For a complex place like a hospital, the water quality can also become complex. The main sources of medical wastewater are the sewage discharged from wards, operating rooms, laundries and other places. Besides some chemical components, these water qualities also contain viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms that are harmful to human health. In this chapter, let’s get familiar with the key issues related to medical wastewater treatment together.
How Should Medical Wastewater be Treated?
In hospitals, it is very important to standardize the emergency treatment and sterilization of medical wastewater, which is to prevent the spread of viruses through feces or sewage. In fact, when it comes to treating medical wastewater, medical institutions are all equipped with sewage treatment facilities. It is strictly prohibited to discharge wastewater before it meets the standards. The entire process should include pre-disinfection, treatment, addition of disinfectants, and online monitoring of medical wastewater. Only after ensuring that all parameters in the wastewater meet the standards can it be discharged.
Why Can’t the Excreta of Some Infectious Diseases be Directly Discharged?
In fact, when it comes to excrement issues, in 2019, COVID-19 is a contagious virus. Besides being transmitted through droplets and contact, it may also be spread through feces (such as fecal-oral transmission, etc.). Therefore, the wise approach is to collect excrement, secretions, vomiting, etc. in special containers in hospitals, disinfect them, and then discharge them.
Why is the Novel Coronavirus not Directly Monitored When Conducting Online Monitoring of Medical Wastewater?
The novel coronavirus is a new virus that has emerged in the past two years. It is strict but not mature in all aspects. However, the monitoring method for coliform bacteria is mature and is a commonly used alternative indicator for the inactivation effect of pathogens. The WECT-900 coliform bacteria online analyzer can be used to monitor the coliform bacteria in water in real time, thereby judging the water pollution situation. In addition, the real-time monitoring of the total residual chlorine content in water using the RCl900 total residual chlorine online analyzer is an indirect standard for the effectiveness of disinfection. Strengthen the sterilization and disinfection work to ensure that all indicators such as coliform bacteria in the wastewater are discharged up to standard.
What Protective Measures Should the Staff Engaged in Online Monitoring of Medical Wastewater Take?
According to the relevant standards for medical wastewater discharge, it is necessary to conduct water quality monitoring and evaluation at the drainage outlets of medical wastewater treatment facilities, and pay attention to the monitoring frequency of the total residual chlorine index in the wastewater. In addition to the first time, the workers themselves should also do a good job in protection and disinfection, because there are many bacteria in the hospital, and it is very important to protect their own safety!
