Differences between selected volatile aromatic compound concentrations in sludge samples in various steps of wastewater treatment plant operations

Hubert Byliński; Justyna Aszyk; Paweł Kubica; Małgorzata Szopińska; Sylwia Fudala-Książek; Jacek Namieśnik

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109426

Differences between selected volatile aromatic compound concentrations in sludge samples in various steps of wastewater treatment plant operations

J Environ Manage. 2019 Nov 1:249:109426. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109426. Epub 2019 Aug 23.

Authors

Hubert Byliński¹, Justyna Aszyk², Paweł Kubica³, Małgorzata Szopińska⁴, Sylwia Fudala-Książek⁵, Jacek Namieśnik³

Affiliations

¹ Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. Electronic address: hubert.bylinski@pg.edu.pl.
² Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. Electronic address: justyna.aszyk@pg.edu.pl.
³ Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
⁴ Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Water and Waste-Water Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
⁵ Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Sanitary Engineering, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.

PMID: 31450196
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109426

Abstract

Sewage sludge, one of the main wastes generated during wastewater treatment, constitutes an important source of emissions of volatile chemical compounds such as volatile aromatic compounds These substances may undergo various changes as a result of operations and unit processes, which affects their concentrations in sewage sludge. An important factor determining the potential hazardousness of volatile organic compounds is the quality of wastewater delivered to wastewater treatment plants and the technical and equipment solutions applied to wastewater. In this study, a rapid and sensitive headspace gas chromatography method, coupled with tandem mass spectrometry using the standard addition method, was developed for the determination of selected volatile aromatic compounds in sewage sludge samples collected at different stages from three wastewater treatment plants located in Poland. This study attempted to assess the relationship between differences in the emissions of representative VACs and the given stage of the technological process within three analysed wastewater treatment plants. Toluene was detected with the highest frequency in analysed samples, at concentrations varying from 0.234 ± 0.035 ng/g of sludge to 28.3*10²±3.2*10² ng/g of sludge. The highest concentration levels were determined for p-cresol, with concentrations ranging from 44.0*10¹±5.6*10¹ ng/g of sludge (sludge from aerobic chamber, wastewater treatment plant no.2) to 47.7*10²±6.9*10² ng/g of sludge (sludge from aerobic chamber, wastewater treatment plant no.1), while the lowest concentration levels were observed for chlorobenzene, with concentrations ranging from 0.1300 ± 0.0030 ng/g of sludge (sludge from anaerobic chamber, wastewater treatment plant no.2), to 0.2606 ± 0.0046 ng/g of sludge (primary sludge, wastewater treatment plant no.1). The repeatability of the method was better than 10%, with accuracy levels in the ranges 89%-108%.Wastewater treatment technologies and residual sludge management in the selected wastewater treatment plantsinfluenced volatile aromatic compounds emission. Furthermore, the diversity of the wastewater quality, depending on the catchment area, is also an important factor determining the differentiation in volatile aromatic compounds emission. The microbial composition of raw wastewater highly influenced not only the treatment effectiveness of wastewater treatment plants but also the production of intermediate products, such as volatile aromatic compounds, which may contribute to odour emissions.

Keywords: Gas chromatography; Headspace analysis; Sludge; Tandem mass spectrometry; Volatile aromatic compound; Wastewater treatment.

MeSH terms

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Poland
Sewage*
Waste Disposal, Fluid
Wastewater*

Substances

Sewage
Waste Water