Hrvatske vode, Vol. 29 No. 117, 2021.
Review article
The fate of N-nitrosamines in the environment and applicable methods for their removal from water
Silvia Morović
orcid.org/0000-0003-4958-9250
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Fakultet kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Krešimir Košutić
orcid.org/0000-0002-2020-8736
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Fakultet kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Bruna Babić
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Fakultet kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Danijela Ašperger
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Fakultet kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
N-nitrosamines belong to a group of organic compounds with the general chemical structure.
R1
N(-R2
)-N=O, and are formed by oxidation reactions of secondary or tertiary amines with nitrosating agents.
They have been found in tobacco products, smoked meats, alcoholic beverages, cheeses, and canned fruits and
are considered undesirable for consumption. They are regularly detected in fish processing and leather industry
wastewater, as well as in the production of pesticides, dyes and rubber.
Although present in trace amounts, they pose a serious threat to the aquatic environment and human health. In
recent years, N-nitrosamines have been the subject of numerous analytical studies, have attracted the attention of
various regulatory agencies, and have been classified as substances that are “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Understanding the formation pathways of N-nitrosamines in aqueous systems, the mechanisms of degradation and
transformation, and their impact on the environment and human health is crucial for preventing their formation and
thus for selecting physicochemical and/or other methods for their removal from water. This article provides a detailed
overview of the formation mechanisms and the efficiency of removal of N-nitrosamines from water by different
methods
Keywords
N-Nitrosamines; precursors; disinfectionby-products; chloramination; water treatment methods
Hrčak ID:
271246
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2021.
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