Evaluation of the efficiency of some disinfectants on the viability of Hymenolepis nana eggs isolated from wastewater and faecal sludge in Yaounde (Cameroon): importance of some abiotic variables

Abstract

Abstract Hymenolepis nana is responsible for many parasitic infections in tropical areas, with its persistence in aquatic environments as major contributory factor. A study aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of some disinfectants on the viability of Hymenolepis nana eggs was conducted in microcosm. Sampling consisted of taking wastewater and sewage sludge samples in sterilized containers and then transporting to the laboratory of Hydrobiology and Environmental Sciences for the determination of Hymenolepis nana eggs using standard protocols. The experimental set-up consisted of five replicates, four tests and a control. The test samples were successively treated with four disinfectants (calcium chlorite, hydrogen peroxide, gypsum and sodium hypochlorite). The physico-chemical parameters were measured before and after disinfection. The samples were then observed under an optical microscope after concentration of the sample through sedimentation and McMaster technique. The viability of the eggs was determined using incubation and staining techniques. The analysis revealed that the selected disinfectants significantly reduced the physico-chemical parameters (with an average yield ranging from 79.24 ± 19.43% to 99.24 ± 1.47%). These physico-chemical parameters can significantly influence the treatment of Hymenolepis nana eggs either by absorbing the disinfectant or by constituting a protective barrier for the eggs, and the physico-chemical nature of the disinfectant strongly influences the formation of disinfection by-products. Calcium chlorite showed a greater effectiveness in reducing egg viability with efficiency rates of 93.12 ± 9.12% followed by hydrogen peroxide (89.57 ± 14.55%), sodium hypochlorite (82.51 ± 14.39%) and gypsum (80.85 ± 12.88%). The results obtained with gypsum are almost similar to those obtained with other disinfectants (calcium chlorite, hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite) and clearly show that this disinfectant can be used in water treatment because, unlike other chemical disinfectants, it has no known toxic effects.