Hospital Wastewater Treatment Research Articles

Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment: Review of the Selected Resistance Drivers and Public Health Concerns

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global epidemic due to the improper overuse of antimicrobials in the agriculture, veterinary, and medical sectors. Antimicrobial-resistant genes (ARGs) spread primarily through the environment, which is becoming a growing concern among researchers and stakeholders. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their ARGs are spread by various factors, such as the use of antimicrobial drugs in health care, agriculture and livestock, and the environment, as well as the release of antibiotic residue. Through various routes and hotspots such as hospital wastewater, agricultural waste, and wastewater treatment plants, resistant microorganisms, and their resistance genes enter the soil, air, water, and sediments. It is important to identify high-risk environments that cause the evolution of resistance and its spread around the world if global mitigation strategies are to be effective. As a result, infection control, sanitation, access to clean water, antimicrobials, diagnostics, travel, and migration are all factors impacting AMR transmission. Through various mechanisms, this review discusses AMR as a global concern and how environmental factors may contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Comparison of constructed wetland performance coupled with aeration and tubesettler for pharmaceutical compound removal from hospital wastewater

Pharmaceutical compounds being able to alter, retard, and enhance metabolism has gained attention in recent time as emerging pollutant. However, hospitals which are part of every urban landscape have yet to gain attention in terms of its hospital wastewater treatment to inhibit pharmaceutical compounds from reaching environment. Hence this study evaluated performance of constructed wetland in combination with tubesettler and aeration based on removal efficiency and ecological risk assessment (HQ). The removal efficiency of constructed wetland with plantation was higher by 31% (paracetamol), 102% (ibuprofen), 46%, (carbamazepine), 57% (lorazepam), 54% (erythromycin), 31% (ciprofloxacin) and 20% (simvastatin) against constructed wetland without plantation. Constructed wetland with aeration efficiency increased for paracetamol, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, lorazepam, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and simvastatin removal efficiency were higher by 58%, 130%, 52%, 79%, 107%, 57%, and 29% respectively. In constructed wetland with plantation, removal efficiency was higher by 20% (paracetamol), 13% (ibuprofen), 4% (carbamazepine), 14% (lorazepam), 34% (erythromycin), 19% (ciprofloxacin) and 7% (simvastatin). High ecological risk was observed for algae, invertebrate and fish with hazard quotient values in range of 2.5–484, 10–631 and 1–78 respectively. This study concludes that if space is the limitation at hospitals aeration with constructed wetland can be adopted. If space is available, constructed wetland with tubesettler is suitable, economic and environmentally friendly option. Future research works can focus on evaluating other processes combination with constructed wetland.

Field performance investigation for constructed wetland clubbed with tubesettler for hospital wastewater treatment

Pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) are a concern owing to their toxicity to the aquatic environment. Several studies have investigated the removal of PhACs from wastewater by employing various treatments. However, hospital wastewater, a primary source of PhACs in wastewater, has yet to gain attention. Hence this study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of constructed wetlands coupled with tube settlers for hospital wastewater treatment. Constructed Wetlands (CWs) and tube settlers are economical and less energy-consuming wastewater treatment systems which can be employed to treat small community wastewater and enhance the effluent quality to conserve the environment. This study evaluates the combination of macrophyte CW-along with a tubesettler system to remove PhACs. The Constructed Wetland system was employed in series with tube settlers. Seven PhACs viz. paracetamol, ketoprofen, carbamazepine, lorazepam, Sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, and Fluvastatin were analyzed for wastewater quality characterization. The removal efficiency of CW was 56 %, 72 %, 37 %, 54 %, 54 %, 53 %, and 46 % for PCM, KTF, CAB, LOR, SMZ, CIP and FUT respectively. The study concluded that CW could be successfully used to treat hospital wastewater, and tube settlers can be employed as a polishing treatment for the effluent of CW.

Utility of constructed wetlands for treatment of hospital effluent and antibiotic resistant bacteria in resource limited settings: A case study in Ujjain, India.

