Assessing short and long-term genotoxic effects of disinfected effluents in Daphnia magna using RAPD-PCR
Given the water scarcity in Poland and globally, the disinfection and reuse of treated municipal wastewater in livestock, agriculture, or recreational areas is a promising solution. However, this process may generate toxic disinfection by-products, which can pose a potential threat to ecosystems and human health if uncontrolled in the treated wastewater. This study aimed to determine the effects of disinfection with ozone, performic and peracetic acid on the genotoxicity of treated municipal wastewater to the crustacean Daphnia magna under acute and chronic exposures. The study revealed genetic differences in bioindicators exposed to wastewater before and after disinfection compared to the controls. In acute exposure, a significant decrease in DNA stability and genetic similarity was observed in all samples tested using the RAPD-PCR method. Performic acid disinfection caused the most substantial changes in the DNA of the test organisms. Chronic exposure to treated wastewater, both before and after disinfection, showed genotoxic effects only for treated wastewater disinfected with performic acid. The study confirms the genotoxic potential of treated wastewater observed in bioindicators during acute exposure, highlighting the need for its careful management. The study made a significant contribution to understanding the consequences of disinfecting treated wastewater from full-scale municipal treatment plants.