Landfill leachate contributes per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals to municipal wastewater. Issue 5 (24th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Masoner, Jason R.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Bolyard, Stephanie C.; Field, Jennifer A.; Furlong, Edward T.; Gray, James L.; Lozinski, Duncan; Reinhart, Debra; Rodowa, Alix; Bradley, Paul M.
• Is Part Of: Environmental science. Volume 6:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 1300
• Page End: 1311
• Publication Date: 2020-03-24
• Subjects: Water-supply -- Periodicals; Water security -- Periodicals; Water resources development -- Periodicals; Water chemistry -- Periodicals; 553.705
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ew00045k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2053-1400

Abstract

Abstract : Widespread disposal of landfill leachate to municipal sewer in the US calls for improved understanding of the relative organic-chemical contributions to the WWTP waste stream and associated surface-water discharge to receptors in the environment. Abstract : Widespread disposal of landfill leachate to municipal sewer infrastructure in the United States calls for an improved understanding of the relative organic-chemical contributions to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) waste stream and associated surface-water discharge to receptors in the environment. Landfill leachate, WWTP influent, and WWTP effluent samples were collected from three landfill-WWTP systems and compared with analogous influent and effluent samples from two WWTPs that did not receive leachate. Samples were analyzed for 73 per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 109 pharmaceuticals, and 21 hormones and related compounds. PFAS were detected more frequently in leachate (92%) than in influent (55%). Total PFAS concentrations in leachate (93 100 ng L −1 ) were more than 10 times higher than in influent (6950 ng L −1 ) and effluent samples (3730 ng L −1 ). Concentrations of bisphenol A; the nonprescription pharmaceuticals cotinine, lidocaine, nicotine; and the prescription pharmaceuticals amphetamine, carisoprodol, pentoxifylline, and thiabendazole were an order of magnitude higher in landfill leachate than WWTP influent. Leachate load contributions for PFAS (0.78 to 31 g d −1 ), bisphenol A (0.97 to 8.3 g d −1 ), and nonprescription (2.0 to 3.1 g d −1 ) and prescription (0.48 to 2.5 g d −1 ) pharmaceuticals to WWTP influent were generally low (<10 g d −1 ) for most compounds resulting from high influent-to-leachate volumetric ratios (0.983). No clear differences in concentrations were apparent between effluents from WWTPs receiving landfill leachate and those that did not receive landfill leachate.