Testing industrial effluents with bioassays in Greece

Abstract

The primary aim of this study is the investigation of a suitable bioassay that could be potentially correlated to respirometric techniques in order to evaluate industrial wastewater toxicity. Three microbiotests, the crustacean Daphnia magna test, the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri test and protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila test, were used in order to investigate their potential correlation with a respirometric technique. It was found that the Tetrahymena thermophila test correlates best with respirometric techniques. The toxicities of the effluents of three different groups of industries, located in Thessaloniki, Greece, metal coating, food and dying industries, were also tested.