Toxicity and genotoxicity tests were performed on root cells of Allium cepa in order to evaluate wastewater quality following an ECF cellulose bleaching process. The results revealed a toxic effect of the effluent, with inhibition of meristem growth and generally lower values of metaphase, anaphase and telophase indices at pH 10.5 than pH 7 for all effluent concentrations. The genotoxicity effe...

The shift toward bioavailability-based standards for metals such as copper and zinc not only improves the ecological relevance of the standard but also introduces significant complexity into assessing compliance. This study examined differences in the copper and zinc complexation characteristics of effluents from a range of different sewage treatment works and in relation to so-called 'natural'...

Effluent from the textile industry contains toxic compounds. These compounds contaminate the surface water, thereby making it unfit for irrigation and drinking. Since farmers use water from the rivers for agricultural purposes and the residents of the town, use both the surface and underground water from the same area as potable water, it is quite unsafe to discharge this effluent into water bo...

In this study, effluent from the biological treatment of wastewater from a resin-producing factory containing recalcitrant compounds was ozonated under different conditions. Afterwards, the biodegradability of the ozonated effluent was studied under anoxic conditions. The post-ozonation of the industrial effluent was performed using a wide range of ozone doses, from 1.8 to 29.5 mg L(-1)min(-1)....

Recent developments in phosphorus (P) removal have focused on P reactive materials to use within constructed wetlands (CW), as a sustainable alternative to chemical dosing. In this study, different fractions of Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) steel slag and apatite media have been tested in full-scale CWs, being the first trial of its kind in the United Kingdom evaluating the P removal capacity of b...

Samples of raw sewage, primary effluent, and secondary effluent from a large activated-sludge purification plant near Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) were collected every second week for 1 year. Viruses were detected in all secondary effluent samples and in six of seven samples obtained after final chlorination. Adenoviruses (85% reduction) and reoviruses (28% reduction) were removed less effic...

Piggery effluent may contribute to the eutrophication of waterways, if it is not treated before disposal, because of high levels of phosphorus. Limes and red muds (a residue from bauxite refining) were used to remove phosphorus from piggery effluent (41 mg litre(-1) total P). Lime-based amendments were more effective than the red muds at removing phosphorus when compared at the same liquid: sol...

There are a variety of approaches to removing gaseous pollutants from effluent streams: absorption, adsorption, condensation, chemical reaction, incineration, and selective diffusion through a membrane. Absorption is an operation involving mass transfer of a soluble vapor component to a solvent liquid in a device that promotes intimate contact between the gas and the liquid. The driving force f...

The microalgal community as primary producers has to play a significant role in the biotic and abitoic interactions of any aquatic ecosystem. Whenever a community is exposed to a pollutant, responses can occur because individuals acclimate to pollutant caused changes and selection can occur favouring resistant genotypes within a population and selection among species can result in changes in co...