Fate of Parent and Substituted Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in SBR/MBBR Treatment Process:Experimental Value Against Model Prediction

The knowledge of the existence,distribution and fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)and substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(SPAHs)in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)was vital for reducing their concentrations entering the aquatic environment.The concentrations of 13 SPAHs and 16 PAHs were all determined in a WWTP with styrene butadiene rubber(SBR)in partnership with the moving bed biofilm reactor(MBBR)process.SPAHs presented a higher concentration lever than PAHs in nearly all samples.The total removal efficiencies of PAHs and SPAHs ranged from 64.0%to 71.36%and 78.4%to 79.7%,respectively.The total yearly loads of PAHs(43.0 kg)and SPAHs(73.0 kg)were mainly reduced by the primary and SBR/MBBR biological treatment stages.The tertiary treatment stage had a minor contribution to target compounds removal.According to a synthesis and improvement fate model,we found that the dominant processes changed as the chemical octanol water partition coefficient(K_(ow))increased.But the seasonal variations of experimental removal efficiencies were more obvious than that of predicted data.In the primary sedimentation tank,dissolution in the aqueous phase and sorption to sludge/particulate matter were controlling processes for the removal of PAHs and SPAHs.The sorption to sludge and biodegradation were the principal removal mechanisms during the SBR/MBBR biological treatment process.The contribution of volatilization to removal was always insignificant.Furthermore,the basic physicochemical properties and operating parameters influenced the fate of PAHs and SPAHs in the WWTP.