Physical, Chemical, and Genotoxic Properties of Waste Mud By-product of Waste Water Treatment

Abstract The physical, chemical and genotoxic properties of the activated red mud and its waste mud remained after waste water treatment were studied. The sequential leaching of waste mud under different conditions was investigated, as well as the toxic effect of its water extract, in order to discover a safe way for the handling and disposal of this waste material. Furthermore, in order to reduce the amount of waste material, the possibility of its regeneration and re-usage was also studied. Heavy metals content and other parameters, as well as the genotoxicity of water extract of new coagulant produced for industrial waste water treatment, were investigated to confirm its non-toxicity before its commercial production and usage. For the toxicity investigation, two strains of Salmonella typhimurium, TA98 and TA100 were used as a test system. Tested samples were not cytotoxic or mutagenic for S. typhimurium TA98/TA100 in the presence/absence of the metabolic activation. Promising results were also obtained in the field of waste mud regeneration and re-usage.