Stability of 2-chloropropenal and some other mutagens formed in the chlorination of softwood kraft pulp

When spent chlorination liquor from the bleaching of softwood Kraft pulp is stored under neutral or weakly alkaline conditions for a few weeks, the mutagenicity of the liquor will decrease to low levels. 2-chloropropenal, a major contributor to overall mutagenicity, is shown to be more stable than previously identified mutagenic compounds such as monochloroacetaldehyde AMD trichloroethylene. Chlorination liquors apparently contain more stable mutagens than 2-chloropropenal.