Poly (diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (polyDADMAC) has been shown to be an important precursor of the probable human carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) when in contact with chloramine. In this study, we conducted an orthogonal experiment design to evaluate the effects of pH values, ammonia, bromide, natural organic matter (NOM) and monochloramine dosages on the formation of NDMA from polyDADMAC during chloramination. Meanwhile, single factor experiments of pH, bromide and NOM prove the results of orthogonal experiment. The results supported that pH was the most critical factor affecting NDMA formation from polyDADMAC during the chloramines, and the highest NDMA formation from polyDADMAC occurred near pH at 7 due to released DMA from polyDADMAC degradation and the critical importance of low concentrations of dichloramine in water. In the presence of excess bromide, the NDMA formation was enhanced significantly at all different pH values owing to bromochloramine, which has higher electronegativity of the brominated nitrogen atom than monochloramine or dichloramine. The NDMA formation from polyDADMAC in the presence of NOM was 41.7% lower than NDMA formation in absence of NOM. The overwhelming majority of NDMA formation from polyDADMAC under stimulated conditions were lower than the current advisory levels (i.e., 9 ng/L in Ontario, 10 ng/L in California).

RawdataThe raw data for Figure 2,3,4 and 6.