Scientists Identify the Strange Chemical Found in Drinking Water Across US — Should You Be Worried?

Believe it or not, clean drinking water is an essential part of a quality life. This basic necessity is crucial for the survival of humans, or any other life, for that matter. In humans, water helps regulate the body’s temperature, carry nutrients, facilitate excretion, and aid in most other important processes, per Healthline. Now, what if someone were to tell you that access to clean drinking water is a challenge in some of the most developed countries? The United States has a history of poor water quality reaching homes for years. In fact, scientists have been trying to find the presence of toxic chemicals that make drinking water unsafe and they caught it. The chemical called chloronitramide anion was extensively studied and published in the journal Science. 

After four decades of research, they were able to identify the previously dubbed “phantom” chemical prevalent in drinking water all over the US. It was known that the chemical is a byproduct of chloramine, a disinfectant used in water treatment. Stacking information bit by bit, the scientists concluded that the compound is made up of one chlorine atom, two nitrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms. The toxicity of the chemical, however, is still unknown. The lead author of the study, Julian Fairey, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas, is positive that further research will reveal the toxic nature of the chemical and how it may impact humans. 

“We need to investigate it. We don’t know the toxicity. This work was 40 years in the making in terms of trying to identify the compound, and now that we have identified it, we can delve into how toxic is this thing,” she told The Washington Post. They intend to determine the concentrations at which chloronitramide can be harmful but are certain that, at present, the byproduct is almost negligible in drinking water. While the poor quality of drinking water persists in the US, scientists assure that the presence of the chemical is no cause for concern, yet. 

Water treatment with chloramines, obtained by the combination of chlorine and ammonia, is a fundamental step to clean water and has been used in the nation for decades. However, the disinfectants react with organic material in the untreated water, like harmful microbes, and form resulting byproducts like chloronitramide. Chloramines reportedly control the concentrations of other harmful byproducts and experts are content that the “phantom” chemical exists in minute concentrations with less potential to be toxic. Oliver Jones, a professor of chemistry at RMIT University in Australia, added valuable insights suggesting virtually all known elements can be toxic in certain amounts.

"The question is not — is something toxic or not — because everything is toxic at the right amount, even water. The question is whether the substance is toxic at the amount we are exposed to," the expert noted. He agreed that while toxicological investigation of the chloronitramide anion is necessary and may prove to be useful, he does not absolutely dread its presence in his tap water. “I think here the answer is probably not,” Jones said in his final verdict on the toxicity of the new chemical. Another 2023 study discovered a group of “forever chemicals” known to be carcinogenic. About 45 percent of all tap water in the US is contaminated with at least one type of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, per the United States Geological Survey (USGS).