The protozoa Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. are etiological agents responsible for the transmission of gastroenteritis, mainly due to the consumption of contaminated water. Their (oo)cysts are resistant to adverse environmental conditions, as well as to most conventional water treatment processes. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of (oo)cysts of these protozoans in surface water collected for human consumption in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Fifteen samples of raw water were collected to assess the occurrence of (oo)cysts of the protozoa using the Membrane Filtration method, in addition to turbidity and pH analyses. Recovery rates in tests with ultrapure water reached the USEPA (2012) criteria for Giardia (78.1% ± 0%) and for Cryptosporidium (60.6% ± 32.6%); however, recovery in raw water was lower due to turbidity. All samples (n = 15) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, with a maximum concentration of 250 oocysts/L, demonstrating that these protozoa are disseminated in the aquatic environment of the state of Goiás and pose a risk to public health. Due to the use of water sources for public consumption, it is recommended that public authorities and sanitation companies act to preserve and maintain water courses, carry out periodic monitoring of treatment plants that supply the Cerrado, Santana and São Manoel streams and improve existing treatment technologies. The results did not allow to infer whether animal load and grazing area promote an increase in contamination of the lotic aquatic systems.

The presence of waterborne pathogens, when associated with the water supply system, poses risks to public health. This study investigated the occurrence of (oo)cysts of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in two Water Treatment Plants, with full-cycle technology, and assessed the microbiological risk to consumers’ health. The membrane filtration technique was employed to identify the protozoan load in 24 samples of raw and filtered water. Physicochemical and bacteriological parameters were also analyzed. The Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment model was used to determine the risk of daily and annual infection associated with the ingestion of filtered water. A total of 66.67% of raw water samples were positive for Cryptosporidium; and 33.33%, for Giardia. The maximum concentrations of 200 (oo)cysts/L and 50 cysts/L were detected in the Cerrado stream (located in Sanclerlândia, state of Goiás, Brazil), due to the predominance of grazing areas and intense agricultural activity. Water Treatment Plants did not completely remove the protozoa and the retention efficiency was lower than that recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, with average values of 1.27 log for cysts and 1.04 log for oocysts. The probability of annual infection by cysts (100%) was higher than that of oocysts (86.61 - 98.32%) as for consumption of filtered water, and in the dry season, there was a higher risk of infection, due to the low performance of the Water Treatment Plants and higher concentration of pathogens. According to the results, the continuous intake of filtered water above the warning level can cause infectious diseases in the supplied population.

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Freshwater is an essential natural resource for humanity, however, its quality has been compromised as a result of natural and anthropogenic interference. The objective of the present study was to determine the Bascarán Water Quality Index (WQIB) for the Tamanduá stream in the municipality of Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, and relate it to the limits established by CONAMA resolutions nº 357 [1] and nº 274 [2], for Class 2 freshwater bodies. The study was carried out at three sampling points proximate to urban parks, with samples collected in both the dry and the rainy seasons with the measurement of flow. The physical, chemical and biological parameters were analyzed as recommended in Standard Methods [3]. Parametric descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The WQIB results classified the water as acceptable (24%), normal (48%), improper (20%) and unpleasant (8%), with turbidity, DO and total coliforms responsible for decreased WQIB in the rainy season. The parameters pH, apparent color and DO do not conform with CONAMA resolution nº 357 [1] while water resources for bathing were classified as excellent according to CONAMA resolution nº 274 [2].

Different land uses and occupations can influence water quality and affect the lives of the population, especially of people who live in rural areas. Because rural populations live under conditions of socio-environmental vulnerability, it is necessary to monitor the quality of water resources to prevent diseases. This work aimed to analyze surface water quality in rural and traditional communities in the state of Goiás through the Bascarán Water Quality Index (WQIB) to evaluate the effects of the predominant land use and occupation of each location. Raw water samples were collected from specific points during the dry season. The presence of pesticides was verified through chromatographic analysis, without quantification, and 11 physical-chemical and microbiological parameters were assessed according to standard methods. The results showed that the WQIB ranged in quality from “good” to “pleasant”. Classification as “pleasant” was statistically related to a high incidence of pasture area (> 80%) and classification as “good” with a percentage of agriculture below 30%. The main land uses and occupations were forest, pasture and agriculture. The apparent parameters color, thermotolerant coliforms and dissolved oxygen also indicated contamination of water courses. The detection of pesticides with a high degree of toxicity in the analyzed water resources, mainly in two rivers (the Facada and Sucuapara creeks), put human health at risk in rural areas, even under conditions of small exposure. Carbofuran, banned since 2017, was detected near the Itacaiú community, making it necessary to alert the local government, residents and tourists who use the Araguaia River for different purposes.

Resumo Os diferentes usos e ocupações do solo podem influenciar na qualidade da água e afetar a vida da população, principalmente daquela que habita o meio rural. Por residir sob condições de vulnerabilidade socioambiental, faz-se necessário monitorar a qualidade dos recursos hídricos para prevenir doenças. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a qualidade das águas superficiais em comunidades rurais e tradicionais do estado de Goiás por meio do Índice de Qualidade da Água de Bascarán (IQAB), avaliando os efeitos do uso e ocupação do solo preponderantes em cada localidade. Amostras de água bruta dos mananciais foram coletadas de forma pontual, na estiagem. Foi verificada a presença de agrotóxicos por análise cromatográfica, sem quantificação, e foram avaliados 11 parâmetros físico-químicos e microbiológicos. Os resultados demonstraram que o IQAB variou de bom a agradável. A classificação da qualidade da água como “agradável” foi relacionada estatisticamente com a alta incidência de área de pastagem (> 80%), e a classificação como “boa” com o percentual de agricultura inferior a 30%. Os principais usos e ocupações do solo foram florestas, pastagens e agricultura. Os parâmetros cor aparente, coliformes termotolerantes e oxigênio dissolvido também indicaram a contaminação dos cursos d’água. A detecção de agrotóxicos com alto grau de toxicidade nos recursos hídricos analisados, principalmente em dois mananciais (córregos Facada e Sucuapara), colocam em risco a saúde humana no meio rural, mesmo que em condições de pequenas exposições. O carbofurano, proibido desde 2017, foi detectado no rio Araguaia, nas proximidades da comunidade Itacaiú, sendo necessário alertar o governo local, moradores e turistas que utilizam o rio Araguaia para fins diversificados.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are pathogenic agents which cause risk to public health. The goal of this research was to evaluate the risk of infection by cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in a population of the Cerrado biome and its relation to land use. Raw water samples were collected from 41 different surface sources of the state of Goiás (Brazil). The parasites were quantified via the membrane filtration method. The probability of an individual contracting an infection after consuming contaminated water was estimated using the quantitative microbial risk assessment. Generally, the analyzed watersheds (WS) presented Giardia cysts in 63.4% of the samples (<LD at 116.67 cysts/L) and Cryptosporidium oocysts in 87.8% of the samples (<LD at 300 oocysts/L). The WS with pasture predominance were statistically associated with the presence of Cryptosporidium, in which the possible contamination source is the excrements of animals. There is a greater risk of giardiasis. It is concluded that there is a need to implement improvement actions regarding environmental quality and the management of the use and occupation of surface sources in the Cerrado Biome, in order to reduce the spreading of diseases and negative impacts to the local population.

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