Screening the precursors of mutagen MX in water
229
Fig. 6. The possible mechanisms for the formation of MX from tryptophan.
Komulainen H., Kosma V.-M., Vaittinen S.-L., Vartiainen
T., Korhonen E. K., Lotjonen S., Tuominen R. K. and
Tuomisto J. (1997) Carcinogenicity of the drinking
water mutagen 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-
2(5H)-furanone in the rat. Journal of the National
Cancer Institute 89(12), 848±856.
studies are needed to determine whether they are
reasonable.
CONCLUSION
Kronberg L., Holmbom B., Reunanen M. and Tikkanen
L. (1988) Identi®cation and quanti®cation of the Ames
mutagenic compound 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-
hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and of its geometric isomer E-
2-chloro-3(dichloromethyl)-4-oxobutenoic acid in chlor-
ine-treated humic water and drinking water extracts.
Environ. Sci. Technol. 22, 1097±1103.
Kronberg L., Christman R. F., Singh R. and Ball
L. M. (1991) Identi®cation of oxidized and reduced
forms of strong bacterial mutagen (Z)-2-chloro-3-
(dichloro-methyl)-4-oxobutenoic acid (MX) in extracts
of chlorine-treated water. Environ. Sci. Technol. 25, 99±
104.
Langvik V. A., Hormi O., Tikkanen L. and Holmbom B.
(1991) Formation of the mutagen 3-chloro-4-(dichloro-
methyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H )-furanone and related com-
pounds by chlorination of phenolic compounds.
Chemosphere 22, 547±555.
Langvik V. A. and Hormi O. (1994) Possible reaction
pathway for the formation of 3-chloro-4-(dichloro-
methyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H )-furanone (MX). Chemosphere
28, 1111±1117.
At ambient temperature and in acid condition,
aromatic aldehydes, of which the meta or para pos-
ition is substituted by hydroxy or methoxy group
while the ortho position is not occupied by any sub-
stituent, can be precursors of MX. Some amino
acids can also be precursors of MX. These precur-
sors may come from the oxidation of humic and
fulvic acids which account for a large part of or-
ganic matter in natural waters and soils. So it is
quite reasonable that these compounds are wide-
spread in our drinking water sources.
The formation of MX increased with the chlorine
dose for all screened compounds except syringade-
hyde. This proves that the formed MX can be
degraded with excess chlorine.
AcknowledgementsÐThis study is funded by the National
Natural Sciences Foundation of PR China.
Leenheer J. A. (1981) Comprehensive approach to pre-
parative isolation and fraction of dissolved organic car-
bon from natural waters and waste waters. Environ. Sci.
Technol. 15, 578±587.
Schenck K. M., Meler J. R., Ringhand H. P. and Kop¯er
F. C. (1990) Recovery of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-
hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone from water sample on XAD
resins and the eect of chlorine on its mutagenicity.
Environ. Sci. Technol. 24(6), 863±867.
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