Human predisposition to cognitive impairment and its relation with environmental exposure to potentially toxic elements.

New lines of evidence suggest that less than 10% of neurodegenerative diseases have a strict genetic aetiology and other factors may be prevalent. Environmental exposures to potentially toxic elements appear to be a risk factor for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and sclerosis diseases. This study proposes a multidisciplinary approach combining neurosciences, psychology and environmental sciences while integrating socio-economic, neuropsychological, environmental and health data. We present the preliminary results of a neuropsychological assessment carried out in elderly residents of the industrial city of Estarreja. A battery of cognitive tests and a personal questionnaire were administered to the participants. Multivariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to identify potential relationships between the cognitive status of the participants and environmental exposure to potentially toxic elements. The results suggest a relationship between urinary PTEs levels and the incidence of cognitive disorders. They also point towards water consumption habits and profession as relevant factors of exposure. Linear regression models show that aluminium (R 2 = 38%), cadmium (R 2 = 11%) and zinc (R 2 = 6%) are good predictors of the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination cognitive test. Median contents (µg/l) in groundwater are above admissible levels for drinking water for aluminium (371), iron (860), manganese (250), and zinc (305). While the World Health Organization does not provide health-based reference values for aluminium, results obtained from this study suggest that it may have an important role in the cognitive status of the elderly. Urine proved to be a suitable biomarker of exposure both to elements with low and high excretion rates.

Water resource management: a comparative evaluation of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, the European Union, and Portugal.

This paper presents an overview of water resource management in Brazil, in particular the state of Rio de Janeiro, and in the European Union, with an emphasis on member country Portugal. The study examines the primary laws, governing bodies and water resource plans. The paper describes the concerns and interests of the scientific community and other sectors of society with regard to water resource management. The paper also draws attention to challenges and opportunities concerning the main objective of water resource management, which is to ensure the availability of water of high quality and sustainable quantity. Additionally, it also mentions good and poor management practices. Among the concerns highlighted are integrated water resource management and water resource monitoring. The objective of this study was to contribute to water resource management processes. The primary reasons for this study are the growing scarcity of freshwater in the world, recurrent problems in managing this resource and a desire to contribute to the improvement of the current situation. The study of water management in different contexts allows for a greater understanding of the subject, thereby assisting the decision-making of managers and society in general with regard to environmental quality and ecological and human health. There is an increasing interest in efficient water resource management, which creates a demand for information on the subject. Both Brazil and the European Union are facing problems related to quantity and quality of water. Problems like scarcity of freshwater, contamination, salinization, and floods. This makes the realities of them quite close, despite the physical distance between them. In general, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, the European Union and Portugal have similar water resource management requirements. If these regions are to supply a consistent quantity of high-quality water to present and future generations, then they need effective laws and plans, efficient managing agencies, political interest and economic resources. Investments in research and developing water resource management plans are inefficient measures if they are not implemented with special emphasis on monitoring and inspection.

European case studies supporting the derivation of natural background levels and groundwater threshold values for the protection of dependent ecosystems and human health.

The EU Water Framework and Groundwater directives stipulate that EU member states have to assess groundwater chemical status by the use of groundwater threshold values derived for the protection of dependent ecosystems and human health. This paper presents a synthesis of main results of 14 European case studies evaluating a methodology for derivation of natural background levels (NBLs) and groundwater threshold values (TVs) proposed by the EU research project "BRIDGE". The 14 investigated groundwater bodies were selected to represent as many aquifer types, climate settings and European ecoregions as possible within the project group that included partners from 17 EU countries. The selected case study sites include transboundary groundwater bodies, EU Pilot River Basins and other important groundwater systems. Some are known to interact with associated ecosystems, while others do not. The proposed method derives groundwater threshold values based on environmental objectives for dependent ecosystems or groundwater "itself" using relevant reference criteria such as natural background levels, environmental quality standards and drinking water standards. Derived groundwater threshold values for dissolved Cl and As applying drinking water standards as examples of reference values, are compared for all 14 case studies. Additionally, more detailed analyses are conducted for the Odense Pilot River Basin and the Vouga River Basin, where groundwater threshold values for N and P and Cl, As, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn, respectively, are derived based on environmental objectives and quality standards for groundwater dependent ecosystems. Results demonstrate that the proposed methodology is operational and may be used to protect human health and the environment. Further they show that groundwater threshold values derived from environmental objectives and environmental quality standards for dependent ecosystems in some cases may be significantly lower than drinking water standards, e.g. for nitrate.