title: Occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic carbons in sludges from wastewater treatment plants in Guangdong, China.
abstract: In this study, the occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in six sludge samples collected from Guangdong Province, China. Concentrations of PAHs varying from 2,534.1 to 6,926.6 microg kg(-1) (dry sludge) were observed in three municipal wastewater treatment plants with phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene, and pyrene being the main compounds. In addition, 682.6 microg kg(-1) PAHs were detected in one sludge sample from a food processing plant, with fluorene, Phe, and chrysene being the main components. No PAHs were detected in sludge samples obtained from two cosmetic plants. The levels and distributional characteristics of PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic musks (PMs) from the samples were also compared. The results of this comparison indicated that petrochemical refineries and road traffic played important roles in the PAH loads in sludge, while PMs primarily originated from domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater from cosmetic plants. Finally, the presence of 98.8 microg kg(-1) PCBs in sludge suggested diffusional emission sources from electrical components containing PCBs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiangying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Wenlan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Jiamo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005449:Fluorenes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011721:Pyrenes; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C007738:fluoranthene; C031181:phenanthrene; C030984:pyrene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls