Characteristics and quality analysis of wastewater resulting from medical uses ‎in Assiut University Hospitals: A case study on hemodialysis wastewater and ‎reverse osmosis reject water

Abstract

Hemodialysis water is an essential element necessary for the production of dialysates as well as disinfection generators. Each patient's hemodialysis session requires around 120 liters of filtered water. Assiut University Hospitals' hemodialysis facilities treat more than 300 patients each day and perform over 85,000 hemodialysis sessions per year. This study includes an evaluation of the bacteriological and physicochemical quality of blood dialysis waste and water rejected from the treatment units. Samples were collected and tested in accordance with standard methods of wastewater analysis. The physicochemical investigation focused on the extent of potential hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chloride, and total dissolved solids (TDS), as well as Magnesium (Mg), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca2), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Sodium (Na), Chloride (Cl), Bicarbonate (HCO3), Oil & Grease, total phenol. Also, enumeration of fecal coliforms was performed by membrane filtration and searches for Streptococci sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were conducted through microbiological investigation. According to the findings, untreated effluents cannot be used directly for irrigation. Prior treatment is required to improve the quality of the wastewater. The results for the heavy metals Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co), Silver (Ag), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (C), and Manganese (M) revealed compliance with acceptable norms. It would be beneficial to investigate the possibility of recycling effluent from Assiut University Hospital's hemodialysis center. Which leads to saving water resources and protecting the environment? It is critical to investigate the possibility of reusing or recycling it. This work brings attention to this neglected subject, particularly in hemodialysis therapy, by evaluating the feasibility of hemodialysis wastewater reuse.