This paper presents an overview on the current knowledge of the mechanism of formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in water. The kinetics of the reactions of NDMA precursors (amines and dimethylsulfamide) with disinfectants (ClO2, O-3, (OH)-O-center dot, and Fe(VI)) is presented. The second-order rate constants were determined as 10(-2)-10(8), 10(-1)-10(9), 10(-1)->10(6), and 10(8)-10(10) M-1 s(-1) for reactions with ClO2, O-3, (OH)-O-center dot, and Fe(VI), respectively, at pH 7.0. The rate constants for reactions with most of the secondary and tertiary amines were of the order of 10(2)-10(10) M-1 s(-1), which suggest that the moieties of dimethylamine (DMA) and tertiary amine in nitrogen-containing precursors may largely be the sources of the NDMA formation potentials (NDMA-FPs) in treated water. The proposed mechanisms of the reactions involve one-electron transfers in the initial step in the case of ClO2, O-3, and (OH)-O-center dot as oxidants while Fe(VI) prefers a two-electron transfer (oxygen atom transfer) step. NDMA destruction methods include biodegradation, reduction, and oxidation (photolytic, photocatalytic, chemical, and electrochemical). Current concepts of the proposed mechanisms of NDMA transformations are briefly described. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.