Scientists Unsure If New Chemical Byproduct Discovered in Tap Water Study Is Safe

Drinking water of 113 million Americans may contain a chemical byproduct that results from the mixture of chlorine and ammonia, which are commonly used to kill viruses and bacteria.

A new study indicates that a chemical byproduct, known as chloronitramide anion, may be present in one-third of U.S. homes’ drinking water. However, more research is needed to determine if the substance is toxic to humans.

Chloronitramide anion was first discovered about 40 years ago, as a potential byproduct of water treated with chloramine, which is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia that is commonly used to kill viruses and bacteria in drinking water.

In a new study published late last month in the medical journal Science, researchers indicate that as detection methods for chloronitramide anion have improved, the potentially toxic chemical byproduct could be present in the drinking water of up to 113 million Americans.

The research team, led by Julian L. Fairey of the University of Arkansas, looked at 40 samples from 10 U.S. drinking water systems that use chloramines in their treatment processes. The findings showed that chloronitramide anion was present in all of the samples tested.

It was previously unknown whether chloronitramide anion was a byproduct of the decomposition of chloramine, but Fairey’s findings indicate that it most likely is.

As a result, Fairey’s team determined that the potentially toxic substance could be present in approximately one-third of all U.S. drinking water supplies. However, they did not test water systems that are not treated with chlorine-based disinfectants.

While prior studies have indicated that there may be a link between areas with water systems that use chlorine as a disinfectant and increased cancer rates, the new findings raise serious concerns about the potential health risks specifically posed by chloronitramide anion in drinking water. However, the researchers acknowledge that the toxicity of the chemical byproduct is still unknown.

For this reason, they have published their study to encourage more research into the relatively unknown substance to see if its presence in Americans’ drinking water poses a health risk.

U.S. Drinking Water Concerns

The presence of chlorine in drinking water is not the only concern that U.S. water systems currently face. A multitude of potential health risks have arisen regarding these systems in recent years.

The use of fluoride in community water systems has come under increasing scrutiny lately, as studies have questioned the benefits of adding fluoride to drinking water.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that has been added to drinking water since at least the 1950s, after studies demonstrated a significant reduction in childhood tooth decay from drinking fluoride-enriched water.

However, as more research associates fluoride with various health issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun reviewing safe fluoride levels in tap water.

Another concern regarding U.S. drinking water stems from the use of lead pipes in many American water systems. Lead exposure is known to affect children’s cognitive development, reduce the brain’s structural integrity, damage the kidneys, reduce IQ, and cause cardiovascular disease.

Earlier this year, the Biden administration announced funding to replace lead water pipes across the U.S. over the next decade. The EPA estimates this could prevent 900,000 infants being born with low birth weight, stop 200,000 IQ points lost in children, and reduce 1,500 cases of premature death from heart disease.