Detecting and Identifying Water Pollution Sources Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry

The fluorescence properties of natural water and wastewater discharges were investigated. Synchronous scan fluorescence spectroscopy was used to develop excitation-emission matrix (EEM) diagrams that were used as a tool to characterize these waters. Wastewater treatment plant effluents were typically found to have EEM characteristics significantly different from the EEM's of natural waters. These EEM's can produce signatures that can be used as natural tracers. In particular, peaks which corresponded with "fulvic-like" substances and tryptophan were commonly found in wastewater treatment plant effluent samples. The EEM signature of the effluent from a wastewater treatment plant was used to detect the presence of that wastewater in a receiving water. Samples were taken at varying flow conditions in order to assess the effect of dilution on the method. An analysis of the EEM could be used to predict the proportion of wastewater in the receiving water.