Form Submission: Participation Entry

Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are designed to remove nitrogen from wastewater before discharge to drainfields. Concerns about future drainfield productivity, due to coastal erosion, sea level rise, and space constraints, are raising questions about removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) by OWTSs. Bioaccumulation of surfactants (e.g., components of soaps, detergents, and personal care products) can present hazard to humans, organisms, and ecosystems downstream. To explore surfactant removal by OWTSs, effluent samples from five types of advanced OWTSs installed throughout Charlestown, RI were collected, prepared, and then analyzed using liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection (LC-UV). This analysis focused on the prevalence of four common surfactants. Data shows persistence of Lauramide DEA in all 43 systems sampled with no significant variation across the five-different system types. Findings suggest Lauramide DEA is not degraded by nitrogen-reducing bacteria, which may inform future design and regulation of advanced OWTS or persistent surfactants.