Identification of relevant micropollutants in Austrian municipal wastewater and their behaviour during wastewater treatment

The European Union has defined environmental quality standards (EQSs) for surface waters for priority substances and several other pollutants. Furthermore national EQSs for several chemicals are valid in Austria. The study investigated the occurrence of these compounds in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. In a first screening of 15 WWTPs relevant substances were identified, which subsequently were monitored in 9 WWTPs over 1 year (every 2 months). Out of 77 substances or groups of substances (including more than 90 substances) 13 were identified as potentially relevant in respect to water pollution and subjected to the monitoring, whereas most other compounds were detected in concentrations far below the respective EQS for surface waters and therefore not further considered. The preselected 13 compounds for monitoring were cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), diuron, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), di(ethyl-hydroxyl)phthalate (DEHP), tributyltin compounds (TBT), nonylphenoles (NP), adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) and the complexing agents ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as well as nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA). In the effluents of WWTPs the concentrations of the priority substances Cd, NP, TBT and diuron frequently exceeded the respective EQS, whereas the concentrations for DEHP and Ni were below the respective EQS. The effluent concentrations for AOX, EDTA, NTA, Cu, Se and Zn frequently are in the range or above the Austrian EQS for surface waters. Besides diuron and EDTA all compounds are removed at least partially during wastewater treatment and for most substances the removal via the excess sludge is the major removal pathway. For the 13 compounds which were monitored in WWTP effluents population equivalent specific discharges were calculated. Since for many compounds no or only few information is available, these population equivalent specific discharges can be used to assess emissions from municipal WWTPs to surface waters as well as to make a first assessment of the impact of a discharge on surface waters chemical status. Comparing discharges and river pollution on a load basis, the influence of diffuse sources becomes obvious and therefore should also be taken into consideration in river management.

Occurrence of polycyclic musks in wastewater and receiving water bodies and fate during wastewater treatment

The occurrence of cashmerane (DPMI), celestolide, phantolide, traesolide (ATII), galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalide (AHTN) in sewage and surface waters and their fate during wastewater treatment and anaerobic sludge digestion is investigated. AHTN and HHCB are the most important representatives and influent concentrations of 0.41-1.8 and 0.9-13 μgL(-1) are observed. DPMI is detected in influent and effluent samples but in notably lower concentrations than AHTN and HHCB. Major sources of polycyclic musks are households, whereas industrial emitters seem to be of minor importance. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of selected industrial wastewaters (metal, textile and paper industry). Specific emissions of 0.36 ± 0.19 and 1.6 ± 1.0 mg cap(-1)d(-1) for AHTN and HHCB are calculated. Overall removal efficiencies between approx 50% and more than 95% are observed during biological wastewater treatment and removal with the excess sludge is the major removal pathway. Log K(D) values of 3.73-4.3 for AHTN, 3.87-4.34 for HHCB and 2.42-3.22 for DPMI are observed in secondary sludge. During sludge digestion no or only slight removal occurred. Mean polycyclic musk concentrations in digested sludge amounted to 1.9 ± 0.9 (AHTN), 14.2 ± 5.8 (HHCB), 0.8 ± 0.4 (ATII) and 0.2 ± 0.09 (DPMI) mgkg(-1) dry matter. In the receiving water systems a comparable distribution as during wastewater treatment is observed. AHTN, HHCB and DPMI are detected in surface waters (ND (not detected) - <0.04, ND - 0.32 and ND - 0.02 μg L(-1)) as well as AHTN and HHCB in sediments (ND - 20, ND - 120 μg kg(-1)). For HHCB an apparent K(OC) value of 4.1-4.4 is calculated for sediments. Major source for polycyclic musks in surface waters are discharges from wastewater treatment plants. For HHCB and DPMI 100% of the load observed in the sampled surface waters derive from discharges of treated wastewater.

Occurrence of phthalates in surface runoff, untreated and treated wastewater and fate during wastewater treatment

Dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibuthyl phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylbenzyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dioctyl phthalate were analysed in raw and treated wastewater as well as in surface runoff samples from traffic roads. All six investigated phthalates have been detected in all raw sewage samples, in nearly all wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent samples and in all road runoff samples, with DEHP being the most abundant compound. DEHP inflow concentrations ranged 3.4-34 microg L(-1) and effluent concentrations 0.083-6.6 microg L(-1). In two WWTPs the fate of the phthalates was assessed by performing mass balances. Overall removal efficiencies of approx 95% were calculated. Removal is attributed to biotransformation and adsorption and the relevance of the removal via adsorption to sludge increased with increasing molecular weight and increasing lipophilic character of the compound. Except DEHP phthalate concentrations were higher in treated effluent samples than in road runoff. The environmental quality standard (EQS) for DEHP in surface waters is exceeded only in a few effluent samples, whereas nearly all road runoff samples were higher than the EQS. An assessment based on pure concentrations is not feasible and a mass balance based approach is required. Nevertheless the observations highlight the relevance of stormwater emissions and direct emissions from separated sewer systems to surface waters in relation to emissions from WWTPs and the necessity to consider all potential influences in the assessment of the status of surface water bodies with reference to xenobiotics.