Hospital Waste Water (HWW)

Introduction Hospital wastewater (HWW) is the liquid waste generated by hospitals and other healthcare facilities. It differs significantly from domestic wastewater due to the presence of a wider range of contaminants, including: (1) Pathogenic microorganisms: Bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause disease. (2)Pharmaceutical residues: Unused or expired medications, including antibiotics, hormones, and chemotherapeutic agents.(3)Chemical disinfectants: Used to sterilize medical equipment and surfaces. (4)Radionuclides: Isotopes used in medical imaging and therapy.(5) Heavy metals: Trace elements such as lead, mercury, and copper(1). Improper treatment of hospital wastewater may pose a major threat to public health and the environment as a whole. Pathogens can spread to waterways and contaminate drinking water supplies. Pharmaceutical residues maybe harmful to aquatic life and contribute to the development of multiple  resistant bacteria. Hospitals have a responsibility to ensure their wastewater is treated effectively before it is released into the environment. There are a number of treatment methods available in the hospital settings can maybe practiced to improve hospital  waste disposal, this including: (1) Primary treatment, which involves the Removes solids and organic matter through physical processes such as screening and sedimentation.(2) Secondary treatment, which involves the using biological processes to break down organic matter using bacteria.(3)Tertiary treatment, which involves providing  additional removal of pollutants, such as nutrients and pathogens.(4) Advanced treatment processes,May be used to remove specific contaminants, such as pharmaceutical residues and heavy metals. The specific treatment methods used by a hospital will depend on the nature and volume of its wastewater, as well as local regulations (2,3). It should be mentioned that, the hospital waste water constitute a major public heath hazard, if it is not properly treated. It may become major health inpediment. Most of the hospital may be polluted and pendemic health challenges may emanate from the environmental pollution caused by waste water. For the third world country like Nigeria, we should establish a structure to treate our hospital waste(4,5). Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Markers protocol is rapid method of identifying and characterizing of bacteria isolate. It makes use of ther abundant informations in their genetic pool to classify the bacterial isolate, by harvesting the molecular information in the 16s rRNA , it give us a leverage to rapidly identify a bacterial isolate especially where we have multiple number of isolates . this rapid techniques for identification is a robust analytical method to identify microorganism to the sub species level by generation the phylogenetic tree and compare the result obtained with the data bank(6).. In addition, 16s rRNA molecular sequencing methods have revolutionized bacterial identification and taxonomy studies, allowing microbiologist and bacteriologists alike, to classify prokaryotes based on their phylogenetic similarities(7).      Material and methods Study area Study area include two different General Hospitals, Ondo State. namely Ikare and Akungba Akoko Ondo State, Nigeria. Ondo state shares its border with other cities such as Benin, Ekiti etc. The geographic location Greenwich of Meridian Latitude and 8’15 North of the  equator of  Ondo State , Nigeria. Collection of two General hospitals waste water sample Sample bottles were rinsed and sterilized at 121oC for 15 minutes using an autoclave before sampling. The hospitals wastewater sample were collected from the effluent waste water channels, at the tip of drainage tube and transport to the laboratory for further microbiological assessment. After the wastewater sample collected from each sampling point, samples were labeled, transported to Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, Microbiology Laboratory for bacterial analysis. Isolation of Bacterial   isolates from two different General Hospitals waste water samples 9ml of distilled water was serially diluted and dispensed into 7 test tubes and the mouth of the test tubes were corked with cotton wool, wrapped with aluminum foil and then sterilized at 1210C for 15 minutes using an autoclave. After sterilization, the hospital waste water samples were allowed to cool at ambient temperature, for few minutes.  Each test tube was then labeled as 102– 106 respectively. 1 ml of the hospital waste water samples was dispensed into 9 ml of sterile test tube. 1 ml of the stock culture was then transfer to 9ml sterile distilled water in a test tube and serially diluted in an aliquot manner up to the sixth diluents (8). Identification of Bacterial Isolates from two selected General Hospitals waste water samples using Gram staining of bacterial isolates. A flamed wire loop was used to pick a colony from a plate and a thin film smear was made on a clean grease free slide. The film was allowed to dry and was heat fixed by waving over flame of a Bunsen burner. It was then covered with crystal violet reagent for one (1) minute. The slide was placed on a rack over a sink and rinse in a slowly running tap for 5seconds. The film was flooded with iodine solution for 1 minute rinsed slowly running water for 5 seconds. It was decolorized with alcohol reagent slowly until no 43 more dye runs out. The smear was covered with Saffranin reagent for 30 seconds and rinsed in slowly running water. It was then air dried before viewing under the microscope. The stained slide was viewed with oil immersion lens x100 of the microscope. Gram negative cells appeared pink or red (9). Biochemical tests for identification of bacterial isolates from two selected General Hospitals waste water sample The bacteria isolates from the hospital waste water sample were identified by conventional methods. Briefly, a sterile wire loop a drop of normal saline were added to the center of grease-free slide and a portion of the colony were emulsified into the center of a glass slide and allowed to air dry before air fixing. Crystal violet was then applied after 3min. It was then replaced with a Gram’s iodine for one minute, prior to rinsing with water and application of 95% alcohol until no color appeared.  The Slides were then rinsed with water and Safranin for 1-2min. this was followed by rinsing and air-drying before being observed microscopically under ×100 oil immersion lens. Where interpreted that purple … Read more