Green is chlorine, blue is nitrogen, red is oxygen.
Posted on 11/22/2024 8:55:32 PM PST by logi_cal869
A mysterious byproduct of a chemical used to disinfect the tap water of about one-third of Americans has finally been identified, and the international research team behind the discovery is advocating rapid assessment of its potential toxicity.
The research, reported Thursday in the journal Science, does not claim that tap water containing the byproduct is unsafe to drink or that the finding represents any kind of emergency. All water, including bottled water, contains contaminants.
But the discovery of a new and previously unknown chemical, called chloronitramide anion, could have implications for municipal water systems that use a class of chlorine-based disinfectants called chloramines. For decades these disinfectants, derived from the mixture of chlorine and ammonia, have been added to many municipal water supplies to kill bacteria and prevent waterborne illnesses.
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“We need to investigate it. We don’t know the toxicity,” said environmental engineer Julian Fairey, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas and lead author of the paper. “This work was 40 years in the making in terms of trying to identify the compound, and now that we have identified it, we can delve into how toxic is this thing.”
Initial computational modeling of the compound shows similarities to other chemicals with demonstrated toxicity, which “suggests that it is probably not harmless,” Fairey said.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
This is but one.
Was atrazine one of them?
Could it cause liberalism?
“We need to investigate it. We don’t know the toxicity,”
Too bad no one could be bothered to do that with the regime’s Chinese Virus mystery juce
Well all public water systems have chlorine added to the water. There is do doubt that even with ammonia it is not good for us. It is probably another factor in all the health problems in America toady.
But hey the government forces us to drink bleach. They are doing the very thing that they accused Trump of.
Because chlorine is so much worse than cholera, typhus, giardia, dysentery ...
Including distilled water?
Funny how people on private wells drink from them their entire lives without getting any of those things. But the rules do not take into account the source of the water. They only take into account if more than one or two family’s drink from that well. It is those drinking from surface water or recycled water that are at reasonable risk.
There also other ways to treat water without chemicals.
So, now we are supposed to be concerned? Could it be a product of new processes to measure even smaller amounts of chemicals?
The fact one discovers something exists doesn't mean it exists in sufficient concentrations to be lethal in the short term. In the long term, aren't most or maybe all people dead.?
Chloramines are often used by municipalities rather than Chlorine to treat water. Sorry to say, Chapel Hill NC uses chloramines.
I have been following this research closely for over ten years for several reasons.
1. Chloramines are very stable in water and unlike chloramine, it is very difficult to remove by boiling. I make beer and cannot use my tap water in the process as chloramines ruin my beer.
2. I have had colon cancer in my descending colon. There is research that correlates chloramines with cancer in the descending colon.
3. My daughter in law has a PhD in engineering from here at UNC with water treatment as her research specialty. UNC had been doing research on Chloramines in water, but since she graduated, I don’t know what they are doing.
Chloramines do not smell or create a taste in the water unlike chlorine due to the stability. For some reason the water treatment facility can only use chloramines 11 months per year. They switch to chlorine one month per year. That has been true for many years but I have not noticed them switching the past two years. They usually switched in the spring.
Here is an excerpt from an article on this.
“chlorine produces disinfection byproducts (DBPs) known as trihalomethanes (THM’s) which are VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) that are highly carcinogenic. Many people erroneously believe that chloramine has fewer disinfection byproducts, however new studies show that iodoacetic acid is a chloramine DBP that could be even more insidious than THM’s. Chloramines also are linked to increased lead and copper corrosion which can result in elevated levels of lead and cooper in water to which chloramine has been added. Additionally, when combined with fluoride, the corrosion level increases. It is also a fact that chloramine degenerates rubber and other parts in plumbing systems, ice makers, washers, dishwasher, toilets and sink faucets, to name but a few. Additionally, ingestion is not the primary route of exposure to chloramine. Inhalation and dermal contact are likely the prime routes of exposure to chloramine. This would mean that if you truly want to remove or reduce chloramine, you would have to do it for the whole house and not just the drinking water. By the time, the chloramine in the water reaches your home, it has accomplished it’s job as a disinfectant, and if you really want high quality water and are concerned with the health risks associated with chloramine exposure, you will certainly want to consider how best to reduce it. Notice, I didn’t say “remove” it? There reasons I said “reduce” and not “remove” is that it’s probably impossible to remove all of the chloramine and it’s associated compounds. However you can substantially reduce it with proper treatment. “
Here is an excellent website from Citizens Concerned about Chloramine
https://www.chloramine.org/chloraminefacts.htm
Definitions and Information
Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia.
