Abstract
The physicochemical and biological determinants of removal efficiencies in a variety of engineered and natural processes were explored for 55 frequently encountered trace organic compounds (TOrCs) in wastewater. Weak correlations between field observations and predicted TOrC biodegradabilities led to adoption of an empirical approach to prediction of compound removal during conventional wastewater treatment. The efficiencies of TOrC removals by UV photolysis (direct and indirect), activated carbon adsorption, membrane separation (reverse osmosis or nanofiltration), and sunlight photolysis were determined under representative process conditions. Results led to heuristic guidelines for the selection of sequenced treatment processes for TOrC management. Process- and compound-specific treatment efficiencies were sensitive to TOrC physicochemical properties and matrix effects.
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