Detection of Parasitic Particles in Domestic and Urban Wastewaters and Assessment of Removal Efficiency of Treatment Plants in Tehran, Iran

Overview

Journal J Environ Health Sci Eng

Publisher Springer

Date 2015 Feb 6

PMID 25653867

Citations 11

Authors

Kareem Hatam-Nahavandi

Amir Hossein Mahvi

Mehdi Mohebali

Hossein Keshavarz

Iraj Mobedi

Mostafa Rezaeian

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: In recent years, decreasing annual rainfalls in some countries and population growth have led to a shortage of freshwater resources. Thus, recycled wastewaters has been suggested for agricultural activities. Contamination of wastewaters with pathogens is a major concern for the use of these waters. This study aimed to (i) investigate the occurrence of helminth eggs and protozoan (oo)cysts in human and livestock wastewaters, and (ii) evaluate the parasite removal efficiencies of urban and slaughterhouse treatment plants in Tehran province, Iran. One hundred and eight samples were collected from five urban and domestic wastewater treatment plants in Iran. Wastewater samples were concentrated by centrifugal-concentration and filtration methods.

Results: The quantity of helminths egg and protozoa (oo)cyst per liter of urban raw wastewater ranged from 1.2 × 10(1) to 2.9 × 10(1) and from 9.6 × 10(2) to 1.9 × 10(3), respectively. The number of eggs and (oo)cysts per liter of animal raw wastewater ranged from 1.6 × 10(3) to 4.9 × 10(3) and 3.1 × 10(4) to 6.0 × 10(4), respectively. The helminths and protozoa identified in urban treatment plants included hookworms, Hymenolepis and Rhabditis (or probably Strongyloides), Entamoeba, Isospora, Giardia, Chilomastix and Cryptosporidium, while in slaughterhouses Trichuris, Trichostrongylus, Moniezia, Dicrocoelium, Fasciola, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, Eimeria and Giardia were isolated. The overall removal efficiency of eggs and (oo)cysts in the treatment plants ranged from 94.8 to 95.7% and from 79.3 to 85.8%, respectively.

Conclusion: The study results revealed that the efficacy of removal of nematode eggs, and not protozoan (oo)cysts, in urban wastewater treatment plants, is in compliance with the WHO parasitological guideline (<1 nematode per liter) required for unrestricted irrigation.

Citing Articles

Parasites in Sewage: Legal Requirements and Diagnostic Tools.

Obuch-Woszczatynska O, Bylinska K, Krzyzowska M, Korzekwa K, Baska P Pathogens. 2025; 14(1).

PMID: 39861047 PMC: 11768300. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14010086.

Enhancing agricultural sustainability through optimization of the slaughterhouse sludge compost for elimination of parasites and coliforms.

Rizwan H, Naveed M, Sajid M, Nazish N, Younus M, Raza M Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):23953.

PMID: 39397149 PMC: 11471828. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-75606-8.

Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in wastewater and surface water in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China using real-time PCR and multilocus genotyping.

Lass A, Kontogeorgos I, Ma L, Zhang X, Li X, Karanis P Sci Rep. 2022; 12(1):5428.

PMID: 35361820 PMC: 8971506. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09166-0.

Treatment of the railway freight wagon wash effluents by coagulation methods on accelator reactor.

Zak S, Rauckyte-Zak T J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2021; 19(2):1399-1412.

PMID: 34900275 PMC: 8617155. DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00695-w.

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among the Bulgarian Population Over a Three Year Period (2015 - 2017).

Harizanov R, Rainova I, Tsvetkova N, Kaftandjiev I, Borisova R, Ivanova A Helminthologia. 2020; 57(1):12-18.

PMID: 32063735 PMC: 6996262. DOI: 10.2478/helm-2020-0002.

