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Experiments were conducted to investigate the hypothesis that N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potential disinfection by-product. NDMA was formed by the reaction of dimethylamine (DMA) with monochloramine and also with free chlorine in the presence of ammonia. We proposed a mechanism for NDMA formation which does not require the presence of nitrite as in N-nitrosation. The critical NDMA formation reactions consist of i) the formation of monochloramine by combination of free chlorine with ammonia, ii) the formation of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) intermediate from the reaction of DMA with monochloramine followed by, iii) the oxidation of UDMH by monochloramine to NDMA, and iv) the reversible chlorine transfer reaction between free chlorine/monochloramine and DMA which is parallel with i) and ii). A kinetic model was developed to validate the proposed mechanism.

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Chloramines have long been used to provide a disinfecting residual in distribution systems where it is difficult to maintain a free chlorine residual or where disinfection by-product (DBP) formation is of concern. While chloramines are generally considered less reactive than free chlorine, they are inherently unstable even in the absence of reactive substances. These reactions, often referred to as "auto-decomposition", always occur and hence define the maximum stability of monochloramine in water. The effect of additional reactive material must be measured relative to this basic loss process. A thorough understanding of the auto-decomposition reactions is fundamental to the development of mechanisms that account for reactions with additional substances and to the ultimate formation of DBPs. A kinetic model describing auto-decomposition was recently developed. This model is based on studies of isolated individual reactions and on observations of the reactive ammonia-chlorine system as a whole. The work presented here validates and extends this model for use in waters typical of those encountered in distribution systems and under realistic chloramination conditions. The effect of carbonate and temperature on auto-decomposition is discussed. The influence of bromide and nitrite at representative monochloramine concentrations is also examined, and additional reactions to account for their influence on monochloramine decay are presented to demonstrate the ability of the model to incorporate inorganic demand pathways that occur parallel to auto-decomposition.

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Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are receiving a great deal of attention as an innovative, cost-effective technology for in situ clean up of groundwater contamination. A wide variety of materials are being proposed for use in PRBs, including zero-valent metals (e.g., iron metal), humic materials, oxides, surfactant-modified zeolites (SMZs), and oxygen- and nitrate-releasing compounds. PRB materials remove dissolved groundwater contaminants by immobilization within the barrier or transformation to less harmful products. The primary removal processes include: (1) sorption and precipitation, (2) chemical reaction, and (3) biologically mediated reactions. This article presents an overview of the mechanisms and factors controlling these individual processes and discusses the implications for the feasibility and long-term effectiveness of PRB technologies.

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This study was undertaken to determine if dissolution of 226Radium from pipe-scale deposits contributes to enhanced waterborne 226Radium concentrations at the point of use. Water samples were collected from residential water customers of a small rural Iowa town. Sites were evenly divided between new and old water main connections. Daily samples were collected from the point-of-entry water. Point-of-use 226Radium concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 12.9 pCi L-1 (0.01 to 0.5 Bq L-1). The mean 226 Radium concentration for homes connected to old water mains was significantly higher than the mean 226Radium concentration of homes connected to new water mains, mean(standard deviation) equal 8.3(1.1) and 5.3(0.8) pCi L-1 [0.3(1.1) and 0.2(0.8) Bq L-1], respectively. 226Radium concentrations of the point-of-entry water ranged from 5.0 pCi L-1 to 10.3 pCi L-1 (0.2 Bq L-1 to 0.4 Bq L-1). This study indicates considerable variability of 226Radium exposure from drinking water among residents of the same water supply and has implications for regulatory compliance and exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies.

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A point-of-use waterborne radon-222 (222Rn) survey of a small Iowa town was performed to determine the cause of unnaturally high waterborne 222Rn concentrations in the municipality. The source of the elevated 222Rn concentrations was a newly discovered reservoir of waterborne 222Rn originating from distribution-system radium-226 (226Ra) adsorbed internal pipe scale deposits. Because the proposed national drinking water regulations for 222Rn require sampling at the origin of the distribution system rather than at the point of use, the proposed scheme for collection of water samples may not represent actual consumer waterborne 222Rn exposure in all cases.

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