N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as a product of the ozonation of dimethylamine (DMA) containing water solutions

It has been demonstrated that the ozonation of dimethylamine (DMA) containing aqueous solutions gives rise to the formation of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The yield of the reaction is low (per mille in relation to the initial DMA concentration) and increases with the pH; other contributory factors in the reaction yield being contact time, ozone/DMA molar ratio and the presence of scavengers. Literature data, as well as the detected products of DMA ozonation, suggest that the formation of nitrosamine should be attributed to the nitrozation of DMA with nitrites, although the potentiality for the nitrozation of DMA with other nitrozing compounds cannot be excluded. The reaction can be of major significance for the technology of water treatment, provided that the concentration of the DMA in raw water does not exceed several dozen ppb.