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Recalcitrant organic compounds (chemical oxygen demand sources) in biologically treated pulp and paper mill effluents: their fate and environmental impact in receiving waters
Author(s) -
Archibald Fred,
RoyArcand Line,
Méthot Myriam,
Valeanu Loredana
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143098x123705
Subject(s) - paper mill , effluent , chemical oxygen demand , pulp mill , biochemical oxygen demand , environmental science , environmental chemistry , pulp (tooth) , pulp and paper industry , wastewater , mineralization (soil science) , chemistry , waste management , environmental engineering , nitrogen , medicine , organic chemistry , pathology , engineering
Most North American pulp and paper mills now biologically treat (biotreat) their liquid effluent. However, treated water still contains effluent‐derived recalcitrant organic material (EROM), measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD), for which emission limits exist in Europe and are being considered in the U.S. Production of microbially resistant, dissolved natural organic material (NOM) typically found in Canadian stream and lake waters occurs slowly under gentle conditions, while mill EROM is generated from lignocellulosics by faster and harsher processes. Similarity of the environmental effects of NOM and pulp and paper mill EROM are examined. Changes occurring over 4 months in biologically treated effluent from two modern Canadian mills and lake NOM when sealed in gas‐ and light‐permeable bags and placed in a pristine Quebec lake are reported. Addition of microbial co‐metabolites significantly improved the dark mineralization of organochlorines surviving mill biological treatment. Mill EROM was light sensitive, nonacutely toxic in the Microtox assay, and similar to NOM in the surrounding lake in most bulk properties. There was no evidence to suggest that placing specific limits on mill EROM (COD) emissions would be environmentally beneficial.