Hospital water treatment plants fail to stop bacteria and 728 pollutants found in water

During the testing of wastewater from three hospitals in Delhi, it has emerged that the water treatment plants installed in the hospitals also failed to completely eliminate dangerous bacteria, according to a report by Amar Ujala. A study conducted by researchers from IIT Delhi has revealed that the wastewater discharged from hospitals itself can become a risk for spreading infections.

A total of 728 types of pollutants were found in the hospital wastewater in this research. The most concerning aspect is that even after the water purification process was completed, the presence of four dangerous bacteria was observed. Additionally, 51 types of antibiotic-resistant genes were found during the investigation. Out of these, 14 genes are associated with multidrug resistance. Such genes can enable bacteria to withstand the effects of more than one antibiotic drug, making it difficult to treat even common infections.

Traces of antibiotic drugs such as Amoxicillin, Levofloxacin, and Azithromycin were also found in the wastewater samples. Continuous exposure to these drugs poses a risk of bacteria developing resistance against the medicines. Out of the 728 pollutants found in the research, the chemical structures of 38 were confirmed and the concentration of 23 pollutants was measured.

Researchers identified bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter in the wastewater. All these bacteria are associated with infections occurring in hospitals. These bacteria can prove more hazardous for patients with weak immunity, the elderly, and critically ill people.

If this water reaches drains, rivers, or other water sources without being completely purified, the pollutants and bacteria can spread into the environment. If this contaminated water is used for agriculture, there is also a suspicion that these pollutants may reach the food chain. This could allow the risk of antibiotic resistance and infection to move beyond hospitals and reach the general public.

IIT Delhi is a leading technological institution in India, known for research and education in various science and engineering fields. It is one of the country's prestigious institutions working to provide technological solutions.