Ecotoxicological evaluation of urban wastewater treatment plants: a Sicilian study

Paola Rapisarda; Gea Oliveri Conti; Eloise Pulvirenti; Antonio Cristaldi; Claudia Favara; Maria Fiore; Chiara Copat; Alfina Grasso; Maria Castrogiovanni; Giuseppe Mancini; Margherita Ferrante

doi:10.1007/s10646-024-02840-1

Ecotoxicological evaluation of urban wastewater treatment plants: a Sicilian study

Ecotoxicology. 2024 Dec 4. doi: 10.1007/s10646-024-02840-1. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Paola Rapisarda^#^{1

2

3}, Gea Oliveri Conti^{4

5}, Eloise Pulvirenti^#^{6

7

8}, Antonio Cristaldi^{1

3}, Claudia Favara^{1

2

3}, Maria Fiore^{1

3}, Chiara Copat^{1

3}, Alfina Grasso^{1

3}, Maria Castrogiovanni^{1

2

3}, Giuseppe Mancini^{3

9}, Margherita Ferrante^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
² Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
³ CRIAB, Interdepartmental Research Center for the implementation of physical, chemical and biological monitoring processes in Aquaculture and Bioremediation systems, London, UK.
⁴ Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy. [email protected].
⁵ CRIAB, Interdepartmental Research Center for the implementation of physical, chemical and biological monitoring processes in Aquaculture and Bioremediation systems, London, UK. [email protected].
⁶ Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory, Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy. [email protected].
⁷ Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. [email protected].
⁸ CRIAB, Interdepartmental Research Center for the implementation of physical, chemical and biological monitoring processes in Aquaculture and Bioremediation systems, London, UK. [email protected].
⁹ Department of Electric, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, Catania, CT, 95125, Italy.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39633176
DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02840-1

Abstract

(1) Background: Ecotoxicological screening evaluates the acute toxicity of WWs. The Vibrio fischeri ecotoxicological assay analyses inlet and outlet wastewater samples from two urban wastewater treatment plants in Catania, Sicily, Italy. (2) Methods: The APAT CNR IRSA 8030 Man 29 method was used as method; (3) Results: The results showed toxicity values below the limit of the Italian Legislative Decree 152/06; (4) Conclusions: This monitoring study allows to verify the efficacy, and the outlet quality of WWs discharged to sea water. This ecotoxicological assay is a valuable tool for evaluating the combined toxicity of various pollutants that underline the total damage of the studied matrices detecting the true effect of complex mixtures on the environment and its fauna.

Keywords: Bioassay and environmental safeguard; Ecotoxicity; Wastewater.

Publication types

Letter