Determination of PBDEs emissions from wastewater treatment plants

Air samples were collected on a monthly basis from May 2018 to February 2019 using passive air sampling technique from selected points on aeration tank, sedimentation tank and background area of Bursa Western Wastewater Treatment Plant in order to determine the atmospheric PBDEs levels and emissions from the treatment plant. Atmospheric concentration levels of 13PBDE congeners and emission levels due to these levels were calculated. The concentrations of PBDE congeners measured on wastewater treatment plant process tanks were in general are higher than the background site atmospheric concentrations, but in some cases the background area showed higher concentrations. This situation is predicted to be due to some industrial facilities in Nilüfer Organized Industrial Zone (NOSAB) located near the wastewater treatment plant. Although it is anticipated that the primary fate of PBDEs in wastewater treatment plants will be adsorbance/absorbance to the wastewater treatment plant sludge, the present study has shown that wastewater treatment plants can be an important resource for local atmospheric PBDE pollution. However, the present study provides a snapshot of atmospheric PBDE levels and emissions from the wastewater treatment plant but there is no doubt on the need for more detailed and long-term studies.