Photocatalytic Treatment of Hospital Wastewater: Investigating the Characteristics of Contaminants and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Key Highlights :
In a paper published in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, a multidisciplinary team of biologists, chemists, chemical engineers, and environmental scientists have investigated the characteristics of wastewater samples from one of the largest hospitals in Crete, and demonstrated the effectiveness of treating the water using photocatalytic treatment. Conventional sludge wastewater treatment programs are ill-equipped to effectively process hospital wastewater due to its high toxicity and the presence of a cocktail of contaminants including pathogenic microorganisms, hormones, and pharmaceutically active compounds. The most significant threat posed by hospital wastewater is the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
The researchers found that there was high toxicity and significant levels of ARBs and ARGs in the hospital wastewater samples they analyzed, particularly in the wastewater derived from the Pathology and Oncology unit. By utilizing a treatment method known as photocatalysis, which employs UV-A light to break down the contaminants in the water, the study reported a decrease in pharmaceutically active compounds and bacteria of over 80%. Significantly however, the concentration of ARGs remained high, following the treatment. Despite this, the authors conclude that coupling photocatalysis onto the end of conventional wastewater treatment programs is a step in the right direction.
For photocatalysis to become a sustainable solution for hospital wastewater treatment, three requirements must be met: the development of efficient photocatalysts, the optimization of photocatalytic reactors, and the implementation of a cost-effective process. Additionally, raising public awareness and educating the younger generations are essential in order to convince policy-makers and stakeholders of the importance of wastewater treatment.
The team is continuing to develop their research at the interface of science and engineering, and have already installed a pilot-scale unit in the premises of a hospital in Crete. The results are promising regarding the elimination of pathogens and ARGs from hospital wastewater, and the team hopes to continue their research to develop a more effective and sustainable solution.
Hospitals generate large amounts of wastewater, and the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds, pathogenic microorganisms, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) make it difficult to effectively treat the water. A multidisciplinary team of biologists, chemists, chemical engineers, and environmental scientists have investigated the characteristics of wastewater samples from one of the largest hospitals in Crete, and demonstrated the effectiveness of treating the water using photocatalytic treatment.
The study found that there was high toxicity and significant levels of ARBs and ARGs in the hospital wastewater samples, particularly in the wastewater derived from the Pathology and Oncology unit. Utilizing photocatalysis, which employs UV-A light to break down the contaminants in the water, the study reported a decrease in pharmaceutically active compounds and bacteria of over 80%. Despite this, the concentration of ARGs remained high, following the treatment.
The authors concluded that coupling photocatalysis onto the end of conventional wastewater treatment programs is a step in the right direction. For photocatalysis to become a sustainable solution for hospital wastewater treatment, three requirements must be met: the development of efficient photocatalysts, the optimization of photocatalytic reactors, and the implementation of a cost-effective process. Additionally, raising public awareness and educating the younger generations are essential in order to convince policy-makers and stakeholders of the importance of wastewater treatment.
The team is continuing to develop their research at the interface of science and engineering, and have already installed a pilot-scale unit in the premises of a hospital in Crete. The results are promising regarding the elimination of pathogens and ARGs from hospital wastewater, and the team hopes to continue their research to develop a more effective and sustainable solution. This study is an important step in the right direction, and could lead to a more effective and sustainable method for treating hospital wastewater.
