Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater (상하수도학회지)

The Korean Society of Water and Wastewater (대한상하수도학회)
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Ecotoxicity evaluation of sodium sulfate on Brachionus plicatilis

황산나트륨의 Brachionus plicatilis에 대한 생태독성평가

  • Yutae Jeong (Department of Environmental and IT Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Juwon Jeong (Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Minseo Choi (Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Minwoo Choi (Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jungyun Lee (Environmental Biological System Research Institute, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Younggyun Choi (Department of Environmental and IT Engineering, Chungnam National University)
  • 정유태 (충남대학교 환경IT융합공학과) ;
  • 정주원 (충남대학교 환경공학과) ;
  • 최민서 (충남대학교 환경공학과) ;
  • 최민우 (충남대학교 환경공학과) ;
  • 이정윤 (충남대학교 환경생물시스템연구소) ;
  • 최영균 (충남대학교 환경IT융합공학과)
  • Received : 2026.01.27
  • Accepted : 2026.02.12
  • Published : 2026.02.15
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Abstract

In this study, the acute and sub-acute toxicities of artificial wastewater containing high concentrations of sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), generated from secondary battery manufacturing and recycling processes, were quantitatively analyzed using the marine standard test species Brachionus plicatilis (B. plicatilis) to evaluate its impact on the marine ecosystem. To ensure the reliability of the toxicity assessment, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) were performed using CuSO4 and K2Cr2O7, and the results confirmed that the LC50 (Lethal Concentration 50%) values for each were within the permissible reference ranges. The acute toxicity assessment revealed that the median LC50 for both sexual and asexual individuals of B. plicatilis was formed within the Na2SO4 concentration range of approximately 4.2~4.6%, with no significant difference in resistance observed according to the reproductive mode. Conversely, the median effective concentration (EC50) calculated through the sub-acute toxicity assessment was formed at significantly lower concentration levels compared to the LC50, identifying that Na2SO4 has a more sensitive impact on reproduction and feeding activities than on survival. In particular, the EC50 showed large deviations depending on the feeding method; when a uniform feeding environment was maintained using a wheel rotator, the EC50 was calculated at concentrations of 2.44%. These results suggest that when discharging high-salinity wastewater into the ocean, the chronic effects on population growth, as well as simple survival, must be considered. The data from this study can be utilized as a scientific basis for establishing rational marine discharge management standards for secondary battery industrial wastewater and for improving the ecotoxicity evaluation system in the future.

본 연구에서는 이차전지 제조 및 재활용 공정에서 발생하는 고농도 황산나트륨(Na2SO4) 함유 인공 폐수가 해양 생태계에 미치는 영향을 평가하고자, 해양 표준 시험종인 Brachionus plicatilis (B. plicatilis)를 활용하여 급성 및 아급성 독성을 정량적으로 분석하였다. 독성 평가의 신뢰성 확보를 위해 CuSO4와 K2Cr2O7을 이용한 정도관리(QA/QC)를 수행하였으며, 그 결과 반수치사농도(Lethal Concentration 50%, LC50) 값이 각각 허용 기준 범위 내에 부합함을 확인하였다. 급성 독성 평가 결과, B. plicatilis의 유성 및 무성생식 개체 모두 약 4.2~4.6%의 Na2SO4 농도 범위에서 LC50이 형성되었으며, 생식 방식에 따른 유의미한 내성 차이는 나타나지 않았다. 반면, 아급성 독성 평가를 통해 산출된 반수영향농도(Effective Concentration 50%, EC50)는 LC50 대비 현저히 낮은 농도 구간에서 형성되어 Na2SO4가 생존보다 증식 및 먹이 활동에 더욱 민감한 영향을 미침을 규명하였다. 특히 EC50은 먹이 급여 방식에 따라 큰 편차를 보였으며, wheel rotator를 이용해 균일한 먹이 환경을 유지한 경우 2.44%의 농도에서 EC50이 산출되었다. 이러한 결과는 고염분 폐수의 해양 배출 시 단순 생존뿐만 아니라 개체군 증식에 미치는 만성적 영향을 반드시 고려해야 함을 시사한다. 본 연구 데이터는 향후 이차전지 산업 폐수의 합리적인 해양 배출 관리 기준 수립 및 생태독성 평가 체계 개선을 위한 과학적 근거로 활용될 수 있다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 2025년도 교육부 및 대전광역시의 재원으로 대전RISE센터의 지원을 받아 수행된 지역혁신중심 대학지원체계(RISE)의 결과입니다(과제관리번호: 2025-RISE-06-012).

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