Can fluorescence spectrometry be used as a surrogate for predicting the dissolved organic nitrogen and its bioavailable portion in wastewater effluents?
This study investigated the applicability of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices coupled with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) for predicting dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and bioavailable DON (ABDON) in wastewater effluents. A four component PARAFAC model was developed using 40 EEMs of effluent samples from four full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The DON showed a poor correlation with the PARAFAC components (-0.117 < r < 0.308, p = 0.053-0.471), while ABDON correlated significantly with protein-like components C2 (r = 0.511, p < 0.05) and C3 (r = 0.576, p < 0.05, Pearson test). Further, a multivariate linear regression model having a good predictive capability for ABDON with mean absolute error of 12.0% was developed. Results demonstrate that the application of fluorescence spectroscopy for predicting effluent DON may have limitations, however, it could provide an alternative tool for predicting effluent ABDON.
State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
Haidong
H
Hu
State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China. Electronic address: hqren@nju.edu.cn.
Hongqiang
H
Ren
D001682:Biological Availability; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012995:Solubility; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*
D009584:Nitrogen; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D062065:Wastewater
Bioavailable dissolved organic nitrogen (ABDON); Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON); EEM–PARAFAC; Nitrogen; Wastewater effluent