Human Health Risk Assessment on Disinfection By-Products in Water

Disinfection with chlorine is the most commonly used technique in water treatment, and its widespread use has effectively reduced the incidence of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and gastrointestinal illness. However, chlorine reacts with natural organic matter (NOM) and/or inorganic substances occurring in water to form various disinfection by-products (DBPs)such as trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and other undesirable compounds. Toxicological studies emphasized that human exposure with DBPs has been associated with cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes. Therefore, various toxicological and epidemiological studies have been carried out to establish relationships between levels of DBPs in drinking water and various carcinogenic and other adverse health outcomes.