Ecotoxicological test systems for prediction of environmental behaviour oftoxic compounds in underground disposals

Suitability of some ecotoxicological tests to predict the behaviour of haza rdous wastes elutes under environmental conditions is investigated. Slags, ashes and filter dusts from municipal and hazardous waste incineration plan ts were eluted with salt brine, groundwater and aqua dest., simulating unde rground disposal in salt mines, in coal mines and above ground disposal in landfill sites. Garden cress, duckweed, green algae, toxicity and genotoxic ity of luminescent bacteria, and inhibition of the respiration of waste wat er bacteria were applied. Incineration residues of hazardous wastes were mu ch more toxic on the plants (EC50: 0.1-0.7 ml/l) than the ones of the munic ipal waste incineration (EC50: 20-200 ml/l). The luminescent bacteria were usually the most sensitive one for the MWIP residues (EC50: 0.2-2.4 ml/l).