N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE (NDMA): A DBP AND ITS OCCURRENCE IN WASTEWATER

This paper will provide wastewater utilities and professionals a comprehensive occurrence and synthesis of information pertinent to NDMA such that wastewater plants can make informed and cost-effective decisions regarding appropriate management techniques for NDMA. NDMA, a suspect DBP, is a potential carcinogen and is presently under scrutiny by the U.S. EPA as it is posing a threat to groundwater from reclaimed wastewaters. Recognizing that the current state of knowledge pertaining to occurrence and treatment of NDMA from wastewater treatment is in its infancy, the information presented in this paper will be timely and will help utilities develop some confidence toward controlling NDMA during wastewater treatment. Given the increased probability of formation of NDMA during the current wastewater treatment technologies and also in the complex matrices of the wastewaters subjected to UV treatment, the investigation of occurrence pathways and means of suppression of NDMA formation before and/or after treatment needs to be investigated. This article also summarizes strategies to minimize exposure such as modifying treatment, or perhaps instituting waste and agricultural management practices that minimize inorganic and organic nitrogen sources to discharges to wastewaters.