Occurrence and fate of nitrification and urease inhibitors in the aquatic environment

Nitrification and urease inhibitors (NUIs) decelerate the bacterial oxidation of nitrogen species by suppressing the activity of soil microorganisms. Thus, nitrogen losses can be limited and the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers can be increased. After application NUI transfers to surface water may occur through leaching or surface run-off. In order to assess the occurrence of nitrification and urease inhibitors in the aquatic environment a multi-analyte high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed. 1H-1,2,4-Triazole and dicyandiamide (DCD) were detected for the first time in German surface waters. Only at a few sites 1H-1,2,4-triazole has been episodically detected with concentrations up to the μg L(-1)-range. DCD was ubiquitously present in German surface waters. An industrial site was identified as the point source of DCD being responsible for exceptionally high DCD concentrations of up to 7.2 mg L(-1) in close proximity to the point of discharge. Both compounds were also detected in at least one wastewater treatment plant effluent, but their concentrations in surface waters did not correlate with those of typical markers for domestic wastewater. Other NUIs were not detected in any of the samples. Laboratory-scale batch tests proved that 1H-1,2,4-triazole and DCD are not readily biodegradable, are not prone to hydrolysis and do not tend to adsorb onto soil particles. Ozonation and activated carbon filtration proved to be ineffective for their removal.

Electrochemical decomposition of fluorinated wetting agents in plating industry waste water

Electrochemical decomposition of fluorinated surfactants (PFAS, perfluorinated alkyl substances) used in the plating industry was analyzed and the decomposition process parameters optimized at the laboratory scale and production scale of a 500-liter reactor using lead electrodes. The method and system was successfully demonstrated under production conditions to treat PFAS) with up to 99% efficiency in the concentration range of 1,000-20,000 μg/l (1 ppm-20 ppm). The treatment also reduced hexavalent chromium (Cr(6+)) ions to trivalent chromium (Cr(3+)) ions in the wastewater. If the PFAS-containing wastewater is mixed with other wastewater streams, specifically from nickel plating drag out solution or when pH values >5, the treatment process is ineffective. For the short chain PFAS, (perfluorobutylsulfonate) the process was less efficient than C6-C8 PFAS. The process is automated and has safety procedures and controls to prevent hazards. The PFAS were decomposed to hydrogen fluoride (HF) under the strong acid electrochemical operating conditions. Analytical tests showed no evidence of organic waste products remaining from the process. Conventional alternative PFAS removal systems were tested on the waste streams and compared with each other and with the-E-destruct (electrochemical oxidation) process. For example, ion exchange resin (IX resin) treatment of wastewater to complex and remove PFAS was found to be seven times more efficient when compared to the conventional activated carbon absorption (C-treat) process. However, the E-destruct process is higher in capacity, exhibits longer service life and lower operating costs than either IX or C-treat methods for elimination of PFAS from these electroplating waste streams.

Selection of organic process and source indicator substances for the anthropogenically influenced water cycle

An increasing number of organic micropollutants (OMP) is detected in anthropogenically influenced water cycles. Source control and effective natural and technical barriers are essential to maintain a high quality of drinking water resources under these circumstances. Based on the literature and our own research this study proposes a limited number of OMP that can serve as indicator substances for the major sources of OMP, such as wastewater treatment plants, agriculture and surface runoff. Furthermore functional indicators are proposed that allow assessment of the proper function of natural and technical barriers in the aquatic environment, namely conventional municipal wastewater treatment, advanced treatment (ozonation, activated carbon), bank filtration and soil aquifer treatment as well as self-purification in surface water. These indicator substances include the artificial sweetener acesulfame, the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, the anticonvulsant carbamazepine, the corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole and the herbicide mecoprop among others. The chemical indicator substances are intended to support comparisons between watersheds and technical and natural processes independent of specific water cycles and to reduce efforts and costs of chemical analyses without losing essential information.