Volatile disinfection byproduct formation resulting from chlorination of organic-nitrogen precursors in swimming pools.

Clinical studies have documented the promotion of respiratory ailments (e.g., asthma) among swimmers, especially in indoor swimming pools. Most studies of this behavior have identified trichloramine (NCl3) as the causative agent for these respiratory ailments; however, the analytical methods employed in these studies were not suited for identification or quantification of other volatile disinfection byproducts (DPBs) that could also contribute to this process. To address this issue, volatile DBP formation resulting from the chlorination of four model compounds (creatinine, urea, L-histidine, and L-arginine) was investigated over a range of chlorine/precursor (Cl/P) molar ratios. Trichloramine was observed to result from chlorination of all four model organic-nitrogen compounds. In addition to trichloramine, dichloromethylamine (CH3NCl2) was detected in the chlorination of creatinine, while cyanogen chloride (CNCl) and dichoroacetonitrile (CNCHCl2) were identified in the chlorination of L-histidine. Roughly 0.1 mg/L (as Cl2) NCl3, 0.01 mg/L CNCHCl2, and 0.01 mg/L CH3NCl2 were also observed in actual swimming pool water samples. DPD/FAS titration and MIMS (membrane introduction mass spectrometry) were both employed to measure residual chlorine and DBPs. The combined application of these methods allowed for identification of sources of interference in the conventional method (DPD/FAS), as well as structural information about the volatile DBPs that formed. The analysis by MIMS clearly indicates that volatile DBP formation in swimming pools is not limited to inorganic chloramines and haloforms. Additional experimentation allowed for the identification of possible reaction pathways to describe the formation of these DBPs from the precursor compounds used in this study.