Faecal contamination (viral and bacteria) detection in groundwater used for drinking purposes in São Paulo, Brazil

This project has been developed to evaluate the possible relationship between the cesspit (pit latrine) in as far as it degrades the quality of underground water. Its importance is due to the fact that in the rural communities in the State of São Paulo (Brazil) this type of cesspit is very common as a means of sewage disposal and these communities use underground water for their supply of drinking water. Rural properties distributed over the rural area in the municipality of São José do Rio Preto were selected. A preliminary study was then set up to determine the social situation and health of the households as well as qualitative evaluations on the type of water supply and sewage disposal of these communities. Campaigns of water sampling then followed and laboratory analyses of water taken from wells were carried out. Parameters were set up to evaluate the potability according to Brazilian legislation (2004) paying attention to microbiologic (coliforms, Crytosporidium sp., and adenovirus). The analyses showed evidence of possible interaction between the wells and the sewage effluents and drainage in these communities. A PCR reaction to detect adenovirus showed a presence in 53.3% of the samples. The tests for the detection of Cryotosporidium sp all showed a negative result.

Evaluation of metals in water and sediments of micro-basins in the city of Americana, São Paulo state, Brazil

Water pollution found in major rivers in Brazil has its origin from urban sewage discharges and industrial effluent, carried out by small streams and rivers crossing cities. Therefore, studies related to hydrographic micro-basins offer the opportunity to establish environmental management strategies for restoring water resources, based on diagnosis of the water quality. Despite this understanding, few studies in urban and rural areas have been performed in a systematic manner in Brazilian micro-basins. The main goal of this research was to diagnose the water resources in micro-basins in the region of the district of Americana, São Paulo state, Brazil, through the quantification of metals in water and sediment. The methodology was based on the investigation of metals (Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn), in four micro-basins, determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The most significant result showed high concentration levels of chromium (969 μg L-1), downstream of the discharge of sewage from the city of Nova Odessa. This concentration in the river was above the allowed limit of Brazilian regulation agency (50 μg L-1 for Cr). Also high levels of Cr were found in the sediment (98.9 μg g-1) collected at the same monitored site. These results are important indicators of environmental performance and anthropogenic activities to help the government establish environmental management strategies aimed at the reduction of water pollution. © 2013 WIT Press.

Proposta metodológica para a correção do coeficiente de retorno de esgoto sanitário em unidades com sistemas de aproveitamento de água pluvial

The use of rainwater for non-potable purposes generates a reduction in the consumption of treated water, however, this reduction is not observed in the generation of wastewater, as this is independent of the water source. In Brazil, the pricing on the services of collection and treatment of sewage, in general, is based on the coefficient of return of the sewage disposal system, which has a relation sewer / water proportional to the consumption of treated water measured at the consumer unit. The use of rainwater originating from utilization systems infer on the coefficient, underestimating the volume of wastewater generated. Therefore, this study presents a methodology for setting the coefficient of return. Different roof areas, reservoir volumes and rates of water consumption situations were simulated. The behavior of adjustment of the coefficient of return were also analyzed for the average area per capita roof (m² / inhabitant) of Rio Claro - SP. As a result, it can be seen that the adjustment of the coefficient of return is directly proportional to the increase of the roof areas and the volumes of reservoirs, and inversely proportional to the total water demand. The corrected coefficient of return showed the minimum value of 0.83 and a maximum value of 1.45, this variation corresponds to the maximum ratio between the demands of total water and rainwater, since the exploitation of rain water should be used only for non-potable uses, according to NBR 15527 / 07. To the municipality of Rio Claro - SP was noted an adjustment of the coefficient of return ranging from 0.99 to 6.61

Propostas de Adequação Ambiental para a Cidade da Criança de Presidente Prudente - SP

The environmental issue has been considered of fundamental importance for the well being of the present and future generations and is inserted into the commitment of political parties at federal, state and municipal government programs, into the interests of popular organizations and business planning. The Parque Ecológico Cidade da Criança is one of the most sought after places for visitation at Presidente Prudente – SP. Located outside the Raposo Tavares Highway, next to the exhibition grounds and beside the agricultural school, has more than 30 acres of area with an infrastructure designed for recreation and leisure activities for all ages and has received new investment of the public power. Given the importance of the ecological aspects, the objective of this work is to perform an environmental diagnosis in order to be able to submit proposals for solving the problems encountered and improve the use of the environmental resources. Therefore, the study was divided into three foci: sewage disposal, erosion process and control of the stormwater drainage system. It was checked the discharge of sewage from the restaurant on exposed soil, erosion processes that develop at the camel and llama cages ground and erosion processes resulting from the convergence of the stormwater in the highest region of the park. Based on these studies, proposals of solution were made for each case, having considered the effectiveness of the project

