Observando os Rios: Citizen Science Monitoring Water Quality in Brazil

Multiscale land use impacts on water quality: Assessment, planning, and future perspectives in Brazil

Use of water for leisure activities has long been prevalent in human societies, especially where the climate is favorable. Water resources with appealing conditions for primary contact recreational activities include rivers, waterfall plunge pools, dams and lakes, as well as sea coasts. Recreational use has specific demands for water quality, particularly as regards risks to human health such as exposure to pathogenic organisms, toxic substances, and submerged hazards. In Brazil, there is insufficient monitoring of bathing water conditions and currently used methodology has some limitations particularly the lack of guidance on interpretation of variables other than faecal bacterial indicators. The objectives of this study were: (1) to establish variables contributing to assessment of freshwater bathing conditions in Brazil; (2) to develop an integrated index of suitability-for-use for bathing in Brazil; and (3) to improve the methodology for assessing bathing water quality in Brazil. Based on a metadata analysis and consultation with Brazilian water professionals, a water quality index was developed incorporating the variables: Escherichia coli, cyanobacterial density, turbidity (visual clarity) and pH. This index should advance the management of recreational waters in Brazil, by improving the evaluation of freshwater bathing conditions and protecting the health of frequent users.

Biochar has been intensively researched worldwide. In Brazil, there is a variety of feedstock production that can be turned into soil amendments of high performance through biochar conversion, especially solid wastes. However, advances in biochar research in Brazil have not been systematically evaluated to indicate possible gaps and suggest future research for eco‐friendly applications. Thus, in this work we evaluated biochar properties and effects on air, water, and soil quality based on data gathered from researches performed in Brazil. Biochar has been mainly evaluated as soil conditioner (37%), material characterization (17%), water treatment (12%), and greenhouse gases emissions (9%). Based on the data synthesis of 68 feedstocks used for biochar production, we observed that the pyrolysis temperature profoundly affects biochar properties. Meta‐analysis indicated benefits of biochar addition to soils for chemical, physical, microbiological and biochemical attributes that have resulted in increases in root growth (+30%), and plant shoots (+45%). Pyrolysis temperature and feedstock are key choices to design biochar properties aiming to retain dyes, aromatic hydrocarbon, pesticides, and metals in water and wastewater treatment. It was also observed an increase in CO2 and a decrease in N2O emissions after biochar application to soils in short‐term experiments. Although there is a growing interest in the development of electrochemical sensors and biochar‐based fertilizers, technological applications of biochar are still incipient in Brazil. Future research should prioritize long‐term and mechanistically evaluations of biochar under field conditions and the development of eco‐friendly technological applications.

In this work, a hydrodynamic and water quality model was developed for Lake Nubia based on a two-dimensional, laterally averaged and finite difference hydrodynamic and water quality code, CE-QUAL-W2. The model was calibrated and verified using data which were measured in the years of 2006 and 2007 during low flood periods, respectively. Measurements during the flood season are not available. The results of the presented model show a good agreement with the observed hydrodynamic and water quality records.
\nTwo water quality indices (WQIs), NSF WQI and CCME WQI, have been developed to assess the state of water quality in the investigated case study, Lake Nubia, during the first low flood period of January 2006. The CCME WQI has been modified to use the Egyptian standards (objectives) of raw water. Moreover, another two trophic status indices, Carlson TSI and LAWA TI, have been developed to evaluate the trophic status of Lake Nubia during the same period of January 2006. Results of the previously developed hydrodynamic and water quality model for Lake Nubia were used to validate the model. According to the developed water quality indices results, Lake Nubia has a good water quality state during the low flood period. The modified CCME WQI (based on measured data) indicates that the Lake Nubia water quality state is excellent according to the Egyptian standards of water quality for surface waterways. Results of the applied trophic status indices show that the Lake Nubia trophic status is eutrophic during the studied period. 
\nThe effect of the global climate change on the hydrodynamic and water quality characteristics of Lake Nubia was conducted for the 21st century. To do that, the outputs of eleven global climate models for two global emissions scenarios combined with hydrological modeling were used. A theoretical process algorithm has been simplified, further developed and calibrated to modify the initial conditions of dissolved oxygen due to the global climate change effects. A sensitivity analysis has been conducted by using each of the predicted air temperature and inflow data separately in the model in order to investigate its effect on the characteristics of the hydrodynamic and water quality. Three hydrodynamic characteristics of the reservoir were investigated with respect to the climate change: water surface levels, evaporation water losses and thermal structure. In addition, eight water quality characteristics of the reservoir were investigated with respect to the climate change: dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, ortho-phosphate, nitrate-nitrite, ammonium, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids and potential of hydrogen (pH). Moreover, the climate change effects on the water quality and trophic status indices have been studied. The results of the climate change study show partially significant impacts on the examined hydrodynamic and water quality characteristics, while the water quality and trophic status indices are slightly affected by the climate change scenarios.

