Source-tracing of industrial and municipal wastewater effluent in river water via fluorescence fingerprinting.

Fluorescence fingerprinting is a technique to uniquely characterize water samples based on their distinct composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) measured via 3D fluorescence spectroscopy. It is an effective tool for monitoring the chemical composition of various water systems. This study examines a river affected by several municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and aims to source-tracing them via fluorescence fingerprints based on parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) components.

Enhanced statistical evaluation of fluorescence properties to identify dissolved organic matter dynamics during river high-flow events.

Fluorescence spectroscopy has become a widely used technique to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM) and organic hazardous micro-pollutants in natural and human-influenced water bodies. Especially in rivers highly impacted by municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants' effluents, the fluorescence signal at low-flow is mainly dominated by these discharges. At river high-flow, their influence decreases due to dilution effects, and at the same time, other compounds of DOM, stemming from diffuse inputs, can increase or even dominate.