Risk assessment of domestic and industrial effluents unloaded into a freshwater environment

The relationship between whole effluent toxicity (WET) and chemical-based effluent quality assessment in Vojvodina (Serbia)

“…However, in ten out of 15 samples, toxicity (48 h TUa > 1) was observed in effluents, which are in compliance with effluent regulations. The similar pattern, though using fish and algae for toxicity testing of various effluents was reported by Di Marzio et al (2005)-they also observed severe toxicity of effluents containing individual parameters within ELV. Poor correlation between toxicity (assessed using Microtox) and COD values in untreated mixture of industrial wastewaters and high correlation in case of treated effluent was observed by Araujo et al (2005), whereas Hernando et al (2005) tested correlation between TOC and toxicity (Vibrio fishery, D. magna and Selenastrum capricornum) in order to assess the efficiency of WWTP.…”

“…By using an in situ bioassessment approach, Maltby et al (2000) demonstrated receiving water toxicity and ecological degradation that were consistent with the results of WET tests performed on the point source discharge and concluded that systematic approach provides a comprehensive and ecologically relevant database for assessing the ecological risk posed by point source discharges, so that by applying a set of complementary diagnostic tools, resource managers and dischargers would gain greater confidence in the permit limits set for effluents and the methods used to monitor compliance. Quite a large number of specific research studies of ecotoxicity of industrial effluents using conventional toxicity tests combined with chemical quality assessment, were conducted world-wide, such as, for instance, in Portugal (Mendonca et al 2007), Spain (Rodriguez et al 2006), UK (Tinsley et al 2004), Italy (Guerra 2001), Netherlands (Tonkes et al 1999), Turkey (Sponza 2002), Lithuania and Estonia (Manusadzianas et al 2003), Argentina (Gomez et al 2001;Di Marzio et al 2005), Brasil (Araujo et al 2005) and South Korea (Ra et al 2006a). The conclusion from all the cited studies, which stands for our research as well, is that clear environmental benefit can be delivered by targeting the use of effluent bioassays at catchments with well defined water quality problems, where ecotoxicity from complex effluents is expected to be a contributing factor, despite compliance with chemical limits.…”

Single-cell gel electrophoresis assay in the ten spotted live-bearer fish, Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Jenyns, 1842), as bioassay for agrochemical-induced genotoxicity

“…Ranges of tolerance of C. decemmaculatus to many environmental parameters, e.g., temperature, salinity, and pH, are comparatively large (Menni et al, 1996). Furthermore, several reports found this species suitable as a test organism in acute and chronic toxicity bioassays (de la Torre et al, 2007;Di Marzio et al, 2005;Menéndez-Helman et al, 2012;Vera-Candioti et al, 2010b, 2013b.…”

Geochemical Characterization of Organic Pollutants in Effluents Discharged from Various Industrial Sources to Riverine Systems

“…There are a number of studies dedicated to the investigation of composition of industrial effluents originating from various production branches, i.e. chemical manufacturing, paper, textile, tannery and leather industry (Lee et al 1996;Knepper et al 2000;Di Marzio et al 2005;Rojas and Ojeda 2005;Soupilas et al 2008). Furthermore, food production, petroleum refining as well as energy supply installations take a significant part in the organic pollution of the river systems in industrial and densely populated regions (Dunlap and McMichael 1976;Colic et al 2007;Botalova et al 2009;Osho et al 2010).…”

“…Acute toxicity of water samples was shown by tests with the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda, the microcrustacean Daphnia spinulata and other aqueous species (Di Marzio et al 2005). The ecotoxicity tests with the protozoan unicellular organism Tetrahymena thermophilla, the crustacean Daphnia magna and the marine photobacterium Vibrio fischeri revealed up to 100% mortality for each organism exposed to the effluent samples collected from food industry effluents (Soupilas et al 2008).…”