Gammarus fossarum as a sensitive tool to reveal residual toxicity of treated wastewater effluents

摘要: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the main sources freshwater pollution eventually resulting in adverse effects aquatic organisms. Treated effluents can contain many micropollutants at concentrations often below limit chemical quantification. On a regulatory basis, WWTP have to be non-toxic environment, wherefore not only abatement but also ecotoxicological evaluation through relevant bioassays is required. Standardized currently used sensitive enough reveal residual toxicity treated effluents. Therefore, attention must paid development better-adapted approaches implementing more organisms and endpoints. In this study, two differently (activated sludge with without ozonation) towards ecologically species Gammarus fossarum was evaluated. Organism fitness traits such as reproduction sperm DNA integrity were followed exposed complement, enzymatic biomarkers measured indicating presence neurotoxic compounds (acetylcholinesterase activity), pathogens likely increase toxic (phenol-oxidase inducing detoxification mechanisms (glutathione-S-transferase activity). Enzymatic activities modified, significant sub-lethal observed both effluents, females showed retarded molt cycle, reduced fecundity fertility, > 90% developed embryos exhibited developmental malformations. addition, slight genotoxic effect gammarid sperm. whole, no difference found between Coupling impairment genotoxicity assessment seems valuable tool containing mixture very low concentrations. Finally, direct relationship responses quantified micropollutant could evidenced.