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Emerging Disinfection By-Products and Other Emerging Environmental Contaminants: What’s New
Citation:
RICHARDSON, S. D. Emerging Disinfection By-Products and Other Emerging Environmental Contaminants: What’s New. Presented at International Conference on Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle, Paphos, CYPRUS, March 11 - 13, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
Characterize risks associated with drinking water sources; treatment; distribution; and use.
Description:
This presentation will cover new research and concerns regarding drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs) and other emerging environmental contaminants, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), pharmaceuticals, perchlorate, benzotriazoles, fuel additives (e.g., ethylene dibromide), and nanomaterials. Current developments for the 3rd Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) will also be presented, as well as the Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule (UCMR). The CCL identifies environmental contaminants that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering for regulation at a future date, and the UCMR requires drinking water utilities to monitor specific priority contaminants that the U.S. EPA is considering for regulation. Drinking water DBP issues include bladder cancer and reproductive/developmental effects that have been observed in human epidemiologic studies. It is not currently known which DBPs are responsible for those adverse health effects. To that end, research will be presented on: (1) a recently completed occurrence study of iodinated DBPs (iodo-acids and iodo-trihalomethanes), which are more toxic than regulated trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs); (2) ‘the Four Lab Study’, which involves the collaboration of the four national laboratories of the U.S. EPA and focuses on reproductive/developmental effects; and (3) toxicity-based identification work that focuses on the high molecular weight fraction of DBPs, for which little is known. In addition, the issues with route of exposure (ingestion, inhalation, dermal) will be presented, along with new swimming pool research, which also involves DBP exposures.