scholarly journals How to Overcome Barriers for Wastewater Agricultural Reuse in Sicily (Italy)?

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delia Ventura ◽  
Simona Consoli ◽  
Salvatore Barbagallo ◽  
Alessia Marzo ◽  
Daniela Vanella ◽  
...  

This study reports an up-to-date summary of the principal barriers still limiting reclaimed water use for agriculture in Italy, and particularly in Sicily. Moreover, it provides a geographic informative system (GIS)-based procedure for evaluating the potential treated wastewater (TW) reuse in the Sicilian region as a decision support system for its management. The survey, based on possible economic, morphologic, and design solutions, evidenced a feasible integration of several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with irrigation areas, allowing the water availability enhancement. Overall, the potential volume of TW by WWTPs (connected to irrigation districts) is 163 × 106 m3 year−1, while the water deficit is 66 × 106 m3 year−1. The feasibility of TW reuse in Sicily was also analysed at the light of the World Health Organization microbial risk assessment. Escherichia coli (E. coli) analyses mostly accomplished these guidelines while conflicting with the restrictive Italian standards. Despite several limiting factors (restrictive legislations, high distance and unfavourable slope between WWTPs and irrigable areas, high monitoring and distribution costs) still hamper the exploitation of reclaimed water use in Sicilian agriculture, some solutions were identified to implement this practice.

2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1512-1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elayse M. Hachich ◽  
Ana T. Galvani ◽  
Jose A. Padula ◽  
Nancy C. Stoppe ◽  
Suzi C. Garcia ◽  
...  

Brazilian regulations for nonpotable reuse are being established using World Health Organization guidelines, however, they should be developed based on local monitoring studies. This study intended to analyze enteroviruses, protozoa and viable Ascaris sp. eggs in raw (24) and treated (24) effluents from four Wastewater Treatment Plants of São Paulo State, Brazil. The protozoa were detected with the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 1623 in the treated effluents and by centrifugation/Immunomagnetic Separation in the raw influent samples. Viable Ascaris sp. eggs were analyzed according to a modified USEPA method. Enteroviruses were quantified by using human rhabdomyosarcoma cells after adequate concentration procedures. All wastewater influents were positive for Giardia sp. whereas Cryptosporidium sp. was detected in 58.3% of the samples. Giardia sp. and Cryptosporidium sp. were present in 79.2 and 25.0% respectively, of the treated wastewater samples. Viable Ascaris sp. eggs were detected in 50.0 and 12.5% of influent and treated wastewater samples. Enteroviruses were isolated in the 24 raw influent samples and in 46% of the treated samples. Taking into account the densities of Giardia sp. in some treated wastewaters intended to be used as reclaimed water, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment studies should be conducted to establish pathogen quantitative criteria for a future Brazilian regulation for water reuse.


Author(s):  
Mark D. Sobsey

Abstract This review considers evidence for infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presence and COVID-19 infection and illness resulting from exposure to environmental fecal wastes and waters. There is no documented evidence that (1) infectious, replication-capable SARS-CoV-2 is present in environmental fecal wastes, wastewater or water, and (2) well-documented epidemiological evidence of COVID-19 infection, illness or death has never been reported for these exposure media. COVID-19 is transmitted mainly by direct personal contact and respiratory secretions as airborne droplets and aerosols, and less so by respiratory-secreted fomites via contact (touch) exposures. While SARS-CoV-2 often infects the gastrointestinal tract of infected people, its presence as infectious, replication-capable virus in environmental fecal wastes and waters has never been documented. There is only rare and unquantified evidence of infectious, replication-capable SARS-CoV-2 in recently shed feces of COVID-19 hospital patients. The human infectivity dose–response relationship of SARS-CoV-2 is unknown, thereby making it impossible to estimate evidence-based quantitative health effects assessments by quantitative microbial risk assessment methods requiring both known exposure assessment and health effects assessment data. The World Health Organization, Water Environment Federation, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others do not consider environmental fecal wastes and waters as sources of exposure to infectious SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 infection and illness.


2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Yajima ◽  
T. Koottatep

The proper management of fecal sludge (FS), to block the transmission pathways of pathogens, is rarely enforced in many parts of the world. Health risks associated with different disposal practices of FS in peri-urban settings of a large metropolis in Thailand were assessed; Tha Klong sub-district with indiscriminate FS dumping, and Klong Luang sub-district which has an FS treatment system. The study showed that indiscriminate FS dumping from along the canal banks and discharge of market waste were likely the major sources of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in contamination of the canal water. The increased microbial pathogen concentrations near the FS treatment facility also indicated contamination risks from poorly designed treatment facilities. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) indicated very high water-related infection risk levels compared to the actual locally recorded disease occurrences. These results indicated that the QMRA model needs to be modified to take account of immunological differences between populations in developed countries, where the model was developed, and developing countries. In addition, further sensitivity factors are needed to reflect different societal behavior patterns, and therefore contact with potentially contaminated water, in different sub-populations of many less developed communities.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1873
Author(s):  
Jeffrey T. LeJeune ◽  
Kang Zhou ◽  
Christine Kopko ◽  
Haruka Igarashi

