Background and objective: Hospital WASTEs are the second hazardous WASTEs after radioactive WASTEs. Proper management of this WASTEs cause to affordable disposal of hospital WASTEs which is also compatible with the environment. The present study has been done to evaluate the quantity of WASTE produced and also the function of safety methods in Sari's hospitals.Method: Required data were collected by going to the production and storage of WASTE and assessment of the devices function have been done based on biological monitoring of indicator bacteria in infectious WASTEs.Findings: Average of total WASTEs produced were 3198 kg per day in Sari's hospitals and per capita WASTE production were estimated kg per bed per day 2.49. Average of normal WASTEs, infectious WASTEs and winning WASTEs and radiation WASTEs were determined per bed respectively, 1.56, 0.7, 0.22, 0.01 kg per day. The total WASTEs and infectious WASTEs in private hospitals were more than of public hospitals and Social Security. The results showed that 46% and 36% of infectious WASTEs have been annihilated by incineration and safe methods respectively. Biological monitoring showed that the most of function Safety devices were at an acceptable level in hospitals. They have been eliminated with an average 80% of microorganisms.Discussion and conclusion: WASTE production in the most of our hospitals, especially private hospitals, are much higher than usual offered by the World Health Organization. The results show that the size of hospitals (large or small) have no influence in the production of solid WASTE per bed, and there were related to the type of ownership and management procedures largely.

Background: We aimed to determine the feasibility of ozone for DISINFECTION of infectious solid WASTE in hospital. Methods: Spores of Bacillus atrophaeus were used to monitor the process of inactivating microbial agents using ozone in medical solid WASTE in the hospitals of Tabriz City, Iran. For this purpose, culture medium containing the mentioned bacteria was placed in the bags containing medical WASTEs. The ozone generator was equipped with a constant dose of 5 grams per liter, with a discharge of 1 and 3 liters per minute and contact time of 10 to 120 min. Then the ozone exposure indicators were incubated for 24-48h at 36 ± 1 °C and, finally, the absence of colony growth in the culture medium was considered as the success of ozone in DISINFECTION of infectious solid WASTE. This process was performed with 4-time replications. Results: The complete removal of B. atrophaeus was obtained for non-compacted and compacted infectious solid WASTE, at contact time of 15 and 50 min, respectively. The efficiency of removal of B. atrophaeus by the process of wet ozone injection through a glass column was 100% in 30 minutes and by separate injection of water vapor into the contact tank was 100% in 50 minutes. The results of this study showed that the use of ozone technology was effective in the inactivation and destruction of microbial agents in medical solid WASTE. Conclusion: Employing different advanced technology of oxidization especially ozone in order to decrease the environmental pollution is considered as one of management approaches.

Background and aims: Usage of municipal WASTE water treatment plant (WWTP), especially in agricultural applications, requires DISINFECTION to standards level. Application of UV radiation due to fewer disadvantages in comparison with other disinfectants is being increased around the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment and DISINFECTION of Isfahan North WASTEwater Treatment Plant effluent by clarification and UV radiation.Methods: The combined system was used in series in pilot scale including: Clarifier + Low Pressure (LP) + Medium Pressure (MP) UV Lamps. Total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC) and fecal streptococcus (FS) were analyzed as microbiological parameters in all effluent samples. TSS, iron, total hardness, absorbtivity and transmittance (%UVT) were tested as physicochemical parameters before and after of units.Results: Results of this study showed that the mean value of UVT in 254 nm and absorbance in clarified effluent were 34 percent and 0.47 au/cm, respectively. In DISINFECTION of clarified effluent with LP, MP, and combination of LP and MP lamps, doses of 400, 576 and 407 mws/cm2, the number of TC, FC, and FS was declined to standards of 1000 TC, and 400FC/100ml for effluent discharge. In addition, in doses of 400, 422 and 407, number of FS was reduced to 5 Log. Maximum regrowth of coliforms was seen after LP lamp and it was 7 percent. Maximum fouling on quartz sleeve was formed in TSS of 48mg/l, while concentration of iron and hardness was 0.48, 249 mg/l, respectively.Conclusion: Improving UV light penetration due to removal of coarse particles and flocks in clarifier, DISINFECTION of clarified effluent with high irradiation time was possible in conventional doses. However, for upgrading the effluent quality and DISINFECTION of high flow rate, using advanced treatment systems such as filtration is recommended.

