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The study, published in Eco-Environment & Health on 4 March 2024 (DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.02.004), has highlighted the significant cardiotoxic effects of 2,6-DHNPs on zebrafish embryos, which serve as a model for potential human health risks. These disinfection byproducts, resistant to traditional water purification methods such as boiling and filtration, pose a substantial threat, exhibiting a toxicity level 248 times higher than regulated DBPs like dichloroacetic acid in zebrafish embryos. Using zebrafish as a biological model due to their genetic similarity to humans, the study meticulously detailed how these emerging contaminants disrupt cardiac health, leading to severe heart damage characterized by increased production of harmful reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and disrupted heart development. Furthermore, the study found that 2,6-DCNP and 2,6-DBNP, two types of DBPs, show significant resistance to removal in drinking water treatment plants, with boiling and filtration being the most effective household water treatment methods, reducing 2,6-DCNP and 2,6-DBNP levels by 47% and 52%, respectively. Exposure to 2,6-DHNPs induces heart failure in zebrafish embryos through increased ROS production and delayed heart development, although the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine was able to mitigate the cardiotoxic effects induced by 2,6-DHNPs. Dr. Hongjie Sun, a prominent researcher involved in the study, emphasized that "the cardiotoxic potential of 2,6-DHNPs at low concentrations significantly challenges our current understanding of water safety and highlights the need for urgent reassessment of drinking water treatment methods." Dr. Peng Gao, the corresponding author, further emphasized, "Our findings underscore the importance of evaluating the health impacts of disinfection byproducts resistant to household treatment that may form during water treatment. We need to prioritize the development of advanced water purification technologies to effectively remove these concerning pollutants and safeguard public health." This research sheds light on a critical environmental and public health issue: contaminants surviving water treatment processes can lead to severe health outcomes in exposed organisms, indicating potential public health risks associated with these persistent waterborne chemicals.