Comprehensive Source Tracing and Process Supervision of Coating Industrial Wastewater Using Integrated Water Quality Parameters and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Abstract Rapid industrialization has led to centralized industrial parks, particularly for heavily polluting industries like coatings, which generate significant volumes of hazardous wastewater. Effective influent management and process monitoring are essential for the stable operation of wastewater treatment plants in these parks. This study collected samples from factories in a coating industrial park and its treatment plant to characterize water quality. Fluorescence spectra were analyzed using Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) to identify specific components. A characteristic fluorescence peak at Ex/Em = 350/425 nm was detected, indicating the presence of aromatic hydrocarbons. Conventional treatment was ineffective in removing these substances, while ozone-catalyzed oxidation effectively degraded them. UV254 showed significant correlations with the biological index (BIX) (r=-0.52) and fluorescence component C1 (r = 0.85), suggesting its potential as a pollutant marker. Component C4, identified as lignin-like, is typical of coating industry materials. These findings demonstrate the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy and PARAFAC for tracing wastewater sources and monitoring pollutant degradation in industrial treatment plants.