Sponsor
German Federal Environment Agency (UBA FKZ 206 26 302)
Realisation
Hydrotox GmbH, Stefan Gartiser (Project management), Christoph Hafner, Christoph Hercher, Kerstin Kronenberger-Schäfer
Project duration
November 2006 – September 2008
Project description
The aim of the study was to analyse the applicability of effect based tests for the proof of compliance with the „best available techniques“ by means of wastewater from the paper manufacturing and the metal surface treatment industries. For this in total 40 wastewater samples have been analysed with a standard biotest battery. Paper mill wastewater showed no toxicity at all to Daphnia or fish eggs and no genotoxicity in the umuC assay. However wastewater from four companies was toxic to algae and luminescent bacteria. Also data from routine surveillance of authorities (380 biotest results from 16 industrial sites) confirmed that while in general paper mill wastewater is only moderately toxic, few samples show effects in one or more of the biotests. Indirectly discharged wastewater from metal surface treatment industry (galvanic, printed circuits boards) partly were insufficiently eliminated in the Zahn-Wellens test. After biological treatment very high ecotoxicity was determined in some samples which could not be explained solely by high salt concentration toxicity. Two samples were genotoxic in the umuC assay. The origin of the ecotoxicity observed in one company was attributed to organosulfides based on carbamates. These are used for metal precipitation in presence of complexing agents. Also data from authorities (940 biotest results from 58 direct dischargers) confirmed that some samples of directly discharged surface metal finishing wastewater are highly ecotoxic, while the majority were not attracting attention. The importance of the organic load of wastewater from galvanic processes has been underestimated so far. The combination of the Zahn-Wellens test with ecotoxicity tests proved to be a suitable and cost-efficient instrument for assessing indirect dischargers. For both industrial sectors an extension of the application of bioassays is recommended.
Further Informationen
The results have been published in several scientific journals:
Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Hercher, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer, K., Paschke, 2010. A. Whole Effluent Assessment of Industrial Wastewater for Determination of BAT Compliance Part 1: Paper Manufacturing Industry, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 17 (4), 856-865.
Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Hercher, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer, K., Paschke, 2010. A. Whole Effluent Assessment of Industrial Wastewater for Determination of BAT Compliance Part 2: Metal Surface Treatment Industry, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 17 (5), 1149-1157.
Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Hercher, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer, K. 2009. Bewertung von Direkteinleitern mit Biotests. Teil 1: Abwasser in der Papierindustrie. Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall 56, S. 915-920.
Gartiser, S., Hafner, C., Hercher, C., Kronenberger-Schäfer; K., 2009. Bewertung von Direkt- und Indirekteinleitern mit Biotests Teil 2: Abwasser der Metall verarbeitenden Industrie. Korrespondenz Abwasser, Abfall 56, S. 1153-1159.
Abstracts are available on our website 
"publications".
Contact Person
Stefan Gartiser. Mail: 
Gartiser(at)hydrotox.de, phone: +49-(0)761-45512-24