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Composition and fate of triclosan in the sludge from wastewater treatment in Grahamstown, South Africa and Tiaret, Algeria

- Ncube, Mbonisi

Authors: Ncube, Mbonisi
Date: 2017
Subjects: Sewage sludge , Sewage Purification South Africa Grahamstown , Sewage Purification Algeria Tiaret , Sewage sludge as fertilizer , Anti-infective agents
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65156 , vital:28697
Description: Physicochemical properties such as pH, specific surface area (SSA), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), loss on ignition (LOI), pathogens, plant nutrients (nitrates, ammonium and phosphates), and heavy metals (manganese, copper, lead and cadmium) were determined for sewage sludge from Grahamstown and Tiaret. The values obtained were log transformed thereafter a t-test at 5 % level of significance was used to test for the difference in each parameter for both sludges. The pH of sludge was determined in 1:3 water, 16 water, 1:3 0.01 M calcium chloride and 1:3 1 M potassium chloride. The pH for Grahamstown and Tiaret sludge were in the ranges of 6.66-7.11 and 7.88-8.18 respectively. The SSA values for Grahamstown and Tiaret were 218 ± 108 and 261 ± 99.9 m2/g, and the CEC values were 119 ± 2.09 and 136 ± 6.03 mEq/100, respectively. The LOI values obtained were 1.33 ± 0.03 and 1.48 ± 0.11 % for Grahamstown and Tiaret, respectively. E. coll and heterotrophic bacteria were the pathogens determined, and were extracted from sludge using sterile saline and nutrient broth. The concentration of E. coll in Grahamstown and Tiaret sludge were 468 ± 7.63 and 7769 ± 1268 CFU/g d.w and for heterotrophic bacteria were 1.17x109 ± 7.42x108 and 1.43x109 ± 9.11 x108 CFU/g d.w. For Grahamstown sludge, the concentration of nitrates, ammonium and phosphates were 55.61 ± 55.20 mg/g d.w, 6.60 ± 2.36 mg/g d.w and 1.40 ± 0.30 mg/g d.w, respectively. For Tiaret sludge, the concentration of nitrates, ammonium and phosphates were 2.56 ± 2.90 mg/g d.w, 0.64 ± 0.45 mg/g d.w and 0.24 ± 0.19 mg/g d.w, respectively. The concentration of Mn, Cu, Pb and Cd in Grahamstown sludge were 423 ± 101, 353 ± 92, 40.2 ± 20 and 0.0 mg/kg d.w respectively, and for Tiaret sludge, the corresponding concentrations were 358± 295, 549±50, 1427± 1352 and 1.54 ± 0.61 mg/kg d.w. Sewage sludge was found to contain Triclosan, and solubility studies of the compound were conducted using sodium deoxycholate and sodium lithocholate. The apparent solubilities and rate constants indicated in brackets of TCS at 37 °C were 35.4 ± 1.21 mg/L (1.28 ± 0.36 Hr-) and 14.4 ± 0.34 mg/L (0.99 ± 0.17 Hr-) in sodium lithocholate and sodium deoxycholate, respectively. The apparent solubilities and rate constants indicated in brackets of TCS at 15 °C were 32.3 ± 0.88 mg/L (2.16 ± 0.80 Hr-) and 14.2 ± 0.39 mg/L (1.02 ± 0.17 Hr-) in sodium lithocholate and sodium deoxycholate, respectively. Triclosan was extracted from sludge using 1 g/L sodium deoxycholate and the determined concentration were 142 ± 33.5 gg/g d.w for Grahamstown sludge and 0-12 gg/g d.w for Tiaret sludge. Finally plant growth studies were conducted on radish and garden cress plants using Grahamstown sludge at 0, 20, 40, 80 and 100 % treatments. Statistical analysis (t-test and Kruskal-Wallis) at 5 % level of significance was done to compare growth parameters between control and different sludge treatments. For radish plants, the values for plant height, root length, number of leaves, leaf length and dry mass were 28.4-80-7 mm, 4.3-44.7 mm, 3.3-17.0 mm, 2.3-4.0 leaves and 6.3-15.3 %, respectively. For garden cress, the values for plant height, root length, number of leaves, leaf length and dry mass were 13.7-25.0 mm, 7.7-20.3 mm, 5.7-8.3 leaves, 3.0-8.3 mm and 8.8-15.0 %, respectively. Twenty percent (20 %) sludge treatment gave the best results in radish and garden cress plants with respect to plant height, root length, number of leaves and dry mass. Triclosan concentration in radish and garden cress plants was below the detection limit of 32.4 gg/g d.w. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2017
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Date Issued: 2017

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Microbial water quality monitoring of raw and treated water sources in Harare and the effect of gender in disaster management due to water related disasters

