A balancing act: Optimizing free chlorine contact time to minimize iodo-DBPs, NDMA, and regulated DBPs in chloraminated drinking water

Many drinking water treatment plants in the U.S. have switched from chlorination to chloramination to lower levels of regulated trihalomethane (THM) and haloacetic acid (HAA) disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water and meet the current regulations. However, chloramination can also produce other highly toxic/carcinogenic, unregulated DBPs: iodo-acids, iodo-THMs, and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). In practice, chloramines are generated by the addition of chlorine with ammonia, and plants use varying amounts of free chlorine contact time prior to ammonia addition to effectively kill pathogens and meet DBP regulations. However, iodo-DBPs and nitrosamines are generally not considered in this balancing of free chlorine contact time. The goal of our work was to determine whether an optimal free chlorine contact time could be established in which iodo-DBPs and NDMA could be minimized, while keeping regulated THMs and HAAs below their regulatory limits. The effect of free chlorine contact time was evaluated for the formation of six iodo-trihalomethanes (iodo-THMs), six iodo-acids, and NDMA during the chloramination of drinking water. Ten different free chlorine contact times were examined for two source waters with different dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and bromide/iodide. For the low DOC water at pH 7 and 8, an optimized free chlorine contact time of up to 1 h could control regulated THMs and HAAs, as well as iodo-DBPs and NDMA. For the high DOC water, a free chlorine contact time of 5 min could control iodo-DBPs and NDMA at both pHs, but the regulated DBPs could exceed the regulations at pH 7.     

Characterization of disinfection byproduct formation potential in 13 source waters in China

The formation potential of four trihalomethanes (THMFP) and seven haloacetic acids (HAA7FP) in 13 source waters taken from four major water basin areas in China was evaluated using the simulated distribution system (SDS) chlorination method. The specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254: the ratio of UV254 to dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), which ranged between 0.9 and 5.0 L/(mg m), showed that the organic compounds in di erent source waters exhibited di erent reactivities with chlorine. The HAA7FP of source waters ranged from 20 to 448 g/L and the THMFP ranged from 29 to 259 g/L. The HAA7FP concentrations were higher than the THMFP concentrations in all but one of the samples. Therefore, the risks of haloacetic acids (HAAs) should be of concern in some source waters. TCM (chloroform) and BDCM (bromodichloromethane) were the major THM constituents, while TCAA (trichloroacetic acid) and DCAA (dichloroacetic acid) were the major HAA species. Br-THM (brominated THM species) were much higher than Br- HAA (brominated HAA species), and the formation of Br-DBP (Br-THM and Br-HAA) should be of concern when the bromide concentration is over 100 g/L.     

Showering in Flint, MI: Is there a DBP problem?

Lead contamination in the City of Flint, MI has been well documented over the past two years, with lead levels above the EPA Action Level until summer 2016. This resulted from an ill-fated decision to switch from Detroit water (Lake Huron) with corrosion control, to Flint River water without corrosion control. Although lead levels are now closer to normal, reports of skin rashes have sparked questions surrounding tap water in some Flint homes. This study investigated the presence of contaminants, including disinfection by-products (DBPs), in the hot tap water used for showering in the homes of residents in Flint. Extensive quantitative analysis of 61 regulated and priority unregulated DBPs was conducted in Flint hot and cold tap water, along with the analysis of 50 volatile organic compounds and a nontarget comprehensive, broadscreen analysis, to identify a possible source for the reported skin rashes. For comparison, chlorinated hot and cold waters from three other cities were also sampled, including Detroit, which also uses Lake Huron as its source water. Results showed that hot water samples generally contained elevated levels of regulated and priority unregulated DBPs compared to cold water samples, but trihalomethanes were still within regulatory limits. Overall, hot shower water from Flint was similar to waters sampled from the three other cities and did not have unusually high levels of DBPs or other organic chemicals that could be responsible for the skin rashes observed by residents. It is possible that an inorganic chemical or microbial contaminant may be responsible.     

