HALOACETONITRILES

        What are Haloacetonitriles? Haloacetonitriles are small organic compounds containing nitrogen, chlorine, and/or bromine. The compounds are formed from naturally occurring organic substances, particularly amino acids, during chlorination. Lower concentrations are obtained when chloramine is used instead of chlorine for disinfection. The haloacetonitriles of significance in disinfected water are dichloroacetonitrile, trichloroacetonitrile, bromochloroacetonitrile, and dibromoacetonitrile.

        What are the Health Effects of Haloacetonitriles? Little data is available on the toxicity of the haloacetonitriles, however, animal studies suggest that dichloroacetonitrile is mutagenic and therefore potentially carcinogenic.

        How may I be Exposed to Haloacetonitriles? Haloacetonitriles are found in chlorinated drinking water supplies. The levels of haloacetonitriles are dependent on the amount of naturally organic material found in the source water and the amount of chlorine used in disinfection.

        Are the Levels of Haloacetonitriles in Drinking Water Dangerous to my Health? The results of toxicity tests suggest that safe levels of haloacetonitriles in water for adults consuming 2 liters of water a day is 56 mg/L for dichloroacetonitrile and 161 mg/L for dibromoacetonitrile. No regulatory limits currently exist for haloacetonitriles, however, measurements of the levels found in disinfected water have shown that they are well below the regulatory "safe " levels.




Source: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/puc/wqfs/tocsec4.htm