Occurrence, distribution and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a typical process for textile wastewater treatment of the Pearl River Delta Region, South China. Issue 2 (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Mengjie; Tang, Bing; Bin, Liying; Li, Ping; Huang, Shaosong; Fu, Fenglian
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental chemical engineering. Volume 10:Issue 2(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- Environmental Risk -- Textile wastewater treatment -- Removal behavior -- Distribution; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects; Environmental engineering; Periodicals; 660.0286
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2022.107149
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-2929

Abstract

Abstract: This investigation aimed at revealing the occurrence, distribution and removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a typical process for textile wastewater treatment of the Pearl River Delta Region, South China. The results demonstrated that 16 PAHs were all measured in the dissolved and adsorbed state excepting acenaphthylene in suspended solids. In the influent, the total PAHs ranged from 1210.18 to 1304.93 ng/L in the dissolved state, and the PAHs with 2 and 3 rings were the predominant, accounting for 83.78 ± 3.66%, while, in the adsorbed state, it ranged from 2152.54 to 2554.18 ng/g, and the PAHs with 3 and 4 rings were the most abundant, accounting for 89.41 ± 5.31%. The removal efficiencies of dissolved individual PAHs ranged from 81.38% to 100% in the whole treatment process, in which, PAHs with low molecular weight achieved higher removal efficiency in the anaerobic digestion step, and PAHs with high molecular weight (HMW) were easier to be removed in the sedimentation step. Such results verified that the number of benzene ring in PAHs was closely related to their occurrence, distribution and removal, and a risk assessment indicated that the HMW PAHs accumulated in the sedimentation tank might increase the environmental risk of excess sludge. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Highlights: PAHs were measured in each step of a typical textile waste water treatment process. The number of benzene ring in PAHs is related to their distribution and removal. The molecular weight of PAHs determines their distribution in different phases. HMW PAHs accumulated in the sedimentation tank may increase the environmental risk.