In situ measurement of synthetic musks in wastewaters using diffusive gradients in thin film technique

Suyu Ren; Feng Tan; Yan Wang; Hongxia Zhao; Yiwen Zhang; Mingyan Zhai; Jingwen Chen; Xiaochun Wang

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2020.116239

In situ measurement of synthetic musks in wastewaters using diffusive gradients in thin film technique

Water Res. 2020 Oct 15:185:116239. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116239. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Authors

Suyu Ren¹, Feng Tan², Yan Wang¹, Hongxia Zhao¹, Yiwen Zhang¹, Mingyan Zhai¹, Jingwen Chen¹, Xiaochun Wang³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
² Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China. Electronic address: tanf@dlut.edu.cn.
³ Anshan Normal University, Department of Chemistry & Life Science, Anshan 114005, China. Electronic address: wangwxc@iccas.ac.cn.

PMID: 32739702
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116239

Abstract

Synthetic musks (SMs) are used extensively in household and personal care products and have acted significant concerns due to their environmental impacts and potential health effects. Here, we present a passive sampling approach based on diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) for in situ measurement of SMs in urban wastewaters. XAD-2 binding gel, which has a rapid binding rate and high elution efficiency, was used in DGT device for the accumulation of six polycyclic musks and three nitro musks. The diffusion coefficients (D and D_NL) of the SMs through agarose gel without and with a nylon filter membrane were 3.37-4.49 and 1.48-4.41 ×10^-6cm² s^-1. The filter membrane caused an ~3 h lag phase and slowed the diffusion rates of the SMs through the diffusive phase. Solution pH (4.30-8.92), ionic strength (0.0001-0.5 M) and dissolved organic matter (0-20 mg L^-1) showed no obvious influence on uptake of the SMs in DGT. The measured average SM concentrations in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants ranged from 0.45-696 ng/L for DGT deployment, without obvious membrane biofouling, and they were comparable to the concentrations determined by grab sampling. These results confirmed that the present method is reliable and convenient for in situ measurement of semivolatile hydrophobic SMs in complicated waters and is an available tool to investigate the environmental behaviors of SMs in the environment.

Keywords: Diffusive gradients in thin films; Passive sampling; Synthetic musks; Wastewaters.

MeSH terms

Diffusion
Environmental Monitoring
Osmolar Concentration
Wastewater* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical