Occurrence and removal of selected organic micropollutants at mechanical, chemical and advanced wastewater treatment plants in Norway

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 40; no. 19; pp. 3559 - 3570
• Main Authors: Vogelsang, Christian, Grung, Merete, Jantsch, Tor Gunnar, Tollefsen, Knut Erik, Liltved, Helge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; biochemical treatment; biological treatment; chemical concentration; chemical structure; Chemical treatment; Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques - methods; Combined biological/chemical treatment; Effluent concentrations; esters; Ethers - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; geographical variation; Mechanical treatment; micropollutants; Nonylphenols; Norway; organic compounds; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; PAHs; PBDEs; PCBs; phenols; Phthalates; Phthalic Acids - analysis; pollutants; Pollution; pollution control; Polybrominated Biphenyls - analysis; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; removal efficiency; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage - microbiology; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastes; Wastewater; wastewater treatment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Norway; North America; Europe; America; ANE, Norway; ANE, Europe; Nonylphenols; PCBs; Mechanical treatment; Chemical treatment; PBDEs; Combined biological/chemical treatment; PAHs; Wastewater; Effluent concentrations; Phthalates; treatment; Waste treatment; Coastal zone; Waste water; Persistent organic pollutant; Lipophilic compound; Micropollutant; Combined biological/chemical; Biological treatment; Organic compounds; Hydrocarbon; Chemical precipitation; Treatment efficiency; Hydrophobic compound; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Polychlorobiphenyl; Sewage treatment plant; Domestic waste water; Combined treatment
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2006.07.022

In Norway the combined hydraulic capacity of all domestic wastewater treatment plants is relatively equally distributed between three major treatment plant types; mechanical, chemical, and combined chemical and biological. The Western coast from Lindesnes in the south to the Russian boarder in the North is dominated by mechanical treatment plants, constituting approximately 68% of the treatment capacity in that area. In the present study we report concentrations and removal efficiencies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nonylphenols, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in five Norwegian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) applying different levels of treatment. Concentrations of organic micropollutants in the influents to the WWTPs were generally in the low range of what have been reported by others for domestic wastewater in Europe and North-America. More than 90% removal could be obtained for nonylphenols, PBDEs, and the more hydrophobic 4–6 ring PAHs by chemical precipitation, however, biological treatment appeared to be necessary for efficient removal of the less lipophilic 2 and 3 ring PAHs, the medium- to short-chained nonylphenol ethoxylates and diethyl phthalate. ΣPCB 7 was removed by more than 90% by combined biological/chemical treatment, while removal efficiency by chemical treatment was not possible to estimate due to low inlet concentrations. Low or insignificant removals of PAHs, phthalates and nonylphenols with their ethoxylates were observed at the mechanical WWTP, which was in accordance with the minuscule removal of TOC.