Biomonitoring and its in the assessment of the quality of wastewater treatment process

Abstract

The study is focused on the assessment of the quality of wastewater treatment (in municipal wastewater treatment plants) using ecotoxicological biotests as biomonitoring methods. Cleaned water from these plants is discharged into the river Hron basin. Discharged cleaned water has to meet compulsorily monitored quality indicators. In practice, especially physical and chemical indicators are monitored. Aquatic ecotoxicity, which can be caused by this water in a recipient, is only rarely studied and results of tests are usually only informative. Application of biotests in experimental samples of water and assessment of their effect on test organisms of Daphnia magna, Allium cepa and Lemna minor refer to the difference in sensitivity of individual aquatic species. It follows from the results of biotests, carried out in the samples after the mechanical degree of the treatment and before discharging water into a recipient, that sufficient safety of discharged water from wastewater treatment plants into a recipient was not provided and water posed an ecological risk for the aquatic environment. For these reasons, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the biomonitoring of water from wastewater treatment plants. Biotests are a suitable tool, and can determine quickly and accurately ecotoxicological effect of the emergent pollutants (pharmaceuticals and personal care products, detergents, drugs, products from agricultural and industrial activities etc.), which are not removed by common water treatment procedures. The results of biotests indicate the need for innovation of so far used water treatment procedures in municipal wastewater treatment plants.