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Treatment of Clinical Solid Waste Using a Steam Autoclave as a Possible Alternative Technology to Incineration

Author

Listed:
  • Md. Sohrab Hossain

    (Department of Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia)

  • Venugopal Balakrishnan

    (Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia)

  • Nik Norulaini Nik Ab Rahman

    (School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia)

  • Md. Zaidul Islam Sarker

    (Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Campus, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia)

  • Mohd Omar Ab Kadir

    (Department of Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia)

Abstract

A steam autoclave was used to sterilize bacteria in clinical solid waste in order to determine an alternative to incineration technology in clinical solid waste management. The influence of contact time (0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min) and temperature (111 °C, 121 °C and 131 °C) at automated saturated steam pressure was investigated. Results showed that with increasing contact time and temperature, the number of surviving bacteria decreased. The optimum experimental conditions as measured by degree of inactivation of bacteria were 121 °C for 15 minutes (min) for Gram negative bacteria, 121 °C and 131 °C for 60 and 30 min for Gram positive bacteria, respectively. The re-growth of bacteria in sterilized waste was also evaluated in the present study. It was found that bacterial re-growth started two days after the inactivation. The present study recommends that the steam autoclave cannot be considered as an alternative technology to incineration in clinical solid waste management.

Suggested Citation

  • Md. Sohrab Hossain & Venugopal Balakrishnan & Nik Norulaini Nik Ab Rahman & Md. Zaidul Islam Sarker & Mohd Omar Ab Kadir, 2012. "Treatment of Clinical Solid Waste Using a Steam Autoclave as a Possible Alternative Technology to Incineration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:9:y:2012:i:3:p:855-867:d:16586
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Abrar Mahjoob & Yousef Alfadhli & Vincent Omachonu, 2023. "Healthcare Waste and Sustainability: Implications for a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Adis Puška & Željko Stević & Dragan Pamučar, 2022. "Evaluation and selection of healthcare waste incinerators using extended sustainability criteria and multi-criteria analysis methods," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(9), pages 11195-11225, September.
    3. Muhammad Hammad Mushtaq & Fahad Noor & M. A. Mujtaba & Salman Asghar & Abdulfatah Abdu Yusuf & Manzoore Elahi M. Soudagar & Abrar Hussain & Mohamed Fathy Badran & Kiran Shahapurkar, 2022. "Environmental Performance of Alternative Hospital Waste Management Strategies Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-16, November.

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