Release characteristics and risk assessment of volatile sulfur compounds in municipal wastewater treatment plants

Linlin Ma; Ruhan Zhao; Jiaxin Li; Qing Yang; Kehua Zou

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123946

Release characteristics and risk assessment of volatile sulfur compounds in municipal wastewater treatment plants

Environ Pollut. 2024 Apr 19:350:123946. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123946. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Linlin Ma¹, Ruhan Zhao², Jiaxin Li², Qing Yang³, Kehua Zou⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Key Laboratory of Odor Pollution Control in Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Tianjin Academy of Eco-environmental Sciences, Tianjin, 300191, China.
² National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China.
³ National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: yangqing@bjut.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Odor Pollution Control in Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Tianjin Academy of Eco-environmental Sciences, Tianjin, 300191, China.

PMID: 38643932
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123946

Abstract

In recent years, the malodorous gases generated by sewage treatment plants have gradually received widespread attention due to their sensory stimulation and health hazards. The emission concentration, sensory evaluation and health risk assessment of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) were all explored in two municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with oxidation ditch and anaerobic/oxic treatment process, respectively. The VSCs concentration showed the highest amount in the primary treatment unit in both the two WWTPs (73.3% in Plant A and 93.0% in Plant B), while the H₂S took the main role in the composition of VSCs. However, H₂S took a larger percentage in Plant A (84.5% ∼ 87.0%) rather than Plant B (61.2% ∼ 83.5%), which may be due to the different operating conditions and sludge properties in different treatment process. Besides, H₂S also gained the first rank in the sensory evaluation and health risk assessment, which may cause considerable sensory irritation and health risk to workers and surrounding residents. Furthermore, the influencing factor analyses of VSCs emission showed that the temperature of water and air, ORP of sludge made the greatest effect on VSCs release. This study provides theoretical and data support for the research of VSCs emission control in WWTPs.

Keywords: Health risk assessment; Influencing factors; Municipal wastewater treatment plants; Sensory evaluation; Volatile sulfur compounds.