Use of rat brain Na, K-ATPase assay to determine effectiveness of biological treatment to reduce toxicity of paper mill effluents

This work evaluates the toxicity of kraft mill wastewaters and the extent of detoxification attained after biological treatment of these effluents with the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The degree of inhibition of the enzyme Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase was used as an indicator of toxicity. The untreated alkali extraction stage effluent significantly inhibited the enzyme activity. When this effluent was treated biologically the degree of enzyme inhibition was practically reduced to zero. The inhibition of the enzyme Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase was found to be a suitable indicator of toxicity for bleached pulp and paper mill waste waters.