title: Evaluation of e-beam irradiation effects on the toxicity of slaughterhouse wastewaters.
abstract: Slaughterhouse industry produces large volumes of polluted wastewater, which cause negative impacts on the environment. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of electron-beam irradiation on the ecotoxicity of slaughterhouse effluents with absorbed doses up to 35 kGy. Two acute toxicity assays were applied to evaluate the efficiency of irradiation onto toxicity of wastewater. The exposed living-organisms were a luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri, and a freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia similis. Also, the total organic carbon was analysed in order to determine any possible organic carbon removal after irradiation. The ecotoxicological results evidenced that both living-organisms were suitable for the measurements. Therefore, the results demonstrated the toxicity of the effluent and its similarity for both organisms as well as the potential of radiation to reduce these effects. The 35 kGy dose was very effective for reducing toxic effects of slaughterhouse wastewater for daphnids suggesting that ionizing radiation could be used as a tool for removing toxic charge of such effluents. The type of contamination presented by the effluent justify the needs for alternatives of treatment.
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico , Universidade de Lisboa , Loures , Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madureira
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico , Universidade de Lisboa , Loures , Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico , Universidade de Lisboa , Loures , Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.affiliation: a Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico , Universidade de Lisboa , Loures , Portugal.
authors.forename: Sandra Cabo
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Verde
authors.affiliation: b Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN-CNEN/SP , Radiation Technology Center, CTR , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Sueli I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Borrely
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri; D000818:Animals; D003621:Daphnia; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Slaughterhouse; effluents; electron-beam irradiation; toxicity; wastewater pollution