Chloramine is used to disinfect water supplies (like the Hetch Hetchy system.) Water utilities often refer to chloramine as monochloramine.
In reality, chloramine exists as three different forms or species: monochloramine (NH2Cl), dichloramine (NHCl2) and trichloramine (NCl3). They are chemically related and are easily converted into each other; thus, they are more appropriately called chloramines.
The three species of chloramine constantly and rapidly shift from one form to another. The species that predominates is dependent on pH, temperature, turbulence, and the chlorine to ammonia ratio.
Even time plays a factor because after a day or so, with no changes in conditions, monochloramine in a water system will slowly degrade to form dichloramine and some trichloramine.
Chloramines are all respiratory irritants with trichloramine being the most toxic (order of toxicity: monochloramine < dichloramine < trichloramine-most severe.)
In contrast to what water utilities claim, it is impossible to have only monochloramine. It is not unusual in water systems for harmful di and trichloramines to occur.
Disinfection byproducts are chemicals formed when a disinfectant combines with organic matter or other chemicals present in water.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) are disinfection byproducts that are formed when organic matter in the water combines with chlorine.
chloramine are even more toxic than those of chlorine, i.e. iodoacids.
Chloramine vapors and its disinfection byproducts can accumulate in indoor air and concentrate in an enclosed area such as a shower stall, small bathroom, kitchen, or apartment (see Toxic Showers and Baths on this website).
THMs are also formed with chloramine disinfection but at a lower concentration— (approximately 1/3 less) than chlorine.
THMs are possible but not proven cancer causing byproducts.
To reduce THMs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers other disinfection methods such as ultraviolet UV light treatment and chlorine dioxide (see the Alternative Disinfectants and Oxidants Guidance Manual, EPA 815-R-99-014, April 1999; the Table of Contents lists disinfection methods, one per chapter.)
Alternative disinfectants to chlorine, including chloramine, have not been studied for their health effects.
Chlorine is the only disinfectant that has been extensively studied.
The safest way to reduce THMs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is to remove the organic matter from the water first through prefiltration before disinfection with chlorine (see the WHO’s Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, PDF 145 KB).
Characteristics of Chloramine
Chloramine is a less effective disinfectant than chlorine. The World Health Organization (WHO, PDF 145 KB) says that “monochloramine is about 2,000 and 100,000 times less effective than free chlorine for the inactivation of E. Coli and rotaviruses, respectively.”
Chloramine does not dissipate easily compared to chlorine.
Chloramine stays in the water distribution system longer than chlorine.
Chloramine is difficult to remove.
Chloramine cannot be removed by boiling, distilling, or by standing uncovered.
Some disinfection byproducts of chloramine are even more toxic than those of chlorine, i.e. iodoacids.
Chloramine vapors and its disinfection byproducts can accumulate in indoor air and concentrate in an enclosed area such as a shower stall, small bathroom, kitchen, or apartment (see Toxic Showers and Baths on this website).
Inadequate Studies
The EPA states that there are NO dermal (skin) and NO inhalant (respiratory) studies on chloramine as used as a disinfectant for drinking water.
The EPA states that there are INADEQUATE cancer studies on humans or animals.
In studies that do exist, one shows mononuclear cancer in female rats.
Another study shows reproductive toxicity and reduced reproductivity in mice and hamsters.
We are told by the SFPUC that chloraminated water is safe for humans to drink but we do not even know if it can cause cancer.
Research to date only explores oral (such as drinking tap water) exposure. It leaves out exposure through bathing or inhaling indoor vapors.
The disinfection byproducts of chloramine have not been studied and may be worse than those of chlorine. Chlorine and its disinfection byproducts have been studied extensively for years.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, in response to public outcry over health effects, requested on December 7, 2004 that the California Conference of Local Health Officers (CCLHO) evaluate “the potentially harmful effects caused by chloramine.” (see Resolution, to be added to this website)
The CCLHO report of March 8, 2005 did NOT study the health effects of chloramine. It only reviewed previous studies, mostly about chlorine and trihalomethanes (for more information, see Article Archive and Links).
