title: Use of fluorescence EEM to monitor the removal of emerging contaminants in full scale wastewater treatment plants.
abstract: This study investigated the applicability of different techniques for fluorescence excitation/emission matrices data interpretations, including peak-picking method, fluorescence regional integration and PARAFAC modelling, to act as surrogates in predicting emerging trace organic compounds (ETOrCs) removal during conventional wastewater treatments that usually comprise primary and secondary treatments. Results showed that fluorescence indexes developed using alternative methodologies but indicative of a same dissolved organic matter component resulted in similar predictions of the removal of the target compounds. The peak index defined by the excitation/emission wavelength positions (λex/λem) 225/290nm and related to aromatic proteins and tyrosine-like fluorescence was determined to be a particularly suitable surrogate for monitoring ETOrCs that had very high removal rates (average removal >70%) (i.e., triclosan, caffeine and ibuprofen). The peak index defined by λex/λem=245/440nm and the PARAFAC component with wavelength of the maxima λex/λem=245, 350/450, both identified as humic-like fluorescence, were found remarkably well correlated with ETOrCs such as atenolol, naproxen and gemfibrozil that were moderately removed (51-70% average removal). Finally, the PARAFAC component with wavelength of the maxima λex/λem=<240, 315/380 identified as microbial humic-like fluorescence was the only index correlated with the removal of the antibiotic trimethoprim (average removal 68%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sgroi
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roccaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352700, Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Korshin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sciuto
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E. James E. Rogers Way, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Agilent Technologies Inc., 2850 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, USA.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anumol
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 1133 E. James E. Rogers Way, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Shane A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy. Electronic address: fvaglias@dica.unict.it.
authors.forename: Federico G A
authors.initials: FGA
authors.lastname: Vagliasindi
mesh_terms: D004350:Drug Residues / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006812:Humic Substances; D012722:Sewage; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006812:Humic Substances; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Dissolved organic matter; Fluorescence regional integration; Parafac; Personal care products; Pharmaceuticals