title: VOC amounts in ambient areas of a high-technology science park in Taiwan: their reciprocal correlations and impact on inhabitants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study presents bihourly, seasonal, and yearly concentration changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the inlet and effluent water of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a high-technology science park (HTIP) in Taiwan, with the VOC amounts at different sites correlated geologically.
  
  
  METHODS
  This research adopted a combination of two systems, solid-phase microextraction with a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector and an assembly of purge and trap coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, to monitor polar and nonpolar VOCs in wastewater. This paper investigated the total VOCs, acetone, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations in real water samples collected in the ambient area of the HTIP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The major contents of VOCs measured in the effluent of the WWTP in the HTIP and the surrounding river region were DMS (14-176 ppb), acetone (5-95 ppb), and IPA (15-316 ppb). In comparison with the total VOCs in the inlet wastewater of the WWTP, no corresponding relationship for total VOC concentration in the wastewater was observed between the inlet water and effluent water of the WWTP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The peak VOC concentrations appeared in the third season, and the correlation of different VOC amounts reflects the production situation of the factories. In addition, VOC concentrations at different sites indicate that the Ke-Ya River is seemingly an effective channel for transporting wastewater to its final destination. The data are good indications for the management of environmental pollution near the HTIP.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Hsin-Wang
authors: HW
authors: Liu
authors: Bei-Zen
authors: BZ
authors: Wu
authors: Hung-Chi
authors: HC
authors: Nian
authors: Hsing-Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Chen
authors: Jiunn-Guang
authors: JG
authors: Lo
authors: Kong-Hwa
authors: KH
authors: Chiu
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000032:analysis; D000096:Acetone / Q000032:analysis; D061006:Bays; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005410:Flame Ionization / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007221:Industry; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014873:Water Pollutants; D000096:Acetone; D019840:2-Propanol