How aromatic dissolved organic matter differs in competitiveness against organic micropollutant adsorption

How aromatic dissolved organic matter differs in competitiveness against organic micropollutant adsorption

Wang, Q. (TU Delft Computational Design and Mechanics; Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Lechtenfeld, Oliver J. (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ)
Rietveld, L.C. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering)
Schuster, Jonas (Hamburg University of Technology)
Ernst, Mathias (Hamburg University of Technology)
Hofman-Caris, Roberta (KWR Water Research Institute; Wageningen University & Research)
Kaesler, Jan (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ)
Wang, Chunmiao (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Yang, Min (Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Yu, Jianwei (Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Zietzschmann, F.E. (TU Delft Sanitary Engineering; Berliner Wasserbetriebe)

2024

Activated carbon is employed for the adsorption of organic micropollutants (OMPs) from water, typically present in concentrations ranging from ng L⁻¹ to μg L⁻¹. However, the efficacy of OMP removal is considerably deteriorated due to competitive adsorption from background dissolved organic matter (DOM), present at substantially higher concentrations in mg L⁻¹. Interpreting the characteristics of competitive DOM is crucial in predicting OMP adsorption efficiencies across diverse natural waters. Molecular weight (MW), aromaticity, and polarity influence DOM competitiveness. Although the aromaticity-related metrics, such as UV₂₅₄, of low MW DOM were proposed to correlate with DOM competitiveness, the method suffers from limitations in understanding the interplay of polarity and aromaticity in determining DOM competitiveness. Here, we elucidate the intricate influence of aromaticity and polarity in low MW DOM competition, spanning from a fraction level to a compound level, by employing direct sample injection liquid chromatography coupled with ultrahigh-resolution Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Anion exchange resin pre-treatment eliminated 93% of UV₂₅₄-active DOM, predominantly aromatic and polar DOM, and only minimally alleviated DOM competition. Molecular characterization revealed that nonpolar molecular formulas (constituting 26% PAC-adsorbable DOM) with medium aromaticity contributed more to the DOM competitiveness. Isomer-level analysis indicated that the competitiveness of highly aromatic LMW DOM compounds was strongly counterbalanced by increased polarity. Strong aromaticity-derived π-π interaction cannot facilitate the competitive adsorption of hydrophilic DOM compounds. Our results underscore the constraints of depending solely on aromaticity-based approaches as the exclusive interpretive measure for DOM competitiveness. In a broader context, this study demonstrates an effect-oriented DOM analysis, elucidating counterbalancing interactions of DOM molecular properties from fraction to compound level.

Activated carbon
Dissolved organic matter (DOM)
Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS)
Multi-component adsorption
Organic micropollutants

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:1f92feaf-60a1-4ac3-ad12-9cfc761303eb

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2024.100392

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 21

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2024 Q. Wang, Oliver J. Lechtenfeld, L.C. Rietveld, Jonas Schuster, Mathias Ernst, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Jan Kaesler, Chunmiao Wang, Min Yang, Jianwei Yu, F.E. Zietzschmann