What is really in your drinking water? Researchers uncover the hidden chemistry behind disinfection

"Every advance has the potential to protect millions of people from sickness and death by delivering water that is both microbiologically safe and chemically cleaner." In a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, Virginia Tech researchers evaluated whether an alternative chlorine-based disinfectant could help achieve both goals.

About 98 percent of water utilities in the United States disinfect drinking water with chlorine and its compounds to protect communities from bacteria and other microbes that can cause serious illness.

Yet the same chemicals that kill harmful organisms can create dangerous compounds known as disinfection byproducts, which have been linked to health concerns such as bladder cancer and reproductive damage.

"Improving drinking water treatment remains one of the most important scientific challenges of our time," said civil and environmental engineering doctoral student Kadmiel Adusei.

The research was led by Adusei, whose work earned national recognition by placing second in the 2026 American Water Works Association ACE Fresh Ideas Poster Competition.

He was chosen to represent Virginia after earning first place in the fall 2025 WaterJAM drinking water competition.

Working alongside his advisor, Kirin Furst, associate professor in civil and environmental engineering and co-director of the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, Adusei gained hands-on experience investigating complex water treatment challenges.

Furst has fundamentally changed how I approach research," Adusei said.

"Her mentorship has shown me that impactful science is not only about making discoveries, but also about asking the right questions and ensuring those discoveries are understood and applied effectively." The chlorocyanurate disinfectants that Adusei tested offer several advantages over traditional chlorine.

They are more shelf-stable and easier to store and transport, making them especially useful for small water systems, emergency response, and communities where maintaining a reliable chlorine supply can be difficult.

But an important question remained: Are these alternative disinfectants actually healthier?

The report adds to ongoing university-led research relevant to veterinary medicine, animal health, and clinical decision-making.

university website: Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine