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N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an organic compound that is a known environmental contaminant found in water, food, and pharmaceuticals. NDMA is a probable human carcinogen and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer in humans and animals. Due to its toxic properties and prevalence in various industries, NDMA is considered a priority pollutant. NDMA can form during the chlorination and ozonation of drinking water and wastewater, and it is also found in tobacco smoke, cured meats, and other consumer products. The detection and removal of NDMA from the environment are ongoing areas of research and concern.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full form | N-Nitrosodimethylamine |
| Other names | Nitrosamines, Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), N-nitrosamine |
| Formula | (CH3)2NNO |
| State | Volatile yellow oil |
| Toxicity | Hepatotoxic, carcinogenic |
| Sources | Tobacco, cured meats, beer, shampoo, cleansers, detergents, pesticides, water, medicines, cosmetics, toiletries, rubber products, wastewater, sewage sludge, ground-level fog, air, soil |
| Removal methods | UV-peroxide (UV-H 2O 2) advanced oxidation process, reverse osmosis, UV light |
| Acceptable intake limit | 0.096 µg per day (FDA and Health Canada), 10 ng/L (California), 9 ng/L (Ontario), 7 ng/L (EPA) |
| Occurrence | NDMA is a byproduct of chloramination and ozonation of wastewater |
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What You'll Learn
NDMA is a carcinogen
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a known environmental contaminant found in water, food, and medicines. It is a volatile yellow oil and a member of the nitrosamines group of compounds. Nitrosamines are classified as probable human carcinogens, meaning they could cause cancer. NDMA is a potent hepatotoxin and a known carcinogen in laboratory animals. Studies have shown that exposure to NDMA can cause cancer in animals and in humans, although the EPA claims there are no reports of cancer in humans.
NDMA has been detected in various media, including foods and beverages, pharmaceutical products, toiletries and cosmetics, tobacco products, rubber products, pesticides, and sewage sludge. It is also found in ground-level fog and can be inhaled. The formation of NDMA in bacon and other cured meats occurs when nitrite preservatives react with amines and amino acids in the meat during cooking. NDMA can also be formed during the chlorination and ozonation of treated drinking water, and it is a byproduct of wastewater chloramination and ozonation.
The allowable level of NDMA in drinking water is set at 10 nanograms/liter in California and 9 ng/L in Ontario, Canada. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the maximum admissible concentration of NDMA in drinking water is 7 ng/L. NDMA is a priority pollutant, and its removal can be achieved through advanced oxidation processes such as UV-peroxide (UV-H2O2) and biological activated carbon (BAC) filters.
NDMA has been found as a contaminant in multiple drugs, including ranitidine and metformin, and in angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) used to treat high blood pressure, such as valsartan, irbesartan, and losartan. These contaminated drugs have been recalled due to the potential risk of cancer associated with NDMA exposure. Regulatory agencies have deemed these drugs unsafe for human consumption.
In summary, NDMA is a known carcinogen in animals and a probable human carcinogen. Its presence in various environmental and consumer products, as well as medicines, poses a potential risk to human health, leading to strict regulations and ongoing research to mitigate its impact.
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NDMA is found in food and water
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), also known as dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), is an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2NNO. It is a volatile yellow oil that is miscible in water. NDMA is a known carcinogen and highly hepatotoxic, even in minute concentrations. It is a priority pollutant and can enter water supplies from military and industrial sources, such as tanneries, pesticide manufacturing plants, and rubber and tire manufacturers.
NDMA is typically formed as an unintentional byproduct during the chlorination or chloramination of drinking water at treatment plants that use chloramines and chlorine for disinfection. It can also be produced during wastewater treatment, though human exposure to wastewater is expected to be limited. The presence of NDMA in drinking water has become more prevalent due to the switch from free chlorine to chloramines for disinfection in the early 2000s to meet EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for regulated disinfection byproducts.
NDMA has been detected in various foods, including cured meats, smoked fish, some cheeses, and cured meat products like cold cuts preserved with nitrite. It is also present in tobacco products and tobacco smoke, with higher concentrations found in smoke than in the products themselves. Exposure to NDMA occurs through inhalation of smoke and potentially through ground-level fogs.
NDMA has also been found in pharmaceutical products, toiletries, cosmetics, and rubber products. Contamination of medications with NDMA has led to recalls of certain drugs, such as ranitidine and some blood pressure medicines.
The allowable levels of NDMA in drinking water vary, with California setting a standard of 10 nanograms/liter, while the Canadian province of Ontario has a limit of 9 ng/L. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the maximum admissible concentration in drinking water is 7 ng/L, but as of July 2020, has not set a regulatory MCL.
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NDMA is formed during chlorination
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a volatile yellow oil and an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2NNO. It is a known carcinogen and highly hepatotoxic. NDMA is a priority pollutant and a byproduct of chloramination and ozonation of wastewater. It is also formed during the chlorination of water containing the herbicide diuron (N'-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N, N-dimethylurea). The formation of NDMA during chlorination may involve the slow formation of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine by the reaction of monochloramine and dimethylamine, followed by its rapid oxidation to NDMA and other products. NDMA may also be formed in wastewater, but human exposure to wastewater is expected to be very limited.