Formation and speciation of disinfection byproducts during chlor(am)ination of aquarium seawater

The chemistry associated with the disinfection of aquarium seawater is more complicated than that of freshwater, therefore limited information is available on the formation and speciation of disinfection byproducts(DBPs) in marine aquaria. In this study, the effects of organic precursors, bromide(Br-) and pre-ozonation on the formation and speciation of several typical classes of DBPs, including trihalomethanes(THM4), haloacetic acids(HAAs),iodinated trihalomethanes(I-THMs), and haloacetamides(HAc Ams), were investigated during the chlorination/chloramination of aquarium seawater. Results indicate that with an increase in dissolved organic carbon concentration from 4.5 to 9.4 mg/L, the concentrations of THM4 and HAAs increased by 3.2–7.8 times under chlorination and by 1.1–2.3 times under chloramination. An increase in Br-concentration from 3 to 68 mg/L generally enhanced the formation of THM4, I-THMs and HAc Ams and increased the bromine substitution factors of all studied DBPs as well, whereas it impacted insignificantly on the yield of HAAs. Pre-ozonation with 1 mg/L O3 dose substantially reduced the formation of all studied DBPs in the subsequent chlorination and I-THMs in the subsequent chloramination. Because chloramination produces much lower amounts of DBPs than chlorination, it tends to be more suitable for disinfection of aquarium seawater.     

Effect of ferric and bromide ions on the formation and speciation of disinfection byproducts during chlorination

The e ects of ferric ion, pH, and bromide on the formation and distribution of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during chlorination were studied. Two raw water samples from Huangpu River and Yangtze River, two typical drinking water sources of Shanghai, were used for the investigation. Compared with the samples from Huangpu River, the raw water samples from Yangtze River had lower content of total organic carbon (TOC) and ferric ions, but higher bromide concentrations. Under controlled chlorination conditions, four trihalomethanes (THMs), nine haloacetic acids (HAAs), total organic halogen (TOX) and its halogen species fractions, including total organic chlorine (TOCl) and total organic bromide (TOBr), were determined. The results showed that co-existent ferric and bromide ions significantly promoted the formation of total THMs and HAAs for both raw water samples. Higher concentration of bromide ions significantly changed the speciation of the formed THMs and HAAs. There was an obvious shift to brominated species, which might result in a more adverse influence on the safety of drinking water. The results also indicated that high levels of bromide ions in raw water samples produced higher percentages of unknown TOBr.     

Disinfection byproducts in chlorinated or brominated swimming pools and spas: Role of brominated DBPs and association with mutagenicity

Although the health benefits of swimming are well-documented, health effects such as asthma and bladder cancer are linked to disinfection by-products (DBPs) in pool water. DBPs are formed from the reaction of disinfectants such as chlorine (Cl) or bromine (Br) with organics in the water. Our previous study (Daiber et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 50, 6652; 2016) found correlations between the concentrations of classes of DBPs and the mutagenic potencies of waters from chlorinated or brominated swimming pools and spas. We extended this study by identifying significantly different concentrations of 21 individual DBPs in brominated or chlorinated pool and spa waters as well as identifying which DBPs and additional DBP classes were most associated with the mutagenicity of these waters. Using data from our previous study, we found that among 21 DBPs analyzed in 21 pool and spa waters, the concentration of bromoacetic acid was significantly higher in Br-waters versus Cl-waters, whereas the concentration of trichloroacetic acid was significantly higher in Cl-waters. Five Br-DBPs (tribromomethane, dibromochloroacetic acid, dibromoacetonitrile, bromoacetic acid, and tribromoacetic acid) had significantly higher concentrations in Br-spa versus Cl-spa waters. Cl-pools had significantly higher concentrations of Cl-DBPs (trichloroacetaldehyde, trichloromethane, dichloroacetic acid, and chloroacetic acid), whereas Br-pools had significantly higher concentrations of Br-DBPs (tribromomethane, dibromoacetic acid, dibromoacetonitrile, and tribromoacetic acid). The concentrations of the sum of all 4 trihalomethanes, all 11 Br-DBPs, and all 5 nitrogen-containing DBPs were each significantly higher in brominated than in chlorinated pools and spas. The 8 Br-DBPs were the only DBPs whose individual concentrations were significantly correlated with the mutagenic potencies of the pool and spa waters. These results, along with those from our earlier study, highlight the importance of Br-DBPs in the mutagenicity of these recreational waters.     

Disinfection by-product (DBP) research in China: Are we on the track?

