Enrichment and analysis methods for trace dissolved organic carbon in reverse osmosis effluent: A review

Reverse osmosis (RO) is an essential unit for producing high-quality ultrapure water. The increasingly severe water shortage and water quality deterioration result in reclaimed water as an alternative source for ultrapure water production. However, when using reclaimed water as water sources, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in RO permeate exhibits higher concentration and more sophisticated components than when using clean water sources, thus affecting the effluent quality of ultrapure water and the effectiveness of subsequent treatment processes. To optimize the treatment processes, it is crucial to analyze the components of DOC. This review summarizes the enrichment and analysis methods of trace organic matter, and provides recommendations for the analysis and characterization of DOC in RO permeate. The study summarizes the operating conditions and enrichment properties of different enrichment methods, including solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, purge-and-trap, lyophilization and rotary evaporation for low-concentration organic compounds, compares the applicability and limitations of different enrichment methods, and proposes the principles for the selection of enrichment methods. In this review, we discuss the application of mass spectrometry (including Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry) in the analysis of DOC components, and focus on data processing as the key procedure in analysis of DOC in RO permeate. Despite the advantages of mass spectrometry, an applicable workflow and open-source database are required to improve the reliability of the analysis. The treatability properties of DOC are suggested to be determined by analyzing the component characteristics or in combination with common removal techniques. This study provides theoretical support for a comprehensive analysis of DOC in RO permeates to improve the removal effect.