A group of international researchers has discovered an unknown chemical compound in drinking water in the US that may be toxic to consumers.
The compound, called chloronitramide anion, was found in water that had been treated with inorganic chloramines. This water is consumed by one in five people, or about 113 million people.
Chloramine is a water purification compound that kills germs from water, and it has been used for this purpose since the 1930s.
Chloramine can kill germs in water pipes for longer than chlorine (a chemical that has been used to kill germs since 1908). The amount of this compound per liter of water is considered safe at a level of up to four milligrams.
“It’s a very stable chemical with a low molecular weight,” said Julian Fairey, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas and co-author of the study. “It’s a chemical that’s very difficult to find, and the hardest part was identifying it and proving the structure that we identified.”
Researchers had known about the chloronitramide anion for decades but hadn’t been able to identify it. After years of hard work, Julian Fairey was able to create a compound in the laboratory that had never been made before.
The compound is formed when inorganic chloramine disinfectants dissolve in drinking water. But the question now is whether it is harmful to public health.
There is currently no information about its toxicity, but scientists say its excess and similarity to other toxic substances are worrisome. More research is needed to determine the effects of this compound on human health.