The presence of emerging contaminants in surface water is a growing concern, as these substances are not typically monitored by environmental quality systems, potentially leading to the consumption of contaminated water. In this study, the presence of caffeine, an emerging contaminant that is ingested solely by humans and is present in surface water due to its chemical characteristics, was investigated as a potential indicator of anthropogenic contamination in the Itajaí-Açu River in the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. Additionally, twelve other emerging pollutants were examined in the Itajaí-Açu River, including estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), ethinylestradiol (EE2), estriol (E3), prednisone (PD), hexestrol (HEX), acetaminophen (ACM), Oxytetracicline (OC). Surface water samples were collected over five months and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results revealed that caffeine was present in 84% of the analyzed samples, and emerging pollutants were present in all monitored municipalities. The study also investigated the relationship between an integrated water quality index, the magnitudes and occurrences of caffeine, and land use. The emerging pollutants Estrone, Ethinylestradiol, Hexestrol, Naproxen and Oxytetracycline were not detected in the analyzed samples. However, Ibuprofen, Tetracycline, Prednisone, and Acetaminophen were present in 44% and 36% of the samples, respectively, with Estriol, Ketoprofen, and Estradiol having a lower occurrence. The mean concentrations of Estradiol, Estriol, Ketoprofen, Acetaminophen, and Ibuprofen were 0.08 µg L-1, 0.23 µg L-1, 0.15 µg L-1, 0.42 µg L-1, and 0.44 µg L-1, respectively, and were higher than previously reported. The concentration range of caffeine during the study was <0.10 to 1.48 µg L-1, with the mean concentration being 0.30 µg L-1. These findings highlight the presence of emerging pollutants in the Itajaí-Açu River and the need for continued monitoring and regulatory legislation to protect surface water quality in Brazil.

The study of water quality in the Amazon region is important for understanding the functioning of ecological mechanisms. The standard that governs water quality in Brazil, including the Amazon, is Resolution CONAMA 357/05, which uses criteria inspired by standards from other countries. However, this resolution does not consider characteristics of Amazonian aquatic ecosystems, and this can lead to incorrect interpretation of the data. Furthermore, there are few studies on the physical-chemical characteristics of clearwater rivers in the Amazon and the influence of the forest-water interface. Therefore, water samples were collected from four clearwater tributary watersheds of the Amazonas and Tapajós Rivers during the dry season in the city of Santarém, Pará. Most of the points were collected in pristine areas in order to capture the natural physicochemical characteristics of clearwater rivers, as well as to show the importance of ecoregional aspects in water quality management. All samples were below pH 6.0, which represents non-compliance with the CONAMA resolution. Statistical tests yielded negative correlations between pH and conductivity (r = −0.87, p < 0.05), Therefore, the rivers of lower ionic load are influenced by the type of surrounding vegetation, which are characteristics that have been widely reported for blackwater rivers.

