South Indian Journal of Biological Sciences

Pandian Manonmani ¹, Samuel Paul Raj ¹, Marimuthu Ramar ², Rajagopal Raskin Erusan ³

Affiliations
1 School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-21, Tamil Nadu, IN
2 Division of Entomology, Deptartment of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu-641046, IN
3 Department of Genetics, Dr.A.L.M. Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical, Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai-600113, Tamil Nadu, IN

Abstract

Hospital effluent is often regarded as an important source of pathogenic microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and parasitic ova. Counts of all these microorganisms were enumerated in various stages of effluent treatment plant (ETP) such as equalisation tank (ET), aeration tank (AT), settling tank (ST), chlorination tank (CT), polishing tank (PT) and sludge dry beds. The microbial parameters includes total viable count (TVC), total coliforms (TC), faecal coliforms (FC), faecal Streptococci (FS), Staphylococci, Pseudomonas, Salmonella and Shigella. The raw sewage contains 35 % of 19.6 X 10² CFU/mL of bacteria as coliforms and E. coli as a typical faecal flora. There was a substantial reduction (> 2 log) noticed for the effluent in settling tank. Mass of the bacteria in the hospital effluent remains tightly attached to the solid particles. These are removed by aeration and clarification or settling by physical processes like flocculation. The treated effluent still contains sizeable counts or loads of bacteria even though disinfection procedures like chlorination are followed. Bacteria in sludge dry beds are exceedingly rigorous and higher concentration of chlorine is required for decontamination and other disinfection procedures such as UV radiation, Ozonization and sunlight disinfection are required for the reduction. Further work will be carried out to design and construct a portable low cost disinfection unit for the disinfection of harmful pathogenic microbes.

Keywords

Pathogenic Microbes, E. coli, Coliforms, Effluent Treatment Plant, Waste Water.

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Murugesan Mahendran ¹, Pardhanandana Reddy ¹, Rajagopal Raskin Erusan ², Marimuthu Ramar ³, Pandian Manonmani ⁴

Affiliations
1 Institute of Genetics & Hospital for Genetic Diseases, Osmania University, Hyderabad, IN
2 Department of Genetics, Dr.A.L.M. Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai-600113, Tamil Nadu, IN
3 Division of Entomology, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641046, IN
4 Department of Biotechnology, Centre for Research and Development, PRIST University, Vallam, Thanjavur, IN

Abstract

Genetic susceptibility is likely to play a role in response to vehicular pollution of GSTP1 and NAT2 (C481T). Genotoxic effects due to respiratory problems in traffic police occupationally exposed to vehicular exhaust have particular importance in the detoxification of inhaled toxicants since it is the most abundant in the lung function and the association.161 male traffic policemen and 170 control subjects were selected for this study. Gene polymorphism was studied using PCR and RFLP method. The results on gene polymorphism of GSTP1 and NAT2 (C481T) showed significant association of homozygous mutant genotype (GG) in GSTP1 gene and homozygous mutant genotype (CC) in NAT2 gene with traffic police having respiratory problems. However, no such association was observed in traffic police without respiratory problems and control group also. Our results suggest that long term exposure to urban air pollution (with traffic as the main contributor) polymorphisms in genetic susceptibility provides evidence to suggest a role in determining the respiratory problems in GSTP1 and NAT2 (C481T) variants associated with reduced detoxification ability, increase susceptibility to such damage and appears to be associated with occupationally exhaust vehicular exhaust in traffic policemen.

Keywords

GSTP1, Gene Polymorphism, Respiratory Problems, Traffic Policemen.

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