Toxicity identification and evaluation for the effluent from a nonmetallic mineral mining facility in Korea using D. magna

Abstract

Industrial wastewater has attracted increasing attention in recent years because of its impact on ecosystems and human health. Whole-effluent tests are generally used to monitor toxicities of unknown chemicals and conventional pollutants from industrial effluent discharges. This study described identification evaluation (TIE) procedures to determine the acute toxicity of a nonmetallic mineral mining facility effluent that was toxic to Daphnia magna. In the characterization step (TIE phase I), toxic effects of heavy metals, organic compounds, oxidants, volatile organic compounds, suspended solids, and ammonia were screened. Results revealed that the source of toxicity was beyond these toxicants. Chemical analysis (TIE phase II) of total dissolved solid showed that the concentration of chloride ion (15,302.5 mg/L) was substantially higher than the predicted EC₅₀ value for D. magna. Chemical analysis for heavy metal and ionic materials used ion chromatography and induced coupled plasma–optic emission spectroscopy. In the confirmation step (TIE phase III), using spiking and deletion approaches, it was demonstrated that chloride ion was the main toxicant in this effluent. Concentrations of potassium (317.5 mg/L), magnesium (970.5 mg/L), sodium (8595.3 mg/L), and sulfate (2854.3 mg/L) were not high enough to cause toxicity to D. magna. Finally, we concluded that chloride was the main toxicant in the nonmetallic mineral mining facility effluent. Based on these results, advanced treatment processes such as ion exchange and reverse osmosis technology are recommended to treat wastewater in this and similar situations. Further research is needed to provide technical support for toxin identification and evaluation of various types of wastewater treatment plant discharge.