title: Bioassays and biochemical biomarkers for assessing olive mill and citrus processing wastewater toxicity.
abstract: The toxicity and the biochemical effects of olive mill wastewater and citrus processing wastewater were evaluated using acute toxicity bioassays (Gammarus pulex and Hydropsyche peristerica) and biochemical biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase [AChE] and glutathione S-transferase [GST]). The bioassays indicated toxic properties of olive mill and citrus processing wastewaters. The 24 h LC(50) values of olive mill wastewater ranged from 2.64% to 3.36% for G. pulex and 3.62% to 3.88% for H. peristerica, while the LC(50) of citrus processing wastewater was 25.26% for G. pulex and 17.16% for H. peristerica. Based on a five-class hazard classification system applied for wastewaters discharged into the aquatic environment, olive mill wastewater and citrus processing wastewater were classified as highly toxic and toxic, respectively. Results of the biochemical biomarkers showed that both agroindustrial effluents at increasing sublethal wastewater concentrations could cause inhibition of the AChE and induction of the GST activities. These first results showed that both species as well as their AChE and GST activities have the potential to be used as indicators and biomarkers for assessing olive mill and citrus processing wastewaters quality.
authors.affiliation: Insitute of Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7km Athens-Sounio Av., Anavissos, Attica 19013, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karaouzas
authors.forename: Efthimia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cotou
authors.forename: Triantafyllos A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Albanis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamarianos
authors.forename: Nikolaos T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Skoulikidis
authors.forename: Urania
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Giannakou
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002957:Citrus; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D031658:Olea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase