Analytical characterization of N-halogenated peptides produced by disinfection: formation, degradation, and occurrence in water

Publication date: Available online 23 August 2018Source: TrAC Trends in Analytical ChemistryAuthor(s): Ping Jiang, Lindsay K. Jmaiff Blackstock, Nicholas J.P. Wawryk, Guang Huang, Xing-Fang LiAbstractOrganic N-haloamines are water disinfection byproducts resulting from reactions between dissolved organic nitrogen and disinfectants. N-halogenated peptides, an important group of organic N-haloamines, have been overlooked over the past. In this review, we highlight peptides as the precursors for N-halogenated peptides during wastewater and drinking water disinfection. We discuss the analysis of N-halogenated peptides using methods based on titration, spectrophotometry, chromatography, and advanced liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry and the studies of the formation, degradation, and occurrence of N-halogenated peptides in water. While each method contributes to the evaluation of mechanisms and kinetics of formation and degradation of N-halogenated peptides in laboratory solution, only the development of highly sensitive and selective mass spectrometric methods enables the detection of trace levels of N-halogenated peptides in authentic disinfected water samples. Overall, reactions between peptides and disinfectants take place in milliseconds through an electrophilic substitution process. The N-halogenated peptides formed are relatively stable, leading to their sustainability in disinfected water. The recent detection of N-chlorinated peptides as disinfection byproducts usi...

Source: TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry - August 23, 2018 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research