Disinfection by-products pollution patterns and their cellular biomechanical effects

This study integrates water quality monitoring data analysis with cellular biomechanics research to explore the relationship between disinfection by-products (DBPs) pollution patterns and their effects on cellular mechanical properties. Using data from 12 water treatment plants across three metropolitan areas in Eastern China, we identified four distinct DBPs pollution patterns: Chlorinated THMs dominated, HAAs dominated, Brominated DBPs enriched, and Emerging DBPs enriched. Multi-parametric biomechanical analysis utilizing atomic force microscopy, microfluidic deformation tests, and cytoskeletal structure evaluation revealed that all four patterns induced concentration-dependent alterations in cellular elasticity, deformability, and migration capacity. Pattern 4 (Emerging DBPs enriched) and Pattern 3 (Brominated DBPs enriched) exhibited the strongest effects, inducing significant biomechanical changes even at environmentally relevant concentrations. HK-2 kidney cells demonstrated the highest sensitivity among tested cell lines, consistent with epidemiological evidence linking long-term DBPs exposure to increased kidney cancer risk—an important public health concern. Canonical correlation analysis established systematic relationships between DBPs characteristics and specific biomechanical responses. These findings highlight potential mechanisms underlying DBPs-associated health risks and suggest that cellular biomechanical parameters could serve as sensitive early indicators of DBPs toxicity, potentially addressing a critical gap in current risk assessment approaches that rely primarily on high-dose cytotoxicity endpoints. The established pattern-specific relationships provide important insights for targeted water treatment strategies and monitoring approaches focusing on emerging unregulated DBPs.