chlorine process.

Sample Enrichment for Bioanalytical Assessment of Disinfected Drinking Water: Concentrating the Polar, the Volatiles, and the Unknowns

Enrichment methods used in sample preparation for the bioanalytical assessment of disinfected drinking water result in the loss of volatile and hydrophilic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and hence likely tend to underestimate biological effects. We developed and evaluated methods that are compatible with bioassays, for extracting nonvolatile and volatile DBPs from chlorinated and chloraminated drinking water to minimize the loss of analytes. For nonvolatile DBPs, solid-phase extraction (SPE) with TELOS ENV as solid phase performed superior compared to ten other sorbents. SPE yielded >70% recovery of nonpurgeable adsorbable organic halogens (AOX). For volatile DBPs, cryogenic vacuum distillation performed unsatisfactorily. Purge and cold-trap with crushed ice serving as condensation nuclei achieved recoveries of 50-100% for trihalomethanes and haloacetonitriles and approximately 60-90% for purged AOX from tap water. We compared the purgeable versus the nonpurgeable fraction by combining purge-and-trap extraction with SPE. The purgeable DBP fraction enriched with the purge-and-trap method exerted a lower oxidative stress response in mammalian cells than the nonpurgeable DBPs enriched with SPE after purging, while contributions of both fractions to bacterial cytotoxicity was more variable. 37 quantified DBPs explained almost the entire AOX in the purge-and-trap extracts, but <16% in the SPE extracts demonstrating that the nonpurgeable fraction is dominated by unknown DBPs.

Kinetics and pathways of ibuprofen degradation by the UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process

The UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process (AOP), which forms reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals (HO) and reactive chlorine species (RCS) such as chlorine atoms (Cl) and Cl2(-), is being considered as an alternative to the UV/H2O2 AOP for the degradation of emerging contaminants. This study investigated the kinetics and pathways of the degradation of a recalcitrant pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP)-ibuprofen (IBP)-by the UV/chlorine AOP. The degradation of IBP followed the pseudo first-order kinetics. The first-order rate constant was 3.3 times higher in the UV/chlorine AOP than in the UV/H2O2 AOP for a given chemical molar dosage at pH 6. The first-order rate constant decreased from 3.1 × 10(-3) s(-1) to 5.5 × 10(-4) s(-1) with increasing pH from 6 to 9. Both HO and RCS contributed to the degradation, and the contribution of RCS increased from 22% to 30% with increasing pH from 6 to 9. The degradation was initiated by HO-induced hydroxylation and Cl-induced chlorine substitution, and sustained through decarboxylation, demethylation, chlorination and ring cleavage to form more stable products. Significant amounts of chlorinated intermediates/byproducts were formed from the UV/chlorine AOP, and four chlorinated products were newly identified. The yield of total organic chlorine (TOCl) was 31.6 μM after 90% degradation of 50 μM IBP under the experimental conditions. The known disinfection by-products (DBPs) comprised 17.4% of the TOCl. The effects of water matrix in filtered drinking water on the degradation were not significant, demonstrating the practicality of the UV/chlorine AOP for the control of some refractory PPCPs. However, the toxicity of the chlorinated products should be further assessed.

Toxic impact of bromide and iodide on drinking water disinfected with chlorine or chloramines

Disinfectants inactivate pathogens in source water; however, they also react with organic matter and bromide/iodide to form disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Although only a few DBP classes have been systematically analyzed for toxicity, iodinated and brominated DBPs tend to be the most toxic. The objectives of this research were (1) to determine if monochloramine (NH2Cl) disinfection generated drinking water with less toxicity than water disinfected with free chlorine (HOCl) and (2) to determine the impact of added bromide and iodide in conjunction with HOCl or NH2Cl disinfection on mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genomic DNA damage induction. Water disinfected with chlorine was less cytotoxic but more genotoxic than water disinfected with chloramine. For both disinfectants, the addition of Br(-) and I(-) increased cytotoxicity and genotoxicity with a greater response observed with NH2Cl disinfection. Both cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were highly correlated with TOBr and TOI. However, toxicity was weakly and inversely correlated with TOCl. Thus, the forcing agents for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were the generation of brominated and iodinated DBPs rather than the formation of chlorinated DBPs. Disinfection practices need careful consideration especially when using source waters containing elevated bromide and iodide.

