Response of MICROTOX Organisms to Leachates of Autoclaved Cellular Concrete
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 123, Issue 2
Abstract
The MICROTOX bioassay, a toxicity test involving bioluminescent microorganisms, was conducted on aqueous leachates derived from a construction material made using coal fly ash as the key siliceous ingredient. The material is known as autoclaved cellular concrete (ACC). The test indicated an absence of toxic effects attributable to soluble species, which included the priority heavy metals in the filtered leachates. Toxic or inhibitive effects on the test bacteria were observed for the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) leachates, but this was probably due to acetic acid in the extractant rather than the solubilized metals. The ASTM (distilled-deionized water extractant) and simulated acid rain leachates, by comparison, produced a repeatable stimulative effect. Stimulation observed in the form of enhanced light ouput may be a manifestation of hormesis, a phenomenon reportedly caused by exposure to extremely low concentrations (part-per-billion range) of otherwise toxic agents such as heavy metals.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
MICROTOX manuals. (1992). Parts No. 55H550-1/3. Microbics Corp., Carlsbad, Calif., Vols. 1, 3.
2.
Neufeld, R. D., and Wallach, S. H.(1984). “Chemical and toxicity analysis of leachates from coal conversion solid wastes.”J. Water Pollution Control Fed., 56(3), 266–273.
3.
Neufeld, R. D., Vallejo, L., Hu, W., and Latona, M. (1994). “Environmental and physical parameters of high ash content autoclaved cellular concrete block.”Proc., 87th Ann. Meeting of Air & Waste Mgmt. Assn., Paper No. 94-RP139.07.
4.
Neufeld, R. D., Vallejo, L. E., Hu, W., Latona, M., Kelly, C., and Brandon, D. (1996). “Environmental and physical properties of autoclaved cellular concrete.”TR-105821 V-1, V-2, and V-3, Electric Power Res. Inst., Palo Alto, Calif.
5.
Parrott, J. L., and Sprague, J. B. (1993). “Patterns in toxicity of sublethal mixtures of metals and organic chemicals determined by MICROTOX and by DNA, RNA, and protein content of fathead minnows.”Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 50(10), 2245– 2253.
6.
Stebbing, A. R. D.(1982). “Hormesis—the stimulation of growth by low levels of inhibitors.”Sci. Total Envir., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 22, 213–234.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Aug 1, 1997
Published in print: Aug 1997
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.