DOI: 10.5176/2251-189X_SEES19.63
Authors: A.K. Hura, R. Bello-Mendoza and D. G. Wareham
Abstract: In New Zealand, clopyralid (3,6 dichloro-2pyridinecarboxylic acid) is one of the most widely used pesticides to control broadleaf weeds. There is very little research reporting the biological treatment of clopyralid; thus, the purpose of this research is to examine the potential biological degradation of industrial strength clopyralid wastewaters under aerobic conditions. Batch reactors were run for 24 h with initial clopyralid concentrations from 50 to 300 mg/L. It was observed that the biomass successfully treated the clopyralid up to the 250 mg/L concentration mark with 99 % removal at 100 mg/L. At the highest initial concentration of 300 mg/L, no further degradation was observed. In parallel with clopyralid degradation, COD removal was also observed; however results indicated that increasing concentrations of clopyralid created a potentially toxic effect on the biomass, with bacterial lysis most probably contributing to soluble microbial products which affected the effluent residual COD. Consequently, the COD removal efficiency decreased with increasing clopyralid concentration
Keywords: Activated sludge, Batch test, Biological degradation, Clopyralid
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