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PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat to science@lemmy.worldEnglish · 7 months ago

Researchers identify previously unknown compound in drinking water

phys.org

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Researchers identify previously unknown compound in drinking water

phys.org

PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat to science@lemmy.worldEnglish · 7 months ago
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A team of researchers from the United States and Switzerland has reported the discovery of a previously unknown compound in chloraminated drinking water. Inorganic chloramines are commonly used to disinfect drinking water to safeguard public health from diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. It's estimated that more than 113 million people in the United States alone drink chloraminated water.
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  • solrize@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Tldr: chloronitramide anion, a decay product of the chloramine disinfectant routinely added to water. No one knows if it’s toxic.

    • catloaf@lemm.ee
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      7 months ago

      Well I’m pretty sure that drinking water treated with chloramine is far preferable to drinking untreated water, so even if it is toxic, it’s not toxic enough at current levels to merit concern.

      It’s still worth investigating, because it’s good to have confirmation.

      • solrize@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Might help to filter out the chemicals before drinking.

        • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          You can’t really “filter” out these chemicals when they’re fully dissolved in the water.

          There’s always distillation, but that’s not practical at all on the scale of drinking water for cities.

          • catloaf@lemm.ee
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            7 months ago

            Reverse osmosis is the other option, but it’s also not cost-effective at city scale.

            • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              Ah, good point. Forgot about that one haha.

          • asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            We have a home distiller and use it for all our drinking water. It’s very easy to use. Highly recommend.

            • LowtierComputer@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              What brand or model?

              • asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world
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                7 months ago

                https://www.megahomedistiller.com/collections/frontpage/products/megahome-mh943sbs-water-distiller

                Made in Taiwan, too

                • LowtierComputer@lemmy.world
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                  6 months ago

                  Thank you. That’s far cheaper than I expected.

          • solrize@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            I had thought activated charcoal could remove the chemicals. No I don’t mean city scale. I meant after the water comes out of the tap but before you drink it. City water has to be treated to not harbor too many germs.

            • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com
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              7 months ago

              It does for this. See: https://ponder.cat/post/752896/1007500

          • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com
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            7 months ago

            You can for this. See my comment: https://ponder.cat/post/752896/1007500

            • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              Ah, interesting. Didn’t think it would be caught by activated carbon. Good to know, thanks.

        • JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Definitely filter out that H2O chemical

          • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com
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            7 months ago

            There’s di-hydrogen monoxide in the water!

      • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I’m also pretty sure you’re correct in saying so. I can’t recall any other treatments offhand, but there may be alternatives?

    • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Not that it’s really an issue since water used in drug formulations are not treated with chloramine disinfectants. But usage of those disinfectants can contribute to nitrosamines in some drugs, which no one wants.

      Incredibly unlikely (impossible?) taking a drug with chloramine disinfected water, don’t worry.

      • kiwifoxtrot@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        There are way more nitrosamines in a thin slice of cured meat than any drug had before the regulations were put in place.

        • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Interesting, I’ve never really thought about that, makes sense though. Also looks like decent amounts potentially (~0-84 ug/kg).

          Surprising when they’re usually only allowed in the single digit ppm range in pharmaceuticals, and many have been recalled due to nitrosamines.

          • batmaniam@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            I think it’s because ones a drug prescribed for a medical condition. So you may have a condition where your doctor says “stay away from cured meats” but might prescribe you a drug that unwittingly has what they’re looking to avoid. And just in general drugs give you a lot of control: there should only be what you know and want in there. Foods a big ol mess of compounds. My heart meds get recalled all the time for less acrylamide than I’d get in a flame grilled burger.

    • AmidFuror@fedia.io
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      7 months ago

      It’s toxic to microbes.

  • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com
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    7 months ago

    And of course they don’t say if it’s filterable.

    Edit: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chloronitramide-anion-chemical-drinking-water-toxicity/

    Still, if people are currently concerned about their drinking water while any potential toxicity is yet to be evaluated, study author David Wahman said in the briefing that previous literature has shown the by-product to be removed by activated carbon.

    So a standard Britta-like filter is all you need.

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Cool. Another thing we need to fucking worried about.

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