Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region
Long-term wastewater and reclaimed water irrigation systems constitute the major processes in local water circulation, which concomitantly introduce plenty of undesirable substances that can threaten water quality, ecosystem functions and human health. At the Southeast Reclaimed Water Irrigation Reg...
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2766 |
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| author | Yajun Wang Binghua Li Ying Ma Lihu Yang Xianfang Song |
| author_facet | Yajun Wang Binghua Li Ying Ma Lihu Yang Xianfang Song |
| author_sort | Yajun Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Long-term wastewater and reclaimed water irrigation systems constitute the major processes in local water circulation, which concomitantly introduce plenty of undesirable substances that can threaten water quality, ecosystem functions and human health. At the Southeast Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region (SRWIR) of Beijing, wastewater irrigation was adopted from 1969 to 2002, and second-treated effluents (reclaimed water) has been used thereafter. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were the most ubiquitously detected contaminant in wastewater and reclaimed water and are reported to be carcinogenic. Hence, we measured the concentrations of dissolved sixteen United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority PAHs in surface water and groundwater at the SRWIR to characterize their spatial and temporal variations, and to clarify the role of reclaimed water to natural water. The concentration of 16 individual PAHs in reclaimed water, rivers and groundwater varied from 339.4 to 636.2 ng/L, 359.1 to 3,435.0 ng/L and 216.5 to 488,205.2 ng/L, respectively. The lower aromatic rings of PAHs prevailed in aquatic environments rather than the higher ones. Thereinto, naphthalene was the predominant isomer within the highest concentration reached to 486,600 µg/L. The groundwater samples had higher PAHs concentrations at Tongzhou district which attributed to the higher vulnerability of aquifer. Additionally, strong correlations between PAHs and total nitrogen, nitrate, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity suggested those potential factors affecting the photo degradation and/or biodegradation of PAHs. The relationship identified between PAHs concentrations and physical and chemical indices would help us to enhance the understanding migration and transformation of PAHs spatially and temporally, enable us to assess the potential risks of the environmental pollutants to aquatic organisms and human water supplies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58544910a9614cff839e259d1af3c16d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:39Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-58544910a9614cff839e259d1af3c16d2023-11-20T16:04:02ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-10-011210276610.3390/w12102766Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation RegionYajun Wang0Binghua Li1Ying Ma2Lihu Yang3Xianfang Song4Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, ChinaBeijing Water Science & Technology Institute, Beijing 100048, ChinaKey Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, ChinaKey Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, ChinaKey Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, ChinaLong-term wastewater and reclaimed water irrigation systems constitute the major processes in local water circulation, which concomitantly introduce plenty of undesirable substances that can threaten water quality, ecosystem functions and human health. At the Southeast Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region (SRWIR) of Beijing, wastewater irrigation was adopted from 1969 to 2002, and second-treated effluents (reclaimed water) has been used thereafter. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were the most ubiquitously detected contaminant in wastewater and reclaimed water and are reported to be carcinogenic. Hence, we measured the concentrations of dissolved sixteen United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority PAHs in surface water and groundwater at the SRWIR to characterize their spatial and temporal variations, and to clarify the role of reclaimed water to natural water. The concentration of 16 individual PAHs in reclaimed water, rivers and groundwater varied from 339.4 to 636.2 ng/L, 359.1 to 3,435.0 ng/L and 216.5 to 488,205.2 ng/L, respectively. The lower aromatic rings of PAHs prevailed in aquatic environments rather than the higher ones. Thereinto, naphthalene was the predominant isomer within the highest concentration reached to 486,600 µg/L. The groundwater samples had higher PAHs concentrations at Tongzhou district which attributed to the higher vulnerability of aquifer. Additionally, strong correlations between PAHs and total nitrogen, nitrate, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity suggested those potential factors affecting the photo degradation and/or biodegradation of PAHs. The relationship identified between PAHs concentrations and physical and chemical indices would help us to enhance the understanding migration and transformation of PAHs spatially and temporally, enable us to assess the potential risks of the environmental pollutants to aquatic organisms and human water supplies.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2766PAHsgroundwaterhydrochemistryreclaimed water irrigationBeijing |
| spellingShingle | Yajun Wang Binghua Li Ying Ma Lihu Yang Xianfang Song Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region Water PAHs groundwater hydrochemistry reclaimed water irrigation Beijing |
| title | Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region |
| title_full | Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region |
| title_short | Characterizing the Variation of Dissolvable PAHs in Receiving Water in a Reclaimed Water Irrigation Region |
| title_sort | characterizing the variation of dissolvable pahs in receiving water in a reclaimed water irrigation region |
| topic | PAHs groundwater hydrochemistry reclaimed water irrigation Beijing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2766 |
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