Implementation of initial emission mitigation measures for 1,4-dioxane in Germany: Are they taking effect?

Since our comprehensive investigation of finished drinking water in Germany obtained from managed aquifer recharge systems in the period 2015-2016, which revealed widespread contamination with 1,4-dioxane, mitigation measures (integration of AOP units, shutdown or alteration of production processes)...

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Veröffentlicht in:The Science of the total environment 2022-02, Vol.806 (Pt 4), p.150701-150701, Article 150701
Hauptverfasser: Karges, Ursula, de Boer, Sabrina, Vogel, Alexander L., Püttmann, Wilhelm
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Since our comprehensive investigation of finished drinking water in Germany obtained from managed aquifer recharge systems in the period 2015-2016, which revealed widespread contamination with 1,4-dioxane, mitigation measures (integration of AOP units, shutdown or alteration of production processes) have been implemented at some sites. In this study, we conducted follow-up tests on surface water concentrations and associated finished drinking water concentrations in 2017/2018, to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. Our findings demonstrate that the emission mitigation measures had considerably reducing effects on the average 1,4-dioxane drinking water concentrations for some of the previously severely affected areas (Lower Franconia: -54%, Passau: -88%). Conversely, at notoriously contaminated sites where neither monitoring nor mitigation measures were introduced, the drinking water concentrations stagnated or even increased. Drinking water concentrations determined via a modified US EPA method 522 ranged from below LOQ (0.034 μg/L) up to 1.68 μg/L in all drinking water samples investigated. In river water samples, the maximum concentration exceeded 10 μg/L. Effluents of wastewater treatments plants containing 1,4-dioxane (5 μg/L–1.75 mg/L) were also analyzed for other similar cyclic ethers by suspected target screening. Thus, 1,3-dioxolane and three other derivatives were tentatively identified in effluents from the polyester processing or manufacturing industry. 1,3-Dioxolane was present in concentrations >1.2 mg/L at one site, exceeding up to sevenfold the 1,4-dioxane concentration found there. At another site 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane was still found 13 km downstream of the discharge point, indicating that ethers analogous to 1,4-dioxane should be further considered regarding their occurrence and fate in wastewater treatment and the aquatic environment. [Display omitted] •Field study in German FDW/rivers: mitigation measures affect 1,4-dioxane levels.•Point source elimination reduced 1,4-dioxane levels in associated FDW up to ~90%.•River concentrations up to >10 μg/L measured in regions with no dioxane-strategy•Lower river discharges 2018 aggravated 1,4-dioxane loads.•Dioxane-likes in WWTP discharges and related rivers: 2-Methyl-1,3-dioxolane most abundant/persistent
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150701