Engineering Design of Hospital Wastewater Treatment System for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Inactivation

Abstract

Hospital wastewater contains high concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms, pharmaceutical residues, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), posing serious environmental and public health risks when discharged without effective treatment. This study presents the engineering design of a hospital wastewater treatment system specifically developed for the inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria under varying operational conditions. The proposed treatment framework integrates physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes with advanced disinfection technologies to enhance microbial removal efficiency and improve overall effluent quality. A comprehensive experimental and analytical investigation was conducted to evaluate the influence of hydraulic retention time, disinfectant dosage, aeration conditions, membrane filtration performance, and oxidation intensity on ARB inactivation and contaminant removal efficiency. The treatment system incorporates preliminary screening, biological degradation, advanced oxidation, membrane separation, and ultraviolet disinfection stages to achieve comprehensive wastewater remediation and microbial control. Performance evaluation demonstrated significant reductions in antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations, organic pollutant concentration, suspended solids, and pharmaceutical residues under optimized operating conditions. The study further revealed that integrated advanced oxidation and membrane-based treatment significantly improve pathogen inactivation efficiency and reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments. Comparative analysis indicated enhanced treatment reliability, operational stability, and environmental safety compared to conventional hospital wastewater treatment approaches.