Iranian Journal of

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Background and Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of Titanium Oxide (TiO2) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as two of most widely used nanoparticles. The result of this study can help to designing environmental standard and legislations for nanoparticles.
Materials and Methods: Different concentrations of nano ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles were added to nutrient Agar culture media. Then, definite numbers of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria were added to culture media and inhibition of these bacteria growth was measured in comparison to controls. Obtained data were analyzed to determine nanoparticles' EC50 and NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration) using SPSS ver.16 and Probit standard test.
Results: 24-hours EC50 of nano ZnO using E. coli and S. aureus determined to be 5.47 mg/L and 2.38 mg/L respectively. In addition, 24-hours EC50 of nano TiO2 using E. coli and S. aureus determined to be 5366 mg/L and 3471 mg/L respectively. In the case of ZnO nanoparticles, no observed effect concentration determined to be 1.15 and 3.28 mg/L for E. coli and S. aureus respectively and in the case of TiO2 nanoparticles no observed effect level determined to be 1937 and 1184 mg/L for E. coli and S. aureus respectively.
Conclusion: This study showed that acute toxicity of nano ZnO is by far more than that of nano TiO2. Regarding the EPA acute toxicity criteria, nano ZnO is categorized as moderately toxic and nano TiO2 is categorized as practically non toxic. Hence, regarding the acute toxicity, in recommending exposure criteria and environmental disposal standards, compared to nano TiO2, nano ZnO requires more attention.

 

 

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Background and objective: Perchloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon used as a solvent in many industries and services activities such as dry cleaning and auto industry as degreasing. We carried out a bioassay using Daphnia Magna in order to determine the ecological effects of wastewater treatment through applying advanced oxidation processes (ultrasonic, ultraviolet irradiation and hydrogen peroxide processes) for removal of perchloroethylene. Materials and Methods: Due to the sensitivity of Daphnia and reports indicating this species is the most sensitive aquatic invertebrate to a variety of organic compounds, toxicity of perchloroethylene and its intermediate degradation products during applying different processes was tested using Daphnia. Lethal concentration (LC50) and toxic units (TU) were determined. In to determine toxicity of perchloroethylene, its stock solution was prepared at a concentration of 100 mg/L. Then, nine samples each containing 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, and 100% by volume of the primary stock solution were prepared. To determine the toxicity of the intermediate products of perchloroethylene by ultrasonic, photolysis, photolysis with hydrogen peroxide and photosonic processes, an initial concentration of perchloroethylene for each reactor (100 mg/L) was taken. All experiments were carried out at the Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Results: It was found that the 24 h LC50 for perchloroethylene on Daphnia Magna was 35.51 mg /L. The 48 h, 72 h and 96 h LC50 of perchloroethylene were 28.058, 21.033, and 19.27 mg/L respectively. Toxicity of perchloroethylene was decreased after oxidation processes. Conclusion: The toxicity after hybrid processes was lower than the single processes. The toxicity reduction was the same during all time period. Hence, the hypothesis of reducing toxicity of the intermediate products of perchloroethylene degradation after the abovementioned processes is acceptable. It is noteworthy that although there are different intermediate compounds in the effluent of various chemical oxidation processes, , but they are less toxic compared with the original perchloroethylene this may be due to the partially concentration of intermediate products that will decrease toxicity.

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Background and Objectives: Phenol is one of the industrial pollutants in wastewaters, which due to its toxicity for biological systems various pretreatment processes have been used for its detoxification. In this study, the combination of catalytic ozonation process (COP) and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were used for detoxification of these types of wastewaters.

Materials and Methodology: In this study, the effect of COP on phenol degradation, COD removal, and detoxification of wastewater was investigated. To determine the acute toxicity of effluents and identification of intermediate compounds produced in COP, bioassay using Daphnia Magna and GC / MS were used, respectively. Then, phenol and COD removal of pretreated wastewater was investigated in SBR.

Results: It was found that under optimal conditions in COP (time = 60 min), the concentrations of phenol and COD reduced from 500 and 1162 to 7.5 and 351 mg/L respectively and pretreated effluent toxicity (TU = 36), after rising in the initial stage of reaction, effectively reduced at the end of process (TU=2.3). the integration of this process with SBR could decreased the COD and phenol concentration less than the detectable range by HPLC. 

Conclusion: Results showed that COP has a high effect on biodegradability, detoxification, and mineralization of phenol and combination of COP with SBR process can effectively treat wastewaters containing phenol.

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Background and Objective: Discharge of industrial wastewater containing Catechol has adverse effects on human and environmental health. Purpose of this study was to determine the effects of catechol toxicity before and after advanced oxidation process (ozonation process) by bioassay test with Daphnia Magna.
Materials and Methods:  This study is an applied research in which the toxicity of catechol was determined by Daphnia Magna bioassay test during the ozonation process. First, Catechol stock solution was prepared at a concentration of 250 mg/L. Then, 10 samples were prepared that each contained 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of volume of primary solution. Initial samples were prepared from reactor effluent in the same volume as those of the samples. According to standard method, 10 Daphnia infants were added to each sample. The samples were observed after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. Finally, lethal concentration (LC₅₀) and toxicity unit (TU) were calculated using Probit analysis.
Results: According to the results, Daphnia magna was affected by the toxicity of catechol. LC₅₀ (24-hour) for raw effluent was increased from 13.30 mL/100 mL to 30.4 mL/100 mL after 60 minutes Treatment. The toxicity unit was decreased from 7.51 TU to 3.29 TU accordingly, showing reduction of 56% in toxicity. The toxicity of the treated effluent decreased during ozonation process of catechol.
Conclusion: Based on the bioassay test, ozonation process was able to reduce the toxicity of catechol. Therefore, this process can be used as an option to treat wastewater that contains catechol.