Water quality for rural home supplying in the south of Brazil

Underground and surface water as a result of human activity are increasingly polluted. Mainly due to improper disposal of waste, discharge of effluents, among other actions that compromise the environment. The water analysis is necessary to determine and evaluate the situation of water supply to the population. This study evaluated the supply situation of three rural communities located in the south of Brazil, where the water is carried out through the abstraction of groundwater. Pastures, fields and remnants of native vegetation characterize the region. The water quality used to supply was what motivated the accomplishment of this work. The wells are unprotected in the middle of the pastures near to black cesspits and crops that use frequently agrochemicals. The water quality was characterized over one year by physicalchemical, microbiological and toxicological characteristics. The results were compared to water potability standards in Brazil. In order to ensure sanitary conditions for this population, environmental education actions were carried out given the importance of access the information. It follows that the resources analyzed need disinfection to ensure better and safer water supply.

Aspectos físico-químicos da água de criadouros de aedes aegypti em ambiente urbano e as implicações para o controle da dengue / Physical and chemical aspects of water from Aedes aegypti breeding sites in the urban environment and the implications for dengue control

O dengue é uma doença infecciosa cujo agente é um arbovírus que tem quatro sorotipos. Apesar da existência de vacina em fase experimental e com resultados promissores, ela ainda não está disponível para a população em geral. Portanto, o controle é baseado na redução do vetor pela eliminação de criadouros do mosquito. O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar os tipos de criadouros e a água neles contida, visando aumentar o conhecimento sobre os recipientes colonizados por esta espécie e contribuir para o aprimoramento das ações de controle. Em 14 meses, entre outubro e abril de 2003 a 2005, foram coletadas larvas e pupas de culicídeos e aferidos o volume, o oxigênio dissolvido (OD),o pH, a condutividade elétrica e a temperatura da água dos recipientes. Foram também registradas as substâncias presentes na água dos recipientes que continham culicídeos por meio de verificação visual. Observou-se elevada taxa de variação de todos os parâmetros mensurados, assim como o encontro de imaturos em água com resíduo de óleo, ferrugem, tinta, sal e grande concentração de matéria orgânica. Tais resultados evidenciaram que o criadouro de Ae. aegypti não é mais o clássico“recipiente com água limpa”. Constatou-se, portanto, a necessidade de identificar e inspecionar novos recipientes antes não ocupados por esta espécie. Estes conhecimentos devem ser incluídos no conteúdo de cursos para agentes de saúde e em campanhas e programas de prevenção do dengue como contribuição para o enfrentamento do problema...

Dengue fever is an infectious disease whose agent is an arbovirus, which has four serotypes. Despitethe availability of a vaccine in an experimental stage and with promising results it is not yet available for the general population. Therefore, the control of dengue is still based on the reduction of vectordensity, eliminating containers with clean water that act as mosquito breeding sites. This studyaimed to evaluate the types of breeding sites and water with the purpose of better understandingthe containers colonized by this species and contributing to the improvement of control actions.In 14 months of collection, between October and April from 2003 to 2005, larvae and pupae werecollected and the following variables were measured: volume, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, electricalconductivity and temperature of the water from the breeding sites. High rates of variation wereobserved for all measured parameters and larvae were recorded in water containing oil residue, rust,paint, salt and a high concentration of organic matter. These results show that the breeding sites ofAe. aegypti are not the classic “containers with clean water”. These findings bring more difficultiesand other implications for vector control. It is suggested that such knowledge should be included inthe content of courses for health workers, as well as in campaigns and dengue prevention programs,helping to address the problem...