An Analytical Study on The Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons of Wastewater Effluents from Petrochemical Industries

석유화학공업 폐수중 다환방향족 탄화수소류에 관한 조사연구

Wastewaters being treated and final effluents were collected from 3 wastewater treatment plants of petrochemical industries, from August 31 to October 4, 1993 in an interval of 10 days, and further analysed by GC/FID to investigate discharge situation and removal efficiency on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The results were as follows: 1. The PAHs 294.57 $\mu$g/l were discharged in primary treatment effluent of plant A to manufacture vinyl acetate resin and acryl, and removed 54.51% by aeration and totally 84.71%. 2. The PAHs of the highest concentration were discharged in primary treatment effluent of plant B to manufacture PS resin and ABS resin, but removed 91.65% by activated sludge process and 98.19% by activated carbon to discharge PAHs of the lowest concentration comparing to another treatment operations. 3. The PAHs 99.96 $\mu$g/l of the lowest concentration were discharged in wastewater of plant C to manufacture epoxy resin, and removed 80.48% by activated sludge process. 4. B treatment system including activated carbon showed up the best removal efficiency of PAHs. Activated carbon therefore, seems to be effective as tertiary treatment. 5. Correlation coefficient of components to total PAHs was generally low, and correlation coefficients of phenanthrene, pyrene and acenaphthylene to total PAHs were each 0.98, 0.97 and 0.80, respectively. Correlation coefficient of the sum of phenanthrene, pyrene and acenaphthylene to total PAHs was 0.99, so that the sum of phenanthrene, pyrene and acenaphthylene was available as index to estimated total PAHs. 6. Phenanthrene and Chrysene were very well treated biologically and acenaphthylene and fluoranthene were untreated biologically. 7. Considering EPA standards, it seems that the concentration of phenanthrene, pyrene, fluoranthene, and benzo(k)fluoranthene is high level.