- Chirenda, Tatenda Grace

Authors: Chirenda, Tatenda Grace
Date: 2017
Subjects: Drinking water Microbiology Zimbabwe Harare , Heterotrophic bacteria Zimbabwe Harare , Emergency management Zimbabwe Harare , Disasters Social aspects Zimbabwe Harare , Water quality management Zimbabwe Harare , Public health Zimbabwe Harare , Sex role Zimbabwe Harare
Language: English
Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MPharm
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59156 , vital:27444
Description: Background - Microbial water quality monitoring is essential to the provision of potable water for domestic use. Unsafe water sources increase the risk of waterborne diseases. There is a need to raise awareness of legislature that supports management of water related disasters. Gender, education, health, and economic vulnerability contribute to the success of disaster management. Aim - This study aimed to investigate the microbial water quality of treated water in the Harare area. The study also researched the microbial water quality monitoring practices in Zimbabwe and how these contribute to the management of water borne diseases. The impact of gender, marriage, education, and disease in disaster management practices in Zimbabwe and South Africa was analysed. Method - Literature review was conducted on microbial water quality monitoring practices in Zimbabwe and legislature that supports disaster management. Practices of disaster management in Zimbabwe, and South Africa were investigated and compared. The perspective of the Harare community on the quality of their potable water was investigated through the use of a questionnaire and water quality testing was conducted using hydrogen sulphide test and R2A based heterotrophic plate count. Raw water supplying Manyame River and tap water in Harare households were assessed for microbial quality. Results and Discussion - Raw water sources were found to be contaminated by faecal matter. Household water sources had no faecal contamination, but tested positive for heterotrophic bacteria. The CFU/ml quantities obtained ranged from 1- 452 CFU/ml for all samples. The WHO guidelines for domestic water sources recommend that domestic water should have no coliforms/100 ml sample. Disaster management protocols were available in disaster prone areas such as the Matabeleland South Province. No guidelines were in place for monitoring microbial water quality as a disaster prevention method. Conclusion - The current state of treated water supplied by the Morton Jaffray Treatment Plant was found to be suitable for domestic use, but not sufficient to meet the Harare population’s needs. The need to push for legislature supporting microbial water quality monitoring was recognised. Initiating public / private partnerships in water distribution and water quality monitoring in Zimbabwe was encouraged.
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Date Issued: 2017

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The applicability of anaerobically digested pasteurized pit latrine faecal sludge as a fertilizer to grow radish and garden cress

- Madikizela, Phindile

Authors: Madikizela, Phindile
Date: 2017
Subjects: Sewage sludge as fertilizer , Sewage sludge digestion , Sewage Purification Anaerobic treatment
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59235 , vital:27487
Description: Pit latrine faecal sludge was recovered from numerous pit latrines in Hlalani Township, Grahamstown, South Africa. This material was used to prepare a fertilizer to demonstrate the value that could be captured from faecal sludge. Further anaerobic digestion, together with a co-feed demonstrated the potential of faecal sludge to produce low cost fertilizer that could be used to grow food crops. Biogas recovered from the anaerobic digester could be used to pasteurize its effluent, although effective biogas recovery and storage needs to be further addressed. Investigating the microbial community of the different depths of the pit latrine through molecular techniques showed that the fermenting bacteria family Clostridiaceae was the most commonly identified family throughout the different depths of the pit latrine, and that the microbial community within pit latrines was very diverse with bacterial families that are involved in nitrogen fixation, denitrification, and iron and sulphate reduction. Additionally, most of the bacterial families that dominated the seven studied pit latrines had members that were known human pathogens (Mycobacteriaceae, Dermatophilaceae Peptostreptococcaceae, Micrococcaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Leptospiraceae, Listeriaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae and Brucellaceae). Effluent from a wastewater treatment works was selected as a co-feed to augment biogas production. The most successful faecal sludge and co-feed combination was shown to be the one made up of 33% and 66% pit latrine faecal sludge. 180 L of this effluent mixture generated 285 L of biogas over 45 days of anaerobic digestion (29±2°C). However, the recovered quantities were insufficient for pasteurization as 650 L of biogas was required to pasteurize 300 g of faecal sludge for 1 hour at 70±2°C. Therefore, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) was used as an alternative heating energy source. Anaerobic digestion and pasteurization rendered the faecal sludge safe for application as a fertilizer as the quality of the faecal sludge after treatment by anaerobic digestion and pasteurization was within the microbiological (Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Enterococcus faecium and helminth eggs) and trace element restrictions (Pb, Ni, Cr, Mo, As, Cu, Mn, Fe, Cd and Hg) of sludge application in agriculture as stipulated by the WHO and the South African Guidelines for Sludge Use in Agriculture. Radish (Raphanus sativus spp) and garden cress (Lepidium sativum) were cultivated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the anaerobically digested and pasteurized pit latrine faecal sludge as a fertilizer. Diluting the fertilizer prepared from faecal sludge did not reduce its efficacy and was comparable to the synthetic fertilizer used as a control in the growth trials in terms of the plant fresh weight, dry weight and plant height. Finally, the exposure to the current state of pit latrines in Hlalani Township provided an incentive to develop a new tool to address sanitation service delivery skill shortage (artisans, plant operation and maintenance workers, and sanitation and hygiene facilitators) through the use of volunteers. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, 2017
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Date Issued: 2017

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