Study on Phthalate Esters in Beijing Sewage Sludges

In order to provide the fundamental data for sludge utilization as fertilizer, six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) which are classified as environmental endocrine disruptors in Beijing sewage sludges were studied with GC-MS. The range of total mass fraction of PAEs in dried sludge was from 2.08×10^-5 to 5.82×10^-5.The distribution characteristics of PAEs in sewage sludge from five wastewater treatment plants were alike, in which di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate(DEHP) was predominant, accounting for more than 90 percent of total mass fraction of PAEs. The factors affecting the types and mass fractions of PAEs in sewage sludge included physical-chemical properties and biodegradability of PAEs, methods of wastewater and sludge treatment, sources and concentrations of PAEs in wastewater.