Variação espacial e temporal da qualidade da água de três córregos tributários do Rio Bauru: respostas ao processo de recuperação de nascentes

Este trabalho objetivou analisar a qualidade da água de três córregos tributários do rio Bauru, levando em conta a poluição causada por produtos orgânicos e industriais que vinham sendo descartados nos mesmos e as eventuais melhorias conseqüentes das medidas paliativas assumidas pelo DAE-Bauru, mediante a instalação de interceptores-coletores de águas residuárias ao longo Daqueles corpos de água, até que a Estação de Tratamento de Esgotos do município seja construída e se dê início ao seu funcionamento. O monitoramento destes corpos de água durante o período de estiagem e de cheias proposto nesta pesquisa, incluiu investigações sobre as variáveis químicas e físicas de amostras das águas, obtidas mensalmente em 7 pontos de coleta, localizados a montante e a jusante dos pontos de instalação dos emissários, ao longo dos córregos. As amostras de água foram posteriormente analisadas para fossem obtidas informações sobre a eficácia da instalação dos interceptores com relação ao processo de recuperação da saúde dos corpos aquáticos em questão. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, de um modo geral, as águas de todos os sistemas estudados ainda sofrem impactos, até porque ainda há aquelas que recebem o esgoto descartado “in natura”. No entanto, como ja era esperado, nos pontos de coleta localizados em segmentos dos córregos nos quais os emissários já foram instalados, o impacto ambiental é menor. Mediante a comparação dos resultados obtidos das análises das características físicas e químicas das águas dos sistemas estudados realizadas durante esta investigação com aqueles obtidos nos mesmos corpos de água, em 2007, pudemos observar melhorias da água em alguns dos pontos de coleta

Estimativa da correção do coeficiente de retorno de esgoto sanitário em habitações com sistemas de aproveitamento de água pluvial: estudo de caso da cidade de Bauru (SP)

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil e Ambiental - FEB

Influence of a Brazilian sewage outfall on the toxicity and contamination of adjacent sediments

The submarine sewage outfall of Santos (SSOS) is situated in the Santos Bay (São Paulo, Brazil) and is potentially a significant source of contaminants to the adjacent marine ecosystem. The present study aimed to assess the influence of SSOS on the sediment toxicity and contamination at Santos Bay. At the disposal site, sediments tended to be finer, organically richer and exhibited higher levels of surfactants and metals, sometimes exceeding the Threshold Effect Level values. The SSOS influence was more evident toward the East, where the sediments exhibited higher levels of TOC, total S and metals during the summer 2000 sampling campaign. Sediment toxicity to amphipods was consistently detected in four of the five stations studied. Amphipod survival tended to correlate negatively to Hg, total N and % mud. This work provides evidence that the SSOS discharge affects the quality of sediments from Santos Bay, and that control procedures are warranted. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subchronic Toxicity Evaluation of a Treated Urban Sewage Sludge

Disposal of tons of sludge produced daily by sewage treatment plants in large cities is a serious problem. Because recycling and application in agriculture have been proposed, the Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA, 2006) issued a legal norm that regulates the use of the sewage sludge (SS) in crops. Due to the complex chemical nature of such products, characterization by analytical methods for health and environmental risk assessment has severe limitations. To overcome such limitations, it is necessary to (1) assess the toxicological potential of SS and (2) identify possible adverse effects in vivo in order to provide critical information for future environmental regulations. The present study was conducted to determine the potential toxicity of SS obtained from a representative urban treatment plant located in the São Paulo State, Brazil. Male and female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum a pelleted diet containing varying amounts of SS. No relevant clinical, hematological, urinary, or gross organ morphological alterations were observed in both genders of rats orally exposed to SS at up to 3.8 g/kg/d for 90 d. Sewage slude produced increased incidence of centrilobular hepatocyte hyperplasia at the high dose and significantly increased aspartate aminotransferease (AST) activities at all doses in both genders. Although the present data indicate some liver involvement, these alterations were considered adaptative and not toxicologically relevant, as the responses were relatively mild, not dose dependent, and no other parameters were markedly affected. The present results may contribute to the establishment of protocols for potential usage in SS agricultural soil application.

In vivo genotoxicity evaluation of a treated urban sewage sludge sample

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

An evaluation into the potential of biological processing for the removal of metals from sewage sludges

The use of sewage sludge in agricultural land as a means of sludge disposal and recycling has been shown to be economical and suitable because of the presence of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. However, municipal sludges often contain high quantities of toxic metals and other compounds that must be removed for its safe use in agricultural soils. The biological leaching of metals from sewage sludges has been shown to be a promising technique for metal detoxifying in such complex matrix. The process efficiency is dependent on several physico-chemical parameters, such as total solids concentration, metal forms, pH-ORP, and temperature. Scale-up of the process has not yet been defined and is still pursuing the correct operational design. Current research involving the bioleaching of metals from sewage sludge and its application to land, which affects soil physical properties, are presented and discussed.

