Physico-Chemical Characterization of Medical Solid Waste Leachate – Case of the Hospital de l'Amitié of Nouakchott-Mauritania

Abstract

At the Hospital de l'Amitié, hospital waste corresponds to a mixture of waste assimilated to household waste and waste from healthcare activities with infectious risks. In the context of hospital hygiene, our study focuses on the impact of this hospital waste on the people of the Hospital de l'Amitié and the environment, and their handling of hospital waste (collection and transport) . From an environmental point of view, the physico-chemical characterization of the leachate leaving submerged waste in three media (drinking water, distilled water and alcoholic distilled water) show high concentrations for most of the parameters studied. Physico-chemical characterization of solid waste from Hospital de l'Amitié in Nouakchott (Mauritania) was carried out from September to December 2020. Our objective was to determine the value of 14 parameters (pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, COD, BOD5, COD/BOD5, BOD5/COD, SS/BOD5, SS, nitrite, nitrate, sulphate and phosphorus), and improve the treatment method for this solid waste by immersing it in three different mediums (drinking water, distilled water and alcoholic distilled water). Among the 14 parameters, seven exceeded the Moroccan and WHO standards for medium 1, 2 and 3 respectively, conductivity (5340.00µs/cm, 5820.00µs/cm et 3550.00µs/cm), BOD5 (122.00mg/L, 106.00 mg/L et 142.00 mg/L), BOD5/COD (2,30, 1.93 et 2.88), SS (1000.00mg/L, 600.00mg/L et 600.00mg/L), nitrite (0.91 mg/L, 25.00mg/L et 45.00mg/L), nitrate (210.00mg/L, 200.00mg/L et 110.00mg/L) and sulphate (1000.00mg/L, 2000.00mg/L et 1000.00mg/L). These results indicate the existence of toxic substances in these leachates that may impact the environment. In addition, the study proposes solid waste treatment from the Hospital de l'Amitié in Nouakchott (Mauritania) before its discharge into the natural environment.This observation is consolidated by the analyzes carried out on the leachate of the waste immersed in three aqueous media (drinking water, distilled water and alcoholic distilled water).

Keywords

• environment
• impact
• hospital waste