Biodegradation of phytosanitary products in biological wastewater treatment

Water Res. 2012 Apr 15;46(6):1785-92. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.12.055. Epub 2012 Jan 11.

Abstract

Agricultural activity generates two types of waste: firstly, biodegradable organic effluents generally treated by biological processes and, secondly, phytosanitary effluents which contain residues of plant protection products. The latter are collected and treated. Current technological solutions are essentially based on concentration or physical-chemical processes. However, recent improvements in the biodegradability of pesticides open the way to the consideration of alternative, biological, treatment using mixed liquor from wastewater plant activated sludge. The feasibility of the biological treatment of viticultural effluents has been evaluated by the application of pesticides to activated sludge. The necessity for selection of a pesticide-resistant biomass has been highlighted. The elimination of the phytosanitary products shows the potential of a resistant biomass in the treatment of pesticides. The aerated biological storage ponds at three wineries, followed by a sand or reed-bed filter, were used for the treatment of the total annual volume of the viticulture effluents and validate the laboratory experiments. The results show that the biological purification of pesticides by activated sludge is possible by allowing approximately 8 days for biomass adaptation. Stability of purification occurs between 20 and 30 days.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis / drug effects
  • Agriculture*
  • Aliivibrio fischeri / drug effects
  • Aliivibrio fischeri / metabolism
  • Biodegradation, Environmental / drug effects
  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Industrial Waste
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Oxygen / analysis
  • Pesticides / isolation & purification*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Sewage / chemistry
  • Solubility / drug effects
  • Suspensions
  • Time Factors
  • Toxicity Tests
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid*
  • Waste Products / analysis*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / isolation & purification*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity
  • Water Purification / methods*
  • Wine

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Pesticides
  • Sewage
  • Suspensions
  • Waste Products
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Oxygen