Tracing the occurrence of organophosphate ester along the river flow path and textile wastewater treatment processes by using dissolved organic matters as an indicator

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 722; p. 137895
• Main Authors: Fu, Lingfang, Bin, Liying, Cui, Jiao, Nyobe, Dieudonne, Li, Ping, Huang, Shaosong, Fu, Fenglian, Tang, Bing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.06.2020
• Subjects: Dissolve organic matters; Organophosphate esters; River flow path; Spectral characteristics; Textile wastewater treatment process; Organophosphate esters; Textile wastewater treatment process; River flow path; Dissolve organic matters; Spectral characteristics
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137895

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are frequently detected in wastewater and receiving river, but their occurrence is hard to be quickly and effectively responded. In this study, the relevant OPEs and dissolved organic matters (DOMs) data were obtained from two textile wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different processes and a 15 km stretch of river receiving the treated textile wastewater. UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy combined with peak-picking and fluorescence regional integration (FRI) methods were used to characterize DOM components in these samples. The results showed that OPEs concentrations were not always consistent with that of DOM, but were related to their physico-chemical properties and sources. Correlation and regression analysis indicated that the FRI pattern could be considered for tracing the occurrence of organophosphate diesters derived from multiple pollutants in river water, and reflected the emerging of moderate or high removal organophosphate triesters in WWTPs. Difference in the sources and DOM compositions was the main contributor to the correlation difference of OPEs and DOM in the two types of processes. The treatment technique also played important roles in the co-occurrence of OPEs and DOM in different WWTPs. This study would be beneficial to develop in-situ monitoring for the dynamic change of emerging contaminants along with a river flow path and from WWTPs, respectively. [Display omitted] •OPEs and DOMs were studied along with river path and wastewater treatment processes.•The correlation of OPEs and DOMs in the river and textile wastewater was different.•Source characteristics affected the correlation of OPEs and DOMs in the processes.•DOM components can be used to trace the occurrence of OPEs under certain conditions.