Increasing generation of wastewater and its indiscriminate disposal is detrimental to human and animal health. Resource‐limited settings often struggle for efficient wastewater treatment systems owing to lack of funds and operational difficulties. Therefore, alternative treatment systems involving low expenditure and simplistic operations are need of the hour. Constructed wetlands are one such alternative that can efficiently remove variety of pollutants from wastewater. In this study, we have assessed the utility of constructed wetlands for treatment of hospital wastewater in Ujjain. An in‐house wetland system was designed and constructed using Typha latifolia and Phragmites karka . Results showed that wetland was efficient for removal of various physico‐chemical and biological contaminants, namely, biochemical‐oxygen‐demand (77.1%), chemical‐oxygen‐demand (64.9%), turbidity (68.3%), suspended‐solids (63%), total‐phosphorus (58.7%), nitrate‐nitrogen (33%), fecal coliforms (96.8%), and total coliforms (95.6%). Paired t test revealed that removal efficiencies for various parameters were significantly different among Phragmites, Typha, and control cells (p ≤ 0.05). Study also depicted that most of the bacterial isolates in inlet wastewater were selectively resistant to antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and sulphamethaxazole) as well and these isolates were also removed. Precisely, Typha was fairly suitable for antibiotic resistant bacteria removal. Thus, constructed wetlands were found to be one of the suitable options for wastewater treatment in resource‐limited settings.Practitioner Points Constructed wetlands are one of the suitable options for wastewater treatment in resource limited settings.These systems involve wetland vegetation, soil, and associated microbial assemblages to improve the water quality. Typha and Phragmites were found to be efficient for treating the hospital wastewater.Experiments showed that antibiotic resistant bacteria may also be removed through constructed wetland systems.Easy operation, cost effectiveness, and efficiency are important attributes.

Treatment of hospital wastewater by electron beam technology: Removal of COD, pathogenic bacteria and viruses

The effective treatment of hospital sewage is crucial to human health and eco-environment, especially during the pandemic of COVID-19. In this study, a demonstration project of actual hospital sewage using electron beam technology was established as advanced treatment process during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, China in July 2020. The results indicated that electron beam radiation could effectively remove COD, pathogenic bacteria and viruses in hospital sewage. The continuous monitoring date showed that the effluent COD concentration after electron beam treatment was stably below 30 mg/L, and the concentration of fecal Escherichia coli was below 50 MPN/L, when the absorbed dose was 4 kGy. Electron beam radiation was also an effective method for inactivating viruses. Compared to the inactivation of fecal Escherichia coli, higher absorbed dose was required for the inactivation of virus. Absorbed dose had different effect on the removal of virus. When the absorbed dose ranged from 30 to 50 kGy, Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Astrovirus (ASV) could be completely removed by electron beam treatment. For Rotavirus (RV) and Enterovirus (EV) virus, the removal efficiency firstly increased and then decreased. The maximum removal efficiency of RV and EV was 98.90% and 88.49%, respectively. For the Norovirus (NVLII) virus, the maximum removal efficiency was 81.58%. This study firstly reported the performance of electron beam in the removal of COD, fecal Escherichia coli and virus in the actual hospital sewage, which would provide useful information for the application of electron beam technology in the treatment of hospital sewage.

Treatment of hospital wastewater by potassium ferrate

It has been investigated how well potassium ferrate (K2FeO4) treats hospital wastewater effluents. In the treatment of water and wastewater, potassium ferrate serves as an oxidant, disinfectant, and coagulant with several functions. The effects of combining the oxidation and coagulation processes on features have not been extensively studied. The objective of this study is to evaluate the oxidation and coagulation effects of potassium ferrate treatment methods. An optimization technique based on response surface mythology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design was utilized to identify the ideal conditions for increased removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand COD.. Potassium ferrate has a significant impact, according to experiments. With a COD of 790 ppm as the starting point, the effects of oxidation time (30-90 minutes), potassium ferrate concentration (20-100 ppm), pH (3-9), and process stirring speed (100-400 rpm) on COD removal efficiency were examined. To find the best COD removal efficiency, it also used an optimization strategy based on Box-Behnken design via the Surface Response Method (RSM). According to the findings, time, mixing speed, and pH are the factors that have the highest impact on the effectiveness of COD removal.. Based on the study of the Minitab-19 program, Regression analysis results revealed that a Fisher value of 13.68. pH value 3, oxidation time of 62 minutes, mixing speed of 300 rpm, and potassium ferrate content of 92 ppm were discovered to be the optimal operating parameters. Based on this ideal scenario, the final concentration reached had a COD elimination effectiveness of 98 percent.

