Occurrence, fate, and ecological risk of PAEs, PFASs, antibiotics in industrial, urban and rural WWTPs in Shaanxi Province, China

The wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were considered as a hub of transit from human activities as a source to the aquatic ecosystems as a sink of emerging contaminants (ECs). This study investigated the fate of phthalate esters (PAEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and antibiotics in the influent and effluent of WWTPs in industrial, urban and rural in Shaanxi province (China). The first most abundant monomer of these three types of ECs were the same in industrial, urban and rural WWTPs. The composition of PAEs in the influent of urban and rural WWTPs were quite different from that of industrial WWTPs. The removal efficiency of PAEs and PFASs in urban WWTPs were higher than those in rural and industrial WWTPs. The annual mass load of PFASs in rural WWTPs was lower than that in industrial and urban WWTPs. The risk quotient (RQ) of PAEs was high, with most of them exceeding 1. While the RQ of PFASs was low, exceeding 0.1 only in some industrial WWTPs. The frequency of high risk of total antibiotics in urban and rural WWTPs was higher than that in industrial WWTPs. This study provided field survey data and guidance to strengthen the management of ECs in the region.