Premium
Identification of wastewater dissolved organic carbon characteristics in reclaimed wastewater and recharged groundwater
Author(s) -
Fujita Yoshiko,
Ding WangHsien,
Reinhard Martin
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143096x127866
Subject(s) - dissolved organic carbon , wastewater , groundwater , chemistry , reclaimed water , effluent , environmental chemistry , activated carbon , humic acid , environmental engineering , environmental science , geology , organic chemistry , adsorption , fertilizer , geotechnical engineering
Nonvolatile dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in reclaimed wastewaters and groundwater was characterized and indicators of wastewater origin were identified. Over 50% of the DOC in activated carbon and reverse osmosis effluents was classified as hydrophilic, and no humic acid was isolated. In groundwater partially recharged by the reclaimed wastewaters, only 16% of the DOC was hydrophilic, 50% of the DOC was fulvic acid, and humic acid was recovered. The H:C ratios of the isolated fulvic acids were higher in the wastewaters and recharged groundwater than in deep well water not affected by recharge. N:C ratios in the wastewater and recharged groundwater fulvic and humic acid fractions were also higher than in the deep well water. The 1 H NMR spectra of the effluent and recharged groundwater fulvic acid fractions exhibited a characteristic fingerprint pattern, indicating a correlation between origin and spectral appearance. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of specific trace organic compounds, including EDTA and alkylphenol polyethoxylate residues, in the wastewaters and recharged groundwater.