Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes
Published on: December 12, 2013
Biodegradation and ecotoxicological assessment of pectin production wastewater
V Reginatto1, E R Amante, K Gerhardy
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Santa Catarina - Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1346. Itacorubi, 88034 001, Florianópolis-SC, Brazil. vreginatto@gmail.com
Abstract:
The chemical composition of pectin production wastewater and its toxicity during biological treatment were investigated. Samples of wastewater from different steps of a pectin production wastewater biological treatment plant were investigated including the influent of the treatment (1), after denitrification tank (2), after anaerobic treatment (3) and final effluent (4). The conventional physicochemical characteristics of samples did not indicate wastewater toxicity. However, toxicity assessments carried out on Vibrio fischeri and Scenedesmus subspicatus indicated low EC50 values. The fractionation of the samples using an XAD resin showed that the toxicity was associated with the organic matter. Wastewater apparent molecular mass distributions were 14.3, 25.0, 24.4 and 29.6 kDa for samples 1-4, respectively. Finally, characteristics of the sample by pyrolisis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-CG-MS) demonstrated its polyphenolic nature and a 23% increase in the levels of such compounds after the first biological treatment step.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Bioplastics
Bioremediation
Biodeterioration

