Impact/Purpose:

To develop an analytical method suitable for monitoring NDMA at ng/L concentrations in drinking water by the end of FY05. Ideally, the method should be simple and rugged enough to be applicable to compliance monitoring in the event that NDMA becomes a regulated contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). At a minimum the method must be suitable for gathering nationwide occurrence data that can be used in the regulatory decision making process.

Description:

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a by-product of the manufacture of liquid rocket fuel, has recently been identified as a contaminant in several California drinking water sources. The initial source of the contamination was identified as an aerospace facility. Subsequent testing at other drinking water facilities identified NDMA present at very low levels. In these cases, preliminary data indicated that NDMA may also be a drinking water disinfection by-product (DBP). Agency risk assessments indicate that the concentration representing the 1 in 1,000,000 cancer risk level for NDMA in drinking water is 0.7 ng/L, so that even low levels of this chemical could produce significant health effects for consumers. NDMA is miscible with water, and therefore is difficult to isolate and concentrate from water samples. Currently, there is no standard method for the analysis of NDMA at low concentrations. Although the State of California is currently requiring monitoring, a number of different laboratories are performing the analysis by various methodologies. All of the current methodologies are time consuming and expensive, with a cost of about $500 per sample.

Because of recent interest in NDMA as a drinking water contaminant, it is likely that it will be listed on the 2003 Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). Assuming that NDMA does appear on the next CCL, nationwide occurrence data will be needed by OGWDW to make a regulatory determination. Under this task, an analytical method with known precision, accuracy, and detection limits will be developed for NDMA. Ideally, a method that is less costly than current techniques can be developed. The method will be delivered to the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) for promulgation under its Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulations (UCMR). OGWDW is currently using the UCMR to obtain needed occurrence data on CCL contaminants.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT

Start Date:10/01/2002

Projected Completion Date:03/01/2005

Record ID: 18339

Show Additional Record Data

Project Information:

Progress :Research under this task has been completed with the development of U.S. EPA Method 521 entitled "Determination of Nitrosamines in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction and Capillary Column Gas Chromatography with Large Volume Injection and Chemical Ionization Tandem mass Spectrometry (MS/MS)". The draft method was sent out in August 2004 for peer review. As a Category II research product, the draft method was sent to two peer reviewers within the U.S. EPA (one from ORD and one from OGWDW), and three peer reviewers from outside the agency. In addition to the draft method, each reviewer was sent a charge letter explaining the reason for the method development, and the areas that the review should cover. After the reviews were returned, all comments were addressed and documented, and the final method was delivered to Cynthia Dougherty in OGWDW in September, 2004.

In addition to Method 521, a research summary was completed, which contains supplemental information not contained in the method. This document underwent the same peer review process described above, and will be delivered to David Munch in OGWDW in November, 2004.

The final part of this task is to write a journal article describing the method development process for Method 521. This article will be submitted by March, 2005.

Relevance :There is currently a high level of interest in NDMA as a drinking water contaminant. One reason for this concern is the carcinogenicity of NDMA even at very low concentrations. The OGWDW may select NDMA for inclusion on the 2003 CCL or select it for unregulated contaminant monitoring. Before a regulatory determination can be made, nationwide occurrence data on NDMA needs to be obtained. Under this task, an analytical method will be developed that is suitable for the collection of nationwide occurrence data for NDMA in drinking water. The success of this method development task will result in better monitoring for NDMA in drinking water. Better monitoring data will assist OGWDW in better regulatory decisions, and help safeguard the American public from harmful drinking water contaminants.

On-going contact has been established with OGWDW concerning the establishment of the 2003 CCL, and plans for future unregulated contaminant monitoring. The PI is in contact with Dr. Kusum Perera of the California Department of Health Services. Dr. Perera is responsible for the analytical methods requirements for NDMA established by the State of California for its monitoring program. He is also heavily involved in other aspects of California's NDMA monitoring program. The PI is also in communication with the WateReuse Foundation, an organization that is also working on new methodologies for NDMA in wastewater and drinking water. As a result of these interactions, up to seven additional nitrosamines of interest to the water reuse industry may be added to the analytical method.

Clients :Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (Dave Munch, Hiba Shukairy, Valerie Blank, Kesha Forrest)

Research Component :CCL (CHEMICAL)

Risk Paradigm :EXPOSURE

Project IDs:

ID Code :12508

Project type :OMIS