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Biomonitoring of wastewaters in treatment plants using ciliates

  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Abstract

The aim of this project has been to study and compare the ciliate populations present in roptating biological reactors treating three different wastewaters. Wastewaters chosen were a maize mill (nejayote), a sugarcane/ethyl alcohol plant (vinasses) and a recycled paper mill (whitewaters). The initial dissolved organic contents, measured as soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand in five days (BOD5), were 2040±150 mg COD L−1 and 585±5 mg BOD5L−1 for nejayote; 2000±20 mg COD L−1 and 640±5 mg BOD5 L−1 for vinasses and 960±200 mg COD L−1 and 120±10 mg BOD5 L−1 for whitewaters. Results obtained indicate that ciliated protozoa proliferated in the different chambers of each rotating biological reactor (RBR). Saprobity indices, as a quantitative evaluation parameter, indicate that there are no universal species of ciliates associated with specific BOD5 concentrations. Therefore, the number of species of ciliates present in the effluent indicate qualitatively the efficiency of removal of pollution from the wastewaters during treatment in the rotating biological reactors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, México, DF, Mexico

    V M Luna-Pabello & C Durán-de-Bazúa

  2. Faculty of Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, México, DF, Mexico

    M A Aladro-Lubel

Authors
  1. V M Luna-Pabello
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  2. M A Aladro-Lubel
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  3. C Durán-de-Bazúa
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Luna-Pabello, V.M., Aladro-Lubel, M.A. & Durán-de-Bazúa, C. Biomonitoring of wastewaters in treatment plants using ciliates. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 17, 62–68 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01570151

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01570151

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