Water Treatment for Hemodialysis in Benghazi Medical Center (BMC)

Background: A single 4-hour dialysis treatment can require up to 400 liters of water per week for dialysis patients compare that with healthy person who drinks less than 15 liters of water per week. Therefore, it is clearly important to know and monitor the chemical and microbiological purity of the dialysis water.

Aims: Determine the physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of water used by hemodialysis services Isolate and identify fungi present in water systems of hemodialysis units in Benghazi Medical center (BMC) in Benghazi, Libya.

Methods: Analysis study carried out in hemodialysis unit in BMC collected samples from each places (A & B) sections.

Results: Six samples that target to chemical analysis and 32 samples for microbiological test, Chemical parameters of study area A and B for drinking and dialysis water were within international standards, but there was a minute of Calcium elevation in area B that was 3.3mg/l. No contamination with bacteria observed in all samples in section (A), the counts of yeasts and filamentous fungi investigated in the tap water, in the treated water, and dialysis machine in section B and Penicillium spp was the most frequent fungi.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that the tap and dialysis water success to meet the all-chemical and microbiological requirements in (A) area inside hospital of Benghazi center. In generally to prevent the risk of contaminants for hemodialysis patients need to a high water quality management program and development of water treatment system in hemodialysis centers.