title: Ecotoxicological assessment of biosolids by microcosms.
abstract: Biosolids have been applied as soil amendments to improve and maintain the soil fertility and faster plant growth. In spite of its beneficial use, the potential risks of land disposal should be analyzed, considering potential ecological receptors in soil and water. This work describes the use of an early warning laboratory microcosm system to evaluate the integrated ecotoxicological potential of two biosolids: BIO-1 and BIO-2 (18 and 28 months after landfarming, respectively), from an effluent treatment station in a petrochemical and industrial district. The endpoints related to habitat function were: a) germination, growth and biomass of Phaseolus vulgaris; b) survival, biomass and number of cocoons of Eisenia andrei (Oligochaeta) and; c) reproduction of Folsomia candida (Collembola). The retention function was evaluated by testing the leachates using the tropical cladoceran Latonopsis australis (Cladocera) in a 48-h acute toxicity test, and growth of the aquatic plant Lemna minor in a 7-d chronic test. Tropical artificial soil (TAS) and a natural soil (NS) from the region were used as control soils. Results showed no chronic toxicity of BIO-1 and BIO-2 to the soil organisms tested, but acute toxicity of BIO-1 in the leachate for 50% of L. australis, and chronic toxicity of both biosolid leachates to L. minor (inhibition of growth rate), indicating potential risks to aquatic ecosystems. The results confirmed the ability of this microcosm system as a rapid tool to assess biosolid toxicity over time and its potential for hazardous waste characterization in environmental risk assessment, in a screening phase.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia, Federal University of Bahia, Campus de Ondina, 40170-155 Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Avelar
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Groth
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia, Federal University of Bahia, Campus de Ondina, 40170-155 Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ticiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carvalho-Pereira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biologia, Federal University of Bahia, Campus de Ondina, 40170-155 Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Mendes
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, Centre of Curitibanos, 89520-000 Curitibanos, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: author.juliacarina@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Júlia Carina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Niemeyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029064:Araceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D001181:Arthropods / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D033361:Cladocera / Q000187:drug effects; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000633:toxicity*; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Biosolids; Leachates; Microcosm; Soil ecotoxicology; Soil invertebrates