Removal Efficiency and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Typical Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility in Guangzhou, China

Zhineng Liu, Qing Li, Qihang Wu, Dave T. F. Kuo, Shejun Chen, Xiaodong Hu, Mingjun Deng, Haozhi Zhang and Min Luo
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Zhineng Liu: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Qing Li: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Qihang Wu: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Dave T. F. Kuo: Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Shejun Chen: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Xiaodong Hu: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Mingjun Deng: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Haozhi Zhang: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Min Luo: Key Laboratory of Water Quality Safety and Protection in Pearl River Delta (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: The loading and removal efficiency of 16 US EPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined in an inverted A 2 /O wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in an urban area in China. The total PAH concentrations were 554.3 to 723.2 ng/L in the influent and 189.6 to 262.7 ng/L in the effluent. The removal efficiencies of ?PAHs in the dissolved phase ranged from 63 to 69%, with the highest observed in naphthalene (80% removal). Concentration and distribution of PAHs revealed that the higher molecular weight PAHs became more concentrated with treatment in both the dissolved phase and the dewatered sludge. The sharpest reduction was observed during the pretreatment and the biological phase. Noncarcinogenic risk, carcinogenic risk, and total health risk of PAHs found in the effluent and sewage sludge were also assessed. The effluent BaP toxic equivalent quantities ( TEQ BaP ) were above, or far above, standards in countries. The potential toxicities of PAHs in sewage effluent were approximately 10 to 15 times higher than the acceptable risk level in China. The health risk associated with the sewage sludge also exceeded international recommended levels and was mainly contributed from seven carcinogenic PAHs. Given that WWTP effluent is a major PAH contributor to surface water bodies in China and better reduction efficiencies are achievable, the present study highlights the possibility of utilizing WWTPs for restoring water quality in riverine and coastal regions heavily impacted by PAHs contamination.

Keywords: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; municipal effluents; risk assessment; wastewater treatment; sludge; inverted A 2 /O process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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