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed during water disinfection has drawn significant public concern due to its toxicity. Since the first discovery of the trihalomethanes in 1974, continued effort has been devoted on DBPs worldwide to investigate the formation mechanism, levels, toxicity and control measures in drinking water. This review summarizes the main achievements on DBP research in China, which included: (1) the investigation of known DBP occurrence in drinking water of China; (2) the enhanced removal of DBP precursor by water treatment process; (3) the disinfection optimization to minimize DBP formation; and (4) the identification of unknown DBPs in drinking water. Although the research of DBPs in China cover the whole formation process of DBPs, there is still a challenge in effectively controlling the drinking water quality risk induced by DBPs, an integrated research framework including chemistry, toxicology, engineering, and epidemiology is especially crucial.     

Identification of unknown disinfection byproducts in drinking water produced from Taihu Lake source water

Although disinfection byproducts(DBPs) in drinking water have been suggested as a cancer causing factor, the causative compounds have not yet been clarified. In this study, we used liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight spectrometry(LC-QTOF MS) to identify the unknown disinfection byproducts(DBPs) in drinking water produced from Taihu Lake source water, which is known as a convergence point for the anthropogenic pollutants discharged from intensive industrial activities in the surroundi...     

Simultaneous removal of dissolved organic matter and bromide from drinking water source by anion exchange resins for controlling disinfection by-products

Anion exchange resins （AERs） with different properties were evaluated for their ability to remove dissolved organic matter （DOM） and bromide, and to reduce disinfection by-product （DBP） formation potentials of water collected from a eutrophic surface water source in Japan. DOM and bromide were simultaneously removed by all selected AERs in batch adsorption experiments. A polyacrylic magnetic ion exchange resin （MIEX） showed faster dissolved organic carbon （DOC） removal than other AERs because it had the smallest resin bead size. Aromatic DOM fractions with molecular weight larger than 1600 Da and fluorescent organic fractions of fulvic acid- and humic acid-like compounds were efficiently removed by all AERs. Polystyrene AERs were more effective in bromide removal than polyacrylic AERs. This result implied that the properties of AERs, i.e. material and resin size, influenced not only DOM removal but also bromide removal efficiency, MIEX showed significant chlorinated DBP removal because it had the highest DOC removal within 30 rain, whereas polystyrene AERs efficiently removed brominated DBPs, especially brominated trihalomethane species. The results suggested that, depending on source water DOM and bromide concentration, selecting a suitable AER is a key factor in effective control of chlorinated and brominated DBPs in drinking water.     

Formation potential and analysis of 32 regulated and unregulated disinfection by-products: Two new simplified methods

Water disinfection is an essential process that provides safe water by inactivating pathogens that cause waterborne diseases. However, disinfectants react with organic matter naturally present in water, leading to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Multi-analyte methods based on mass spectrometry (MS) are preferred to quantify multiple DBP classes at once however, most require extensive sample pre-treatment and significant resources. In this study, two analytical methods were developed for the quantification of 32 regulated and unregulated DBPs. A purge and trap (P&T) coupled with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was optimized that automated sample pre-treatment and analyzed volatile and semi-volatile compounds, including trihalomethanes (THMs), iodinated trihalomethanes (I-THMs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), haloketones (HKTs) and halonitromethanes (HNMs). LOQs were between 0.02-0.4 µg/L for most DBPs except for 8 analytes that were in the low µg/L range. A second method with liquid chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was developed for the quantification of 10 haloacetic acids (HAAs) with a simple clean-up and direct injection. The LC-MS/MS direct injection method has the lowest detection limits reported (0.2-0.5 µg/L). Both methods have a simple sample pre-treatment, which make it possible for routine analysis. Hyperchlorination and uniform formation conditions (UFC) formation potential tests with chlorine were evaluated with water samples containing high and low TOC. Hyperchlorination formation potential test maximized THMs and HAAs while UFC maximized HANs. Ascorbic acid was found to be an appropriate quencher for both analytical methods. Disinfected drinking water from four water utilities in Alberta, Canada were also evaluated.     

