Assessing pollution and risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in China's top coal-producing region

Wu, Qihang1; Liu, Zhineng2; Liang, Junyan2; Kuo, Dave T. F.3,4; Chen, Shejun5; Hu, Xiaodong2; Deng, Mingjun2; Zhang, Haozhi2; Lu, YueHan6,7

2019-02

10.1007/s10661-019-7225-6

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT   影响因子和分区

0167-6369

1573-2959

Managing and disposing of sewage sludge have been a severe environmental challenge around the world. China produces hundreds of million tons of sewage sludge annually, and a better understanding of the extent and risk of the associated pollution is of critical importance for implementing environmentally safe regulations and practices. The present study examined the quantity, composition, source, and risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sewage sludge from 18 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shaanxi, one of China's top coal-producing provinces. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs varied from 778 to 3264ng/g dry weight, which is below the upper safety limit (5000ng/g dry weight) set for the disposal of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants for agricultural use in China. However, the concentration of individual PAH compound exceeded the acceptable level prescribed by the Netherland Soil Standard. Three-ring PAHs were the most abundant constituent (50% of total PAHs on average), followed by four-ring PAHs averaging 25%. Relative to sludge PAHs in the same region a decade ago, the total concentrations decreased by more than 27% and the composition shifted to a more pronounced dominance by low molecular weight compounds. This compositional shift suggests higher contributions of petrogenic sources, which may reflect China's increasing consumption of petroleum products over the past decade. The flux of sludge PAHs from each WWTP was positively correlated with the corresponding city's GDP and population, and the total flux amounted to over 100kg each year for WWTPs in the Xi'an city. The mean toxicity equivalent quantity (TEQ) value was more than twice higher than the value recommended by the Netherlands Soil Standard, and seven carcinogenic PAHs were the primary contributor (i.e., 89-99%) of the TEQ. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that sewage sludge PAHs in Shaanxi constitute a significant source of environmental pollution and toxicity, which cautions against the direct discharge and reuse of sewage sludge and further highlights challenges in managing and disposing of the vast quantities of sewage sludge in China.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Sewage sludge Wastewater treatment plant Toxic equivalent quantity Risk assessment Shaanxi Coal production Coal consumption

SCI

英语

通讯

National Natural Science Foundation of China[21477100] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[7004184] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[7200384] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[9680132]

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Environmental Sciences

WOS:000456655600001

SPRINGER

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

Web of Science

1.Guangzhou Univ, Inst Environm Res Greater Bay, Minist Educ, Key Lab Water Qual & Conservat Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, Peoples R China
2.Guangzhou Univ, Sch Civil Engn, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, Peoples R China
3.City Univ Hong Kong, Dept Architecture & Civil Engn, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, Peoples R China
4.City Univ Hong Kong, Shenzhen Res Inst, Shenzhen 518057, Peoples R China
5.Chinese Acad Sci, Guangzhou Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Organ Geochem, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong, Peoples R China
6.Univ Alabama, Dept Geol Sci, 201 7th Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
7.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, SUSTech Acad Adv Interdisciplinary Studies, 1088 Xueyuan Rd, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China

Wu, Qihang,Liu, Zhineng,Liang, Junyan,et al. Assessing pollution and risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in China's top coal-producing region[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT,2019,191(2).

Wu, Qihang.,Liu, Zhineng.,Liang, Junyan.,Kuo, Dave T. F..,Chen, Shejun.,...&Lu, YueHan.(2019).Assessing pollution and risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in China's top coal-producing region.ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT,191(2).

Wu, Qihang,et al."Assessing pollution and risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants in China's top coal-producing region".ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 191.2(2019).