Quantitative Toxicity Assessment of Dye Wastewater Treated via Ozonation-Biodegradation Integration: Phyto- and Bioluminescence Studies
摘要
Dye-laden wastewater generated during dyeing processes significantly contributes to the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Despite advancements in physicochemical and biological treatments, complete detoxification of dyeing wastewater remains a complex challenge. Limited research exists on quantitative toxicity assessments employing multiple biomarkers. This study evaluates the synergistic effect of ozonation and aerobic biodegradation in continuous column reactors for reducing the toxicity of treated wastewater, assessed through phyto- and bioluminescence-assays. Simulated dyeing wastewater (SDW) containing Congo red dye at concentrations of 200–800 mg/L (organic loading rates: 1.37–2.23 kg COD/m3·d) was treated using ozonation and an integrated ozonation-aerobic biodegradation (OAB) process. Ozonation alone in a bubble column reactor achieved 96–98% color removal within 25–56 min. but resulted in only 36% COD reduction at 200 mg/L inlet dye concentration. However, the subsequent aerobic biodegradation (of the OAB process) conducted in a packed bed bioreactor significantly enhanced COD removal to 81% within four days, lowering COD levels below the permissible limit of 250 mg/L and confirming the biodegradable nature of ozonation by-products. Phytotoxicity tests using Vigna radiata seeds indicated germination rates of 33.33% for untreated SDW, which increased to 70% and 90% after ozonation and OAB treatment, respectively. Bioluminescence inhibition in Photobacterium luminescens reduced from 80% in untreated SDW to 60% and 21.64% following ozonation and OAB treatment, respectively. These results underscore the synergistic potential of ozonation and aerobic biodegradation for effective mineralization while highlighting the utility of toxicity assays in quantifying treatment efficacy.