We describe a modification of the most probable number (MPN) method for rapid enumeration of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria in aqueous environmental samples. E. coli (total and antimicrobial-resistant) bacteria were enumerated in effluent samples from a hospital (n = 17) and municipal sewers upstream (n = 5) and downstream (n = 5) from the hospital, effluent samples from thro...

This paper summarizes the conclusions of two recently completed projects that examined the occurrence of the protozoan pathogen Cryptosporidium in wastewater streams, and the efficacy of ultraviolet (UV) light for treatment of wastewaters to control Cryptosporidium. A 15-month survey of Cryptosporidium oocyst occurrence was conducted at ten US wastewater treatment plants. Cryptosporidium oocyst...

16 Grey model (GM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were employed to predict suspended solids 17 (SSeff), chemical oxygen demand (CODeff) and pHeff in the effluent from conventional activated 18 process of an industrial wastewater treatment plant using simple online monitoring parameters (pH 19 in the equalization pond effluent; pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen in the aeration tank). Th...

Environmental gradients and wastewater discharges produce aggregated effects on marine populations, obscuring the detection of human impact. Classical assessment methods do not include environmental effects in toxicity tests designs, which could lead to incorrect conclusions. We proposed a modified Whole Effluent Toxicity test (mWET) that includes environmental gradients in addition to effluent...

The occurrence of intersex fish, where male reproductive tissues show evidence of feminization, have been found in freshwater systems around the world, indicating the potential for significant endocrine disruption across species in the ecosystem. Estrogens from birth control medications in wastewater treatment plant effluent have been cited as the likely cause, but research has shown that endoc...

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can be broadly defined as systems integrating biological degradation of waste products with membrane filtration. They have proven quite effective in removing organic and inorganic contaminants as well as biological entities from wastewater. Advantages of the MBR include good control of biological activity, high quality effluent free of bacteria and pathogens, smaller...

Duckweed (Lemna minor L.) has a wide application in Turkey having suitable climatic conditions. In this study, the growth of duckweed was assessed in laboratory scale experiments. They were fed with municipal and industrial wastewater at constant temprature. COD, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and ortho-phosphate (OP) removal efficiencies of the reactors were monitored by sampling i...

The disposal of wastewater in water bodies has a negative impact in the environment and the health of people who use such water bodies for either irrigation or drinking purposes. In this study, we evaluated the parasitological profile of wastewater from the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital sewage treatment plant, Zaria, Nigeria using the magnesium sulphate floatation method. The parasi...

Two laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors were used to study biological treatment of carbon and nitrogen in a new combined anaerobic-aerobic system. Piggery wastewater was used as a model effluent. The anaerobic reactor, fed with raw wastewater and nitrite/nitrate recycling from the aerobic reactor, carried out denitrification and anaerobic digestion of organic carbon. In the aerobic react...

It is generally accepted that the main route for human pharmaceuticals to the aquatic environment is via sewage treatment plants receiving wastewater from households and hospitals. We have analysed pharmaceuticals in the effluent from a wastewater treatment plant serving about 90 bulk drug manufacturers in Patancheru, near Hyderabad, India--a major production site of generic drugs for the world...