In many parts of the world, the treatment of clinical (medical) wastes amounts to little more than open burning with incineration using modern technology having all of the relevant emission control technologies.

This open burning, on surface beds or in burn pits has a profound effect on air quality but until now the impact on soils has not been tested. In a new study from Nigeria by Ephraim, Akpan and Obiajunwa (Investigation of soils affected by burnt hospital wastes in Nigeria using PIXE. http://www.springerplus.com/content/pdf/2193-1801-2-208.pdf) studied the fate of burnt hospital waste and its effect on agricultural soil.

Eleven elements – Si, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr and Pb were detected at an elevated concentration when compared with the control. Perhaps not surprisingly, the highest concentrations were obtained for Fe. Moderate enrichment factors for Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr and Zr were obtained. The level and the fate of these elements especially Cl and Pb is of serious environmental and health concern owing to the fact that there are intensive subsistence agricultural practices at and near the sites of the study. A future investigation to quantify dioxin and furan that is associated with the geochemistry of Cl is essential owing to the toxicity of these compounds.

These are important observations with great relevance to public health implications from this previously unquantified level of soil contamination. When used for agriculture, as an enrichment, the presence of this diversity of contaminating metals may result in uptake into and contamination of subsequent food products, with potentially long-term effects on health and well-being.