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Inactivation of biohazards in healthcare wastewater by E-Beam and Gamma irradiation: a comparative study

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Abstract

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of irradiation by Gamma rays and Electron Beam (E-Beam) on naturally occurring microorganisms shed in healthcare wastewater issued from multi-specialties hospital. We examined the susceptibility of naturally occurring total indicator bacteriophages towards Gamma rays and E-Beam irradiation to evaluate their appropriateness as viral indicators for healthcare wastewater quality control. Results showed that healthcare wastewater is a rich matrix containing bacteriophages surrogates of pathogenic waterborne viruses (4.5 Log10 PFU/100 mL for SOMCPH and 2.3 Log10 PFU/100 mL for FRNAPH), antibiotic resistant bacteria (Mean concentrations from 2.3 to 5.5 Log10 CFU/100 mL), molds and yeasts (2.7 Log10 CFU/100 mL), and spores of Clostridium perfringens (Mean concentration of 3.3 Log10 CFU/100 mL). After E-Beam irradiation, naturally occurring bacteria in healthcare wastewater showed lower resistance patterns (D10 values ranging between 0.21 ± 0.005 and 0.59 ± 0.005) compared to those obtained after Gamma irradiation (D10 values ranging between 0.25 ± 0.015 and 0.70 ± 0.0001). Spores of Clostridium perfringens were the most resistant assayed microbes either after E-Beam (D10 values of 3.74 ± 0.005) or Gamma irradiation (D10 values of 4.77 ± 0.025) of collected samples. According to inactivation patterns, a dose of 10 kGy was sufficient for a complete inactivation of spores. Bacteriophages isolated from healthcare wastewater showed the same resistance patterns as those previously obtained in urban treated sewage and were inactivated using higher doses than waterborne bacteria (D10 values of SOMCPH 1.46 ± 0.057; D10 values of FRNAPH 1.03 ± 0.057). Their resistance to irradiation treatment in such complex matrix corroborates their use to survey the viral quality of healthcare wastewater before their discharge in the urban sanitation network. D10 value analysis showed that bacteria and bacteriophages inactivation by E-Beam irradiation required lower doses than those required for their inactivation using Gamma rays. According to inactivation patterns, a dose of 7 kGy was sufficient for total inactivation of both pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Thus, E-Beam irradiation seems to be an efficient physical pre-treatment process for healthcare wastewater treatment prior to its discharge in urban sanitation system to ensure compliance with environmental standards and protect public health.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Part of the data of this study was presented in the 2nd Research Coordination Meeting (RCM) held in Tunisia (2-6 March 2020) organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Report of the RCM produced by the International Atomic Energy Agency is available at http://www-naweb.iaea.org/napc/iachem/working_materials/IAEA%202nd%20CRP%20Report%20F23033%20Final%20Merged.pdf

Funding

This work was developed within the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) F23033 “Inactivation of biohazards in healthcare wastes by E-Beam irradiation and Gamma irradiation” funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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  1. Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Et Techniques Nucléaires, CNSTN, Technopôle de Sidi Thabet, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

    Sihem Jebri, Mariem Yahya, Faten Rahmani, Islem Amri & Fatma Hmaied

  2. Laboratoire Ecologie Et Technologie Microbienne, Institut National Des Sciences Appliquées de Tunis, Tunis Carthage University, BP 676, 1080, Tunis, Tunisia

    Moktar Hamdi

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Contributions

SJ: carried out experiments and data statistical analysis, interpreted the results, and wrote the manuscript with input from all authors. MY: technical support, collected samples, aided in interpreting the results, and worked on the manuscript. FR: designed the graphical abstract and figures, aided in interpreting the results. IA: technology discussion. MH: carried out scientific data analysis and discussion: technologies and process. FH: conceived and planned the experiments, supervised the project, revision. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis, and manuscript. All authors have approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sihem Jebri.

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Jebri, S., Yahya, M., Rahmani, F. et al. Inactivation of biohazards in healthcare wastewater by E-Beam and Gamma irradiation: a comparative study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 75575–75586 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21159-0

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