Background and Objective: Due to the importance of managing medical sharps WASTE and the potential harm caused by these types of WASTE, the use of safe technologies that simultaneously encapsulate and reduce their volume is considered one of the essential needs for managing medical WASTE in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The main objective of this study was to investigate the efficiency of disinfecting and encapsulating device for medical sharps WASTE. Materials and Methods: This device provides the process of containment and encapsulation of medical sharps WASTE by creating a stable protective foam without oxidation through inductive heat in a closed environment, preventing the dispersion and release of these WASTEs. Gas samples from the device's output were collected using the NIOSH 1501 method and analyzed using GC-MS. The performance efficiency of the device was evaluated based on the biological monitoring of the indicator bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus. Results: The results showed that the average concentration of BTEX gases (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and other volatile organic compounds in the device's output was within the permissible limit. The concentrations of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene gases were 0. 04, 0. 033, 0. 029, and 0. 029 ppm, respectively. The results of biological monitoring showed that the reduction of the microbial load was 9999. 99 (Log 6) and the decontamination process was acceptable. Additionally, this device has the advantage of reducing the volume of sharp and plastic objects during the encapsulation process, which can be further used in plastic pyrolysis/ recycling industries. Conclusion: It is hoped that by using this innovative and domestic device in the decontamination units of hospitals across the country, we can take an effective step towards improving medical WASTE management, reducing WASTE production, reducing hospital costs, and preserving and enhancing the country's health.

Background and Aim: There are various methods for the DISINFECTION of infectious WASTEs, which are of great importance due to their health and environmental risks potential and there are different insights about their management in Iran. Hence, the aim of this study was to survey the various aspects of DISINFECTION methods of infectious WASTEs based on the environmental health specialist insights. Materials and methods: For performing this study, a questionnaire was prepared and the opinions of the specialists were gathered about five DISINFECTION and disposal methods of infectious WASTEs, and finally the data were analyzed. Moreover, the preferences of the specialists for selecting each method were also asked based on nine various aspects. Results: It was found that health issues received the highest priority (with 26% of desirability) from the specialists in selecting the method, while the lowest priority was assigned for financial issues (with 8% of desirability) and political acceptability (with 6% of desirability). Environmental health specialists believed that autoclaving and WASTE incinerating with 77. 8% and 44. 1% of desirability, respectively, are the most favorable and undesirable methods for DISINFECTION of the infectious WASTEs. The results showed that the DISINFECTION is a top priority for the specialists, and with respect to the current situation, they did not make any significant difference between on-site and ex-situ DISINFECTION methods, which is reflected in the scores of 3. 65 and 3. 72 for these two scenarios. Conclusion: Overall, health aspects have the most important priority in the management of infectious WASTEs. Therefore, autoclaving and microwaving are the most appropriate methods for the DISINFECTION of such WASTEs. Landfilling and incineration were not suggested for the disposal or treatment of infectious WASTEs.

In this study an attempt has been made to disinfect total coliform bacteria present in Falaj water using solar water DISINFECTION (SODIS) technology. SODIS experiments were conducted in winter (February 2018) and summer (May 2018) using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles (less, thin and thick plastic PETs) and the glass ones of different capacities (0. 5, 1 and 1. 5 L). The results showed that total coliform DISINFECTION rate in May was two folds greater than that in February. Water depth or volume of sample in the bottle had significant effect on the efficiency of SODIS. Highest DISINFECTION rate was found on the samples collected from water depth of 6 cm (0. 5 L), while the lowest was observed on samples of 8 cm in depth (1. 5 L). No significant difference was observed in disinfecting total coliform between glass and less plastic PET bottle for shorter exposure periods (1 h). Results of this research have proved SODIS as an appropriate household water treatment and safe storage for disinfecting Falaj water in Oman. This study is a step forward in Oman to employ solar energy in the water and WASTEwater treatments.

Background and Objective: Proper operation and maintenance of hospital WASTE sterilization devices are crucial for preventing the spread of infections and hazardous diseases, as well as for safeguarding public health and the environment. This study aims to assess the operational and maintenance status of medical WASTE sterilization devices in public and private hospitals in Golestan Province. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 17 public and 6 private hospitals in Golestan Province, all of which were equipped with vacuum steam autoclaves (without shredders) for medical WASTE sterilization. Monthly microbiological sampling was performed by an accredited environmental laboratory. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires and personal interviews, with results analyzed using frequency distributions, percentages, and central tendency measures. Results: The overall microbial sterilization performance of the devices was 97.07%, indicating high efficacy in WASTE treatment. When comparing hospital types, public hospitals demonstrated a 96.93% satisfactory sterilization rate, while private hospitals performed slightly better at 97.22%. Regarding preventive maintenance, compliance was suboptimal, with public hospitals adhering to maintenance protocols 68.62% of the time, compared to 77.77% in private hospitals. Additionally, the sanitary conditions of sterilization device locations met required standards in 94.11% of public hospitals but only 69.05% of private hospitals, suggesting variability in facility upkeep. Conclusion: To ensure device effectiveness and minimize risks in hospital WASTE management, implementing preventive maintenance programs and providing continuous staff training on proper device use are essential.