Acesulfame (ACE) is listed as an emerging contaminant due to its environmental persistence and wide occurrence in the environment. ACE can be degraded partially in the regular UV disinfection process but the eco-toxicity of its irradiation products remains unclear. This study focused on the possible oxidative status change in the liver of Carassius auratus exposed to ACE and its irradiation products. The UV degradation of ACE follows pseudo-first-order kinetics, and eight irradiation products were identified. Fish were exposed 7days to 0.1 and 10mg/L ACE (ACE group) and ACE after UV irradiance (ACE-UV group). The oxidative stress in fish liver exposed to ACE group had no distinct change. However, in the ACE-UV group, the quantity of OH was induced by 17.96-55% and the MDA content increased by 16.28-68.28% compared to control. Time-effect exposure in the ACE-UV group showed that in the first 3days the quantity of OH reached its peak, causing severe inhibition of SOD and continuous inducement of GPx. GSH helped scavenge OH and decreased below control after 3days. An increased toxicity of ACE after UV irradiance was observed and its transfer after into aquatic environment needs to be recognized as an environmental risk.

Five full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in China using typical biodegradation processes (SBR, oxidation ditch, A2/O) were selected to assess the removal of four popular artificial sweeteners (ASs). All four ASs (acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC) and saccharin (SAC)) were detected, ranging from 0.43 to 27.34μg/L in the influent. Higher concentrations of ASs were measured in winter. ACE could be partly removed by 7.11–50.76% through biodegradation and especially through the denitrifying process. The A2/O process was the most efficient at biodegrading ASs. Adsorption (by granular activated carbon (GAC) and magnetic resin) and ultraviolet radiation-based advanced oxidation processes (UV/AOPs) were evaluated to remove ASs in laboratory-scale tests. The amounts of resin adsorbed were 3.33–18.51 times more than those of GAC except for SUC. The adsorption ability of resin decreased in the order of SAC > ACE > CYC > SUC in accordance with the pKa. Degradation of ASs followed pseudo-first-order kinetics in UV/H2O2 and UV/PDS. When applied to the secondary effluent, ASs could be degraded from 30.87 to 99.93% using UV/PDS in 30 minutes and UV/PDS was more efficient and economic.

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