Assessment and the removal of the selected heavy metals from hospital and dumpsite wastes in Rwanda: Case study CHUK and Nduba dumpsite

Abstract

Around the world environmental resources are contaminated by hospital and dumpsite wastes that are poorly managed. This study's objective was to evaluate and get removed of the chosen heavy metals from hospital and dumpsite wastes in Rwanda mainly in University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and Nduba Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) dumping site. Various samples such as leachate, soil, ash and hospital wastewater samples were taken from CHUK and Nduba dumpsite. Using polyethylene (PE) bottles and bags, sampling was carried out during the dry and rainy seasons. The heavy metals were examined using MP-AES, or Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. The outcomes also demonstrated the CHUK waste's exposure to heavy metals. Wastewater samples revealed (Zn:4.835±0.60mg/L, Mn:1.894±0.40mg/L, Pb:0.343±0.06mg/L, Cd:0.123±0.03mg/L, Cu:0.502±0.05mg/L), and ash samples are the most concentrated samples with heavy metal (Zn:1280±12.7mg/Kg, Cd: 5.2±1.2mg/Kg, Cu:3570±204.3mg/Kg, Mn:116±19.4mg/Kg, Pb:25.2mg/Kg) Due to the in one of the wells near the CHUK and Nduba MSW dumping site, a very little amount of the heavy metals in question was found, more research is required, including hydro geochemical analysis of the area. It has been demonstrated that sawdust has a nice structure suitable for water filtration techniques. There are a number of factors that affect how heavy metals adsorb into sawdust biochar, although present research has focused on dose and contact time. According to this study, the rates of adsorption for lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium, and copper increased from 45 to 80%, 35 to 90%, 30 to 70%, 45 to 79%, and 15 to 71%, for hospital wastewater respectively, in addition percentage removal of lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium, and copper in leachates were 27 to 78%, 30 to 76%, 39 to 77%, 41 to 80%, 34 to 76% respectively. One of the most effective methods for addressing the wastewater issue is sawdust, which offers important benefits to consider.