Microbial Enumeration of Different Functional Groups and Bacterial Behavior in Acid Basic Conditions of a Biotoxic Landfill Leachate of Bahía Blanca, Argentina

• Published in: Water environment research Vol. 81; no. 5; pp. 546 - 550
• Main Authors: Yunes, Fabiana, Baldini, Mónica D., Gómez, Marisa A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA Water Environment Federation 01-05-2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria; ammonium‐oxidizing bacteria; Applied sciences; Argentina; Bacteria; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Biodiversity; Chemicals; Colony Count, Microbial; Comparative analysis; Developmental biology; Environmental conditions; Environmental Pollutants - chemistry; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; General treatment and storage processes; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hypocotyls; Lactuca - drug effects; Lactuca - growth & development; Lactuca sativa; landfill; Landfills; leachate; Lettuce; Liquids; Metals; Microbiology; Municipal solid waste; Nitrates; nitrate‐reducing bacteria; Nitrogen; Nutrients; pH, biotoxicity; Pollution; Research methodology; RESEARCH NOTES; Seeds; sulfite‐reducing bacteria; Surface water; Toxicity; Toxicity Tests; Wastes; Wastewater; Wastewaters; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water treatment and pollution; Argentina; Bahia Blanca Argentina; ASW, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Blanca Bay; Argentina, Buenos Aires; Ammonium; Waste dumping; Toxicity; Liquid waste; Nitrates; Aerobe; Anaerobe; Rain water; pH; Bacteria; Percolation; Waste water purification; Leachate
• ISSN: 1061-4303; 1554-7531
• DOI: 10.2175/106143008X370467

Leachate is liquid waste from refuse biological decomposition or rainwater percolation in a landfill. This research focused on leachate produced by a landfill in Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The research studied the main microbial populations involved in wastewater treatment, analyzed the behavior of bacteria isolated from leachate at different pH values, and appraised leachate biotoxicity. The number of bacteria varied by type, ranging from 1 × 10⁴ to 1 × 10⁵ CUF/mL aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB); 1 × 10³ to 1 × 10⁵ CUF/mL anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria (ANHB); 1 × 10⁵ to 1 × 10⁶ CUF/mL sulfite-reducing bacteria (SRB); 1 × 10³ to 1 X 10⁶ NMP/mL nitratereducing bacteria (NRB); and 1 × 10² to 1 × 10⁴ NMP/mL ammoniumoxidizing bacteria (AOB). Several microbial strains developed at pH 5,7, and 10. These pH values changed to 9 in the culture media after a 48-hour incubation. Leachate was used to water lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa capitata). Its toxicity was proved by full inhibition of plant development.