The use of bioassays and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures to assess recovery and effectiveness of remedial activities in a mine drainage-impacted stream system.

Deanovic L, Connor VM, Knight AW, Maier KJ.

Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, School of Veterinarian Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.

Effluents from Walker Mine and its tailings pile have resulted in toxic concentrations of metals in Dolly and Little Grizzly Creeks. Recent remedial structures have greatly reduced metal loading, however the need to assess recovery of the receiving aquatic ecosystem exists so that future remediation priorities can be established. The objective was to contribute to this assessment using Toxicity Identification Evaluation procedures. Water samples were collected at several sites in Dolly and Little Grizzly Creeks. Untreated samples and samples passed through ion exchange columns, which remove cationic metals, were compared in side-by-side bioassays using Pimephales promelas, Ceriodaphnia dubia, and Selenastrum capricornutum. Samples were analyzed for total and dissolved copper, cadmium, zinc, and iron. Copper was the element responsible for toxicity. Toxicity was detected in the mine discharge and immediately downstream from the tailings where dissolved copper concentrations were 250 microg/L and 415 microg/L, respectively. Toxicity decreased at downstream sites but extended at least 6.4 km downstream. Improvement in bioassay performance by the treated waters verified metal toxicity. The results indicate that the mine effluent and tailings pile currently have the heaviest impact on Dolly and Little Grizzly Creeks and should be given the highest priority in future remedial programs.

PMID: 9828258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

An integrated algal sulphate reducing high rate ponding process for the treatment of acid mine drainage wastewaters.

Rose PD, Boshoff GA, van Hille RP, Wallace LC, Dunn KM, Duncan JR.

Gold Fields Biotechnology Laboratory, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

Acid mine drainage pollution may be associated with large water volume flows and exceptionally long periods of time over which the drainage may require treatment. While the use and role of sulphate reducing bacteria has been demonstrated in active treatment systems for acid mine drainage remediation, reactor size requirement and the cost and availability of the carbon and electron donor source are factors which constrain process development. Little attention has focussed on the use of waste stabilisation ponding processes for acid mine drainage treatment. Wastewater ponding is a mature technology for the treatment of large water volumes and its use as a basis for appropriate reactor design for acid mine drainage treatment is described including high rates of sulphate reduction and the precipitation of metal sulphides. Together with the co-disposal of organic wastes, algal biomass is generated as an independent carbon source for SRB production. Treatment of tannery effluent in a custom-designed high rate algal ponding process, and its use as a carbon source in the generation and precipitation of metal sulphides, has been demonstrated through piloting to the implementation of a full-scale process. The treatment of both mine drainage and zinc refinery wastewaters are reported. A complementary role for microalgal production in the generation of alkalinity and bioadsorptive removal of metals has been utilised and an Integrated 'Algal Sulphate Reducing Ponding Process for the Treatment of Acidic and Metal Wastewaters' (ASPAM) has been described.

PMID: 10022068 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Heavy metal resistance Chlorella spp., isolated from tannery effluents, and their role in remediation of hexavalent chromium in industrial waste water.

Rehman A, Shakoori AR.

Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

PMID: 11443320 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Healthy environments for healthy people: bioremediation today and tomorrow.

Bonaventura C, Johnson FM.

Marine Biomedical Center, Duke Univesity Nicholas School, Environment Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516-9701, USA. [email protected]

Increases in environmental contamination lead to a progressive deterioration of environmental quality. This condition challenges our global society to find effective measures of remediation to reverse the negative conditions that severely threaten human and environmental health. We discuss the progress being made toward this goal through application of bioremediation techniques. Bioremediation generally utilizes microbes (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae), although higher plants are used in some applications. New bioremediation approaches are emerging based on advances in molecular biology and process engineering. Bioremediation continues to be the favored approach for processing biological wastes and avoiding microbial pathogenesis. Bioremediation may also play an increasing role in concentrating metals and radioactive materials to avoid toxicity or to recover metals for reuse. Microbes can biodegrade organic chemicals; purposeful enhancement of this natural process can aid in pollutant degradation and waste-site cleanup operations. Recently developed rapid-screening assays can identify organisms capable of degrading specific wastes and new gene-probe methods can ascertain their abundance at specific sites. New tools and techniques for use of bioremediation in situ, in biofilters, and in bioreactors are contributing to the rapid growth of this field. Bioremediation has already proven itself to be a cost-effective and beneficial addition to chemical and physical methods of managing wastes and environmental pollutants. We anticipate that it will play an increasingly important role as a result of new and emerging techniques and processes.

Publication Types:

Review

Review, Academic

PMID: 9114274 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Effect of dichromate on population and growth of various protozoa isolated from industrial effluents.

Haq RU, Rehman A, Shakoori AR.

Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.

Three protozoa belonging to genera Euglena, Vorticella and Stylonychia collected from industrial wastes were cultured in a medium containing inorganic salts, basically meant for the growth of algae. Protozoa showed rapid growth in the medium. Hexavalent chromium (K2Cr2O7) at a concentration of 5 micrograms/L in the medium adversely affected the growth of protozoa. At the end of eight days of Cr administration, the population of Euglena, Vorticella and Stylonychia increased 8-, 4.5- and 10-fold, respectively, as against 30-, 6.75- and 50-fold increase in the control cultures. No apparent death phase and no change in activity or morphology of protozoa was observed at this Cr concentration. The protozoa were also exposed to different metal ions, viz. Pb (2.42 mmol/L), Cr (0.48 mmol/L), Cd (0.36 mmol/L), administered in the culture medium for a period of 2 years. The metal tolerance for S. mytilus and V. microstoma was Pb > Cr > Cd. E. proxima could not tolerate any of the long-term metal treatments. Because of the ability of these protozoa to tolerate high concentrations of heavy metals, their potential role in remediation of heavy metals from industrial wastewater is considered.

PMID: 11271815 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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