Environmental monitoring study of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and insoluble soap in Spanish sewage sludge samples

Abstract

In this work we present a monitoring study of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and insoluble soap performed on Spanish sewage sludge samples. This work focuses on finding statistical relations between LAS concentrations and insoluble soap in sewage sludge samples and variables related to wastewater treatment plants such as water hardness, population and treatment type. It is worth to mention that 38 samples, collected from different Spanish regions, were studied. The statistical tool we used was Principal Component Analysis (PC), in order to reduce the number of response variables. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and a non-parametric test such as the Kruskal-Wallis test were also studied through the estimation of the p-value (probability of obtaining a test statistic at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed, assuming that the null hypothesis is true) in order to study possible relations between the concentration of both analytes and the rest of variables. We also compared LAS and insoluble soap behaviors. In addition, the results obtained for LAS (mean value) were compared with the limit value proposed by the future Directive entitled “Working Document on Sludge”. According to the results, the mean obtained for soap and LAS was 26.49 g kg⁻¹ and 6.15 g kg⁻¹ respectively. It is worth noting that LAS mean was significantly higher than the limit value (2.6 g kg⁻¹). In addition, LAS and soap concentrations depend largely on water hardness. However, only LAS concentration depends on treatment type.

Keywords:

• Sewage sludge
• insoluble soap
• linear alkylbenzene sulfonates
• liquid chromatography
• environmental monitoring

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Andalusia Government (Project of Excellence No. P06-FQM-01529) and by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain (Project No. CTQ2007–61503/PPQ). The authors are grateful to CEPSA Química S.A. for its valuable contribution to this study.