Performance of pretreatment materials on hospital wastewater before microfiltration membrane filtration process

An alternative method of treating hospital wastewater can use a microfiltration membrane, where the results showed that the disposal of oily wastewater reached 82.5%, BOD 90%, COD 85%, and total Coli up to 70%. In addition, it can remove particles from wastewater from 0.04 to 100 microns in size. The problem with using microfiltration membranes is the rapid occurrence of fouling/saturation on the surface of the microfiltration membrane, causing the wastewater treatment operation time to be short. The length of this treatment causes the problem of less amount of wastewater being treated and another problem, namely faster membrane replacement. This study aims to determine the performance of pretreatment of microfiltration membranes made of alum, silica sand, and activated carbon for parameters pH, BOD, COD, TSS, Ammonia, Fatty Oil, and Total Coliform. The results of the study were as follows: 1) the average quality of hospital wastewater was temperature 28.8°C, pH 7, BOD 79 mg/l, COD 167.05 mg/l, Total Suspended Solid 68 mg/l, Ammonia 4 mg/l, Phosphate 0.745 mg/l, Fatty Oil 1.64 mg/l, Coliform 2.200 MPN/100 ml. 2) Comparison analysis of the most effective materials on the parameters, for BOD Silica Sand 78.24%, COD 56.25% Silica Sand, Total Suspended Solids 83.42% Activated Carbon, Ammonia Silica Sand 56.49%, Phosphate 80.43 % Activated Carbon, Fat Oil is 80.43% Alum, Coliform is Microfiltration Membrane 40.91%.

Solar photocatalytic degradation of inherent pharmaceutical residues in real hospital WWTP effluents using titanium dioxide on a CPC pilot scale reactor

Hospital wastewaters (HWW) contain a complex mixture of pharmaceutical compounds that cannot be removed by conventional treatment processes. This study reports on the degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds (PhACs) in hospital wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) secondary effluents using TiO2 and solar compound parabolic collector pilot plant. Inherent concentration loadings of pharmaceuticals in secondary wastewater were photocatalytically treated in a ‘’real-world’’ approach. Among the detected pharmaceuticals, amisulpride, venlafaxine and metabolite O-desmethyl venlafaxine, citalopram and carbamazepine occurred in all experimental runs. The analysis of the samples before and after the photocatalytic treatment was accomplished by solid phase extraction, followed by liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results showed that photocatalytic degradation of PhAcs followed first order kinetics. Catalyst loadings higher between 150 mgL−1 resulted in removal percentages higher than 73% with accumulative energy c.a. > 25 kJL−1 depending on the initial wastewater characteristics. For 200 mgL−1 catalyst loading pharmaceutical removal rate constants ranged between 0.018 and 0.039 LkJ−1 recorded for citalopram and venlafaxine, respectively. Photocatalytic treatment resulted also in the amelioration of the effluent quality physicochemical characteristics i.e. COD, BOD as well of the biodegradability index. The catalyst reusability was studied without any treatment for three consecutive cycles showing a significant efficiency decrease mainly between the first and the second cycle i.e. from 21% to 80% in the respective reaction constants. Finally, the effluent toxicity before and during the photocatalytic treatment was evaluated by Vibrio fischeri bioassay revealing that toxicity is sharply decreased leading to non-toxicity in the final treated effluents. Further studies on TiO2 photocatalytic applications should focus on the separation and regeneration of catalyst.

Characterization of oxaliplatin removal by multispecies bacterial populations in moving bed biofilm and suspended-biomass reactors.

This work aimed to characterize the oxaliplatin removal potential of multispecies microbial populations using the suspended-biomass (SB) and moving bed biofilm (MBB) reactors. Bacterial strains were isolated from pharmaceutical wastewater, their oxaliplatin degrading potential was screened and oxaliplatin removal efficacy in multispecies bacterial populations was investigated using HPLC. Five bacterial strains able to degrade oxaliplatin with an oxaliplatin removal efficacy of 21%-52% were isolated. The synthetic consortium including Xenorhabdus spp., Pantoea agglomerans and Bacillus licheniformis showed the highest potential with an oxaliplatin removal efficacy of 88.6% and 94.0% using the SB and MBB reactors, respectively. Also, the consortium reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 91.6 and 33% in MBB and SB reactors, respectively. A kinetic study showed a faster oxaliplatin removal in MBB (0.134 kg-1 ) than in the SB reactor (0.101 kg-1 ). Based on the GS/MS analysis, the overall biochemical pathway of oxaliplatin degradation was hypothesized to be initiated through the oxygenation of diamino-dicyclohexan-platinium complex and the cleavage of the aromatic ring. Microbial removal of oxaliplatin using MBB and SB reactors seems to be an efficient and promising approach for oxaliplatin removal in pharmaceutical and hospital wastewater treatment plants. Employing bacterial populations using the MBB reactor is a promising way to treat pharmaceutical wastewater to reduce the discharge of anticancer drugs into the environment.

