Identification of drinking water contaminants in the course of a childhoodcancer investigation in Toms River, New Jersey

Using a combination of gas chromatogmphy/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/infrared spectroscopy (GC/IR) spectroscopic techniques, chem ical contaminants and their hydrolysis products were identified in well wat er sampled in connection with a suspected childhood cancer cluster located in Dover Township, Ocean County, New Jersey. The drinking water contaminati on resulted from the teaching of industrial waste chemicals from drums that were disposed of at the site known as Reich Farm. Contaminants identified include dinitrile-tetralin compounds, known as 'trimers,' that are by-produ cts of a polymerization process widely used by several polymer manufacturer s during the 1970s and 1980s (and still used today). Also identified were ' trimer' hydrolysis products, formed by the hydrolysis of their nitrile grou ps to amides. These industrial contaminants were not present in any of the mass or IR spectral library databases, and their identification required un conventional spectroscopic methods (including high resolution mass spectrom etry, chemical ionization mass spectrometry, and IR spectroscopy), along wi th scientific reasoning and interpretation. It is currently not known wheth er these chemical contaminants are responsible for the childhood cancers ob served in this area.