Question- What are “water disinfection byproducts” (DBP’s)?
Answer- The cited reference notes “water disinfection byproducts form when chemical disinfectants (e.g. chlorine, chloramine) combine with organic matter present in water. Although hundreds of different types of DBP’s can form depending on characteristics of the source water and treatment types, the most commonly occurring are the trihalomethanes (THM’s) and haloacetic acids (HAA’s) which are nearly ubiquitous in treated water systems. (Kaufman JA et al. Associations between disinfection by-product exposures and craniofacial birth defects. 2018 JOEM 60(2):109-119.)
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