Colloidal organic matter from wastewater treatment plant effluents: Characterization and role in metal distribution.
Colloidal organic matter from wastewater treatment plants was characterized and examined with respect to its role in metal distribution by using tangential flow ultrafiltration, liquid chromatography coupled with organic carbon and UV detectors, and an asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AFlFFF) multidetection platform. Results revealed that a humic-like fraction of low aromaticity with an average molar mass ranging from 1600 to 2600Da was the main colloidal component. High molar mass fractions (HMM), with molar mass ranges between 20 and 200kDa, were present in lower proportions. Ag, Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn and Zn were found mainly in the dissolved phase (<0.45microm) and their distribution between colloidal and truly dissolved fractions was strongly influenced by the distribution of dissolved organic carbon. AFlFFF coupled to ICP-MS showed that Ag, Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn and Zn associate to the low molar mass fraction of the colloidal pool, whereas Al, Fe and Pb were equally bound to low and high molar mass fractions.
Worms
Isabelle A M
IA
Environmental Biophysical Chemistry, GR-SLV-IIE-ENAC, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 2, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Al-Gorani Szigeti
Zsofia
Z
Dubascoux
Stephane
S
Lespes
Gaetane
G
Traber
Jacqueline
J
Sigg
Laura
L
Slaveykova
Vera I
VI
D003102:Colloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D014462:Ultrafiltration; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D003102:Colloids; D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical