DETERMINATION OF CHLORINATED FURANONES, HYDROXYFURANONES, AND BUTENEDIOIC ACIDS IN CHLORINE-TREATED WATER AND IN PULP BLEACHING LIQUOR

Compounds with structural similarities to the potent bacterial mutagen 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone MX, have been synthesized and quantitatively determined in extracts of chlorination-stage bleaching liquors (CBL) from pulp mills, chlorine-treated aqueous solution of fulvic acids, chlorinated natural humic water, and chlorine-disinfected drinking water. In addition, a preliminary screening of the mutagenic potency of the compounds was performed. The compounds were found in the extracts with the exception of a few compounds not detected in the drinking water extracts. The compounds induced mutagenicity in Ames tester strain TA100 in tests performed without metabolic activation. All the compounds were found to be less potent mutagens than MX. The only compound which could be considered as a strong mutagen was 3-chloro-4-(chloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (CMCF), although the revertants per nanomole of CMCF was only one-fifth of the revertants generated by MX. CMCF was found to account for at most 6% of the mutagenicity of the extracts. The contribution to the mutagenicity of the extracts of the other compounds was negligible.