Abstract |
A method is presented whereby an industry can evaluate its effluent and decide whether it (1) is suitable for emptying into the public waterways, (2) can be made satisfactory merely by adjusting the pH, (3) can be made satisfactory merely by adjusting the pH and reasonable dilution with water, or (4) is unsatisfactory and can be made suitable only by some special treatment. Cultured phytoplankton are inoculated into a series of flasks containing varying amount of effluent mixed with nutrient medium; the amount of growth after two weeks is recorded and interpreted. A suitable or properly treated effluent is one which will support the growth or representative genera of tolerant phytoplankton, previously isolated from local waterways, without leading to rapid euthrophication. (Author) |