The pulp and paper industry in Canada is developing technology for the production and use of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). A key component of the developmental work is an assessment of potential environmental risks. Towards this goal, NCC samples as well as carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), a surrogate of the parent cellulosic material, were subjected to an ecotoxicological evaluation. This involved toxicity tests with rainbow trout hepatocytes and nine aquatic species. The hepatocytes were most sensitive (EC20s between 10 and 200 mg/l) to NCC, although neither NCC nor CMC caused genotoxicity. In tests with the nine species, NCC affected the reproduction of the fathead minnow at (IC25) 0.29 g/l, but no other effects on endpoints such as survival and growth occurred in the other species at concentrations below 1 g/l, which was comparable to CMC. Based on this ecotoxicological characterization, NCC was found to have low toxicity potential and environmental risk.

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This study investigates factors affecting reproduction in fish exposed to pulp and paper mill effluents by comparing effluents from countries with varying levels of documented effects. To explore the hypothesis of wood as a common source of endocrine disrupting compounds, feedstocks from each country were analyzed. Analyses included in vitro assays for androgenic activity (binding to goldfish testis androgen receptors), estrogenic activity (yeast estrogen screen), and neurotransmitter enzyme inhibition (monoamine oxidase and glutamic acid decarboxylase). Chemical analyses included conventional extractives, known androgens, and gas chromatograph index (GCI) profiles. All effluents and wood contained androgenic activity, particularly in nonpolar fractions, although known androgens were undetected. Effluents with low suspended solids, having undergone conventional biotreatment had lower androgenic activities. Estrogenic activity was only associated with Brazilian effluents and undetected in wood. All effluents and wood inhibited neurotransmitter enzymes, predominantly in polar fractions. Kraft elemental chlorine free mills were associated with the greatest neurotransmitter inhibition. Effluent and wood GCI profiles were correlated with androgenic activity and neurotransmitter enzyme inhibition. Differences in feedstock bioactivities were not reflected in effluents, implying mill factors mitigate bioactive wood components. No differences in bioactivities could be discerned on the basis of country of origin, thus we predict effluents in regions lacking monitoring would affect fish reproduction and therefore recommend implementing such programs.

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A long-term monitoring study was conducted on effluents from a bleached kraft pulp and paper mill located in Eastern Canada. The study was designed to gain insights into temporal effluent variability with respect to fish reproduction as it related to production upsets, mill restarts and conditions affecting biological treatment performance. Final effluent quality was monitored between February 2007 and May 2009 using biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, resin and fatty acids, a gas chromatographic profiling index, and the presence of methyl substituted 2-cyclopentenones. Selected effluent samples were evaluated for effects on fish reproduction (egg production) using a shortened version of the adult fathead minnow reproductive test. The events relating to negative effects on fish reproduction were upsets of the pulping liquor recovery system resulting in black liquor losses, operational upsets of the hardwood line resulting in the loss of oxygen delignification filtrates, and conditions that reduced the performance of biological treatment (e.g., mill shutdown and low ambient temperatures). The reductions in egg production observed in fathead minnow were associated with biochemical oxygen demand values > 20 mg/L, GC profiling indices > 1.2 and the presence of methyl-substituted 2-cyclopentenones at concentrations > 100 μg/L. This study demonstrated the importance of both in-plant measures for controlling the loss of organics as well as the optimum operation of biological effluent treatment for eliminating effluent-related effects on fish reproduction (egg production) in the laboratory.