Page 34 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

Environmental and Health Effects Due to the Usage of Wastewater 15

urinary tract, the central nervous system (CNS), and the peripheral nervous system
(PNS). Lead affects children by interfering with the development of gray matter,
resulting in low IQ. Intense and continual exposure to lead results in psychosis.
Cadmium is harmful at extremely low levels. It is destructive to both human well-
being and aquatic biological systems. It is a cancer-causing, embryotoxic, and muta-
genic chemical compound. Cadmium in the body has been shown to bring about
damage to vital organs such as kidney, liver, and bone structures. The inhalation
of cadmium at high concentrations causes obstructive lung sickness and cadmium
pneumonitis. It may cause hyperglycemia and iron deficiency anemia.
Mercury is a toxic heavy metal, and it is not an essential heavy metal for human
physiology and function. Inorganic forms of mercury cause premature birth, con-
genital deformity, and gastrointestinal issues such as destructive esophagitis and
hematochezia. Due to its complex some portion of the PNS, coming about in nerve
irritation that causes muscle shortcoming (Duruibe et al., 2007).

1.6.2 iMpacTs of Microbes
Contaminated wastewater contains many harmful microbes originating from the
fecal waste of animals and humans. The major disease-causing microbes present
in wastewater are bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and parasites. Mixing with this
microbe-contaminated wastewater results in transfer of harmful microorganisms
into the fresh water bodies. Consumption of this contaminated wastewater causes
diseases transmitted specifically through water. Ailments caused by microscopic
organisms, infections, and protozoa are the most widely recognized dangers to
health related to untreated drinking and recreational waters. Contaminated water
is a vehicle for waterborne infections, for example, giardiasis, cholera, campylobac-
teriosis, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, shigellosis, salmonellosis, and cryptosporidiosis
(Akpor, 2011).

1.6.2.1 Diseases Caused by Bacteria
Bacterial species are the primary organisms found in wastewater. The most com-
mon bacterial organisms present in wastewater are E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria,
Leptospira, Salmonella, and Vibrio. Diverse bacterial species are present in the
wastewater; mostly, these are innocuous to human beings, but there are some patho-
genic species present in wastewater that cause ailments such as typhoid, diarrhea,
and other intestinal problems. Bacterial species such as E. coli and Pseudomonas
mainly affect the digestive system, causing gastroenteritis, and they specifically
affect newborns.

1.6.2.2 Diseases Caused by Viruses
Viruses are among the most dangerous contaminants in wastewater. They are
capable of causing some dreadful and untreatable health hazards to humans. As it
is difficult to diagnose the presence of viruses, bacterial viruses such as bacterio-
phages are used to analyze the fecal contamination and also to improve the viability
of treatment procedures to get rid of enteric infections. The most harmful enteric
viruses present in wastewater are retroviruses, enteroviruses, caliciviruses, Norwalk