zoobenthos, phytoplankton, and benthic algal ecosystem (Johnsen et al. 1998). The
environmental impact of pulp and paper mills is of particular concern, in addition of
pollution; there is a huge water scarceness and poor quality of water in many parts of
India. Thus, in order to improve the declining quality of water and availability of
freshwater for consumption and to minimize high level of environmental pollution
from improperly treated effluent, there is an urgent need for efficient water management in pulp and paper mills.
The paper mill effluents are often treated by industries using secondary treatment
processes such as activated sludge process (ASP) or aerated lagoon. Recently,
several physical, chemical, and biological methods as well as combination of
different methods in series that have been developed for the treatment of pulp and
paper mill wastewater showed successful application for the treatment methods.
Over the years, the physical (adsorption, microfiltration, photoionization, etc.) and
chemical (sedimentation, coagulation, oxidation, ozonation, etc.) methods have been
shown to improve the quality of treated effluent (Kamali and Khodaparast 2015).
Further, improvements have been observed by including a combination of the
biological process followed by physicochemical methods for the removal of organic
pollutants from paper mill effluents (Gonzalez et al. 2010; Pavon-Silva et al. 2009).
However, these systems require upgradation of technology in industry for the
improvement of existing wastewater treatment facilities. Hence, any approach
which proposes to improve the existing treatment facilities with a better efficacy
will be more preferable and acceptable to industry. Further, majority of the work on
the treatment of paper mill effluent by whole culture, crude enzyme preparation, and
purified ligninolytic enzymes had been carried out using fungi (Raghukumar et al.
2008). However, fungi are not stable under actual treatment due to extreme environmental (Hataka 1994) and physiological stress conditions (Crawford and
Muralidhara 2004). For this reason, bacterial ligninolytic systems have been
employed for the bioremediation of effluent. The recent study suggested that the
use of bacterial system for the removal of toxic pollutant from paper mill effluent has
been recognized as a cost-effective and eco-friendly method (Singh et al. 2011; Raj
et al. 2007; Thakur 2004; Gupta et al. 2001).
2 Pulp and Paper Industry
Globally paper industry is one of the top most industries in the context on the
socioeconomic development. Including in India, this industry plays a key role in
the overall economic growth. Indian paper industry is one of the world’s fastest
growing industries. Paper industry utilizes plant material, various chemicals, and
large amount of freshwater during production of paper. In India about 759 paper
mills are functional, out of which there are 99 in Uttar Pradesh, with an installed
capacity of 12.7 million tons (Mt) producing 10.11 Mt. of paper and paperboards
which is 2.52% of the total world production of 402 Mt. per annum (Mtpa). Apart
from 10.11 Mt. productions, 1.04 Mt. is imported annually. Therefore, the present
14 Pulp and Paper Mill Wastewater: Ecotoxicological Effects and. . .
335
environmental impact of pulp and paper mills is of particular concern, in addition of
pollution; there is a huge water scarceness and poor quality of water in many parts of
India. Thus, in order to improve the declining quality of water and availability of
freshwater for consumption and to minimize high level of environmental pollution
from improperly treated effluent, there is an urgent need for efficient water management in pulp and paper mills.
The paper mill effluents are often treated by industries using secondary treatment
processes such as activated sludge process (ASP) or aerated lagoon. Recently,
several physical, chemical, and biological methods as well as combination of
different methods in series that have been developed for the treatment of pulp and
paper mill wastewater showed successful application for the treatment methods.
Over the years, the physical (adsorption, microfiltration, photoionization, etc.) and
chemical (sedimentation, coagulation, oxidation, ozonation, etc.) methods have been
shown to improve the quality of treated effluent (Kamali and Khodaparast 2015).
Further, improvements have been observed by including a combination of the
biological process followed by physicochemical methods for the removal of organic
pollutants from paper mill effluents (Gonzalez et al. 2010; Pavon-Silva et al. 2009).
However, these systems require upgradation of technology in industry for the
improvement of existing wastewater treatment facilities. Hence, any approach
which proposes to improve the existing treatment facilities with a better efficacy
will be more preferable and acceptable to industry. Further, majority of the work on
the treatment of paper mill effluent by whole culture, crude enzyme preparation, and
purified ligninolytic enzymes had been carried out using fungi (Raghukumar et al.
2008). However, fungi are not stable under actual treatment due to extreme environmental (Hataka 1994) and physiological stress conditions (Crawford and
Muralidhara 2004). For this reason, bacterial ligninolytic systems have been
employed for the bioremediation of effluent. The recent study suggested that the
use of bacterial system for the removal of toxic pollutant from paper mill effluent has
been recognized as a cost-effective and eco-friendly method (Singh et al. 2011; Raj
et al. 2007; Thakur 2004; Gupta et al. 2001).
2 Pulp and Paper Industry
Globally paper industry is one of the top most industries in the context on the
socioeconomic development. Including in India, this industry plays a key role in
the overall economic growth. Indian paper industry is one of the world’s fastest
growing industries. Paper industry utilizes plant material, various chemicals, and
large amount of freshwater during production of paper. In India about 759 paper
mills are functional, out of which there are 99 in Uttar Pradesh, with an installed
capacity of 12.7 million tons (Mt) producing 10.11 Mt. of paper and paperboards
which is 2.52% of the total world production of 402 Mt. per annum (Mtpa). Apart
from 10.11 Mt. productions, 1.04 Mt. is imported annually. Therefore, the present
14 Pulp and Paper Mill Wastewater: Ecotoxicological Effects and. . .
335