COMPARISON OF THE TOXICITY OF SOME METALS AND THEIR TETRACYANIDE COMPLEXES ON THE RESPIRATION OF NON ACCLIMATED ACTIVATED SLUDGES

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 167  (5-6) , 478-488
Abstract
The toxic effect of Cd, Zn, Ni and Hg ions and their tetracyanide salt complexes on non-acclimated activated sludge was studied. The evaluation of the effect was carried out using the Warburg and TTC-method. Cd and Zn complexes were more toxic than the corresponding metals; Ni(CN)42- was less toxic than Ni2+. No differences were found between the effect of Hg and the corresponding tetracyanide complex. It is apparently not possible to generalize about the biological effect of complexation with the CN- group, although there are substantial differences between metals and their cyanide complexes as far as toxicity for activated sludge is concerned.