Pyrene partition behavior to the NOM: Effect of NOM characteristics and its modification by ozone preoxidation

Hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs)—pyrene, and natural organic matters (NOM) from different sources were taken as the test compounds to investigate the impact of physicochemical characteristics of NOM on HOCs’ partition to the NOM in this study. The effects of solution property, NOM characteristics, and modification by ozone preoxidation on pyrene partition to NOM were systematically evaluated. According to the fluorescence quenching method, the partition coefficient K _oc of pyrene to NOM was calculated, which was found to have a great relationship with the aromatic structures and hydrophobic functional groups of the NOM. The NOM characteristic modification corresponding to solution property could influence the interactions between the NOM and pyrene. Preozonation could destroy the aromatic or hydrophobic structures of the NOM and decrease K _oc of pyrene.