New insight into fate and transport of organic compounds from pollution sources to aquatic environment using non-targeted screening: A wastewater treatment plant case study

Abstract

A variety of chemicals discharged into the aquatic environment by the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which is a potential source of hazard to the ecological environment and human health. This study established a novel analytical method for all compounds using non-targeted screening to comprehensively explore the fate and transport of organic compounds from WWTP to aquatic environment. 3967 and 3636 features were detected in WWTP samples and river samples, respectively. Multi-level classification was applied to all identified compounds, and results showed that aliphatics were dominant in both abundance and response, accounting for an average of 35.49 % and 74.10 %, respectively. A total of 88 Emerging Contaminants (ECs), including 22 endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), 12 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), 12 pesticides, 10 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 5 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and 27 chemicals with other uses, were identified from all compounds, and their traceability analysis was performed. Furthermore, the contribution rate of organic compounds from WWTP effluent to river was calculated to be 33.60 % by the analysis of source-sink relationship. An in-depth and comprehensive exploration of the fate and transport of all organic compounds will help to provide guidelines for the treatment technologies and achieve the traceability of pollutants.