Investigating the performance of the treatment plant system in removing toluene and its impact on human health and the environment

Authors

1 PhD in environment, support management, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services

2 Laboratory of Petroleum Compounds and Toxins, Environmental Protection Organization of Iran

3 Organization of Geology and Mineral Exploration of the country

Abstract

The issue of lack of resources and water crisis is one of the most important challenges facing governments and one of the basic problems of the last century, which in some cases has made human life face serious threats. Iran, as a country with a hot and dry climate and with an average per capita rainfall of about 250 mm, which is about one third of the global average, is considered one of the countries with limited water resources. Finding appropriate solutions and new options is one of the major goals of organizations, so that by implementing them, the goals of sustainable development, solving water shortage problems and preserving the future heritage of water resources will be realized. With the reduction of water resources, sanitary disposal of wastewater and its correct and principled treatment for various uses, including irrigation of green spaces, seems necessary. Therefore, Iran University of Medical Sciences uses the purification system for this purpose. However, with the appearance of symptoms such as itchy hands and reddening of the skin of the employees of the green area and treatment plant, the unfavorable performance of the university treatment plant was investigated as one of the possible causes. For this purpose, sampling of the effluent from the treatment plant was done in order to analyze the physicochemical parameters including COD, pH, BOD, TSS, temperature, turbidity, chloride, magnesium, sulfate and microbial parameters. The parameters were selected based on the standard of wastewater output for agricultural and irrigation purposes prepared by the Environmental Protection Organization. Based on the analysis results, COD, TSS and turbidity parameters were reported to be higher than the mentioned standard. Also, the comparison of ammonium in the outgoing wastewater compared to the incoming wastewater did not have an acceptable reduction. Due to the possibility of contamination of the underground water with organic pollutants due to the construction activities upstream of the aqueduct adjacent to the university (which was used for irrigation along with the effluent of the treatment plant) to ensure sufficient quality of the effluent of the organic compounds in the effluent by GC/MS device was identified. The results showed the presence of organic compounds of toluene in the effluent of the treatment plant.

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Zist Sepehr Student Magazine
Volume 17, Issue 1
December 2024
Pages 58-64

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