The CCLHO report recommends that the exposed public be monitored for health effects caused by chloramine. In other words, we the public are to be used as guinea pigs.
Effects of Chloramine on Human Health
Immune System Problems
Chloramine cannot kill the pathogens in the water as well as chlorine.
As a result, people with suppressed immune systems must have their water boiled over TEN minutes BEFORE use to kill pathogens, or they risk becoming ill.
Those at risk include children under 6 months of age, the elderly, those on or who have had chemotherapy, people with HIV or AIDS, organ transplant patients, and others with a weakened immune system.
Effects of Chloramine on Human Health
Immune System Problems
Chloramine cannot kill the pathogens in the water as well as chlorine.
As a result, people with suppressed immune systems must have their water boiled over TEN minutes BEFORE use to kill pathogens, or they risk becoming ill.
Those at risk include children under 6 months of age, the elderly, those on or who have had chemotherapy, people with HIV or AIDS, organ transplant patients, and others with a weakened immune system.
Respiratory Problems
Chloramine can cause and/or aggravate respiratory problems.
Chloramine fumes can cause an individual to become congested and cause sneezing, sinus congestion, coughing, choking, wheezing, shortness of breath, and asthma (see the Hazardous Substances Fact Sheet for Chloramine, PDF, 98 KB), by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services).
An increase in asthma due to exposure from chloramine in indoor swimming pool areas was shown in a Belgium study from the Catholic University of Louvain (PDF, 707 KB).
Chloramine damages mucous membranes. The lung damage in those exposed to chloramine in indoor pool air is similar to that seen in regular smokers (see Health24 News article).
Chloraminated vapor from showers, baths, hot tubs, dishwashers, and other household appliances contains volatilized chemicals that can be inhaled and cause irritation to the respiratory tract.
Inhaled chloraminated vapor can enter the bloodstream directly through the lungs. It bypasses the digestive tract where the SFPUC says it is broken down and excreted (questions 35 and 36 in their Chloramination Questions and Answers).
The SFPUC says that, “if monochloramine enters the bloodstream directly, it combines with hemoglobin (red blood cells) so it can no longer carry oxygen” (question 37).
Digestive and Gastric Problems
Chloramine damages digestive mucosa.
Chloramine can aggravate digestive disorders.
It is suggested that monochloramine is responsible for gastric cancer. (Journal of Gastroenterology, 1997, “Enhancement by Monochloramine of the Development of Gastric Cancers in Rats; a possible mechanism of Helicobacter, pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis. Click here for a PDF, 2.87 MB.)
Kidney and Blood Problems
Persons with liver or kidney disease and those with hereditary urea cycle disorders are at increased risk for ammonia toxicity from the consumption of chloraminated water.
Kidney dialysis patients cannot use chloraminated water in their dialysis machines because it will cause hemolytic anemia.
Chloramine must be completely removed from the water in dialysis treatment using extensive carbon filtration and a reverse osmosis or Cation filtering system to remove both chlorine and ammonia from the water.
There are populations that are unusually susceptible to ammonia reactivity or toxicity due to factors such as genetic makeup, age, health status, etc.
It goes on....
This could explain why I developed lung cancer in the past year and was diagnosed with emphysema, even though I never smoked.
I have been drinking a lot of chloramine water for 15 years.
Chloramine damages mucous membranes. The lung damage in those exposed to chloramine in indoor pool air is similar to that seen in regular smokers (see Health24 News article).
Sorry to hear that.
We filter all of our water through a Berkey water filter. It takes out everything including fluoride.
Good for you. And very interesting,
I subscribe to the Environmental Working Group reports on pesticides in food products and water quality. (What do you think of them?)
On a scale;e of 1 to 9, with 9 the worst, our city is a 9. And EWG doesn’t know we have lead in our pipes.
A few local stores have water machines, Natural Grocer has the best, no “vitamins” added, machine inspected monthly. I refill gallon bottles there and that’s all my cat and I drink. Make coffee with their clean water too.
Trying to improve on water by adding chemicals.
What could possibly go wrong?
Nice post, thanks!
Green is chlorine, blue is nitrogen, red is oxygen.
I’m so glad we have well water.
And it’s good stuff. We had it tested when we purchased the house.
I believe this has been known for years.
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