Halogenated fatty amides – A brand new class of disinfection by-products

Abstract An array of similar halogenated nitrogen-containing compounds with elemental composition C n H 2n NO 2 X, C n H 2n–2 NO 2 X and C n H 2n-1 NOX 2 (X = Cl, Br; n = 16, 18, 22) was detected in drinking water with high performance liquid chromatography – high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) method. Compounds of this type were never mentioned among disinfection by-products. Tandem mass spectrometry allowed referring them to halohydrines or dihalogenated fatty amides, the products of conjugated electrophilic addition of halogens to the double bonds of unsaturated fatty amides. The proposed structures were confirmed by conducting aqueous chlorination with standard solution of oleamide. These compounds may be considered as a brand new class of disinfection by products, while their toxicities require special study.