Sponsor:
German Environmental Agency, Dessau (FKZ 29727526)
Realisation:
Hydrotox GmbH, Stefan Gartiser (project management), Gabi Stiene
Inst. für Hygiene und Arbeitsphysiologie der ETH-Zürich, Dr. Andreas Hartmann
Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg, Karlsruhe, Dr. Jürgen Zipperle
Project duration:
1997 – 1999
Summary
The contribution of disinfectants on geno- and ecotoxic effects in hospital wastewater has been evaluated, by compiling the consumption of active substances at 8 hospitals and by investigating around 80 wastewater samples, active substances, products or mixtures in the umuC-assay, Ames-test, Vibrio fischeri and/or Daphnia magna test. In conjunction, litera-ture and data bank research on around 60 active substances have been performed. The average specific total consumption of disinfectants (without alcohols) was 4.4 g/(bed*day), corresponding to a wastewater concentration of around 9 mg/l.. In addition relevant con-sumption from kitchen and laundries are taken into account. While no effects were meas-ured in the Ames-test in total wastewater samples, 71 % of them were tested to be genotoxic in the umuC-assay. Most of the umuC-effects in total wastewater samples could be explained with the consumption of Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The effect levels for genotoxicity of the disinfectants applied is only exceeded if a massive input occurs in a short time. In contrast, ecotoxic effects measured in hospital wastewater can be explained with the consumption of disinfectants. A dysfunction of municipal wastewater treatment plants through disinfectants from the hospital area is not expected, as both the ecotoxic as well as the genotoxic effects of disinfectants were degraded in sewage treatment plants as a rule. It is recommended to objectify the evaluation criteria of disinfectants and to consider the environmental behaviour as an additional criterion for the selection of disinfectants more than is done currently.
Further information
The final report has been published in German in the UBA-Texte series No. 1/00 in April 2000. A not authorised pdf version compiled later can be downloaded 
here.
Contact Person
Dipl. Geogr./Hydrologist Stefan Gartiser (
gartiser(at)hydrotox.de, Tel: +49-(0)761-45512-24)