Characteristics of Effluent Wastewater in Hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

Abstract

Background: Wastewater effluent in hospitals has been increasing during the recent decades due to developments in medical services and products. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the qualitative parameters of effluent wastewater in hospitals affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences (BUMS). Materials and Methods: Four hospitals were included and their wastewater effluent was studied. Ninety-six composited samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for determining pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorous (TP), heavy metals, total coliforms (TC) and total heterotrophic bacteria counts (THBC) based on standard methods. Results: Mean ± SD pH of the wastewater was 7.6 ± 0.4. Mean ± SD BOD 5, COD, TSS, TKN and TP were 372 ± 173 mg/L, 687 ± 231 mg/L, 289 ± 132 mg/L and 15 ± 5.5 mg/L, respectively. Mean concentration of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni, Co, Hg, Fe and Cu were 26..1 mg/L and 49 (g/L), respectively. The total coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria were 5.4 × 10 8 MPN/100 mL and 2.6 × 10 10 CFU/mL, respectively. Total wastewater quantity and its organic loading rate were 169 263 m 3 and 62 966 kg in a year, respectively. Conclusions: Most of the qualitative indices evaluated in wastewater effluent of hospitals of BUMS were higher than effluent discharge standards of Iran Environment Protection Agency (IEPA). These wastewaters are usually purified improperly by wastewater treatment plants of these hospitals and polluted effluents which empty to the Babol Rood River and Caspian Sea can potentially endanger public health, natural resources and wildlife.

Physical-Chemical Analysis and Comparison with Standards of the Compost Produced in Sanandaj, Iran

“…It can strongly affect the microbial population during the composting process. Raw materials must be combined in such a way that the ratio of carbon to nitrogen remains in the range of 25 to 30 and in desirable ratio of 30 to 1.C/N ratio at the final product should be reduced to the range of 14 to 20 [5] [12] [16]. C/N ratio for the present study was 8.45, which is much lower than the standards.…”

“…Dyes, batteries, electronics, cosmetics and drug residues are the main sources of heavy metals in compost [5] [6] [9]. Due to the harmful effects of heavy metals on human and environmental, standards have been established for the concentration of these metals in the compost.…”

“…Different analyses on municipal waste in Iran indicate that there is a high percentage of perishable materials init (food wastes by more than 70% of the composition of such type of waste). Thus, composting seems to be an appropriate method for waste management [5]- [8].…”

“…During composting, organic wastes, including household wastes (after removal of metal, glass and plastic), food waste, wastes from farms and forests, leaves and grasses from parks and gardens are biologically decomposed and under thermophilic conditions they are turned to stable matters such as humus [5] [12]- [14]. In other words, the compost is, in fact, decayed plant and animal remains, municipal solid waste or sewage sludges [6].…”

“…Oxygen, moisture and C/N ratio are the main parameters. Organic matter, temperature, and waste acidity are the other effective parameters [5] [14] [18]. Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan Province, with a population of over 440 thousand people, produces 350 tons of waste daily, 200 tons of which find their way into the compost plant.…”