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VOC amounts in ambient areas of a high-technology science park in Taiwan: their reciprocal correlations and impact on inhabitants

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Abstract

Introduction

This study presents bihourly, seasonal, and yearly concentration changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the inlet and effluent water of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a high-technology science park (HTIP) in Taiwan, with the VOC amounts at different sites correlated geologically.

Materials and methods

This research adopted a combination of two systems, solid-phase microextraction with a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector and an assembly of purge and trap coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, to monitor polar and nonpolar VOCs in wastewater. This paper investigated the total VOCs, acetone, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentrations in real water samples collected in the ambient area of the HTIP.

Results and discussion

The major contents of VOCs measured in the effluent of the WWTP in the HTIP and the surrounding river region were DMS (14–176 ppb), acetone (5–95 ppb), and IPA (15–316 ppb). In comparison with the total VOCs in the inlet wastewater of the WWTP, no corresponding relationship for total VOC concentration in the wastewater was observed between the inlet water and effluent water of the WWTP.

Conclusions

The peak VOC concentrations appeared in the third season, and the correlation of different VOC amounts reflects the production situation of the factories. In addition, VOC concentrations at different sites indicate that the Ke-Ya River is seemingly an effective channel for transporting wastewater to its final destination. The data are good indications for the management of environmental pollution near the HTIP.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Science Council, Republic of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsin-Wang Liu, Bei-Zen Wu, Hung-Chi Nian & Jiunn-Guang Lo

  2. Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 402, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsing-Jung Chen

  3. Department of Applied Science, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, 970, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Kong-Hwa Chiu

Authors
  1. Hsin-Wang Liu
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  2. Bei-Zen Wu
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  3. Hung-Chi Nian
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  4. Hsing-Jung Chen
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  5. Jiunn-Guang Lo
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  6. Kong-Hwa Chiu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kong-Hwa Chiu.

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Responsible editor: Euripides Stephanou

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Liu, HW., Wu, BZ., Nian, HC. et al. VOC amounts in ambient areas of a high-technology science park in Taiwan: their reciprocal correlations and impact on inhabitants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19, 303–312 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0558-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0558-5

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