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Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has a significant threat not only to human health but also to our environment. In Hungary, 54% of PM10 comes from residential combustion, which also includes the practice of household waste burning. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the quality of combustion through the flue gas concentrations (CO, CO 2 , O 2) and to identify and evaluate the negative impacts of PM and PAHs generated during controlled lab-scale combustion of different mixed wastes (cardboard and glossy paper, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, polyester and cotton). Mixed wastes were burnt in a lab-scale tubular furnace at different temperatures with 180 dm3/h air flow rate. Chemical analyses were coupled with ecotoxicological tests using the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Ecotoxicity was expressed as toxic unit (TU) values, toxic equivalent factors (TEF) were also presented. During the combustion same amount of O 2 enters the reaction, but a different amount CO 2 is generated due to the C content of the sample. The waste with highest C-content related to the highest CO 2 emission. Increasing the combustion temperature produces more PM-bound PAHs, which remains the same composition in the case of plastic and textile groups. The TU of solid contaminants decreases with increasing combustion temperature and increases with the minerals which are left behind in the water from the solid contaminants. [Display omitted] • Increasing the combustion temperature produces more PM-bound PAHs. • The composition of PAHs does not change for the plastic and textile group. • The presence of minerals in aqua increases the toxic unit value. • The highest TU value is obtained by the solid particles from the paper group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of burning household waste including different types of plastic is illegal in Hungary, still an existing problem. As environmental consequences are hardly known, this study attempts to give an initial estimation of the ecotoxicity generated during controlled combustion of different waste types. These samples included polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), oriented strand board (OSB) and rag (RAG). Ecotoxicological profiling was completed using the following test battery: Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition assay, Daphnia magna immobility test and the seedling emergence assay. Also, genotoxicity of plastic waste samples was assessed using the SOS Chromotest. Concerning main pollutants in the samples, the samples could be distinguished as 'PAH-type' and 'heavy metal-type' samples. PVC, PU and PS samples showed the highest toxicity in the Vibrio and Daphnia assays. The PVC sample was characterized by an extremely high cadmium concentration (22.4 μg/L), PS, PP and PU samples on the contrary had high total PAH content. While Vibrio and Daphnia showed comparable sensitivity, the phytotoxicity assay had no response for any of the samples tested. Samples originating from the controlled burning of different plastic types such as PU, PVC, PS and PP were classified as genotoxic, PS sample showed extremely high genotoxicity. Genotoxicity expressed as SOSIF showed strong correlation with most of the PAHs detected. [Display omitted] • Eco- and genotoxicity generated during controlled burning of waste types were evaluated. • Polystyrene sample showed the highest genotoxicity. • Polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane and polystyrene samples were the most ecotoxic. • Samples could be distinguished as 'PAH-type' and 'heavy metal-type'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study aimed at characterising sediment toxicity in the second reservoir of the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System (KBWPS) through the use of tests including the acute V. fischeri assays on pore water, acute V. fischeri assays on elutriate water and acute V. fischeri whole sediment assays. Sampling sites were chosen to follow the flow direction of River Zala in the reservoir. The study suggests that using different matrices have often inconsistent results.