Water is a vital natural resource for the existence of life, maintenance of ecosystems and the development of society. Many cities and communities rely on surface catchment systems, which involve collecting water from rivers, lakes and dams. Others, in turn, use underground collection systems, obtaining water from aquifers and artesian wells. Each of these methods presents specific challenges regarding water quality, as surface water is more exposed to organic and inorganic pollutants, while groundwater may contain minerals and dissolved substances that affect its potability. In general, the quality of water that reaches homes and commercial establishments is determined by the analysis of microbiological indicators, free residual chlorine, turbidity, total coliforms and fluoride. This narrative review seeks to clarify the nuances of water capture systems, their particularities and the factors that affect water quality in Brazil, highlighting the importance of constant monitoring, adequate treatment and effective water management policies in guaranteeing access to fresh water high quality for everyone.

Eutrophication has become a major threat to water quality in the U.S., Europe, and Australasia. In most cases, freshwater eutrophication is accelerated by increased inputs of phosphorus (P), of which agricultural runoff is now a major contributor, due to intensification of crop and animal production systems since the early 1990s'. Once little information is available on the impacts of Brazilian agriculture in water quality, recent changes in crop and animal production systems in Brazil were evaluated in the context of probable implications of the fate of P in agriculture. Between 1993 and 2003, there was 33% increase in the number of housed animals (i.e., beef, dairy cows, swine, and poultry), most in the South Region (i.e., Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Catarina States), where 43 and 49% of Brazil's swine and poultry production is located, respectively. Although grazing-based beef production is the major animal production system in Brazil, it is an extensive system, where manure is deposited over grazed pastures; confined swine and poultry are intensive systems, producing large amounts of manure in small areas, which can be considered a manageable resource. This discussion will focus on swine and poultry farming. Based on average swine (100 kg) and poultry weights (1.3 kg), daily manure production (4.90 and 0.055 kg per swine and poultry animal unit, respectively), and manure P content (40 and 24 g kg-1 for swine and poultry, respectively), an estimated 2.5 million tones of P in swine and poultry manure were produced in 2003. Mostly in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil (62%), which represent only 18% of the country's land area. In the context of crop P requirements, there was 2.6 times more P produced in manure (1.08 million tones) than applied as fertilizer (0.42 million tonnes) in South Brazil in 2003. If it is assumed that fertilizer P use represents P added to meet crop needs and accounts for P sorbed by soil in unavailable forms each year, if swine and poultry manure were to replace fertilizer, there would be an annual P surplus of 0.66 million tonnes in the South region alone. These approximations and estimates highlight that, similarly to other parts of the world, there is a potential for surplus P to quickly accumulate in certain regions of Brazil. Unless measures are developed and implemented to utilize manure P, repeated annual surpluses will create an increasingly difficult problem to solve. These measures can be grouped as source and transport management. Source management attempts to decrease dietary P, use feed additives, manure treatment and composting, as well as careful management of the rate, timing, and method of manure applications. Transport management attempts to control the loss of P in runoff from soil to sensitive waters via use of conservation tillage, buffer or riparian zones, cover crops, and trapping ponds or wetlands. These measures are discussed in the contest of Brazil's climate, topography, and land use, and how successful remediation programs may be implemented at farm and watershed level.

