Toxicity of Herbal Pharmaceutical Wastewater on Fish—Lebistes reticulatus (Peter)
Abstract Toxic effects of herbal pharmaceutical wastewater on common fish (Lebistes reticulatus) under laboratory conditions were studied. LC50 values for raw, neutralized, and physico-chemically treated effluent for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h ranged between 3.0–9.5%, 5.0–10.5%, and 35–41%, respectively. It was evident from the studies that physico-chemical treatment reduces the toxicity by more than 30%. This article discusses in detail the bioassay evaluation of raw, neutralized, and primary treated effluent. Physico-chemically treated effluent was further subjected to biological treatment by activated sludge system. Effluent from biological treatment revealed no toxic effect even after one month of exposure.