NDMA is a known contaminant of drinking water, and its presence is of particular concern due to the minute concentrations at which it is harmful and the difficulty in detecting it at these concentrations. The allowable level of NDMA in drinking water in California is 10 nanograms/liter, while the Canadian province of Ontario has set the standard at 9 ng/L. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the maximum admissible concentration of NDMA in drinking water is 7 ng/L.
NDMA can be formed during the chlorination of water containing the herbicide diuron, and its formation is greatly enhanced in the presence of ammonia (chloramination). Groundwater impacted by agricultural runoff may contain diuron and relatively high total nitrogen concentrations. The addition of nitrogen sources such as ammonium and nitrite can also play a significant role in determining the exact NDMA formation mechanism, affecting the formation rate and yield of NDMA from its precursors.
The formation of NDMA during chlorination can be reduced by removing ammonia prior to chlorination, by breakpoint chlorination, or by avoiding the use of monochloramine for drinking water disinfection. Another NDMA formation pathway involves the nitrosation of dimethylamine in the presence of nitrite and free chlorine, with a mechanism that involves the formation of highly nitrosating intermediates such as dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) during the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate.
NDMA has attracted wide attention due to its potential harm to human health and the environment. It is important to continue researching and implementing strategies to reduce NDMA formation during chlorination and to ensure that NDMA levels in drinking water and other sources are within safe limits.
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NDMA is a contaminant in drugs
Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), also known as dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), is an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2NNO. It is a volatile yellow oil and a known carcinogen in laboratory animals. NDMA is a contaminant that has been found in multiple drugs, including Valsartan, Losartan, Irbesartan, and Ranitidine. These drugs have been recalled due to the presence of NDMA, which is classified as a probable human carcinogen.
NDMA can form during the manufacture of drugs or be introduced from contaminated ingredients, solvents, or catalysts. It is also found in cured meats, fish, beer, tobacco products, and pesticides. NDMA is a priority pollutant and a byproduct of chloramination and ozonation of wastewater. The allowable level of NDMA in drinking water is set at 10 nanograms/liter in California and 9 ng/L in Ontario, Canada.
The presence of NDMA in drugs has raised concerns about the potential risk of cancer. Regulatory agencies are working to prevent the contamination of drugs with NDMA and other harmful contaminants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established a maximum dose of NDMA that is permissible per tablet and provided guidance for manufacturers. However, there are still many unanswered questions about NDMA contamination that requires further investigation.
The discovery of NDMA in pharmaceuticals is not an isolated incident. Private, pharmaceutical, and regulatory agency labs around the world have been finding NDMA and other N-nitrosamine contaminants in various drugs. This has led to recalls and regulatory actions to protect public health. In 2018, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued an opinion requiring companies to limit the presence of nitrosamines in human medicines and ensure that levels of these impurities do not exceed set limits.
Overall, NDMA is a contaminant in drugs that has been a cause for concern and has led to recalls and regulatory actions. The health risks associated with NDMA exposure and the need for strict monitoring and prevention of NDMA contamination in the pharmaceutical industry are being addressed by regulatory agencies worldwide.
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NDMA removal methods
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a probable human carcinogen found in nanogram/litre (ng/L) concentrations in chlorinated and chloraminated water. It is a priority pollutant and a byproduct of chloramination and ozonation of wastewater.
- Ultraviolet (UV) light treatment: UV irradiation can break down NDMA and reduce it to below detectable levels.
- Reverse osmosis: This method removes approximately 50% of NDMA.
- Advanced oxidation processes: The UV-peroxide (UV-H2O2) advanced oxidation process has been identified as the Best Available Technology for NDMA removal, with energy consumption 5-10 times higher than typical UV disinfection systems.
- Biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration: In a 20-month study, a pilot-scale BAC filter consistently achieved over 99% removal of NDMA, independent of initial NDMA concentration, upstream filtration type, and bed life.
- Aerated Fixed Film Biofilter (AF2B) reactors: These systems use endogenous bacterial consortiums to treat wastewater and have been shown to increase pollutant removal capability with longer hydraulic residence times (HRT).
- Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS): This method combines solid-phase extraction with activated charcoal to achieve recoveries greater than 90% and a reporting limit as low as 2 ng/L.
It is important to note that the effectiveness of these methods may vary depending on specific conditions, and that ongoing research, such as the development of integrated membrane systems for water reuse, is focused on optimizing NDMA removal processes.
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Frequently asked questions
NDMA, or N-Nitrosodimethylamine, is an organic compound. It is a volatile yellow oil and is hepatotoxic and carcinogenic in laboratory animals.
Yes, NDMA is a priority pollutant. It is a byproduct of chloramination and ozonation of wastewater. It is also found in drinking water, food, tobacco smoke, and pharmaceuticals.
NDMA is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Exposure to NDMA has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer in animals and humans. It has also been associated with liver damage and internal bleeding.
NDMA can be removed from the environment through various treatment processes, such as UV-peroxide advanced oxidation, biological activated carbon filtration, and reverse osmosis. These methods can effectively reduce the concentration of NDMA in water and wastewater.