Coliform Removal in Membrane Bioreactor and Disinfection during Hospital Wastewater Treatment

This study investigated coliform removal from hospital wastewater in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and disinfection using either chlorine or ozone. A laboratory-scale MBR equipped with a hollow-fiber membrane module was operated with hydraulic retention times varied at 3 and 6 hours. The disinfection of MBR effluent was carried out using either chlorine or ozone with concentrations varied between 1 and 10 mg/l and contact time varied between 1 and 30 min. During 150 days of MBR operation, organic removal efficiencies averaged 96.5% and 97.7% for BOD and 73.6% and 84.1% during its operation at an HRT of 3 and 6 hours respectively. Simultaneously, 6.7 and 6.4 log reduction of total coliforms and 6.2 and 6.1 log reduction of E. coli were achieved under these respective HRT conditions. The use of chlorine for disinfection of MBR effluent could eliminate total coliforms and E. coli completely at >6 and 3 mg/L at 30 min contact time, whereas only >3 and 1 mg/L was required for ozone at the same contact time. There was a significant improvement of disinfection efficacy of solid-free MBR effluent compared to that of activated sludge effluent.

Characterization of bacterial resistance in treated hospital wastewater

ABSTRACT This article seeks to characterize the bacterial profile of pediatric hospital wastewater samples collected at the outlet of a wastewater treatment plant, and to estimate their relative susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. A total of 64 strains were isolated in the wastewater samples, of which 49 were identified as belonging to different families: Enterobacteriaceae (e.g. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Citrobacter sp.) comprised 57.2% of the identified bacteria, non-Enterobacteriaceae (e.g. Aeromonas sp., Pseudomonas sp.) comprised 30.6%, and Streptococcaceae (e.g. Enterococcus sp.) comprised 12.2%. The tests of the susceptibility of the bacteria to the antimicrobial agents used in the hospital showed that 100% of the bacterial species found discharged in the hospital wastewater treatment system were resistant to one or more of the antimicrobial agents according to the criteria of the U.S. Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute/National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. The antimicrobial agent tests showed that meropenem, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and cefepime were the most effective antimicrobials against bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family. For bacteria of the non-Enterobacteriaceae family, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and cefepime presented the most effective antimicrobial action, whereas for bacteria of the Streptococcaceae family, ampicillin, vancomycin, and gentamicin were the most effective antimicrobials. Hospital wastewater treatment plants could be considered as places of selection pressure for bacterial resistance because of the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria coming from sewers or created at the treatment plant.

Hospital wastewater treatment using eco-friendly eugenol nanostructured lipid carriers: Formulation, optimization, and in vitro study for antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

