Investigation of Power Plant Waste Waters via Fish Egg Test According to DIN 38415 - 6 Regarding Fish Toxicity

Project Number 227

The existing fish test (DIN 38412 - L 31) is an important parameter for the determination of the waste water levy in Germany.

According to the regulation amending the German waste water regulation, and because of animal protection reasons the existing Goldorfen test (test on living fish) had been supplemented with a test on fish eggs of the zebra fish for the determination of fish toxicity in waste waters. Among others the determination of fish toxicity is required within the appendices 33 and 47 of the waste water regulation which both are important for the discharge of waste waters of power plants.

However, according to the knowledge of the VGB Technical Committee (TC) "Water and Soil Conversation", the new method has not been tested in power plant waste waters, yet. Correspondingly, the reservations that have been expressed to the legislator and the examination of this new method, especially with typical power plant waste waters containing calcium chloride (FGD waste water) has been announced.

The research project shall serve and grant the raising of a safe data basis, so that the fish egg test can be used reliably for power plants to determine fish toxicity.

Dr. Thomas Meinelt, Institute of Fresh Water Ecology and Inland Fishery in Berlin, is leading the project from August 2002 by October 2003. At this institute the fish egg test was developed to the German DIN-standard. At the Hygiene-Institute in Gelsenkirchen, comparative Goldorfen tests are accomplished. The Technical Committee "Water and Soil Conservation" is advising the examinations technically.