Since the late 1990s, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) has convened expert meetings and consultations to address the microbiological risk assessment (MRA). These meetings are held to provide scientific advice in response to requests for from Codex Alimentarius, the international food standard-setting body. Individuals participate in the FAO/WHO joint expert meetings on the microbiological risk assessment (JEMRA) in their personal capacity, as technical experts, yet bring diverse regional and national perspectives that contribute to practical applications, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Over 370 experts from around the globe have contributed to the meeting outcomes that have been published in nearly 40 monographs in the FAO/WHO microbial risk assessment (MRA) series, addressing particular food commodities with microbial hazard(s) combinations or a methodological aspect of microbial risk assessment. FAO/WHO MRA series inform Codex decision-making for the development of international standards for safe food and faire trade in food products; are consulted by risk managers such as food safety authorities and food business operators to make science-based decisions; and are used by academics to advance food safety research and educate the next generation of food safety professionals.


Author(s):  
Tolulope Aniyikaiye ◽  
Temilola Oluseyi ◽  
John Odiyo ◽  
Joshua Edokpayi

Effluents from the paint industry have been a major source of environmental pollution. There is a need to investigate the compliance of wastewater discharged from paint industries with regulatory standards. In response, this study evaluates the physicochemical parameters of both raw and treated wastewater, the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) efficiencies as well as the compliance level of five selected paint manufacturing companies in Lagos, Nigeria with some regulatory standards: Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) in Nigeria, World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Water Affairs (DWA) in South Africa. All parameters investigated were analysed using standard methods. The values of pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) levels were in the range of 4–12.2, 149.1–881.3 mS/m and 1100–6510 mg/L, respectively. The range of other parameters include total suspended solids (TSS); 0–2470 mg/L, TS; 1920–6510 mg/L, chloride; 63.8–733.8 mg/L, dissolved oxygen (DO); 0–6.7 mg/L, oil and grease (O & G); 44–100 mg/L, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); 162.8–974.7 mg/L, chemical oxygen demand (COD); 543–1231 mg/L, nitrates;12.89–211.2 mg/L, phosphate; below detection limit (bdl)–0.02 mg/L, sulphate; 195–1434 mg/L, nickel; bdl–1.9 mg/L while copper, lead and chromium were below detection limits. The results indicated that the WWTPs of the studied paint companies were ineffective in reducing the TS, TSS, BOD, COD and (O & G) to acceptable limits. Routine monitoring of wastewater from paint industries is therefore recommended to prevent the risk of contamination to the receiving watershed which many communities rely on as source for domestic water.


Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Rafał Tytus Bray ◽  
Katarzyna Jankowska ◽  
Eliza Kulbat ◽  
Aneta Łuczkiewicz ◽  
Aleksandra Sokołowska

The paper presents the results of research on the use of ultrafiltration, using membranes of 200 and 400 kDa separation, for disinfection of municipal treated wastewater. The research was conducted on a fractional technical scale using real municipal treated wastewater from two large wastewater treatment plants treating most of the wastewater over the one-million polycentric Gdańsk agglomeration (1.2 million inhabitants). UF 200 kDa and UF 400 kDa processes enabled further improvement of the physical and chemical parameters of treated wastewater. Total phosphorus (to below 0.2 mg/L–UF 200 kDa, 0.13 mg/L–UF 400 kDa) and turbid substances (to below 0.2 mg/L, both membranes) were removed in the highest degree. COD was reduced efficiently (to below 25.6 mgO2/L–UF 200 kDa, 26.8 mgO2/L–UF 400 kDa), while total nitrogen was removed to a small extent (to 7.12 mg/L–UF 200 kDa and 5.7 mg/L–UF 400 kDa. Based on the reduction of indicator bacteria; fecal coliforms including E. coli (FC) and fecal enterococci (FE) it was found that the ultrafiltration is an effective method of disinfection. Not much indicator bacterial were observed in the permeate after processes (UF 200 kDa; FC—5 CFU/L; FE—1 CFU/L and UF 400 kDa; FC—70 CFU/L; FE—10 CFU/L. However, microscopic analysis of prokaryotic cells and virus particles showed their presence after the application of both membrane types; TCN 3.0 × 102 cells/mL–UF 200 kDa, 5.0 × 103 cells/mL–UF 400 kDa, VP 1.0 × 105/mL. The presence of potentially pathogenic, highly infectious virus particles means that ultrafiltration cannot be considered a sufficient disinfection method for treated wastewater diverted for reuse or discharged from high load wastewater treatment plants to recreational areas. For full microbiological safety it would be advisable to apply an additional disinfection method (e.g., ozonation).