Poor soil management and intensive use of pesticides causes serious damage to soil and water quality in Brazil. To confirm this, two studies were conducted in an area with intensive farming in Southern Brazil with objectives to evaluate the level of pesticides in the river adjacent to the Original Research Article Lourencato et al.; IJPSS, 5(3): 155-166, 2015; Article no.IJPSS.2015.069 156 farmland during different seasons (river study) and to know the potential contamination resulting from surface runoff (runoff study). The river study was performed with samples from river water and riverbed sediment obtained over one year period with three months sampling period intervals (different seasons) on dry days (base flow effect). The runoff study was performed in the laboratory with simulated rainfall after recent pesticide application. The pesticides analyzed were Tebuconazole, Metalaxyl, Deltamethrin, Chlorothalonil, Glyphosate and its Metaboliteaminomethylphosphonic acid. They represented the most commonly used pesticides in the studied region. None of the pesticides tested were found in the river water or riverbed sediment samples at any sampling period. The detection limit in river water samples for Glyphosate and its metabolite was 5μg L -1 while it was 1 μg L -1 for the other pesticides. The runoff study (one hour rainfall) demonstrated that all the pesticides were present at high levels. It was 36μg L -1 for Tebuconazole, 3.24 μg L -1 for Metalaxyl, and 5.74 μg L -1 for Chlorothalonil in runoff samples, suggesting a high probability of contamination in downstream environments during intense rainfall events after recent pesticides application. The results highlight the importance of good management practices to prevent pesticides contamination of downstream environments due to runoff from agricultural lands.

The present study analyzes how EPTV (Emissoras Pioneiras de Televiso -Pioneer Broadcasting Television Stations) selects, deals with and discloses environmental information related to water through its daily news program, the Jornal Regional (JR). Starting from the acknowledgment of television as an important mass media, which implants and promotes ideologies along its viewers, the intention was to study water messages and representations on JR in the region of Campinas, State of So Paulo, where the program is the audience leader in the genre TV news. In this region, today's model of development promotes high demographic, urban and industrial concentration and, subsequently, one of the lowest indexes of hydric availability per capita and water quality in Brazil. Three consecutive months of JR's programming were monitored, selecting for quantitative and qualitative analysis reports with references to water. An interview with the Press Manager of that broadcasting station was conducted on the news production process of JR. Bibliographic studies revealed a commercial and ideological relationship between Rede Globo (Major Broadcasting Station that EPTV rebroadcasts to the region) and EPTV, contextualizing a commercial relationship, which is subject to the interests of the economical and political elite. In such a context, EPTV creates a representation of reality, which is a form of systematic distortion by which viewers see an objective world through a "filter" that promotes or omits facts in an arbitrary fashion. In this scenario, water is regarded as merchandise on JR's messages, being its availability a result of resources management and disconnected from its natural conditions and environmental role. Environmental issues that degrade quality and limit water availability in the region are attributed to domestic consumption and sewage production. Municipal public administrations are appointed as responsible for the reversal of this situation by means of sewage treatment. Water is also associated to an image of environment which is represented as 'natural landscape' in a spectacle perspective for the entertainment of viewers.

Based upon several years of experience in investigations with macrozoobenthos in rivers in the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, a biological assessment system has been developed to indicate pollution levels caused by easily degradable organic substances from sewers. The biotic index presented here is aimed at determining water's saprobic levels and was, therefore, named the "Saprobic Index for Brazilian Rivers in Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro states" (ISMR). For this purpose, saprobic valences and weights have been established for 122 taxa of tropical macrozoobenthos. Investigations were carried out in little, medium sized and big rivers in mountains and plains. Through ISMR, a classification of water quality and the respective cartographic representation can be obtained. Data collection and treatment methods, as well as the limitations of the biotic index, are thoroughly described. ISMR can also be used as an element to establish complex multimetric indexes intended for an ecological integrity assessment, where it is essential to indicate organic pollution.

The usefulness of water quality indices, as the indicators of water pollution, for assessment of spatial-temporal changes and classification of river water qualities was verified. Four water quality indices were investigated: WQI (considering 18 water quality parameters), WQI(min) and WQI(m) (considering five water quality parameters: temperature, pH, DO, EC and TSS) and WQI(DO) (considering a single parameter, DO). The water quality indices WQI(min), WQI(m) and WQI(DO) could be of particular interest for the developing countries because of the minimum analytical cost involved. As a case study, water quality indices were used to evaluate spatial and temporal changes of the water quality in the Bagmati river basin (Nepal) for the study period 1999-2003. The results allowed us to determine the serious negative effects of the city urban activity on the river water quality. In the studied section of the river, the water quality index (WQI) was 71 units (classified as good) at the entry station and 47.6 units (classified as bad) at the outlet station. For the studied period, a significant decrease in water quality (mean WQI decrease = 11.6%, p = 0.042) was observed in the rural areas. A comparative analysis revealed that the urban water quality was significantly bad as compared with rural. The analysis enabled to classify the water quality stations into three groups: good water quality, medium water quality and bad water quality. WQI(min) resulted in overestimation of the water quality but with similar trend as with WQI and is useful for the periodic routine monitoring program. The correlation of WQI with WQI(min) and DO resulted two new indices WQI(m) and WQI(DO), respectively. The classification of waters based on WQI(m) and WQI(DO) coincided in 90 and 93% of the samples, respectively.

