Abstract
Removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a major problem in drinking water treatment, because DOM modifies color, taste and odor, and carcinogenic by-products of DOM can be created during disinfection. Efficient water remediation is limited by our poor knowledge of DOM structure and properties, thus calling for advanced methods of characterisation. Here, we tested the influence of two coagulants, polymeric ferric sulfate and cationic polyacrylamide, on the three-dimensional fluorescence excitation–emission wavelength spectra of DOM during coagulation. Results of the parallel factor model reveal 3 fluorophore components C1–3. Cationic polyacrylamide decreases the linear correlation between DOM and fluorescence, e.g., from 0.92 to 0.82 for C1 and from 0.84 to 0.79 for C2. The C3 component, a protein-like material, was the most affected. Findings demonstrate the need to consider residual polymer as a potential interference when using fluorescence to assess DOM removal by coagulation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aftab B, Hur J (2017) Fast tracking the molecular weight changes of humic substances in coagulation/flocculation processes via fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC. Chemosphere 178:317–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.03.068
Andersson CA, Bro R (2000) The N-way toolbox for MATLAB. Chemometr Intell Lab 52:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-7439(00)00071-X
Bahram M, Bro R, Stedmon C, Afkhami A (2006) Handling of Rayleigh and Raman scatter for PARAFAC modeling of fluorescence data using interpolation. J Chemometr 20:99–105. https://doi.org/10.1002/cem.978
Bu F, Gao B, Yue Q, Shen X, Wang W (2019) Characterization of dissolved organic matter and membrane fouling in coagulation-ultrafiltration process treating micro-polluted surface water. J Environ Sci-China 75:318–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2018.04.015
Burdick DS, Tu XM (1989) The wavelength component vectorgram: a tool for resolving two-component fluorescent mixtures. J Chemometr 3:431–441. https://doi.org/10.1002/cem.1180030210
Carstea EM, Bridgeman J, Baker A, Reynolds DM (2016) Fluorescence spectroscopy for wastewater monitoring: a review. Water Res 95:205–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.03.021
Dennett KE, Amirtharajah A, Moran TF, Gould JP (1996) Coagulation: its effect on organic matter. J Am Water Works Ass 88:129–142. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1551-8833.1996.tb06539.x
Hua B, Xiong H, Kadhom M, Wang L, Zhu G, Yang J, Cunningham G, Deng B (2017) Physico-chemical processes. Water Environ Res 89:974–1028. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143017X15023776270214
Hua B, Xiong H, Zhu G, Wang L, Yan S, Yang J, Deng B (2016) Physico-chemical processes. Water Environ Res 88:966–1000. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143016X14696400494452
Hua B, Yang J, Liu F, Zhu G, Deng B, Mao J (2018) Characterization of dissolved organic matter/nitrogen by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for watershed management. Chemosphere 201:708–715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.043
Ishii SK, Boyer TH (2012) Behavior of reoccurring PARAFAC components in fluorescent dissolved organic matter in natural and engineered systems: a critical review. Environ Sci Technol 46:2006–2017. https://doi.org/10.1021/es2043504
Jaffé R, Cawley KM, Yamashita Y (2014) Applications of excitation emission matrix fluorescence with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) in assessing environmental dynamics of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic environments: a review. Advances in the physicochemical characterization of dissolved organic matter: impact on natural and engineered systems ACS Book series, vol 1160. American Chemical Society, Washington DC, pp 27–73
Jain B, Singh AK, Kim H, Lichtfouse E, Sharma VK (2018) Treatment of organic pollutants by homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton reaction processes. Environ Chem Lett 16:947–967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-0738-3
Lee KE, Morad N, Teng TT, Poh BT (2012) Development, characterization and the application of hybrid materials in coagulation/flocculation of wastewater: a review. Chem Eng J 203:370–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.06.109
Lichtfouse E, Morin-Crini N, Fourmentin M, Zemmouri H, Carmo O, do Nascimento I., Queiroz L.M., Tadza M.Y.M., Picos-Corrales L.A., Pei H., Wilson L.D., Crini G. (2019) Chitosan for direct bioflocculation of wastewater. Environ Chem Lett 17(1603–1621):2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-019-00900-1
Matilainen A, Vepsäläinen M, Sillanpää M (2010) Natural organic matter removal by coagulation during drinking water treatment: a review. Adv Colloid Interfac 159:189–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2010.06.007
Moradi S, Sawade E, Aryal R, Chow CW, van Leeuwen J, Drikas M, Cook D, Amal R (2018) Tracking changes in organic matter during nitrification using fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (FEEM/PARAFAC). J Environ Chem Eng 6:1522–1528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2018.02.003
