Distribution, source and ecological risk of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in Chinese municipal wastewater treatment plants

Hongxin Mu; Jiahao Li; Ling Chen; Haidong Hu; Jinfeng Wang; Cheng Gu; Xu-xiang Zhang; Hong-qiang Ren; Bing Wu

Environment International (Sep 2022)

Distribution, source and ecological risk of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in Chinese municipal wastewater treatment plants

Hongxin Mu,
Jiahao Li,
Ling Chen,
Haidong Hu,
Jinfeng Wang,
Cheng Gu,
Xu-xiang Zhang,
Hong-qiang Ren,
Bing Wu

Affiliations

Hongxin Mu: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Jiahao Li: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Ling Chen: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Haidong Hu: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Jinfeng Wang: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Cheng Gu: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Xu-xiang Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Hong-qiang Ren: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
Bing Wu: Corresponding author at: NO. 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, PR China.; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 167
p. 107447

Abstract

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Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are sinks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) generated by human activities and are also sources of PFASs in aquatic environment. This study analyzed distribution, source and ecological risk of 14 PFASs in influent and effluent samples from 148 Chinese municipal WWTPs. Composition and concentrations of PFASs in the influents and effluents had obvious spatial differences. Fluoropolymer processing aids/wrappers and textile treatments/coatings were found to be the dominant sources in WWTP influents, which accounted for 78.34% of all sources. Consumption structure and metal and transportation equipment manufacturing affected the spatial differences of PFASs in WWTPs. Further, mean removal rate of total PFASs in all WWTPs was −5.45%. The conventional treatment processes can not effectively remove PFASs and no significant difference was found among different treatment processes. However, risk quotient values of PFASs in effluents were all below 0.1, indicating low risk or no risk to aquatic organisms. It should be noted that the composition, source and ecological risk of PFASs in east China were different from the other regions, which need more attentions. This study sheds insights into occurrences of PFASs in municipal WWTPs, which should be helpful for their control strategy development.

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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