alarm (red) signal, which is transferred to the
SWWTP’s controller’s office via the computer
network.
Since 2010, the crayfish of Astacus leptodactylus (Esch., 1823) and Australian crayfish
Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868) at
SWWTP control the quality of treated effluents.
High sensitivity of both crayfish species to
xenobiotics, in particular, to heavy metals (Cu,
Zn) and pesticides was mentioned in some ecotoxicology studies (Anderson et al. 1978,
Nakayama et al. 2010).
The temperature of biologically treated effluent (BTE) at South-West WWTP fluctuates in the
range of 15–32 °C throughout the year that
stands specific requirements to the bioindicator
species. It is known (Holdich 2002) that for
Astacus leptodactylus (local for the Neva River),
the optimal temperature for the best growth is
15–22 °C.
Given the above data on sewage water temperature and the well-known resistibility of
thermophilic (optimal temperature 25–30 ºC)
Australian crayfish to higher nitrate concentrations in water, we have selected this species as
test organisms for BTE quality monitoring in
summer (Melnik et al. 2013).
In BioArgus-WW the Continuous Ecological
Monitoring Automatic System (CEMAS-3),
which records and transmits the real-time data on
physical–chemical characteristics of water in
aquaria with test organisms to the SWWTP
control office of is also included. The following
parameters are recorded and transmitted:
– temperature of water,
– electrical conduction of water,
– water pH,
– ammonia nitrogen concentration in water,
– nitrate ions concentration in water,
– chloride ions concentration in water,
– water optical density, wavelength 254 nm,
– water turbidity (FTU units).
Functional purpose of CEMAS of BioArgusWW is the same as in BioArgus-W in general.
Analysis of crayfish stress and/or fish death is
performed in comparison with the real-time
information from CEMAS.
Integral qualitative assessment for the water
toxicity is formed as a “traffic lights” system: the
red—“danger”, the blue—“technical errors”, and
the green—“no danger”. This procedure is performed automatically within the software “Data
Admin” on the basis of signals from individual
animals (crayfish and fish) taking into account
the CEMAS data.
The BioArgus-WW system was installed at
SWWTP 6 years ago as the substantial addition
to the conventional laboratory control regulated
by the state supervisory authorities. The system
enables to correct the SWWTP treatment stages.
The most important feature of the BioArgus-WW
is that it enables to control synergistic result of
simultaneous exposure of a number of waterdissolved toxicants affecting aquatic organisms
in real time. Only living organisms can simultaneously assess water toxicity and this is a difference from the physical–chemical water quality
analysis.
10.6 Conclusion
The developed innovative system and technology
of biological monitoring of water quality is
unique from the point of view both scientific and
technical decisions.
The measuring system allows carrying out a
long-term real-time biomonitoring of incoming surface water quality and quality of biologically treated wastewaters on the basis of the
analysis of heart rate variability in the freshwater
crayfish.
The automatic system of bioindication can be
used as BEWS for ensuring ecological safety of
drinking water supply of the population.
BioArgus-WW, in addition to monitoring the
acute toxicity of BTE, can also be used to
monitor the chronic impact of biologically treated wastewater on aquatic organisms. Bioelectronic system BioArgus-WW can be used, in
particular, as information basis for automatic
system of continuous demonstration (for
142
S. V. Kholodkevich et al.
SWWTP’s controller’s office via the computer
network.
Since 2010, the crayfish of Astacus leptodactylus (Esch., 1823) and Australian crayfish
Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868) at
SWWTP control the quality of treated effluents.
High sensitivity of both crayfish species to
xenobiotics, in particular, to heavy metals (Cu,
Zn) and pesticides was mentioned in some ecotoxicology studies (Anderson et al. 1978,
Nakayama et al. 2010).
The temperature of biologically treated effluent (BTE) at South-West WWTP fluctuates in the
range of 15–32 °C throughout the year that
stands specific requirements to the bioindicator
species. It is known (Holdich 2002) that for
Astacus leptodactylus (local for the Neva River),
the optimal temperature for the best growth is
15–22 °C.
Given the above data on sewage water temperature and the well-known resistibility of
thermophilic (optimal temperature 25–30 ºC)
Australian crayfish to higher nitrate concentrations in water, we have selected this species as
test organisms for BTE quality monitoring in
summer (Melnik et al. 2013).
In BioArgus-WW the Continuous Ecological
Monitoring Automatic System (CEMAS-3),
which records and transmits the real-time data on
physical–chemical characteristics of water in
aquaria with test organisms to the SWWTP
control office of is also included. The following
parameters are recorded and transmitted:
– temperature of water,
– electrical conduction of water,
– water pH,
– ammonia nitrogen concentration in water,
– nitrate ions concentration in water,
– chloride ions concentration in water,
– water optical density, wavelength 254 nm,
– water turbidity (FTU units).
Functional purpose of CEMAS of BioArgusWW is the same as in BioArgus-W in general.
Analysis of crayfish stress and/or fish death is
performed in comparison with the real-time
information from CEMAS.
Integral qualitative assessment for the water
toxicity is formed as a “traffic lights” system: the
red—“danger”, the blue—“technical errors”, and
the green—“no danger”. This procedure is performed automatically within the software “Data
Admin” on the basis of signals from individual
animals (crayfish and fish) taking into account
the CEMAS data.
The BioArgus-WW system was installed at
SWWTP 6 years ago as the substantial addition
to the conventional laboratory control regulated
by the state supervisory authorities. The system
enables to correct the SWWTP treatment stages.
The most important feature of the BioArgus-WW
is that it enables to control synergistic result of
simultaneous exposure of a number of waterdissolved toxicants affecting aquatic organisms
in real time. Only living organisms can simultaneously assess water toxicity and this is a difference from the physical–chemical water quality
analysis.
10.6 Conclusion
The developed innovative system and technology
of biological monitoring of water quality is
unique from the point of view both scientific and
technical decisions.
The measuring system allows carrying out a
long-term real-time biomonitoring of incoming surface water quality and quality of biologically treated wastewaters on the basis of the
analysis of heart rate variability in the freshwater
crayfish.
The automatic system of bioindication can be
used as BEWS for ensuring ecological safety of
drinking water supply of the population.
BioArgus-WW, in addition to monitoring the
acute toxicity of BTE, can also be used to
monitor the chronic impact of biologically treated wastewater on aquatic organisms. Bioelectronic system BioArgus-WW can be used, in
particular, as information basis for automatic
system of continuous demonstration (for
142
S. V. Kholodkevich et al.