Occurrence of organotins in municipal wastewater and sewage sludge and behavior in a treatment plant

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00015a017· OSTI ID:5673099

Fent, K ^[1]; Mueller, M D ^[2]

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1. Swiss Federal Institute for Water Resources and Water Pollution Control, Kastanienbaum (Switzerland)
2. Swiss Federal Research Station, Waedenswil (Switzerland)

THe behavior of selected organotin species in a wastewater treatment plant of Zurich, Switzerland, was studied. In untreated wastewater, monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT), and tributyltin (TBT) were detected in the range of 136-564, 127-1,026, and 64-217 ng/L, respectively, of which 81-92% were associated with suspended solids. During treatment, the fraction of organotins in the particulate phase decreased with decreasing suspended solids concentration. All organotin species monitored were found to be efficiently removed from wastewater, mainly by sedimentation in the primary clarifier. In the secondary effluent, levels of different organotins were in the range of 7-47 ng/L. These compounds were transferred into sewage sludge, indicating that the most important process for the elimination of organotins was adsorption into sludge. Residues of MBT, DBT, and TBT in digested sludges were in the range of 0.10-0.97, 0.41-1.24, and 0.28-1.51 mg/kg (dry weight), respectively.

• OSTI ID: 5673099
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA) Vol. 25:3; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA ANALYSIS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
TIN COMPOUNDS
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS