Formation and Health Effects of Disinfectants and Disinfection by Products in Water Treatment: A Review

Abstract

The objective of the review was to assess the impacts of disinfectants and disinfection by products on human heal and animals. Disinfection of drinking water was introduced to ensure that our water supply was microbiologically safe through the removal of pathogens. Although disinfectants are used to safe water, they cause DBPs by reacting with organic matters and inorganic once. Those DBPs cause important impact on human health. For instance cancer, impact on reproduction, respiration and allergy are the most well-known studies conducted. Bladder cancer is the most studied and much of studies reported positive association between bladder cancer and DBPs. However, others reported negative association between pancreatic cancer and DBPs. mixed result was obtained from studies conducted regarding respiratory and allergy. Studies from Belgium investigated positive association between DBPs and respiratory problems whereas others don’t. In the case of reproduction and development, more studies reported the association of disinfectants and birth outcome whereas others don’t this may be due to usage of different methodologies in disinfecting water. However animal study shows consistency on the impact of disinfection byproducts regarding reproductive system.

Keywords: Cancer, DBPs, Disinfection, Disinfectants, Water treatment