Photochemical transformation mechanisms of dissolved organic matters (DOM) derived from different bio-stabilization sludge

Abstract

Bio-stabilization sludge contains numerous dissolved organic matter (DOM) that could enter aquatic environments by soil leaching after sludge land use, but a clear understanding of their photochemical behavior is still lacking. In this study, we systematically investigated the photoactivity and photochemical transformation of aerobic composting sludge-derived DOM (DOMACS) and anaerobic digestion sludge-derived DOM (DOMADS) by using multispectral analysis coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). The results indicated that DOMACS and DOMADS have a higher proportion of highly unsaturated and phenolic compounds (HuPh)with high DBEwa, but the different polyphenols (Polyph) abundance of them, causing the different photoactivity between them. DOMACS had much higher apparent quantum yields (AQY) for triplet states of dissolved natural organic matter (3DOM*) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) but slightly lower AQY for singlet oxygen (1O2) than DOMADS under simulated sunlight conditions. As the irradiation time increased, HuPh and Polyph (associated with humic-like substances) contained in DOMACS (DOMADS) decreased by 12.0% (14.1%) and 3.0% (0.2%), respectively, with concurrent decrease in average molecular weight and aromaticity moieties, resulting in more generation of aliphatic compounds. Furthermore, based on 27 types of photochemical transformation reactions, DOMACS containing higher fractions of O10-15 and N1-3Oy class preferred dealkyl group and carboxylic acid reactions, whereas DOMADS composed of more N4Oy and S2Oy fragments preferred oxygen addition and anmine reactions. Consequently, photochemical transformations reduced the Cd (II) ion activity in the presence of DOMACS (DOMADS). This study is believed to unveil the photochemical transformation of bio-stabilization sludge-derived DOM and its impact on pollutants' fate in the aquatic environment.