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ENVIRONMENTAL MASS SPECTROMETRY: EMERGING CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES
Citation:
Richardson, S D. ENVIRONMENTAL MASS SPECTROMETRY: EMERGING CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES. Presented at Tandem Mass Spectrometry Workshop, Lake Louise, Canada, December 3-6, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
(1) Use toxicity-based approach to identify DBPs that show the greatest toxic response. (2) Comprehensively identify DBPs formed by different disinfectant regimes for the 'Four Lab Study'. (3) Determine the mechanisms of formation for potentially hazardous bromonitromethane DBPs.
Description:
Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise. This presentation will discuss chemical and microbial contaminants that the U.S. EPA and other agencies are currently concerned about. In this group of contaminants are pharmaceuticals, pesticide degradation/reaction products, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs); emerging drinking water pollutants, such as perchlorate, organotins, and algal toxins; new drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs), such as nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), bromonitromethanes, bromofuranones, iodo-trihalomethanes, and iodo-acids; as well as pathogenic microorganisms like Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Legionella, microsporidia, and Helicobacter pylori. Many of these contaminants have been proposed for consideration under the Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule, which requires EPA to select five or more contaminants every five years to consider for regulation. In 1998, a Contaminant Candidate List was established, which explicitly identifies drinking water contaminants that might be regulated by EPA at a future date. Analytical methods are available for many of the proposed contaminants; however, several contaminants do not have rugged, reliable methods. Analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry measurements/solutions are needed for many of these emerging environmental contaminants. When available, tandem mass spectrometry research that is being applied to these contaminants will also be presented.