Occurrence and removal of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in a wastewater treatment plant in China.

Abstract

Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BZT-UVs) have previously been found in sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which might be potential sources of BZT-UVs to the surrounding environment. In this work, the occurrence and fate of seven emerging 2-hydroxyphenyl substituted BZT-UVs were investigated in a Chinese WWTP. This group of hydrophobic BZT-UVs possess log K_ow values ranging from 4.31 to 7.67 which could be associated with their fate in WWTPs. Field samples including 24 h flow composites of influent, effluent and grab sludge samples from different treatment processes were collected and analyzed. Concentrations of BZT-UVs dissolved in aqueous-phases were in the range of 4.88 ± 1.35 (UV-234) to 34.5 ± 12.4 ng L⁻¹ (UV-P) in the primary influent, while only UV-P and UV-328 were detected in the final effluent at concentrations of 10.5 ± 6.59 and 2.74 ± 1.73 ng L⁻¹, respectively. Considering the amount of target BZT-UVs adsorbed to total suspended solids (TSS), the daily mass flux in the primary influent of the WWTP ranged from 22.3 g day⁻¹ (UV-P, 7.99%) to 74.0 g day⁻¹ (UV-234, 26.5%). Total removal efficiency of the integrated treatment process ranged from 89.7% for UV-P to 99.7% for UV-234 suggesting nearly complete removal. Organic solid sedimentation in primary and secondary clarifiers was the dominant elimination route for BZT-UV analogues, which constituted 96.3% of the total removal efficiency. Advanced treatment (using ultraviolet disinfection) in this plant might further contribute to the high removal efficiencies (ranging from 19.6% to 77.3%).