Sewage sludge coke estimation using thermal analysis

The imposition of more stringent legislation by CETESB in the State of So Paulo (Brazil) governing the disposal and utilization of sewage sludge, coupled with the growth in its generation has prompted a drive for alternative uses of sewage sludge. One option that is especially promising, due to its potential to valorize sludge, is its conversion into carbonaceous adsorbents or coke for industrial effluents treatment. Thus, a methodology is presented to estimate the coke produced from the sludge of a sewage treatment station using thermal analysis. The used sewage sludge, which comes from aerobic treatment, was collected in the wastewater treatment station of Barueri, one of the largest of the So Paulo metropolitan area. The sludge samples were collected, dried, ground, and milled until they passed an ABNT 200 sieve. The inert ambient used during its thermal treatment produces inorganic matter and coke as residual materials. Coke formation occurs in the 200-500 A degrees C range and, between 500 and 900 A degrees C, its thermal decomposition occurs. The highest formation of coke occurs at 500 A degrees C.

Assessment of anaerobic sewage sludge quality for agricultural application after metal bioleaching

The effects of metal bioleaching on nutrient solubilization, especially nitrogen and phosphorous, from anaerobically-digested sewage sludge were investigated in this work. The assessment of the sanitary quality of the anaerobic sludge after bioleaching was also carried out by enumerating indicator (total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and fecal streptococci) and total heterotrophic bacteria. The experiments of bioleaching were performed using indigenous sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus spp.) as inoculum and samples of anaerobically-digested sludge. Nitrogen and phosphorous solubilization from sewage sludge was assessed by measuring, respectively, the concentration of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and soluble and total phosphorous before and after the bioleaching assays. At the end of the experiment, after 4 days of incubation (final pH of 1.4), the following metal solubilization yields were obtained: zinc, 91%; nickel, 87%; copper, 79%; lead, 52%; and chromium, 42%. As a result of sludge acidification, the viable counts of selected indicator bacteria were decreased to below the detection limit (4 × 103 cfu 100 ml-1), followed by an increase in the mineral fraction of nitrogen (from 6 to 10%) and in the soluble fraction of phosphorous (from 15 to 30%). Although some loss of sludge nutrients can occur during solid-liquid separation following bioleaching, its beneficial effects as metal removal and reduction of pathogenic bacteria are sufficient to consider the potential of this treatment before sludge disposal onto agricultural fields.

Alterations in the fat body cells of rhinocricus padbergi (Diplopoda) resulting from exposure to substrate containing sewage sludge

Abstract The final disposal of residues generated at sewage treatment plants (STPs) has become a major problem for cities, due to the increase in the amount of treated sewage. One of the alternatives for the residue, labeled sewage sludge, is its reuse in agriculture and in degraded soil. However, not all pathogens and metals present in it are eliminated during treatment. Diplopods have been used as bioindicators in ecotoxicological tests as they are constantly in close contact with the soil. Owing to this fact, the purpose of this study was to expose specimens of the diplopod Rhinocricus padbergi to substrate containing sewage sludge collected at STPs to analyze morphological alterations in their parietal and perivisceral fat body, where substances are stored. The exposures were held for 7, 15, or 90 days at different concentrations of sewage sludge (control, 1%, 10%, and 50%). The parietal fat body showed no alterations in any of the three exposure periods or concentrations. Alterations in the perivisceral fat body were observed for all exposure periods. According to the results, we suggest that the sludge used has toxic agents responsible for changing the animal's perivisceral fat body. © 2012 Microscopy Society of America.

Rational use of residential digesters for sewage treatment with Carbon Credits

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in tropical soils amended with sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge

Sewage sludge may be used as an agricultural fertilizer, but the practice has been criticized because sludge may contain trace elements and pathogens. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of total and pseudototal extractants of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, and to compare the results with the bioavailable concentrations of these elements to maize and sugarcane in a soil that was amended with sewage sludge for 13 consecutive years and in a separate soil that was amended a single time with sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge. The 13-year amendment experiment involved 3 rates of sludge (5, 10, and 20 t ha-1). The one-time amendment experiment involved treatments reflecting 50, 100, and 200 % of values stipulated by current legislation. The metal concentrations extracted by aqua regia (AR) were more similar to those obtained by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 3052 than to those obtained by EPA3051, and the strongest correlation was observed between pseudo(total) concentrations extracted by AR and EPA3052 and bioavailable concentrations obtained by Mehlich III. An effect of sewage sludge amendment on the concentrations of heavy metals was only observed in samples from the 13-year experiment. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.