Comprehensive evaluation of effluents is of great importance for environmental impact assessment.In this paper

three kinds of chromeplating effluents were characterized by determining pH

conductivity and COD values.The toxicity of these effluents to Photobacterium phosphoreum was also determined.According to the toxicity category standard

their order of toxicity intensity was obtained.Although there was a correlation between EC50

COD and conductivity to some extent

it was inappropriate to represent quantitatively the damages to organisms only by the physico-chemical properties of the chromeplating effluents.It was indicated that a combination of physico-chemical characterization and comprehensive toxicity analysis could provide the correct information for effluent discharge standards.In this study

causative toxic compound types in three kinds of electroplating effluents were also analyzed preliminarily according to conductivity

COD and EC50 values.It can provide the basis for toxicity identification evaluation of electroplating effluents.