Geotechnical Properties of the Soil Contaminated with Medical Waste: a Case Study of Metronidazole and Amoxicillin Waste

Soil contamination with medicines can occur when unused or expired medications are improperly disposed of or when pharmaceutical manufacturing waste is inadequately treated or managed. Moreover, the largest percentage of damaged and expired medical materials in the sanitary landfill area during the COVID-19 period in the study region were Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Amoxicillin. The disposal of numerous drugs and medical waste from Al-Jazeera Pharmaceuticals Company, which were examined and found to have a higher concentration of the compound Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Amoxicillin, This study aimed to analyze the results of the impact of Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Amoxicillin concentrations on the chemical and geotechnical properties of soil. Undisturbed soil samples was collected and then cured by mixing 10 mg/l of Metronidazole (Flagyl) and 25 mg/l of Amoxicillin to the time period from 15 to 135 days. The obtained geotechnical tests results of natural and contaminated silty clay soil showed that the soil became softer, the cohesiveness between the particle sizes of soil decreased due to the absorption of the soil by the Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Amoxicillin concentration. Moreover, the results indicate that the soil collapse rose from 5.6 to 9.5 after 150 days of curing.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2024).