Abstract
Some of chlorinated o-benzoquinones (o-BQs) have been shown to be mutagenic in Ames Salmonella assays. However, no study has been reported on the quantitative estimate of such compounds in aqueous solution. These mutagenic chemicals present in chlorine-treated aqueous solutions of mono- and dihydric phenols were, therefore, quantitatively determined by GC-MS as their phenazine derivatives.
Chlorination of aqueous catechol solution was shown to produce a series of chlorinated compounds, including Chloro-o-BQs, and Chloro-hydroxy-o-BQ, in addition to o-BQ. No Chloro-o-BQs were found to be present in chlorine-treated resolcinol and hydroquinone solutions. After treatment with chlorine of aqueous chlorophenol solutions, dichloro-o-BQs were detected in these solutions. Production of chloro-o-BQs in water is dependent on the equivalents of chlorine per mole of compound, the reaction pH and the presence of lignin or humic acid. These results show that treatment with chlorine of water and wastewater contaminated with phenolic compounds leads to the production of mutagenic chlorinated o-BQs.
