Toxicity of animal bone charcoal from pig and cattle to aquatic bioassays:
Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia Magna and Selenastrum capricornutum
Short summary
The toxicity of animal bone charcoal (ABC) elutriates of pig and cattle origin were assessed using biotests with Vibro fischeri, Daphnia magna and Selestrum capricornutum to determine the possibility of their employment in agriculture as a resource of phosphorus fertilizer. ABC also serves as an alternative way of animal bone meal disposal after it was banned as animal feed and as a fertilizing agent following the discovery of BSE in Europe. All assays showed increasing toxicity as test concentrations increased. Luminescence inhibition of more than 70%, Daphnia immobilization of as high as 90% and reproduction inhibition of alga of 80% were observed. PAHs were identified as major contributors to toxicity as they were found in high amounts that exceed limitations set by scientific legislations in German.