HEALTH EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH WASTEWATER TREATMENT

IN TOMANG, WEST JAKARTA

Andria Kusumarini
082001400006
Environmental Engineering

Introduction:

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

TreatmentPlant and OccupationalHealth. Sewage workers are routinely
exposed to occupationalhealthhazards such as infection and
endotoxins. The carcinogenic risk in sewage workers was assessed in a
cross-sectional study comparing exposed sewage workers to nonexposed office workers in Paris, France (Al Zabadi et al., 2008). The risk
was evaluated by various biomarkers, such as DNA adducts in peripheral
lymphocytes and urinal 8-oxo-dG, as well as early biologicaleffects, and
their implication was discussed alongwithactual chemical exposure
data. A case of a sewer worker exposed to deadly concentrations of
hydrogen sulfide was reported by Yalamanchili and Smith (2008). Safety
precautions andtreatmentoptions available to those exposed to high
doses of hydrogen sulfide gas were explored. Zarra et al. (2008) utilized
a novel procedure to identify and characterize the odor sources and the
volatile substances that cause annoyance in awastewater
treatmentplant (WWTP)

located in a sensitive area. In this study, around 39

different substances were detected,withalmost half being
smell relevant components as well as responsible. Dimethyl
disulphide was identified as key compound connected to
the efficiency of the process. Hofmann (2008) described
the characterization of various biological hazards and
prevention methods in high-risk workplaces, including
sewage works.
A study revealed that workers atwastewater
treatmentfacilities, especially those who cleaned the
underground portion of the sewers, were exposed to
Tropheryma whipplei and were consequently becoming a
reservoir of the agent of Whipple disease (Fenollar et al.,
2008). Divizia et al. (2008) reported a limited risk of
acquiring infectionswithenteric viruses, including hepatitis
A virus, coxsackievirus B2, B3, B4, and B5, and echovirus
types 1 and 9, among sewage workers. The study involved
66 workers at a small WWTP in northeastern Italy and 72
control subjects.

OBJECTIVE
OF THE RESEARCH
To examine

LITERATURE REVIEW

The determinants of morbidity in the area along the territory of

Techa and Iset Rivers in Russia were investigated and the results
indicated that children's morbidity correlate to the ambient air
pollution and adults' morbidity correlate to air pollution as well
as water quality (Konyshina et al., 2008). High incidence of
endocrine and respiratory system diseases and ulcer disease was
directly in response to the ranking of the pollution level. JaroszChobot et al. (2008) researched the relationship between
profound social-economical transformations and increasing
incidence (average 7.52% per year) of type 1 diabetes mellitus
(DMT1) on the Upper Silesia, Poland. Environmental factors such
as accessibility of the water supply and sewage systems were
found to influence etiopathogenesis of DMT1. Berner (2008)
analyzed the associations of sanitary conditions, such as sewage
and water supply system construction,withthe epidemiological
date on infectious diseases in Cracow, Poland during the mid19th century to early 20th century.

Health Effectsin Aquatic Organisms. Iwanowicz et al. (2008)

investigated the reproductivehealthof bass proximity to WWTP
discharge cites on the Potomac River, USA. It was found that
estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals in the effluent may
have an influence on the high incidence of intersexuality;
intersex was found prevalent in male smallmouth bass (82% to
100%) and in largemouth bass (23%) from captured fish samples.
In a related study, Alvarez et al. (2008) described the significant
impact of WWTP effluent on the seasonal occurrence of organic
contaminants, including atrazine, metolachlor, organochlorine
pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as
well as otherwastewater-derived chemicals. Kostich and
Lazorchak (2008) estimated the risks to aquatic
organismsassociated withexposure to prescription
pharmaceutical residues inwastewaterin the United States.
Potentialeffectsof some active pharmaceutical ingredients
(APIs) were found to restrict to vertebrates and other APIs were
found to affect some eukaryotic and prokaryotic clades.

METHODOLOGY

Primary Treatment.In primary treatment, floating and suspended solids are

settled and removed from sewage.
Flow from the sewers enters a screen/bar rack to remove large, floating
material such as rags and sticks.
It then flows through a grit chamber where heavier inorganics such as sand and
small stones are removed.
Grit removal is usually followed by a sedimentation tank/clarifierswhere
inorganic and organic suspended solids are settled out.
To kill pathogenic bacteria, the final effluent from the treatment process is
disinfected prior to discharge to a receiving water. Chlorine, in the form of a
sodium hypochlorite solution, is normally used for disinfection. Since more
chlorine is needed to provide adequate bacteria kills than would be safe for
aquatic life in the stream, excess chlorine is removed by dechlorination.
Alternate disinfection methods, such as ozone orultravioletlight, are utilized
by some treatment plants.
Sludge that settles to the bottom of the clarifier is pumped out and dewatered
for use as fertilizer, disposed of in a landfill, or incinerated. Sludge that is free
of heavy metals and other toxic contaminants is called Biosolids and can be
safely and beneficially recycled as fertilizer, for example.

Secondary treatment. In secondary treatment the bacteria in sewage is used to

further purify the sewage. Secondary treatment, a biological process, removes 85
percent or more of the organic matter in sewage compared with primary treatment,
which removes about 50 percent.
The basic processes are variations of what is called the "activated sludge" process or
"trickling filters," which provide a mechanism for bacteria, with air added for oxygen,
to come in contact with the wastewater to purify it.
In the activated sludge process, flow from the sewer or primary clarifiers goes into an
aeration tank, where compressed air is mixed with sludge that is recycled from
secondary clarifiers which follow the aeration tanks. The recycled, or activated,
sludge provides bacteria to consume the "food" provided by the new wastewater in the
aeration tank, thus purifying it.
In a trickling filter the flow trickles over a bed of stones or synthetic media on which
the purifying organisms grow and contact the wastewater, removing contaminants in
the process. The flow, along with excess organisms that build up on the stones or
media during the purification, then goes to a secondary clarifier. Air flows up through
the media in the filters, to provide necessary oxygen for the bacteria organisms.
Clarified effluent flows to the receiving water, typically a river or bog, after
disinfection. Excess sludge is produced by the process and after collection from the
bottom of the secondary clarifiers it is dewatered, sometimes after mixing with
primary sludge, for use as fertilizer, disposed of in a landfill, or incinerated.

Advanced or Tertiary Treatment.As science advanced the

knowledge of aquatic life mechanisms and human health
effects, and the need for purer water was identified,
technology developed to provide better treatment. Heavy
metals, toxic chemicals and other pollutants can be
removed from domestic and industrial wastewater to an
increasing degree.

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THANK YOU