Changes to levels of microcontaminants and biological responses in rainbow trout exposed to extracts from wastewater treated by catalytic ozonation

Abstract

Two separate pilot-scale studies were performed at two wastewater treatment plants comparing conventional ozonation and catalytic ozonation with an alumina-based catalyst supplied by BASF. The results of the first pilot study showed that catalytic ozonation achieved the same degree of disinfection as conventional ozonation with 30% lower applied ozone dose and enhanced the removal of several contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The second pilot study conducted over 6 months of operation with the same batch of catalyst showed sustained enhanced removal of CECs relative to ozonation alone. The removals of CECs by catalytic ozonation was particularly effective for compounds with low reaction rates with ozone, indicating reactions with hydroxyl radicals formed in the presence of the catalyst. Analysis of plasma vitellogenin and total glutathione in liver tissues of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) injected with wastewater extracts indicated that catalytic ozonation removed the estrogenic activity and modulated oxidative stress caused by exposure to the organic compounds in wastewater extracts. Analysis of other biomarker responses indicated that no transformation products were formed that can cause lipid damage in the liver or affect levels of a brain neurotransmitter (i.e. serotonin). Catalytic ozonation is a promising technology to increase the efficiency of ozone treatment of municipal wastewater and to meet increasingly more stringent regulations for effluent quality.