加氯消毒过程中纯细菌物质生成消毒副产物研究

按照UFC方法对水体中3种常见细菌Acinetobacter junii、Staphylococcussciuri和Escherichia coli进行纯细菌加氯消毒处理,同时考察水中溴离子对纯细菌物质生成DBPs的影响.结果表明,3种细菌均为DBPs前体物,加氯消毒生成的DBPs除水合三氯乙醛(CHD)外,生成的三卤甲烷(THMs)物质主要为氯仿(TCM),卤乙腈(HANs)物质主要为二氯乙腈(DCAN).氯仿的生成量与细菌物质TOC浓度无明显关系,但HANs和CHD生成量均随细菌TOC浓度增大而增加.其中革兰氏阳性细菌Staphylococcus sciuri生成的DCAN和CHD比革兰氏阴性细菌Acinetobacter junii和Escherichia coli生成的要高,说明细胞壁的化学组分可能是DCAN和CHD生成的影响因素之一.Escherichia coli细菌反应液中溴离子(Br-)存在时,除生成CHD、TCM及DCAN外,THMs和HANs中的溴代种类CHBr3随Br-增多而持续增加,相反TCM持续减少.当Br-浓度为4mg.L-1时,TBM浓度增至最高127.9μg.L-1;HANs和CHD生成量随Br-浓度增加先有所增加,随后持续降低至低于检测限;Br离子存在时THMs为主要DBPs种类.     

Disinfection byproduct formation from algal organic matters after ozonation or ozone combined with activated carbon treatment with subsequent chlorination

Algal organic matter (AOM), including extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM) from algal blooms, is widely accepted as essential precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). This study evaluated the effect of ozonation or ozone combined with activated carbon (O₃-AC) treatment on characteristic alternation and DBP formation with subsequent chlorination of Chlorella sp.. The effects of pH and bromide concentration on DBP formation by ozonation or O₃-AC treatment were also investigated. Results showed that the potential formation of DBPs might be attributed to ozonation, but these DBP precursors could be further removed by activated carbon (AC) treatment. Moreover, the formation of target DBPs was controlled at acidic pH by alleviating the reactions between chlorine and AOM. Besides, the bromide substitution factor (BSF) value of trihalomethanes (THMs) from EOM and IOM remained constant after AC treatment. However, THM precursors could be significantly decreased by AC treatment. The above results indicated that O₃-AC was a feasible treatment method for algal-impacted water.     

Formation of disinfection byproducts in typical Chinese drinking water

Eight typical drinking water supplies in China were selected in this study. Both source and tap water were used to investigate the occurrence of chlorinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs), and seasonal variation in the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) of seven water sources was compared. The results showed that the pollution level for source water in China, as shown by DBP formation potential, was low. The most encountered DBPs were chloroform, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, and chlorodibromoacetic acid. The concentration of every THMs and haloacetic acid (HAA) compound was under the limit of standards for drinking water quality. The highest total THMs concentrations were detected in spring.     

How well does XAD resin extraction recover halogenated disinfection byproducts for comprehensive identification and toxicity testing?

Halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are an unintended consequence of drinking water disinfection, and can have significant toxicity. XAD resins are commonly used to extract and enrich trace levels of DBPs for comprehensive, nontarget identification of DBPs and also for in vitro toxicity studies. However, XAD resin recoveries for complete classes of halogenated DBPs have not been evaluated, particularly for low, environmentally relevant levels (ng/L to low µg/L). Thus, it is not known whether levels of DBPs or the toxicity of drinking water might be underestimated. In this study, DAX-8/XAD-2 layered resins were evaluated, considering both adsorption and elution from the resins, for extracting 66 DBPs from water. Results demonstrate that among the 7 classes of DBPs investigated, trihalomethanes (THMs), including iodo-THMs, were the most efficiently adsorbed, with recovery of most THMs ranging from 50%-96%, followed by halonitromethanes (40%-90%). The adsorption ability of XAD resins for haloacetonitriles, haloacetamides, and haloacetaldehydes was highly dependent on the individual species. The adsorption capacity of XAD resins for haloacetic acids was lower (5%-48%), even after adjusting to pH 1 before extraction. Recovery efficiency for most DBPs was comparable with their adsorption, as most were eluted effectively from XAD resins by ethyl acetate. DBP polarity and molecular weight were the two most important factors that determine their recovery. Recovery of trichloromethane, iodoacetic acid, chloro- and iodo-acetonitrile, and chloroacetamide were among the lowest, which could lead to underestimation of toxicity, particularly for iodoacetic acid and iodo-acetonitrile, which are highly toxic.     