Nidheesh PV (2018) Removal of organic pollutants by peroxicoagulation. Environ Chem Lett 16:1283–1292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-0752-5
Piotr Kowalczuk MJD, Young H, Kahn AE, Cooper WJ, Gonsior M (2009) Characterization of dissolved organic matter fluorescence in the South Atlantic Bight with use of PARAFAC model: interannual variability. Mar Chem 113:182–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2009.01.015
Sanchez NP (2013) Fluorescence based approach to drinking water treatment plant natural organic matter (NOM) characterization, treatment, and management. University of Akron, Akron
Sanchez NP, Skeriotis AT, Miller CM (2013) Assessment of dissolved organic matter fluorescence PARAFAC components before and after coagulation–filtration in a full scale water treatment plant. Water Res 47:1679–1690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2012.12.032
Sanchez NP, Skeriotis AT, Miller CM (2014) A PARAFAC-based long-term assessment of DOM in a multi-coagulant drinking water treatment scheme. Environ Sci Technol 48:1582–1591. https://doi.org/10.1021/es4049384
Sun Y, Liang H, Zhu C, Xuebin H, Fan W, Yi L, Wenwen X (2014) Study on infrared spectroscopy of cationic polyacrylamide initiated by ultraviolet. Spectrosc Spect Anal 34:1234–1239. https://doi.org/10.3964/j.issn.1000-0593(2014)05-1234-06
Tang S, Wang Z, Wu Z, Zhou Q (2010) Role of dissolved organic matters (DOM) in membrane fouling of membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment. J Hazard Mater 178:377–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.01.090
Wei Wang CH, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Shi Q (2018) Isolation and characterization of hydrophilic dissolved organic matter in waters by ion exchange solid phase extraction followed by high resolution mass spectrometry. Environ Chem Lett 17:1857–1866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2114-y
Xiaocun Zhuo HH, Lan F, He C, Pan Q, Zhang Y, Shi Q (2019) Molecular transformation of dissolved organic matter in high-temperature hydrogen peroxide oxidation of a refinery wastewater. Environ Chem Lett 17:1117–1123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-00837-x
Yang L, Han DH, Lee B-M, Hur J (2015) Characterizing treated wastewaters of different industries using clustered fluorescence EEM–PARAFAC and FT-IR spectroscopy: implications for downstream impact and source identification. Chemosphere 127:222–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.02.028
Yang L, Hur J, Zhuang W (2015) Occurrence and behaviors of fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC components in drinking water and wastewater treatment systems and their applications: a review. Environ Sci Pollut R 22:6500–6510. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4214-3
Zhu G, Bian Y, Hursthouse AS, Wan P, Szymanska K, Ma J, Wang X, Zhao Z (2017) Application of 3-D fluorescence: characterization of natural organic matter in natural water and water purification systems. J Fluoresc 27:2069–2094. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-017-2146-7
Zhu G, Wang C, Dong X (2017) Fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy analysis of landfill leachate DOM in coagulation–flocculation process. Environ Technol 38:1489–1497. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2016.1234510
Zhu G, Wang Q, Yin J, Li Z, Zhang P, Ren B, Fan G, Wan P (2016) Toward a better understanding of coagulation for dissolved organic nitrogen using polymeric zinc-iron-phosphate coagulant. Water Res 100:201–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.035
Zhu G, Yin J, Zhang P, Wang X, Fan G, Hua B, Ren B, Zheng H, Deng B (2014) DOM removal by flocculation process: fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs) characterization. Desalination 346:38–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2014.04.031
Zhu G, Zheng H, Zhang P, Jiao Z, Yin J (2013) Near-infrared spectroscopy as a potential tool with radial basis function for measurement of residual acrylamide in organic polymer. Environ Technol 34:91–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2012.683817
Zhu G, Zheng H, Zhang Z, Tshukudu T, Zhang P, Xiang X (2011) Characterization and coagulation–flocculation behavior of polymeric aluminum ferric sulfate (PAFS). Chem Eng J 178:50–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2011.10.008
Acknowledgements
This work is financially supported by key-Area Research and Development Peogram of Guangdong Province, China (No. 2019B110205001), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China (No. 2018JJ2128), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51408215, 51878001) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project (No. 2017M622578).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhu, G., Liu, J., Ma, J. et al. Interference of the polyacrylamide coagulant in the fluorescence analysis of dissolved organic matter during water treatment. Environ Chem Lett 18, 1433–1440 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01013-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01013-w