Hazard Assessment of Wastewater Discharges – A Confluence of Biological and Physical Parameters

In order to develop a criteria system for assessing the environmental hazards associated with wastewater discharges, a research project was initiated to investigate the suitability of tests commonly used in the assessment of single substances. Toxicity tests with micro-organisms, algae, waterflea and fish, a mutagenicity test and a RPLC-based method were applied to industrial effluents and sewage treatment plant effluents. The biological tests, including the Ames Salmonella test, showed good applicability/sewage treatment plant effluents being a proper reference. The RPLC-analysis on the contrary needs to be further investigated and optimized. Special attention has to be paid to the interpreting of the results from these laboratory tests in relation to possible adverse effects in the receiving surface waters.