Influence of urban streams in the Jatai municipality on water quality of brazil's Claro River: physical-chemical, microbiological, and parasitological analysis

Abstract

The present work has the objective of evaluating the influence of the urban streams of Jatai, on the water quality of Claro River and to analyze the physical-chemical, microbiological, and parasitological parameters of both rivers’ water and the main affluent streams. The present study was carried out in the urban perimeter of Jatai, Goias, Brazil, in three water sources: Claro River, Queixada’s Stream and Ribeirao Jatai’s Stream. The samples were collected in properly sterilized and identified flasks, which were transported in thermal boxes to the collection sites and subsequently forwarded to the Regional Jatai’s Laboratory of Water Quality Control, at Sanitation of Goias S/A and to Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry and Body Fluids of the Biomedicine Department at Federal University of Jatai. Most of the analyzed parameters are within acceptable limits, except for the density of Escherichia coli and BOD. E. coli point 4 was 4.3x103 FCU/100 mL E. coli point 5 1.5x102 FCU/100 mL, and BOD resulted in 8.71 mg/L. However the E. coli strains were not considered pathogenic for humans based on molecular detection of pathotypes. Furthermore, no parasitic structures were identified by conventional and molecular tests, providing good evidence for the river’s water quality, which is the one that supplies the city. With this study, we conclude that the Claro River at point 5 (downstream of Ribeirao Jatai), is more polluted compared to point 1 (amount of Queixada's Stream), since it suffers direct interference from the Queixada’s and Ribeirao Jatai, especially the latter, which presented high results of contamination by total coliforms, for example. Based on the performed analysis and results presented, it can be observed that even the water of Claro River suffering interference from urban streams, it can still be considered free of harmful factors and pathogenic microorganisms.