In this study, nano-formulation has been used to tackle one of the most important environmental problems which can be considered a major threat to human health. We prepared some eco-friendly nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) as delivery agents to properly deliver an antibacterial agent (eugenol) into hospital wastewater in order to control bacterial growth. Eugenol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers were prepared by hot high-speed homogenization. Then, the prepared nanocarriers were characterized using different techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and dynamic scanning calorimetry. The turbidity assay and colony counting method were used to determine the ability of the prepared eugenol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers to inhibit bacterial growth rate in the culture media and hospital wastewater, respectively. The mean size and zeta potential of NLC-eugenol were 78.12 ± 6.1nm and -29.43 ± 2.21 mV, respectively. The results showed that the highest inhibitory effect of NLC-eugenol in culture media was seen in standard and wild Staphylococcus aureus strains (43.42% and 26.41%, respectively) with a concentration of 0.125 μM. The antibacterial activity of NLC-eugenol in sterile wastewater on wild strains of bacteria showed that the most effective concentration to reduce bacterial amounts was 0.125 μM on wild S.aureus and Enterococcus faecalis strains (38% and 33.47%, respectively) at 37°C. The NLC-eugenol with a concentration of 0.125 μM showed the greatest effect of reducing total microbial agents by 28.66% in hospital wastewater at 25°C. The highest antibacterial effect achieved using the 0.125 μM concentration is due to the egel phenomenon. Also, the mechanism of action of NLC-eugenol is cell wall destruction and eventually cell death. The results showed that NLC-eugenol with a concentration of 0.125 μM can reduce wild bacterial strains in sterilized wastewater and hospital wastewater, which can prove the great potential of the prepared eugenol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers to control bacterial growth. PRACTITIONER POINTS: NLC is one of the safest biodegradable and environmentally friendly carriers, which is nontoxic for humans and the environment. Eugenol is a natural compound, which makes it less toxic for the environment while being toxic for bacteria. Therefore, our method has the least side effect in comparison with existing methods for wastewater treatment. The gradual release of eugenol from NLC nanoparticles can effectively control the pathogenic factors of wastewater.

Inactivation of Bacteria and Residual Antimicrobials in Hospital Wastewater by Ozone Treatment.

The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a persistent problem globally. In this study, an ozone treatment facility was established for an advanced hospital wastewater treatment in a core hospital facility in an urban area in Japan to evaluate the inactivation of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobials. Metagenomic DNA-seq analysis and the isolation of potential extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria suggested that ozone exposure for at least 20 min is required for the adequate inactivation of DNA and ESBL-producing bacteria. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species were markedly susceptible to 20-min ozone exposure, whereas Raoultella ornithinolytica and Pseudomonas putida were isolated even after an 80-min exposure. These ozone-resistant bacteria might play a pivotal role as AMR reservoirs in the environment. Nine antimicrobials (ampicillin, cefdinir, cefpodoxime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, clarithromycin, chlortetracycline, minocycline, and vancomycin) were detected at 373 ng/L to 27 μg/L in the hospital wastewater, and these were removed (96–100% removal) after a 40-min treatment. These results facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the AMR risk posed by hospital wastewater and provides insights for devising strategies to eliminate or mitigate the burden of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and the flow of antimicrobials into the environment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the implementation of a batch-type, plant-scale ozone treatment system in a hospital facility to execute and evaluate the inactivation of drug-resistant bacteria and antimicrobials.

Characterization of β-Lactamases and Multidrug Resistance Mechanisms in Enterobacterales from Hospital Effluents and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Antimicrobials in wastewater promote the emergence of antibiotic resistance, facilitated by selective pressure and transfer of resistant genes. Enteric bacteria belonging to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter species (n = 126) from hospital effluents and proximate wastewater treatment plant were assayed for susceptibility to four antimicrobial classes. The β-lactamase encoding genes harbored in plasmids were genotyped and the plasmids were sequenced. A multidrug resistance phenotype was found in 72% (n = 58) of E. coli isolates, 70% (n = 43) of Klebsiella species isolates, and 40% (n = 25) of Enterobacter and Citrobacter species. Moreover, 86% (n = 50) of E. coli, 77% (n = 33) of Klebsiella species, and 25% (n = 4) of Citrobacter species isolates phenotypically expressed extended spectrum β-lactamase. Regarding ESBL genes, blaCTX-M-27 and blaTEM-1 were found in E. coli, while Klebsiella species harbored blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-30, or blaSHV-12. Genes coding for aminoglycoside modifying enzymes, adenylyltransferases (aadA1, aadA5), phosphotransferases (aph(6)-1d, aph(3″)-Ib), acetyltransferases (aac(3)-IIa), (aac(6)-Ib), sulfonamide/trimethoprim resistant dihydropteroate synthase (sul), dihydrofolate reductase (dfrA), and quinolone resistance protein (qnrB1) were also identified. Monitoring wastewater from human sources for acquired resistance in clinically important bacteria may provide a cheaper alternative in regions facing challenges that limit clinical surveillance.

Assessment of genotoxic potential of the treated hospital wastewater using cytogenetic assays.

