N‐Nitrosodimethylamine as an Emerging Environmental Contaminant: Sources, Analytical Advances, and Ecotoxicological and Human Health Risks

Over the last few years, N‐nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has become a significant environmental contaminant with both anthropogenic and natural sources. The alarming profile of it can be explained by the fact that it is a genotoxic substance and easily spreads through the atmospheric and water systems. The production of NDMA takes place through a variety of pathways, such as industrial, agricultural, municipal, and atmospheric production, and its great aqueous solubility and low soil adsorption capacity enable it to pass through different environmental media easily. The review brings together modern knowledge on the origins of NDMA, its transportation in the environment via air, water, and soil, and its subsequent transformation. The analysis also compares detection methodology with some highly advanced methods of mass spectrometry that can detect trace quantities in complex environmental and pharmaceutical matrices. Ecotoxicological data point to the fact that NDMA is capable of compromising genetic integrity and reproductive fitness as well as causing systemic disruptions in aquatic and terrestrial life and has a long‐term effect on the stability of ecosystems. In humans, sustained consumption, through drinking water or ingesting contaminated food, is linked to increased cancer risk and possible negative effects on reproduction and immune health. Although progress has been achieved in treatment and control, a major unresolved challenge remains the lack of harmonized global regulatory thresholds and standardized long‐term monitoring data, which limits accurate assessment of chronic low‐dose exposure and cumulative ecological and human health risks associated with NDMA. The next steps must aim at the development of predictive molecular models, the extension of the toxicological research to neglected ecosystems, and the promotion of the international partnership in the surveillance to support the establishment of more robust regulations and protection.