Biodegradation and toxicity of wastewater from industry producing mineral fibres for thermal insulation

The water chemistry, toxicity, and biodegradation of wastewater from an ind ustry producing mineral fibres for thermal insulation were studied. Values for GOD, BOD5, suspended solids, and phenol exceeded permissible values for the wastewater discharged into a nearby river and acute toxicity was also detected. Consequently, the effluent should be treated in a municipal waste water treatment plant so its ready biodegradability was investigated. We fo und that the wastewater was readily biodegradable, therefore we assume it c an be treated in the wastewater treatment plant as the ratio of the wastewa ter flow rate and the minimal total inflow into the sewage treatment plant would be one to at least 30.