南水北调丹江口水库水氯(胺)化消毒副产物产生特性与消毒工艺对比

系统研究了南水北调中线工程水源——丹江口水库水在氯(胺)化消毒条件下,常规消毒副产物的产生特性,考察了消毒方式、消毒剂投加量、接触时间、p H和溴离子浓度等因素的影响,并对消毒工艺参数进行了优化.结果发现,丹江口水库水经氯化消毒可产生三氯甲烷、二氯一溴甲烷等常规含碳和较低浓度二氯乙腈、三氯硝基甲烷等含氮消毒副产物,而氯胺化消毒仅产生三氯甲烷和三氯硝基甲烷等消毒副产物(disinfection by-products,DBPs).自由氯消毒过程产生的各类型DBPs浓度约为氯胺消毒的7.5倍,短时自由氯转氯胺方式DBPs产生量介于两者之间;随着自由氯投加量增加,各类型消毒副产物均呈现增加趋势,投加量大于2 mg·L-1后DBPs增加量较少.随氯胺投加量增加,三氯甲烷生成量变化不大,投加量大于2mg·L-1后可产生三氯硝基甲烷等副产物.随反应时间延长,自由氯的衰减速率明显大于氯胺,同时消毒副产物增长量明显快于氯胺消毒.随着p H升高,自由氯消毒后三卤甲烷含量呈现增加趋势,而氯胺消毒后变化不明显.随溴离子浓度的增加,自由氯和氯胺消毒后副产物类型均向溴代DBPs转变,同时总生成量明显增加,自由氯消毒DBPs增长量明显大于氯胺消毒过程.丹江口水库水采用氯胺化消毒可以降低消毒副产物的生成风险,如采用自由氯消毒方式,水厂需根据实际常规处理工艺重点控制自由氯的投加量等参数.     

Nontargeted identification of peptides and disinfection byproducts in water

A broad range of organic compounds are known to exist in drinking water sources and serve as precursors of disinfection byproducts(DBPs).Epidemiological findings of an association of increased risk of bladder cancer with the consumption of chlorinated water has resulted in health concerns about DBPs.Peptides are thought to be an important category of DBP precursors in water.However,little is known about the actual presence of peptides and their DBPs in drinking water because of their high sample complexity and low concentrations.To address this challenge and identify peptides and non-chlorinated/chlorinated peptide DBPs from large sets of organic compounds in water,we developed a novel high throughput analysis strategy,which integrated multiple solid phase extraction(SPE),high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)separation,and non-target identification using precursor ion exclusion(PIE)high resolution mass spectrometry(MS).After MS analysis,structures of candidate compounds,particularly peptides,were obtained by searching against the Human Metabolome Database(HMDB).Using this strategy,we successfully detected 625 peptides(out of 17,205 putative compounds)and 617 peptides(out of 13,297)respectively in source and finished water samples.The source and finished water samples had 501 peptides and amino acids in common.The remaining 116 peptides and amino acids were unique to the finished water.From a subset of 30 putative compounds for which standards were available,25 were confirmed using HPLC-MS analysis.By analyzing the peptides identified in source and finished water,we successfully confirmed three disinfection reaction pathways that convert peptides into toxic DBPs.     

TIC-Tox: A preliminary discussion on identifying the forcing agents of DBP-mediated toxicity of disinfected water

The disinfection of drinking water is a major public health achievement; however, an unintended consequence of disinfection is the generation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Many of the identified DBPs exhibit in vitro and in vivo toxicity, generate a diversity of adverse biological effects, and may be hazards to the public health and the environment. Only a few DBPs are regulated by several national and international agencies and it is not clear if these regulated DBPs are the forcing agents that drive the observed toxicity and their associated health effects. In this study, we combine analytical chemical and biological data to resolve the forcing agents associated with mammalian cell cytotoxicity of drinking water samples from three cities. These data suggest that the trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids may be a small component of the overall cytotoxicity of the organic material isolated from disinfected drinking water. Chemical classes of nitrogen-containing DBPs, such as the haloacetonitriles and haloacetamides, appear to be the major forcing agents of toxicity in these samples. These findings may have important implications for the design of epidemiological studies that primarily rely on the levels of THMs to define DBP exposure among populations. The TIC-Tox approach constitutes a beginning step in the process of identifying the forcing agents of toxicity in disinfected water.     

