Are you drinking toxic water? Study discovers new chemical that has been present in water for about a century

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A new study tested the drinking habits of a third of US residents, and they uncovered a new chemical present in it. Most of the residents in the US receive tap water, and it is possible that their water is toxic. Scientists have discovered the presence of a newly identified substance called chloronitramide anion.

Chloronitramide anion is a byproduct of the water being treated with chloramine – a chemical formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia. Chloramine is used for killing bacteria and viruses that might be present in public water distribution systems.

The study added that while the presence of the byproduct was discovered 40 years ago, the identification of the chemical took this long due to technical improvement.

Is the chemical toxic?

While the scientists are unsure about the toxicity of the chemical, it is concerning since chloronitramide anion bears resemblance to other chemicals that are toxic in nature. David Wahman, one of the study’s authors and a research environmental engineer at the Environmental Protection Agency, said, “It has similarity to other toxic molecules. We looked for it in 40 samples in 10 US chlorinated drinking water systems located in seven states. We did find it in all the samples.”

It is a matter of concern

According to the study, about 113 million US residents receive tap water and consume it daily. The chemical has been present in the water for about a century to disinfect it. Chloronitramide anion is formed over time, as chloramine gets decayed. It is natural to be found in every drinking water which is treated by the use of chloramine.

Julian Fairey, lead author and an associate professor at the University of Arkansas, said, “We don’t know the toxicity, but this study has enabled us to be able to do that work now. Now, we can go about the hard work of trying to figure out what its toxicological relevance is in our water systems.” However, he added that some of the past studies have linked disinfected drinking water to the possibilities of certain cancers.

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