The formation, control, and health effects of DBPs in drinking water are issues of international concern because of the health effects (e.g., bladder cancer and potential adverse reproductive-development impacts) associated with exposure to certain DBPs. As a result, many countries, as well as the World Health Organization, have regulations and/or guidelines on acceptable concentrations of DBPs in water. In recent years, DBP research worldwide has focused on determining the possible adverse health effects of emerging, yet unregulated, DBPs, specifically halogenated (e.g., iodinated) and non-halogenated nitrogenous (e.g., nitrosamines) DBPs. The breadth of DBP research is very broad from source waters (e.g., wastewater, wildfire, seawater intrusion influences) to treatment strategies and technologies, followed by distribution system and point of entry issues (e.g., biofilms, heating, swimming pools), as well as health effects and analytical method developments. Recent research is helping to understand factors controlling formation and to develop a cost-effective control of a wide range of regulated and emerging DBPs. Furthermore, the pace of research on emerging DBP toxicity has increased and generated diverse findings, with comparative toxicity and the molecular mechanisms leading to improved understanding of their toxicity pathways and potential adverse biological effects. This book represents the latest research efforts to understanding these important DBP-related issues. The authors of the chapters in this book are a multidisciplinary group of scientists and engineers, who are conducting studies in many parts of the world. The chapters in this book address both regulated and emerging DBPs and are organized under the sections on DBP toxicology and health effects, modeling of DBP formation, precursors and reactions involving nitrosamines, and formation of halogenated DBPs. This book will be of interest to researchers, drinking water utility scientists and engineers, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and regulators interested in the formation and control of and exposure to DBPs.

Since their discovery, disinfection by-products (DBPs) have become one of the major driving forces in drinking water regulations, research and water utility operations throughout the world. The list of DBPs that can occur in treated drinking waters has grown from a few trihalomethanes to a long list of halogenated and non-halogenated organic or inorganic compounds. This list is expected to continue to grow as the analytical techniques are improved, as more information on their toxicity is developed, and as more occurrence studies are conducted. This book documents the latest DBP research findings, including emerging issues and state-of-the-art studies. Specifically, papers on the occurrence, formation, control, and health effects of emerging (unregulated) halogenated (e.g., brominated) and nonhalogenated (e.g., nitrosamines) DBPs (e.g., emerging nitrogenous vs. regulated carbonaceous DBPs) are presented. In addition to the characterization and reactivity of natural organic matter to form DBPs, new studies on algal organic matter and treated wastewater as sources of DBPs and their precursors are discussed.