A Review of Recent Studies in North America Using Integrated Monitoring Approaches to Assessing Bleached Kraft Mill Effluent Effects on Receiving Waters

Abstract To evaluate currently available bioassays for their use in investigating the causes of pulp and paper mill effluent effects on fish reproduction, the responses of wild white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) collected from the receiving environment at the bleached kraft mill at La Tuque, Quebec, were compared with responses of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposed to effluent in a laboratory lifecycle test. White sucker collected at effluent exposed sites had increased liver size but none of the reproductive effects that had been documented in earlier field studies at this site. Exposure to 1, 3, 10, 30, and 100% bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME) in the lab led to significantly decreased length, but increased weight and liver size in male fathead minnow. Female length was also decreased and liver size was increased at high effluent exposures. Most effluent concentrations (1 to 30%) significantly increased egg production compared with controls. The fathead minnow lifecycle assay mirrored the effects seen in wild fish captured downstream of the BKME discharge. These results will be used to select short-term fish tests for investigating the causes of and solutions to the effects of mill effluents on fish reproduction.

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Assessment of the Acute Toxicity, Growth Impairment, and Flesh Tainting Potential of a Bleached Kraft Mill Effluent on Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f77-138 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 869-878 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

D. M. Whittle ◽

K. W. Flood

Keyword(s):

Rainbow Trout ◽

Acute Toxicity ◽

Continuous Flow ◽

Effluent Treatment ◽

Salmo Gairdneri ◽

Freshwater Ecosystem ◽

Juvenile Rainbow Trout ◽

Effluent Concentration ◽

Kraft Mill Effluent ◽

Kraft Mill

Static and continuous-flow bioassays utilizing juvenile rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) were conducted on a northern Ontario bleached kraft mill effluent to assess the range of acute toxicity and related sublethal effects. The acute toxicity of the total mill effluent, as determined by static bioassay procedures, ranged from a 96-h LC50 value of 14–49.0% vol/vol. The results of these bioassays depended on testing methodology and effluent treatment systems employed by the mill when samples were collected. Continuous-flow bioassays conducted on the effluent Produced 96-h LC50 values of 21.8 and 24.8% vol/vol. Growth rate of juvenile rainbow trout (1–2 g) held under continuous-flow conditions for 18 days was significantly reduced at 6% vol/vol effluent concentration (P < 0.05). Flavor of yearling rainbow trout [Formula: see text] exposed to 3% effluent for 48 h was significantly impaired (P < 0.05). This effluent concentration, the lowest level impairing flavor represents approximately 0.12 of the 96-h LC50 derived from continuous-flow bioassays. No significant flavor impairment was detected in fish exposed for 144 h to a 2% effluent concentration Flavor impairment at a 3% vol/vol effluent concentration, the most sensitive sublethal response measured in this study, may also be the most critical response when assessing the economic impact of a kraft mill discharge to a freshwater ecosystem.

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Decolorization of a kraft mill effluent with fungal mycelium immobilized in calcium alginate gel

Biotechnology Letters ◽

10.1007/bf00134847 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 3 (12) ◽

pp. 701-706 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

D. Livernoche ◽

L. Jurasek ◽

M. Desrochers ◽

I. A. Veliky

Keyword(s):

Calcium Alginate ◽

Fungal Mycelium ◽

Alginate Gel ◽

Calcium Alginate Gel ◽

Kraft Mill Effluent ◽

Kraft Mill

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Effects of bleached kraft mill effluent on fish in the St. Maurice River, Quebec

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry ◽

10.1002/etc.5620111113 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 1635-1651 ◽

Cited By ~ 105

Author(s):

Peter V. Hodson ◽

Denis Thivierge ◽

Marie-Claude Levesque ◽

Michelle McWhirter ◽

Karen Ralph ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kraft Mill Effluent ◽

Kraft Mill

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Multi-component kinetics of activated sludge treatment of bleached kraft mill effluent

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2004.0153 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 50 (3) ◽

pp. 11-20

Author(s):

S.S. Helle ◽

S.J.B. Duff

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Fed Batch ◽

Removal Rates ◽

Kinetic Measurements ◽

Sludge Treatment ◽

Batch Tests ◽

Degradation Rates ◽

Kraft Mill Effluent ◽

Kraft Mill

This study investigated the discrepancies between the BOD removal rates measured during short term assays and those measured during continuous activated sludge treatment of bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME). A combination of batch tests and fed batch tests with oxygen uptake rate (OUR), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) measurements were used to characterize the degradation rates for the activated sludge treatment of BKME and to divide the soluble readily biodegradable substrate into two to five separate fractions based on biodegradation rates. The removal rates varied by over an order of magnitude between the most readily degradable substrates (1 × 10-3 mg COD/mg MLVSS minute), and the more slowly degradable substrates (2 × 10-5 mg COD/mg MLVSS minute). If the readily biodegradable fraction of BKME was modeled as one substrate, initial rate kinetic measurements from batch tests were heavily influenced by the fractions with the greatest degradation rates, while any remaining BOD in the treated effluent was predominantly from the slowly degradable fraction, giving inconsistent results. Taking the multi-component nature of the wastewater into account, batch test results can be used to predict fed-batch and continuous activated sludge reactor performance.

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