Characteristics, fate, and effects of Helicobacter pylori in municipal wastewater treatment plant
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H. pylori was detected throughout the wastewater treatment process.
Most of the H. pylori in wastewater was transferred to the excess sludge.
H. Pylori can be released into the air as bioaerosols during wastewater treatment.
Dispersion of airborne H. pylori affected the ambient air quality.
H. Pylori infection risk existed in all sections of the wastewater treatment plant.
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ABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) is a highly pathogenic bacterium that can be transmitted through various means, including wastewater, which serves as both a source and sink for H. pylori. In the wastewater treatment process, the exposure risk of H. Pylori escaping through bioaerosols is easily overlooked. In this study, the pollution characteristics and variation patterns of H. Pylori in wastewater, sludge, and air medium were systematically investigated in a typical municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) applying anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process through long-term sampling. The results indicated a significant reduction of H. Pylori in wastewater and accumulation in excess sludge following the wastewater treatment process. H. Pylori was also detected in bioaerosols due to its escape during wastewater treatment and sludge dewatering. The highest detection concentrations of H. Pylori in the air were found in the sludge dewatering house. O3, solar radiation, ambient temperature, and wind speed all had negative effects on the relative abundance and respirable proportion of airborne H. pylori. In addition, H. Pylori in bioaerosols had the potential to contaminate the ambient environment and posed a potential health risk to operational workers. This study will help to recognize the pollution of H. Pylori in MWTPs and raise the attention to occupational exposure among MWTP workers. -
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REFERENCES
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Wang Y., Han Y., Wang W., et al., (2024). Characteristics, fate, and effects of Helicobacter pylori in municipal wastewater treatment plant. The Innovation Geoscience 2(3): 100080. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2024.100080
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Wang Y., Han Y., Wang W., et al., (2024). Characteristics, fate, and effects of Helicobacter pylori in municipal wastewater treatment plant. The Innovation Geoscience 2(3): 100080. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2024.100080
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Figure 1.
Variations in H. pylori abundance in wastewater during treatment processes
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Figure 2.
The response of wastewater quality characteristics on the abundance of H. pylori in wastewater
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Figure 3.
H. pylori in sludge and environmental soil
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Figure 4.
H. pylori in bioaerosols
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Figure 5.
Transmission of H. pylori in the MWTP
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Figure 6.
Diffusion of airborne H. pylori downwind.
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Figure 7.
Exposure risk of airborne H. pylori