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Molano-Triviño ◽  
Jasmin Vesga ◽  
Gregorio Romero ◽  
Claudio Ronco

Abstract Background and Aims Expanded hemodialysis (HDx) improves clearance of middle molecules as a target for uremia treatment. According to previously published results, high cut off filters have high enough clearance to allow diminishing of dialysate flow (Qd) without detrimental in HD adequacy outcomes with less water waste. According to World Health Organization (WHO), globally, almost 800 million people lack access to safe water and 2.5 billion lack access to optimal sanitation. Is our duty to search for ways to avoid water waste. Our aim is to describe the differences in water use between HDX patients receiving Qd 400 mL/min (Group 1) vs 500 ml/min (group 2) in HD patients from 10 renal clinics in Colombia as an alternative to reduce water waste in chronic HD as a strategy from Blue Planet Dialysis initiatives. Method We performed a Sub-analysis of CORHEX Study: We calculated water use at different Qd from our database: prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study of 992 adult patients undergoing chronic HD from 12 renal clinics in Colombia who were switched from high-flux HD to MCO therapy and observed for 12 months. All patients were prescribed with HDX three times a week for a minimum of 4 hours. We analysed patients with weight lower than 70 Kg at different Qd prescriptions to calculate water use at different Qd prescriptions and performed a prediction analysis, adjusting to Qd 400 mL/min, the whole potential population with weight lower than 70 Kg. Results 462 patients with weight lower than 70 Kg were analysed, 127 patients received Qd 400 mL/min. When diminishing Qd from 500 to 400 mL/min, 24 litres were saved per session per patient without detriment of middle molecule clearance. There were no differences in adequacy HD parameters between Qd prescriptions (Table 1 and 2). Conclusion HDX allows lowering of Qd to 400 mL/min without harm for patients and with remarkable savings of potable water: 24 Litres were saved in each session per patient that can be translated in almost 3500 Litres of water each year by patient which is enough for one year for 47 adults. (Based on the WHO minimum for basic health protection of at least 20 L per person/day) (2). We consider our results especially relevant since the World Health Organization estimates that within the next 5 years, over 50% of world population could reside in geographies lacking sufficient access to water. We hope that our results from the Blue Planet dialysis research group, alongside with Dr. Agar`s and Dr. Barraclough`s green nephrology initiatives, can help educate the nephrology community on the ecological impact of dialysis and can present an innovative solution to offer HD therapy even in countries suffering from limited access to potable water.


Foods ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Dao ◽  
Kathrin Stenchly ◽  
Oumar Traoré ◽  
Philip Amoah ◽  
Andreas Buerkert

Vegetable production in urban gardens of Ouagadougou contributes to food security, but water for irrigation is often of low quality. This is particularly acute if irrigation water is taken from wastewater polluted channels. This study aimed at (i) verifying to what degree irrigation water quality is correlated with contamination of lettuce with Escherichia coli, total coliforms, and Salmonella spp., and (ii) assessing effects of post-harvest handling on pathogen development during the trade chain. We tested pathogen removal efficiency on lettuce by applying post-harvest washing. Irrigation water of production areas in Ouagadougou (n = 10) showed a mean E. coli load of 2.1 × 105 CFU 100 mL−1. In 60% of the cases, irrigation water did not meet the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) for safe irrigation water, and in 30% of the cases, irrigation water was contaminated with Salmonella spp. Loads of total coliforms on lettuce leaves ranged from 2.9 × 103 CFU g−1 to 1.3 × 106 CFU g−1, while E. coli averaged 1.1 × 102 CFU g−1. Results on post-harvest handling revealed that microbial loads increased along the trade chain. Overall, half of all lettuce samples (n = 60) were tested positively for Salmonella spp. The experiment showed that appropriate post-harvest handling could prevent the increase of total coliforms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1425
Author(s):  
Lara Pérez-Etayo ◽  
David González ◽  
José Leiva ◽  
Ana Isabel Vitas

Due to the global progress of antimicrobial resistance, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the list of the antibiotic-resistant “priority pathogens” in order to promote research and development of new antibiotics to the families of bacteria that cause severe and often deadly infections. In the framework of the One Health approach, the surveillance of these pathogens in different environments should be implemented in order to analyze their spread and the potential risk of transmission of antibiotic resistances by food and water. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the presence of high and critical priority pathogens included in the aforementioned list in different aquatic environments in the POCTEFA area (North Spain–South France). In addition to these pathogens, detection of colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae was included due its relevance as being the antibiotic of choice to treat infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR). From the total of 80 analyzed samples, 100% of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and collectors (from hospitals and slaughterhouses) and 96.4% of the rivers, carried antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) against the tested antibiotics. Fifty-five (17.7%) of the isolates were identified as target microorganisms (high and critical priority pathogens of WHO list) and 58.2% (n = 32) of them came from WWTPs and collectors. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization showed that 96.4% were MDR and resistance to penicillins/cephalosporins was the most widespread. The presence of bla genes, KPC-type carbapenemases, mcr-1 and vanB genes has been confirmed. In summary, the presence of clinically relevant MDR bacteria in the studied aquatic environments demonstrates the need to improve surveillance and treatments of wastewaters from slaughterhouses, hospitals and WWTPs, in order to minimize the dispersion of resistance through the effluents of these areas.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document