References

Verweij J, Polderman A, Clark C . Genetic Variation among Human Isolates of Uninucleated Cyst-Producing Entamoeba Species. J Clin Microbiol. 2001; 39(4):1644-6. PMC: 87989. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.4.1644-1646.2001. View

Li N, Xiao L, Wang L, Zhao S, Zhao X, Duan L . Molecular surveillance of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi by genotyping and subtyping parasites in wastewater. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012; 6(9):e1809. PMC: 3435239. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001809. View

Moe C, Rheingans R . Global challenges in water, sanitation and health. J Water Health. 2006; 4 Suppl 1:41-57. View

Karanis P, Kourenti C, Smith H . Waterborne transmission of protozoan parasites: a worldwide review of outbreaks and lessons learnt. J Water Health. 2007; 5(1):1-38. DOI: 10.2166/wh.2006.002. View

Huang D, White A . An updated review on Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2006; 35(2):291-314, viii. DOI: 10.1016/j.gtc.2006.03.006. View

Levine A, Asano T . Recovering sustainable water from wastewater. Environ Sci Technol. 2004; 38(11):201A-208A. DOI: 10.1021/es040504n. View

Bukhari Z, Smith H . Effect of three concentration techniques on viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts recovered from bovine feces. J Clin Microbiol. 1995; 33(10):2592-5. PMC: 228535. DOI: 10.1128/jcm.33.10.2592-2595.1995. View

Plym-Forshell L . Survival of salmonellas and Ascaris suum eggs in a thermophilic biogas plant. Acta Vet Scand. 1995; 36(1):79-85. PMC: 8095423. View

Horak P . Helminth eggs in the sludge from three sewage treatment plants in Czechoslovakia. Folia Parasitol (Praha). 1992; 39(2):153-7. View

10.

Caccio S, De Giacomo M, Aulicino F, Pozio E . Giardia cysts in wastewater treatment plants in Italy. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003; 69(6):3393-8. PMC: 161540. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.69.6.3393-3398.2003. View

11.

Hutchison M, Walters L, Avery S, Synge B, Moore A . Levels of zoonotic agents in British livestock manures. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2004; 39(2):207-14. DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2004.01564.x. View

12.

Khouja L, Cama V, Xiao L . Parasitic contamination in wastewater and sludge samples in Tunisia using three different detection techniques. Parasitol Res. 2010; 107(1):109-16. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-1844-8. View

13.

Bertrand I, Schwartzbrod J . Detection and genotyping of Giardia duodenalis in wastewater: relation between assemblages and faecal contamination origin. Water Res. 2007; 41(16):3675-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2007.02.043. View

14.

Jimenez B . Helminth ova removal from wastewater for agriculture and aquaculture reuse. Water Sci Technol. 2007; 55(1-2):485-93. DOI: 10.2166/wst.2007.046. View

15.

Kitajima M, Haramoto E, Iker B, Gerba C . Occurrence of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora in influent and effluent water at wastewater treatment plants in Arizona. Sci Total Environ. 2014; 484:129-36. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.036. View

16.

Cai L, Zhang T . Detecting human bacterial pathogens in wastewater treatment plants by a high-throughput shotgun sequencing technique. Environ Sci Technol. 2013; 47(10):5433-41. DOI: 10.1021/es400275r. View

17.

Brandonisio O, Portincasa F, Torchetti G, Lacarpia N, Rizzi A, Fumarola L . Giardia and Cryptosporidium in water: evaluation of two concentration methods and occurrence in wastewater. Parassitologia. 2001; 42(3-4):205-9. View

18.

Carreno R, Pokorny N, Weir S, Lee H, Trevors J . Decrease in Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst infectivity in vitro by using the membrane filter dissolution method for recovering oocysts from water samples. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2001; 67(7):3309-13. PMC: 93018. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.7.3309-3313.2001. View

19.

Lim Y, Wan Hafiz W, Nissapatorn V . Reduction of Cryptosporidium and Giardia by sewage treatment processes. Trop Biomed. 2007; 24(1):95-104. View

20.

Mahvi A, Kia E . Helminth eggs in raw and treated wastewater in the Islamic Republic of Iran. East Mediterr Health J. 2006; 12(1-2):137-43. View