Behaviour of emerging contaminants in sewage sludge after anaerobic digestion. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boix, C.; Ibáñez, M.; Fabregat-Safont, D.; Morales, E.; Pastor, L.; Sancho, J.V.; Sánchez-Ramírez, J.E.; Hernández, F.
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 163(2016)
• Page Start: 296
• Page End: 304
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Emerging contaminants -- Sewage sludge -- Anaerobic digestion -- Time-of-flight mass spectrometry -- Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.07.098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Nowadays, there is an increasing concern over the presence of contaminants in the aquatic environment, where they can be introduced from wastewater after their incomplete removal in the treatment plants. In this work, degradation of selected emerging pollutants in the aqueous and solid phases of sewage sludge has been investigated after anaerobic digestion using two different digesters: mesophilic and thermophilic. Initially, sludge samples were screened by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF MS) for identification of emerging contaminants in the samples. In a second step, a target quantitative method based on LC coupled to tandem MS was applied for selected pollutants identified in the previous screening. The behaviour of the compounds under anaerobic conditions was studied estimating the degradation efficiency and distribution of compounds between both sludge phases. Irbesartan and benzoylecgonine seemed to be notably degraded in both phases of the sludge. Venlafaxine showed a significant concentration decrease in the aqueous phase in parallel to an increase in the solid phase. The majority of the compounds showed an increase of their concentrations in both phases after the digestion. Concentrations in the solid phase were commonly higher than in the aqueous for most contaminants, indicating that they were preferentially adsorbed onto the solid particles. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Anaerobic digestion of 13 emerging pollutants was studied in sewage sludge. Mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic bacteria were tested. Concentrations of contaminants were evaluated in aqueous and solid phases of the sludge. Irbesartan and benzoylecgonine seemed to be degraded in both phases of the sludge. Concentrations in solid phase were commonly higher than in aqueous phase.