Drinking water in developed countries is largely clean, but hidden contaminants can remain latent. According to a report by New Atlas citing the journal Science, a team of scientists has identified a mysterious chemical known as the 'phantom substance' that has been contaminating drinking water for decades, and discovered that it is entirely new to science.

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A molecule missing for decades

Drinking water is often treated with chlorine for disinfection, and this process has proven effective in eliminating most waterborne pathogens, but it can produce byproducts harmful to human health. A team of researchers discovered that a similar compound, chloramine, produces fewer harmful byproducts and lasts longer. Therefore, it is widely used in the United States and some other regions.

However, chloramine turned out to have its own byproducts. Chemical analysis has long shown that 5 to 10% of the expected nitrogen disappears, trapped in another molecule that scientists had been unable to directly identify for decades.

Scientists have recently been able to identify this strange 'phantom' chemical. It is called the chloronitramide anion, a negatively charged molecule composed of one chlorine atom, two nitrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms.

The researchers synthesized and isolated this chemical, then analyzed it using high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to reveal its properties.

Then, concentrations of this anion were measured in various water systems in the United States treated with chloramines. They detected levels up to 100 micrograms per liter, which is above the regulatory limits typically allowed for disinfection byproducts, ranging between 60 and 80 micrograms per liter.

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Toxicity Studies

No direct toxicity studies have yet been conducted on this compound, but the research team says analyses indicate that the chloronitramide anion is completely harmless.

Oliver Jones, a professor of chemistry at RMIT University, expressed agreement on 'conducting a toxicity study of this anion because it would be useful now that it has been identified,' noting that he is not overly concerned about the tap water he drinks.

The compound in question is not newly discovered, but only newly identified. Its presence has been known in some (but not all) drinking water for more than 30 years.

Important Step

Jones continues, saying 'the question is whether this substance is toxic at the level of exposure,' expressing his belief that the answer is likely no.

Only 40 samples were tested in this study, which is insufficient to represent all tap water in the United States, and the concentration of chloronitramide was well below regulatory limits for most disinfection byproducts in the majority of samples.

Whether the substance is unsafe or not, identifying this mysterious chemical after all this time is an important step.

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