Fate and significance of phthalates and bisphenol A in liquid by-products generated during municipal solid waste mechanical-biological pre-treatment and disposal

Abstract

Samples of liquid by-products generated by municipal solid waste plants (MSWPs) were tested for the presence of phthalates (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA). The results indicated that the wastewater generated during mechanical (sorting unit - SU) and biological (composting unit - CU) pre-treatment (MBT) of residual (mixed) solid waste is a significant source of these compounds. The concentrations of PAEs (up to 32222μg/L) and BPA (up to 1795μg/L) in the SU and CU wastewaters were generally higher than those in landfill leachates tested in this and other studies. To date, MBT wastewaters have been poorly studied and are usually overlooked. However, in this study, despite their relatively small quantities, they constituted an important load of ammonia (up to 1610mg/L) and organic matter (COD up to 52980mg/L). Thus, to apply an effective treatment, it is critical to monitor the current quality and quantity of all liquid by-products generated at MSWPs and to prioritize the (micro)pollutants of concern.