Persistence of Dissolved Organic Compounds in Kraft Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent Plumes

The persistence of dissolved organic compounds in the effluent plumes of a pulp and paper mill on the north shore of Lake Superior was studied in 1974. Approximately 90 organic compounds were observed of which 36 (including all the major ones) were identified.The dispersion of five of these compounds was examined quantitatively. Dehydroabietic acid was the only major organic compound observed to exhibit measurable persistence >2000 m from the effluent discharge. At 2000 m from the discharge, levels of ~30 μg/l dehydroabietic acid were detected within the plume and ~15 μg/l outside the effluent plume. The disappearance of dehydroabietic acid parallels that of the conservative ion Na+, indicating dilution by the receiving water as the only significant short-term removal mechanism.