The cytogenetic study using hospital effluent was carried out engaging three cytogenetic end points-chromosomal aberration (CA) assay, mitotic indices (MIs), and micronucleus (MN) Analysis. These bioassays were performed in hematopoietic bone marrow cells of Mus musculus. The experiment commenced with the collection of hospital effluent from the final outlet when wastewater gets collected after undergoing treatment by a multistep process. The pure treated sample water was collected at different times between March 2019 to January 2020 and was given ad libitum to mice at its low (90% dilution) and high (pure form), i.e. 100% concentration for 3 different durations i.e. 7, 15, and 30days, respectively. The results indicated a significant (P<0.01) decrease in the MI in all the groups but was more pronounced in the group which was given 100% concentrated sample water collected in the month of March 2019. Besides this, the major finding was presence of CAs like breaks, fragments, rings, and pulverization in bone marrow cells in different groups; however, the frequency of these aberrations varied from group to group. A significant (P<0.01) increase in MN Induction and decreased ratio (P<0.01) of polychromatic to normonochromatic erythrocytes were observed in samples collected in month of March both at 10% and 100% concentrations. However, decrease in the ratio was observed in the samples of September and January at low-concentration sample water. The results thus indicated that there was some lacuna in the treatment process earlier in the month of March, which was rectified to some extent in the subsequent months. Hence, the treated wastewater collected in the month of January next year was more suitable for its use than other samples. Summary: These findings thus draw attention toward ensuring efficiency of the treatment plant and quality of water by the hospital management before it being disposed off into the municipal supply; a step that can help society to live a healthy life. With these findings, it is conveyed that all the hospitals, diagnostic labs, and other health care establishments must pay utmost attention at liquid waste disposal mechanism to make environment pollution-free.

Removal of organic matter and nutrients from hospital wastewater by electro bioreactor coupled with tubesettler

Wastewater consisting of different pharmaceuticals and drug residues is quite challenging to treat and dispose of. This situation poses a significant impact on the health aspect of humans and other biotic organisms in the environment. The main concern of hospital wastewater (HWW) is the resistivity towards treatment using the different conventional methods. For the treatment of HWW, this study was performed using an electro bioreactor using hospital wastewater. The electro reduction overcomes the effect of toxic elements in hospital wastewater, and biodegradation removes organic matter and nutrients from wastewater. This study investigated electro bioreactor performance for treating hospital wastewater connected with tubesettler. The parameters of chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, and phosphate concentration were analyzed to evaluate an influent and effluent from electro bioreactor and tubesettler. Also, Kinetic modelling for chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, and phosphate removal was done. The chemical oxygen demand was reduced by 76% in electro bioreactor, and 31% in tubesettler, 84%. The nitrate and phosphate were reduced within permissible discharge limits with a final effluent concentration of 1.4 mg L−1 and 3 mg L−1. Further studies are required to assess the impact of pharmaceutical compounds in hospital wastewater on the system's performance.

Non-targeted characterization of dissolved organic matter from a wastewater treatment plant by FT-ICR-MS: A case study of hospital sewage

Hospitals generate large volumes of wastewater. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in wastewater effluent can act as precursors of disinfection by-products, transporter of pollutants, and affect the performance of treatment plants. This study aims to characterize the composition of DOM in medical wastewater and investigate the selectivity of the hospital treatment plant in the removal of DOM. DOM was characterized by Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEMs). DOM of medical wastewater was dominated by aliphatic and highly unsaturated compounds, a feature that is remarkably different from that of natural DOM. In the membrane bioreactor (MBR) unit, more CHNO compounds and highly unsaturated compounds were formed. After disinfection, the highly unsaturated and humic-like compounds were reduced, accompanying a decrease in aromaticity. After reverse osmosis, the highly unsaturated and CHO compounds were concentrated and removed. These steps were complementary in the removal of DOM, suggesting effective transformation and elimination of DOM. This study contributes to a better understanding of the features of DOM in medical wastewater and treatment plant performance in the removal of DOM, which is indispensable for the large-scale design and application of technologies for hospital wastewater treatment, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development of electrocoagulation process for wastewater treatment: optimization by response surface methodology

