IDENTIFICATION OF LIPOPHILIC POLLUTANTS DISCHARGED FROM A FINNISH PULP AND PAPER-MILL

Lipophilic organic compounds originating from kraft pulping and paperm aking were identified by straight gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. Samples analyzed included a primary clarifier efflu ent (PE) and a secondary clarifier effluent (SE) from the activated sl udge treatment plant of a Finnish ECF-bleached (Elementally Chlorine F ree) kraft pulp and paper mill. Liquid-liquid extraction composition o f PE was compared with solid phase extraction (SPE) and dialysis of a semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) exposed to PE. Dichloromethane ex tracts of particulate material isolated from PE, sludges from both the primary and secondary clarifier, a sediment collected in the vicinity of the mill and whitefish subacutely exposed to the secondary treatme nt effluent were also investigated. Typical pulp mill-related compound s such as terpenes, terpenoids and aromatic compounds were identified in PE whereas these were non-detectable in SE. For example, thunbergen e, thunbergol, squalene, longifolene and derivatives of abietic acid w ere observed in PE. Alkylated polycyclic aromatics were major compound s identified in the sediment sample with retene (C4-alkyl phenanthrene ) as a predominant component. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.