Enormous Impact of Hospital and Clinical Waste Generation on Air Quality in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted at the FETHA 1 in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. It assessed the various hospital/clinical wastes generated in the various wards. The indoor and outdoor air quality of the wards was studied. The volume of waste generated in the morning and evening was studied for three months for two years. The indoor and outdoor air quality of the wards was also studied for three months for two years. The ambient concentrations of CO, NH₃, NO₂, H₂S were monitored using portable gas motors. At FETHA1, the highest volume of waste generated in the morning time in the month of June 2021 was 26.9 kg in the children's ward and the least value of 15.6 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a coefficient of variation (cv) of 26.7%; while in same morning of June 2022; the same children's ward gave the highest volume of wastes of 28.9 kg and least wastes of 16.7 kg in the same gynaecology theatre with a cv of 26.9%. In the evening period of June 2021, the highest waste of 27.5 kg was in the children's ward and the lowest value of 20.6 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a cv of 14.9%. In the morning of June 2022, the children's ward gave the highest volume of waste of 28.9 kg and the lowest value of 16.7 kg in the gynaecology theatre with a cv of 26.95, while in the evening period of June 2022, the same children's ward gave 30.1 kg and least value of 26.6 kg in gynaecology theatre with a cv of 6.3%. There were no statistically significant variations across wards, times of day and months for wastes generated at FETHA 1. The highest CO indoor gas concentration of 0.88 mg/l in 2021 was in the children's ward and the lowest CO indoor gas concentration of 0.40 mg/l and outdoor CO gas concentration of 0.28 mg/l with cv of 43.3%. For NH3, the highest concentration of 0.35 mg/l was in the same children's ward and the lowest concentration of 0.12 in the labour ward with a cv of 67.5%. Across wards, months and years, there were statistical variations in the indoor and outdoor gaseous concentrations of the various gases monitored. Although the concentrations of the gases indoors and outdoors passed the WHO and local standards, constant monitoring of wastes generated at all times, months, and years and their impact on air quality was recommended as the teaching hospital has high traffic of patients and customers to allay fears of gas poisoning.