Electrocoagulation (EC) is a process used by supply of electric current with sacrificial electrodes for the removal of pollutant from wastewater. The study was experimentally investigated taking into account various factors such as pH (3–7.5), current (0.03–0.09 A), distance between the electrodes (1–2 cm), electrolytic concentration (1–3 g/L), and electrolysis time (20–60 min) which is impact on the % removal efficiency of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity and determination of energy consumption used for aluminum (Al) electrode used. The surface response design process based on the central composite design (CCD) has been used to optimize different operational parameters for treatment of hospital wastewater using EC process. The % color, COD and turbidity removal, and energy consumption under different conditions were predicted with the aid of a quadratic model, as were the significance and their interaction with independent variables assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimal conditions were obtained through mathematical and statistical methods to reach maximum % color, COD, and turbidity removal with minimum energy consumption. The results showed that the maximum removal of color (92.30%), COD (95.28%), and turbidity (83.33%) were achieved at pH–7.5, current–0.09A, electrolytic concentration–3g/L, distance between electrodes–2 cm and reaction time 60 min. This means that, the process of EC can remove pollutants from various types of wastewaters and industrial effluent under the various operating parameters.

EFEKTIVITAS BIOFILTER DALAM MEREDUKSI POLUTAN PADA AIR LIMBAH RUMAH SAKIT DI KOTA PALU

The existence of pollutants in hospital wastewater has the potential to pollute the environment, so they are obliged to process the liquid waste before it is released into nature. To ensure that wastewater is feasible to be discharged into the environment, it is necessary to treat it through a Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of which is the aerobic anaerobic biofilter method. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of anaerobic aerobic biofilter in reducing pollutants in wastewater in terms of the physical, chemical and biological parameters. This study uses a quasi experiment with sampling technique composite sample by time. Color and odor parameters were checked organoleptically, while pH and temperature were measured insitu using a multifunctional portable device. Parameters of BOD, COD, NH3, TSS and MPN Coliform analyzed in the laboratory for quality assurance of each sample is checked duplo. The study results of the Anutapura Hospital's wastewater treatment are still a slighly cloudy but odorless, this is not in accordance with the wastewater quality standards in the Minister of Environment Regulation Number 5 of 2014, on the contrary at Madani Hospital the color and odor parameters have met the quality standards. The values of temperature, pH, BOD, COD and TSS have met the quality standard requirements at both hospitals even from the inlet point. this is because it is good of preliminary treatment to be carried out before the wastewater flows into the biofilter. While the value of TSS and MPN coliform, at the inlet and outlet point has exceeded the quality standard. The effectiveness percentage of BOD reduction in Anutapura Hospital and Madani Hospital is 70.2% and 47.6%, for COD reduction is 53.4% and 27%, NH3 reduction 95.9% and 69.4% and TSS reduction is 65.2% and 70.2%. Based the data, concluded that increasing the percentage of biofilter effectiveness is still necessary.&#x0D; Keywords: anaerobic, aerobic, biofilter, WWTP

Investigation of pharmaceutical compounds (Metronidazole, Rosuvastatin and Codeine phosphate) removal by Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 microalga

The uncontrolled entry of pharmaceutical compounds (PCs) into water sources causes irreversible damages to microorganisms. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 microalga to remove three PCs, namely Metronidazole in 1, 3, and 5 mg/L, Rosuvastatin in 200, 400, and 600 mg/L, and Codeine phosphate in 50, 150, and 250 mg/L. These PCs have not been effectively removed by chemical and physical wastewater treatment methods. Adding Metronidazole to the culture medium resulted in a 70% reduction in biomass production; while the amount of protein produced at the concentration of 5 mg/L increased about 3 times compared to the control culture. The culture medium containing 600 mg/L Rosuvastatin increased the total lipid production by more than 50%. The biomass and protein produced in culture medium containing Codeine phosphate were not significantly different compared with the control. Moreover, the drugs removal efficiency of Synechocystis was 80% for Metronidazole and almost 100% for Rosuvastatin and Codeine Phosphate. Metronidazole, which is a lipophilic drug, bonds to the cell surface of microalgae through the formation of chemical bonds between its aromatic rings and functional groups on the surface of extracellular substrates. However, Rosuvastatin and Codeine phosphate which are hydrophilic drugs can enter the cells, where they are degraded by intra-cellular enzymatic mechanism; thus, they were removed by cell biodegradation mechanism in cells. The findings of this study can be potentially used in e.g., hospital wastewater treatment sustainably and economically using microalgae in the future.