Integrated genotoxicity of secondary and tertiary treatment effluents in North China

Genotoxic effects on aquatic organisms caused by wastewater discharging have raised extensive concerns. However, the efficiency of various wastewater treatment processes to reduce effluent genotoxicity was not well known. Genotoxic effects of effluents from four secondary wastewater treatment plants (SWTPs) and a tertiary wastewater treatment plant (TTP) in north China on Chinese rare minnows (Gobiocypris rarus) were evaluated and the toxicity reduction efficiency of various treatment techniques was compared. SWTPs and TTP final effluents disturbed the antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation, with malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the fish livers and gills increasing to 1.4–2.4 folds and 1.6–3.1 folds of control, respectively. Significant increases in erythrocytes micronucleus (MN) frequency were induced by effluent, and liver DNA damage caused by final SWTPs effluent was 29–54 % lower than TTP effluent. Further, DNA repair gene atm and growth arrest gene gadd45a were remarkably upregulated by SWTP and TTP final effluents to 1.8–12 folds and 4.1–15 folds, respectively, being consistent with the chromosomal aberration and DNA damage in liver tissue. Integrated biomarker response (IBR) of the tertiary effluent was 49 %–69 % lower than the secondary effluents. However, the final ozone disinfection at TTP caused an increase in the DNA damage, suggesting the generation of genotoxic by-products. UV disinfection at secondary treatment removed part of genotoxicity, with a reduction in IBR of 0 %–47 %. The total semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) detected in the final effluent contained 5 %–56 % potential genotoxic substances, removal of which was 9 %–51 % lower than non-genotoxic compounds. Microfiltration and reverse osmosis process exhibited good performance in removing both the integrated genotoxicity and the potential genotoxic SVOCs. Our finding shows that TTP is superior than SWTP for wastewater treatment due to higher genotoxicity removal, but ozone disinfection needs improvement by optimizing performance parameters or adding post-treatment processes, to achieve better protection for aquatic organisms against genotoxic contaminants.