Qualidade físico-química e microbiológica da água para o consumo humano e a relação com a saúde: estudo em uma comunidade rural no estado de São PauloMicrobiological and physical-chemical quality of water for human consumption and the relationships with health: study in an agricultural community in state São Paulo Calidad microbiológica y fisicoquímica del agua para consumo humano y sus relaciones con la salud: estudio en una comunidad agrícola en el estado São Paulo aBSTRaCT: In this study we evaluated the relationship between health and environmental sanitation in the context of the process of social development, analyzing the quality of the water for human consumption in Sepé Tiarajú-SP Agricultural Community, which constitutes a project of sustainable development. During the inquiry we identified the presence of pathogenic parasites and coliform bacteria in collected water samples in the points of collective supplying, in the containers of water storage of housings, in the springs and the Serra Azul River range. Parasitological and bacteriological analyzes of collected samples had been carried through in procedures established by Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (APHA) and CETESB -Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental (Company of Technology for Environmental Sanitation). Results lead us to consider the water used in some communities as a risk factor for the health of human beings that use that it. We believe the development of a work of sanitary education for rural populations, the adoption of preventive measures aiming at the preservation of water sources and the treatment of waters already compromised, allied to techniques of waste treatment, are tools necessary for greatly diminishing the risk of hydric propagation diseases.KeYWoRDS: Environmental sanitation. Quality of water -control of water quality. Health.ReSuMen: En este estudio evaluamos la relación entre la salud y el saneamiento ambiental en el contexto del proceso de desarrollo social, analizando la calidad del agua para consumo humano en la comunidad agrícola Sepé Tiarajú-SP, que constituye un proyecto de desarrollo sostenible. Durante la investigación identificamos la presencia de parásitos patógenos y de bacterias coliformes en muestras de agua recogidas en puntos de abastecimiento colectivo, en los envases de almacenaje del agua de cubiertas, en los resortes y la gama del río Serra Azul. Análisis parasitológicos y bacteriológicos de muestras recogidas han sido ejecutadas según los procedimientos establecidos por Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (APHA) (métodos para el examen del agua y de las aguas residuales) y CETESB -Companhia de Tecnologia de Saneamento Ambiental. Los resultados nos llevan a considerar el agua utilizado en algunas comunidades como factor de riesgo para la salud de los seres humanos que la utilizan. Creemos que el desarrollo de un trabajo de educación sanitaria para las poblaciones rurales, la adopción de medidas preventivas que tengan como objetivo la preservación d...

:  The persistence of Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Rotavirus, and Adenovirus in samples of raw and treated sewage collected monthly in 2010 at the Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, was analyzed. The USEPA Method 1623 was used to detect and quantify Giardia and Cryptosporidium. An enzyme immunoassay was carried out to test Rotavirus and Adenovirus antigen optical density (Rotascreen® and Adenoscreen®). The results show a significant decrease in the concentrations of Giardia, Rotavirus and Adenovirus (P < 0.05) and a trend of decreasing Cryptosporidium densities, without statistical significance. Giardia concentrations ranged from 120 to 2,200 cysts/L in raw sewage and from 0.45 to 3.5 cysts/L in treated sewage. Cryptosporidium concentration ranged from undetectable to 28.9 oocysts/L in raw sewage and undetectable to 1.05 oocysts/L in treated sewage. Rotavirus presented absorbance values that ranged from 1.17 ± 0.81 in raw sewage to 0.46 ± 0.32 in treated sewage. Adenovirus, in turn, presented absorbance values of 0.64 ± 0.20 in raw sewage and of 0.45 ± 0.04 in treated sewage. There was no significant seasonal tendency observed in the distribution of protozoa (oo)cysts and in the viral antigen density in the monthly sewage samples during 2010 (P > 0.05). Even though these pathogenic agents decreased after treatment, the remaining loads observed in treated sewage can reach the watercourses receiving it. Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Rotavirus, and Adenovirus are pathogens with very low infectious doses, representing a public health risk especially for vulnerable groups, such as children living near these watercourses and homeless people using this water for various purposes. Studies addressing the environmental persistence of opportunistic pathogens in watercourses are hugely important in the public health sphere, especially in developing countries, where economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors still persist that are favorable to population's exposure to diarrhea-causing agents.

The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Zn were determined in breast milk of women living in Conceição das Alagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The potential relationships between metal levels in samples of breast milk, drinking water, and soils collected in the study area were also established. Metal levels in breast milk, except Cr, were lower in comparison to WHO reference concentrations. Zinc was the predominant element in breast milk and drinking water samples, with a median level of 46.2 and 82.2 μg · L(-1), respectively. Soils presented a different pattern of metal concentrations with respect to those found in breast milk and drinking water, Chromium showed the highest median levels (148 mg · kg(-1)), while a certain predominance of Zn and Cu was also observed (47.0 and 43.0 mg · kg(-1), respectively). Similar profiles were observed when comparing metal concentrations in drinking water and breast milk (chi-square χ(2) = 14.36; p < 0.05). In contrast, breast milk-soil and drinking water-soil metal concentration profiles showed significant differences (χ(2) = 635.05 and χ(2) = 721.78, respectively; p < 0.05). These results indicate that drinking water is an important exposure pathway for metals to newborns through breast milk. Further studies should be aimed at assessing the body burdens of metals in that population and at evaluating the potential relationships in the concentrations in biological and environmental matrices as well as at estimating the contribution of dietary intake of metals. In addition, the presence of other chemical pollutants in breast milk should be also studied in order to assess the combined newborn exposure to other contaminants.

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of aluminum (Al) and other metals in water samples from elderly people's houses and retirement homes. Forty-six duplicate water samples from kitchen taps were collected in Ribeirão Preto/SP, Brazil. Metal levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Aluminum concentration exceeded the maximum allowed values in 26% of samples according to the Decree 518/2004 of the Brazilian Health Ministry. It was noted that 11% of elderly living at monitored houses, as well as 19% living at retirement homes presented Alzheimer disease diagnostic. These results suggest taking into account Al risks among vulnerable elderly population groups.