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Physico-chemical Characterization and Assessment of the Risk of Pollution: A Case of Wastewater Generated by the Regional Hospital and the Central Prison of the City of Ngaoundere, Cameroon

Hassana Boukar, Ngoudzeu Lontsi Hareinda, Talba Dalatou, Ibrahima Adamou, Nsoe Mengue Jean Jacques Nestor

International Journal of Environment and Climate Change · pp. 921–932 · Published 11 Jul 2023

10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i92314

Abstract

Among the public spaces with high human user traffic- schools, hospitals and prisons generate the most volumes of wastewater in developing countries. In addition, when this wastewater is discharged into natural environments without treatment, it can lead to disastrous pollution. The aim of this study is to analyze the physico-chemical parameters of the wastewater of the central prison and the regional hospital in the city of Ngaoundere (Cameroon) and to assess their pollution potential. To achieve this, physical-chemical parameters (temperature; pH; electrical conductivity, total suspended solid; COD, BOD5; heavy metal content) of water from a control site and wastewater from the regional hospital and central prison were measured and compared to current standards. In order to better assess the risk of pollution, a wastewater quality index (WWQI) and a heavy metal pollution index (HPI) were calculated. It shows that for all physico-chemical parameters studied, the values are above the norm except temperature and pH. With a WWQI of 172.81 from prison’s wastewater and of 176.03 from hospital’s wastewater, these wastewaters have values above 100 and are therefore highly polluted. The heavy metal pollution index is 37.89 for control water, 183.10 for prison wastewater and 121.14 for hospital wastewater, respectively. Cadmium and especially lead contribute to increasing the heavy metal pollution index in wastewater. Remediation of these waters should therefore focus on these two heavy metals. The above-standard concentrations of some parameters and pollutants as well as the high wastewater quality index and heavy metal index suggest that the discharge of this wastewater into the natural environment without treatment or its direct use as fertilizers constitutes a potential source of pollution of the soil and surrounding vegetation and beyond a threat to human health if these pollutants enter the human food chain.

Wastewater wastewater quality index (wwpi) metal pollution index (hpi) prison hospital Ngaoundere

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Cited by 4

Inventory of Herbaceous Species and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Their Various Parts: Case in the Urban Ecosystem of Ngaoundere, Cameroon

Ngoudzeu Lontsi Hareinda, Hassana Boukar, Nsoe Mengue Jean Jacques Nestor, Talba Dalatou, Mohammadou Bouba Adji, Ibrahima Adamou · Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International · 2024

Pollution Assessment of Two Urban Soils in the City of Ngaoundere, Cameroon

Ngoudzeu Lontsi Hareinda, Hassana Boukar, Adjia Robert, Talba Dalatou, Ibrahima Adamou · Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science International · 2023

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