Trace analysis of fragrance materials in wastewater and treated wastewater

An analytical method was developed and used to measure trace levels of fragrance materials (FMs) in municipal wastewater and treated wastewater. Sixteen FMs were selected as analytes because of their wide range of physical chemical properties. The analytical method included the use of nine perdeuterated FMs as internal standards, a high-flow C-18 speed disk for the extraction of FMs from aqueous matrices, and an accelerated solvent extraction system for the extraction of FMs from solid matrices. For aqueous matrices, average FM recoveries (relative to the perdeuterated FM internal standard) were 97-115%, with limits of quantitation ranging from 0.5 to 35 ng/L. For activated sludge solids and primary influent solids, the average FM recovery from the extraction procedure was 81%. Concentrations and removal of FMs at an activated sludge and a trickling filter wastewater treatment plant were determined in the U.S. FM influent concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 154 mu g/L, while FM effluent concentrations ranged from 0.005 to 1.7 mu g/L. FM removal, following secondary treatment, ranged from 80 to 99.9%, depending on the type of treatment and the fragrance material physical chemical properties and biodegradability. In general, the activated sludge plant had higher removals of FMs than the trickling filter plant. Although acceptable environmental risk assessments have been developed for several of these FMs, these and future environmental risk assessments can be refined and improved using this analytical method.