|
|
Back to Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Disinfecting Drinking Water Can Create Toxic By-Products URBANA - Safe drinking water is something we've all come to take for granted in this country and in much of the developed world. By eliminating infectious diseases from drinking water, we have made much of the world a dramatically safer place. However, the process of disinfecting drinking water has led to its own set of concerns. Some disinfectant by-products, or DBPs, which result from the reaction of organic matter with disinfectants, can have long-term health impacts, including several types of cancer. Some DBPs have been linked to fetal development problems. "Approximately 600 DBPs have been identified, which represents only a fraction of the total number," said Michael Plewa, a University of Illinois genetic toxicologist. The U.S. EPA regulates a small number of known DBPs and the agency is in a multi-year period of evaluation of the new Stage 2 Drinking Water Disinfection Rule. In a project partially funded by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Plewa has developed a comprehensive in vitro database of toxicity levels of DBPs considered a priority by the U.S. EPA. Plewa’s team, which included scientists at EPA, tested DBPs to assess their impacts on mammal cells and their genetic material. “Michael Plewa’s database will provide important data to aid in the EPA’s assessment of present regulations,” said Susan Richardson, U.S. EPA scientist. “The database can also serve as a much-needed practical resource for the water treatment community as they make decisions regarding local disinfection practices.” For example, to reduce the occurrence of regulated by-products, some communities have switched from chlorine to chloramine in their disinfection process. In water that is high in organic matter, typically surface water, this can lead to an increase in emerging classes of nitrogen-containing DBPs, some of which Plewa has found to be considerably more toxic than those that are regulated. In water that contains iodine, such as water that has been infiltrated with sea water or sea water that has been locked away underground, the use of chloramine can produce highly toxic iodinated DBPs. “Some iodinated DBPs are the most genotoxic to mammalian cells of any known DBPs,” said Plewa. "Water managers should know that the spectrum of DBPs shifts when chlorine is replaced with chloramine." Plewa doesn’t recommend that people steer clear of tap water--it’s been serving us well for 100 years. In fact, he describes the disinfection of drinking water as the most important public health event of the 20th Century. “And tap water, unlike bottled water, is regulated,” said Plewa. “But, for those concerned about DBPs, it’s a good idea to use a point-of-use filter in their home.”He hopes that one day, through genetic testing, we will be able to pinpoint people who are most vulnerable to health problems related to DBPs and make appropriate recommendations. --30-- The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of 30 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the University of Illinois and Purdue University Irene Miles |
