Volatile organic compounds (VOC) at some sewage treatment plants in Poland

Volatile organic compounds have been measured at two relatively large sewage treatment plants. Quantitative estimation of benzene, toluene, m.p-xylene, o-xylene and isopropylbenzene have been made for raw sewage, sewage after primary treatment and after biological treatment. Also measurements of 14 different volatile organic compounds in the ambient air, close to screens, and the air above (0.5 m above) aeration tanks have been done. Tests on air stripping of added volatile organic compounds to clean water have been performed in parallel in the laboratory. The removal of examined VOCs in full scale treatment plants was very much below the expected level. In the low loaded activated sludge process the removal was between 2 and 56%, depending on the compound considered. The behavior of volatile organic compounds in laboratory tests was very much different. The concentration of VOCs in the air of rooms where bar racks have been installed was found to be very high. The concentration of toluene in the ambient air could be as high as 460 μg/m³.