Bioanalytical and chemical evaluation of disinfection by-products in swimming pool water

Pool water disinfection is vital to prevent microbial pathogens. However, potentially hazardous disinfection by-products (DBP) are formed from the reaction between disinfectants and organic/inorganic precursors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of DBPs in various swimming pool types in Brisbane, Australia, including outdoor, indoor and baby pools, and the dynamics after a complete water renewal. Chemical analysis of 36 regulated and commonly found DBPs and total adsorbable organic halogens as well as in vitro bioassays targeting cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and genotoxicity were used to evaluate swimming pool water quality. Dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid dominated in the pool water samples with higher levels (up to 2600 μg/L) than the health guideline values set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (100 μg/L). Chlorinated DBPs occurred at higher concentrations compared to tap water, while brominated DBPs decreased gradually with increasing pool water age. Biological effects were expressed as chloroacetic acid equivalent concentrations and compared to predicted effects from chemical analysis and biological characterisation of haloacetic acids. The quantified haloacetic acids explained 35-118% of the absorbable organic halogens but less than 4% of the observed non-specific toxicity (cytotoxicity), and less than 1% of the observed oxidative stress response and genotoxicity. While the DBP concentrations in Australian pools found in this study are not likely to cause any adverse health effect, they are higher than in other countries and could be reduced by better hygiene of pool users, such as thorough showering prior to entering the pool and avoiding urination during swimming.

Integrated chemical and toxicological investigation of UV-chlorine/chloramine drinking water treatment

As the use of alternative drinking water treatment increases, it is important to understand potential public health implications associated with these processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and cytotoxicity of natural organic matter (NOM) concentrates treated with chlorine, chloramine, and medium pressure ultraviolet (UV) irradiation followed by chlorine or chloramine, with and without nitrate or iodide spiking. The use of concentrated NOM conserved volatile DBPs and allowed for direct analysis of the treated water. Treatment with UV prior to chlorine in ambient (unspiked) samples did not affect cytotoxicity as measured using an in vitro normal human colon cell (NCM460) assay, compared to chlorination alone when toxicity is expressed on the basis of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Nitrate-spiked UV+chlorine treatment produced greater cytotoxicity than nitrate-spiked chlorine alone or ambient UV+chlorine samples, on both a DOC and total organic halogen basis. Samples treated with UV+chloramine were more cytotoxic than those treated with only chloramine using either dose metric. This study demonstrated the combination of cytotoxicity and DBP measurements for process evaluation in drinking water treatment. The results highlight the importance of dose metric when considering the relative toxicity of complex DBP mixtures formed under different disinfection scenarios.

Sample preparation for combined chemical analysis and in vitro bioassay application in water quality assessment

The combination of in vitro bioassays and chemical screening can provide a powerful toolbox to determine biologically relevant compounds in water extracts. In this study, a sample preparation method is evaluated for the suitability for both chemical analysis and in vitro bioassays. A set of 39 chemicals were spiked to surface water, which were extracted using Oasis MCX cartridges. The extracts were chemically analyzed by liquid chromatography linear ion trap Orbitrap analysis and recoveries appeared to be on average 61% Compounds with logK(ow) values in the range between 0 and 4 are recovered well using this method. In a next step, the same extracts were tested for genotoxic activity using the Comet assay and Ames fluctuation test and for specific endocrine receptor activation using a panel of CALUX assays, for estrogenic (ER), androgenic (AR), glucocorticoid (GR), progestagenic (PR), and thyroidogenic (TR) agonistic activities. The results of the genotoxicity assays indicated that spiked genotoxic compounds were preserved during sample preparation. The measured responses of the GR CALUX and ER CALUX assays were similar to the predicted responses. The measured responses in the AR CALUX and PR CALUX assays were much lower than expected from the analytical concentration, probably due to antagonistic effects of some spiked compounds. Overall, the presented sample preparation method seems to be suitable for both chemical analysis and specific in vitro bioassay applications.

Bioanalytical and chemical assessment of the disinfection by-product formation potential: role of organic matter

