Abstract
Sewage sludge contains a plethora of organic pollutants. In the present chapter, the experiences with respect to the applicability of sewage sludge as a matrix for the monitoring of persistent lipophilic contaminants released from the anthroposphere are reported and discussed. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, phthalates, UV filters, biocides, synthetic fragrances, polybrominated flame retardants (BFRs) and surfactants were analyzed in stabilized sewage sludge from more than 20 sites (wastewater treatment plants, catchment area) of a monitoring network in Switzerland. The specific loads (mg or g per connected inhabitant and year) in sewage sludge were used for characterizing the emissions of the compounds. A background contamination from private households was observed for all analyzed substances. Synthetic fragrances predominantly occurred in domestic wastewater. An important additional source for PAHs, PCBs, biocides and BFRs was runoff from impervious surfaces contaminated with substances originating from atmospheric deposition or leaching from treated materials. Industrial wastewater and mainly urban catchments were responsible for further loads. The specific loads observed complied with consumption patterns of the compounds obtained from the literature.
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Kupper, T., de Alencastro, L.F., Berset, JD. (2010). Determination of Sources and Emissions of Persistent Organic Contaminants by Means of Sewage Sludge: Results from a Monitoring Network. In: Fatta-Kassinos, D., Bester, K., Kümmerer, K. (eds) Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle. Environmental Pollution, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3509-7_8
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