Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has become widespread, as the U.S. seeks to extract more natural gas and gain energy independence. However, bromide and iodide naturally occur in shales, and can be released at high levels and enter drinking water sources, which can cause formation of toxic brominated and iodinated disinfection by-products (DBPs) at downstream drinking water plants. DBPs are linked to adverse health effects, including bladder cancer, miscarriage, and birth defects, and brominated and iodinated DBPs are much more toxic and carcinogenic than those containing chlorine. Most current research on HF focuses on the chemicals used in the fracking process, with little known regarding impacts on DBPs in drinking water. In this study, we subjected HF produced waters to chlorination and chloramination, simulating drinking water treatment. Samples were extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography (GC)-high resolution-mass spectrometry (MS) and GC-MS-MS. High resolution-MS and MS-MS revealed the presence of genotoxic iodinated acids, as well as new classes of iodinated phenols that have never been reported for any drinking water sample. These include iodophenol, iodomethylphenol, diiodophenol, diiodomethylphenol, triiodophenol, and triiodomethylphenol. Several isomers were observed for each. In addition to these new iodinated compounds, bromophenols and bromomethylphenols were also observed, as well as another new DBP, tentatively identified as 2-bromo-N,2-dichloroacetamide. Toxicity analysis using mammalian cell cytotoxicity and genotoxicity is currently underway and these results will also be presented.

Impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water: High resolution-MS uncovers new chemical by-products of concern

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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