Study: Scientists offer solutions for risky tap water

A recent study highlighted the risk that high concentrations of disinfection by-products in tap water can cause bladder cancer and suggested sustainable solutions such as ozone biofiltration and nanofiltration to increase the safety of drinking water.

This study by researchers from the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was published in Nature Sustainability.

In this study, the researchers conducted a national assessment of tap water across China. They found notable geographical differences in disinfection by-product concentrations in tap water across China, with higher concentrations in the northeast and the mid-Yangtze River region.

Based on officially published disease data, the researchers then verified the spatial relationship between disinfection by-products and bladder cancer. That is, regions with a high incidence of bladder cancer are characterized by significantly higher concentrations of disinfection by-products than other areas.