In complex settings such as hospitals, wastewater originates from various sources, including domestic sewage used by patients and medical staff, as well as wastewater generated by different departments. All such wastewater must be monitored before discharge. So, what risks exist during the monitoring of this wastewater?

Risks do exist. As mentioned earlier, hospitals are complex environments. The wastewater contains not only harmful substances such as COD, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen, but also, most critically, infectious viruses. There are potential environmental risks inherent in both the treatment and Medical Wastewater Monitoring. The wastewater may contain viruses, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, toxic chemicals, microorganisms, and other contaminants, posing risks of viral transmission, microbial drug resistance, and toxic chemical leakage.

For this reason, relevant authorities have put forward recommendations concerning discharge standards, refined Medical Wastewater Monitoring, and improved capacity for the disposal of medical waste. An analysis is provided below:

1.In the process of wastewater treatment, it is necessary to ensure that the wastewater meets discharge standards, while also integrating risk control for sudden public health incidents. Comprehensive consideration must be given during medical wastewater treatment. Wastewater from both general hospitals and infectious disease hospitals must comply with discharge standards, and awareness of risk control must be strengthened.

2.In terms of management, differentiated monitoring should be implemented alongside proper classified management. If wastewater contains high concentrations of viruses, attention should be paid to the evolution of the viruses, with focused treatment and monitoring of pollution sources at specific stages or times.

In this context, the key monitoring indicator for medical wastewater is coliform bacteria, which is used to assess the presence of harmful microorganisms and determine compliance. Real-time monitoring of coliform bacteria levels in medical wastewater can be achieved using the WECT-900 Online Coliform Analyzer.