Nitrosamine Control During Wastewater Recycling

Due to their high cancer potencies, and the high levels of organic nitrogen precursors in wastewater effluents, nitrosamine disinfection byproducts have emerged as key contaminants of concern for wastewater recycling operations. To mitigate nitrosamines, it is important to characterize their precursors and identify novel disinfection schemes that can minimize their formation. Despite current interest in NDMA, NDMA is a minor component of total nitrosamines in recycled wastewaters. Noting that triethanolamine is a major component of a range of consumer products, we identified N-nitrosodiethanolamine at concentrations comparable to NDMA in recycled water systems. Greywater laundry effluent contributes significant loads of NDMA and total nitrosamines to sewage. The combination of medium pressure UV followed by application of preformed monochloramine can effectively minimize the concentrations of NDMA in recycled water systems.