Synergistic cytotoxicity of binary combinations of inorganic and organic disinfection byproducts assessed by real-time cell analysis

Chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and ozone are widely used as disinfectants in drinking water treatments. However, the combined use of different disinfectants can result in the formation of various organic and inorganic disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The toxic interactions, including synergism, addition, and antagonism, among the complex DBPs are still unclear. In this study, we established and verified a real-time cell analysis (RTCA) method for cytotoxicity measurement on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell. Using this convenient and accurate method, we assessed the cytotoxicity of a series of binary combinations consisting of one of the 3 inorganic DBPs (chlorite, chlorate, and bromate) and one of the 32 regulated and emerging organic DBPs. The combination index (CI) of each combination was calculated and evaluated by isobolographic analysis to reflect the toxic interactions. The results confirmed the synergistic effect on cytotoxicity in the binary combinations consisting of chlorite and one of the 5 organic DBPs (2 iodinated DBPs (I-DBPs) and 3 brominated DBPs (Br-DBPs)), chlorate and one of the 4 organic DBPs (3 aromatic DBPs and dibromoacetonitrile), and bromate and one of the 3 organic DBPs (2 I-DBPs and dibromoacetic acid). The possible synergism mechanism of organic DBPs on the inorganic ones may be attributed to the influence of organic DBPs on cell membrane and cell antioxidant system. This study revealed the toxic interactions among organic and inorganic DBPs, and emphasized the latent adverse outcomes in the combined use of different disinfectants.     

氯、氯胺消毒下钱江源水源水消毒副产物形成特征研究

以钱江源水源水为研究对象,以氯、氯胺为消毒方式,研究了不同消毒条件下,三卤甲烷(THMs)、卤乙腈(HANs)、氯代酮(CKs)、二卤乙酸(DHAAs)、三卤乙酸(THAAs)等消毒副产物(DBPs)的形成情况,以便为水务工作者监测钱江源建库前后水质、DBPs形成的变化提供基础数据.结果显示,氯消毒下DBPs的产量比氯胺消毒高出3~7倍甚至1个数量级,但不管是氯消毒还是氯胺消毒,THMs、HAAs形成量均在我国饮用水标准范围内.氯消毒下,大部分DBPs产量为中、碱性条件酸性条件(除了CKs),氯胺消毒则呈现不同的情况(所有DBPs的产量均为p H=6、p H=7p H=8).消毒剂量对所有DBPs形成具有明显的促进作用;溴离子对THMs、DHANs、DHAAs的形成有明显的促进作用.进一步研究表明,钱江源水源水的水质比钱塘江下游九溪水源水好,DBPs形成也较低,某些指标(如有机碳、有机氮、HANs形成量等)甚至比同省水质较好的金兰水库还要好;而且由于其较高的比紫外吸收值(SUVA),DBPs的溴嵌入能力均比九溪水源水、金兰水库低.此外,就目前的钱江源水源水来说,控制消毒剂量(氯、或氯胺)是控制DBPs形成的有效策略.     

Formation and control of disinfection byproducts and toxicity during reclaimed water chlorination: A review

Chlorination is essential to the safety of reclaimed water; however, this process leads to concern regarding the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and toxicity. This study reviewed the formation and control strategies for DBPs and toxicity in reclaimed water during chlorination. Both regulated and emerging DBPs have been frequently detected in reclaimed water during chlorination at a higher level than those in drinking water, indicating they pose a greater risk to humans. Luminescent bacteria and Daphnia magna acute toxicity, anti-estrogenic activity and cytotoxicity generally increased after chlorination because of the formation of DBPs. Genotoxicity by umu-test and estrogenic activity were decreased after chlorination because of destruction of toxic chemicals. During chlorination, water quality significantly impacted changes in toxicity. Ammonium tended to attenuate toxicity changes by reacting with chlorine to form chloramine, while bromide tended to aggravate toxicity changes by forming hypobromous acid. During pretreatment by ozonation and coagulation, disinfection byproduct formation potential (DBPFP) and toxicity formation potential (TFP) occasionally increase, which is accompanied by DOC removal; thus, the decrease of DOC was limited to indicate the decrease of DBPFP and TFP. It is more important to eliminate the key fraction of precursors such as hydrophobic acid and hydrophilic neutrals. During chlorination, toxicities can increase with the increasing chlorine dose and contact time. To control the excessive toxicity formation, a relatively low chlorine dose and short contact time were required. Quenching chlorine residual with reductive reagents also effectively abated the formation of toxic compounds.