IHSS&IWA26 / BRNO / CZECHIA / 23–28 August 2026 BOOK OF ABSTRACTS 76 Research Frontiers Tuesday, 25 August 2026 / Hall B+C increased with chain length, and longerchain species had n>1, consistent with selective association with more hydrophobic, higher-affinity domains. In contrast, short-chain alkoxy species had the highest sorption affinities, suggesting mixed hydrophobic and polar interactions with the scum matrix. These findings demonstrate the potential importance of scum as a fourth phase in wastewater systems, a concentrator of humic matter, microplastics, and synthetic detergents that may act as both a sink and a source for organic contaminants such as PAEs. Beyond improvements to mass balance accounting, considering scum in contaminant treatment studies motivates mechanistic studies of contaminant interactions with interfacial organic matrices, and may suggest scum management strategies for improved organic contaminant removal in water and wastewater treatment. References 1. Kuppa, M.M., Gasper, E.A. and Furst, K.E. Hitchhikers guide to mediated transport of ortho-phthalate esters in wastewater matrices. In review. 2. Y. Kalmykova, K. Björklund, A. M. Strömvall and L. Blom, Partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylphenols, bisphenol A and phthalates in landfill leachates and stormwater, Water Res., 2013, 47, 1317–1328. Acknowledgement Funding for this research was provided by an American Association of University Women Research Publication Grant, and by a collaborative partnership for advancing the Commonwealth of Virginia (4VA). Kuppa received support from the Office of the Provost and Gasper from the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research at George Mason University.
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