O controle da qualidade da água de consumo humano se tornou uma ação de saúde pública a partir da década de 1970, quando a portaria No 52 Bsb 77 do Ministério da Saúde instituiu a norma de potabilidade em todo o território nacional. Entretanto, a implementação de um programa de vigilância da qualidade da água só ocorreu a partir da criação do Sistema Nacional de Vigilância Ambiental em Saúde em 1999, e da publicação da portaria 1.469 em 2000. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir os desafios que se colocam para a vigilância da qualidade da água, não só como proposta racionalizadora das ações do Estado, mas como prática sanitária de vigilância em saúde que tenha como perspectiva incorporar a promoção e a proteção da saúde ao conjunto de medidas adotadas pelo SUS, atendendo ainda às seguintes diretrizes: geração de dados, análise e disseminação da informação; descentralização; intersetorialidade e participação da sociedade. O artigo está organizado de modo a descrever, a partir de uma perspectiva histórica, o processo de normatização e regulação da qualidade da água para o consumo humano, abordando os principais desafios e perspectivas da vigilância da qualidade da água no sentido da busca por ações intersetoriais e descentralizadas, abertas a uma gestão participativa voltada para o controle social.

The article considered the ecological index of water quality, which is used for planning water protection activities, developing water protection measures, carrying out ecological and ecological and economic zoning, ecological mapping; water pollution index, which is determined by hydrochemical indicators; modified Horton water quality index models; the Water Quality Index is proposed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment; the Said index, which is used to assess the quality of water for general use; water quality index in the river subbasin in a certain year; The Nemerov Pollution Index, which is used to comprehensively assess water, precipitation, or soil quality, and the Oregon Water Quality Index. Advantages and disadvantages of water quality and pollution indices are determined.

Issue By 2025, half of the world's population will be living in water-stressed areas. Managing water quality and quantity is a worldwide concern that will require investing in WATER Centers and monitoring systems to improve the safety of drinking water and contribute to water conservation worldwide. Without reliable water policy climate change will threaten human survival. Problem There is no single measure that can describe overall water quality for any one body of water, let alone at a global level. Seven assessment methods used to measure water quality either on a national or global level, were reviewed and indexed. This index was examined and compared by objective, use, distribution and global location. Water centers need to review community water process, outcomes and outputs and also provide user populations with a Water Quality and Water Quantity Index (WQQI). Results United Nations Environment Programme UNEP research has revealed that “although there is no globally accepted composite index of water quality, some countries and regions have used, or are using, aggregated water quality data in the development of water quality indices.” 'Most water quality indices rely on normalizing, or standardizing data by parameter according to expected concentrations and some interpretation of 'good' versus 'bad' concentrations”. Lessons The survival of the human population requires policy changes regarding water management. The feedback humans need to survive can best be described as a Water Quality and Quantity Index (WQQI). With the growing scarcity of drinking water worldwide, proactive strategic thinking and planning is necessary. Message: Investing in WATER Centers ensures that the public health and economic benefits for all things related to water is optimized. The WQQI could also be useful in longitudinal and cross-sectional epidemiological studies. Key messages The survival of the human population requires policy changes regarding water management. Mankind needs real-time feedback about water quality to respond to threats to the water supply.