Disinfection by-products (DBP) formed from natural organic matter and disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine may cause adverse health effects. Here, we evaluate how the quantity and quality of natural organic matter and other precursors influence the formation of DBPs during chlorination and chloramination using a comprehensive approach including chemical analysis of regulated and emerging DBPs, total organic halogen quantification, organic matter characterisation and bioanalytical tools. In vitro bioassays allow us to assess the hazard potential of DBPs early in the chain of cellular events, when the DBPs react with their molecular target(s) and activate stress response and defence mechanisms. Given the reactive properties of known DBPs, a suite of bioassays targeting reactive modes of toxic action including genotoxicity and sensitive early warning endpoints such as protein damage and oxidative stress were evaluated in addition to cytotoxicity. Coagulated surface water was collected from three different drinking water treatment plants, along with reverse osmosis permeate from a desalination plant, and DBP formation potential was assessed after chlorination and chloramination. While effects were low or below the limit of detection before disinfection, the observed effects and DBP levels increased after disinfection and were generally higher after chlorination than after chloramination, indicating that chlorination forms higher concentrations of DBPs or more potent DBPs in the studied waters. Bacterial cytotoxicity, assessed using the bioluminescence inhibition assay, and induction of the oxidative stress response were the most sensitive endpoints, followed by genotoxicity. Source waters with higher dissolved organic carbon levels induced increased DBP formation and caused greater effects in the endpoints related to DNA damage repair, glutathione conjugation/protein damage and the Nrf2 oxidative stress response pathway after disinfection. Fractionation studies indicated that all molecular weight fractions of organic carbon contributed to the DBP formation potential, with the humic rich fractions forming the greatest amount of DBPs, while the low molecular weight fractions formed more brominated DBPs due to the high bromide to organic carbon ratio. The presence of higher bromide concentrations also led to a higher fraction of brominated DBPs as well as proportionally higher effects. This study demonstrates how a suite of analytical and bioanalytical tools can be used to effectively characterise the precursors and formation potential of DBPs.

Ultraviolet-induced effects on chloramine and cyanogen chloride formation from chlorination of amino acids

Ultraviolet (UV)-based treatment is commonly used to augment chlorination in swimming pools. However, the effects of combined application of UV254/chlorine on disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation are incompletely defined. To examine this issue, experiments were conducted with amino acids (l-arginine, l-histidine, and glycine) that are representative of those introduced to swimming pools via human body fluids. For each precursor, stepwise experiments were conducted with chlorination and UV254 exposure, with/without post-chlorination. Net formation and decomposition of chloramines and cyanogen chloride (CNCl) were measured for a range of chlorine/precursor (Cl/P) molar ratios and UV254 doses. Substantial production of NH2Cl from l-arginine and l-histidine was observed at Cl/P = 1.0 and 2.0 when post-chlorination was applied to UV254-irradiated samples. These results suggested a mechanism of rapid N-chlorination, followed by cleavage of NH3 by UV254 irradiation. CNCl formation was observed from UV254-irradiated samples of l-arginine and l-histidine when Cl/P = 2.0 and 3.0, as well as from glycine for Cl/P ≤ 1. Structurally related precursor compounds were examined for CNCl formation potential in chlorination/UV experiments. CNCl formation was promoted by UV254 exposure of chlorinated imidazole and guanidine compounds, which suggested that these groups contributed to CNCl formation. The results have implications with respect to the application of chlorine and UV for water treatment in swimming pools and other settings, such as water reuse and advanced oxidation processes.

Chemical and biological characterization of wastewater generated from hydrothermal liquefaction of Spirulina

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is an attractive method for converting wet biomass into petroleum-like biocrude oil that can be refined to make petroleum products. This approach is advantageous for conversion of low-lipid algae, which are promising feedstocks for sustainable large-scale biofuel production. As with natural petroleum formation, the water in contact with the produced oil contains toxic compounds. The objectives of this research were to: (1) identify nitrogenous organic compounds (NOCs) in wastewater from HTL conversion of Spirulina; (2) characterize mammalian cell cytotoxicity of specific NOCs, NOC mixture, and the complete HTL wastewater (HTL-WW) matrix; and (3) investigate mitigation measures to reduce toxicity in HTL-WW. Liquid-liquid extraction and nitrogen-phosphorus detection was used in conjunction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which detected hundreds of NOCs in HTL-WW. Reference materials for nine of the most prevalent NOCs were used to identify and quantify their concentrations in HTL-WW. Mammalian cell cytotoxicity of the nine NOCs was quantified using a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell assay, and the descending rank order for cytotoxicity was 3-dimethylamino-phenol > 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone > 2,6-dimethyl-3-pyridinol > 2-picoline > pyridine > 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone > σ-valerolactam > 2-pyrrolidinone > ε-caprolactam. The organic mixture extracted from HTL-WW expressed potent CHO cell cytotoxic activity, with a LC(50) at 7.5% of HTL-WW. Although the toxicity of HTL-WW was substantial, 30% of the toxicity was removed biologically by recycling HTL-WW back into algal cultivation. The remaining toxicity of HTL-WW was mostly eliminated by subsequent treatment with granular activated carbon.