A new bioseed for determination of wastewater biodegradability: analysis of the experimental procedure

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2014;21(16):9522-8. doi: 10.1007/s11356-013-2227-3. Epub 2013 Oct 18.

Abstract

A new bioassay proposed in the patent P201300029 was applied to a pre-treated wastewater containing a mixture of commercial pesticides to simulate a recalcitrant industrial wastewater in order to determine its biodegradability. The test uses a mixture of standardized inoculum of the lyophilized bacteria Pseudomonas putida with the proper proportion of salts and minerals. The results highlight that biodegradation efficiency can be calculated using a gross parameter (chemical oxygen demand (COD)) which facilitates the biodegradability determination for routine water biodegradability analysis. The same trend was observed throughout the assay with the dehydrated and fresh inoculums, and only a difference of 5% in biodegradation efficiency (E f) was observed. The obtained results showed that the P. putida biodegradability assay can be used as a commercial test with a lyophilized inoculum in order to monitor the ready biodegradability of an organic pollutant or a WWTP influent. Moreover, a combination of the BOD5/COD ratio and the P. putida biodegradability test is an attractive alternative in order to evaluate the biodegradability enhancement in water pre-treated with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodegradation, Environmental*
  • Biological Assay
  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Industrial Waste / analysis
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Pesticides / analysis
  • Pseudomonas putida / metabolism*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods
  • Wastewater / chemistry*
  • Water / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Pesticides
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water