Microbiological characterization of stormwater in a high-income neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Stormwater harvesting and reuse in the urban environment is emerging as an alternative water source, despite human pathogens in the stormwater may represent a hazard to public health. This study presents the results of 1-year monitoring to evaluate the quality of stormwater obtained in a high-income neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro for a set of microbiological parameters as total coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli), human adenovirus (HAdV), human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV), Group A rotavirus (RVA), and norovirus GI and GII. Forty-eight stormwater samples obtained from two multiplex units presented total coliforms and E. coli in 91.7% (n = 44) and 58.3% (n = 28) of samples, while HAdV and JCPyV were detected in 20.8% (n = 10) and 12.5% (n = 6), respectively. Viral quantification ranged from 103 to 104 genomic copies/liter (GC/L) for HAdV and from 101 to 104 GC/L for JCPyV. Neither RVA nor norovirus GI and GII was detected. Fifteen out of sixteen (93.8%) samples containing viruses were compliant as per fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) according to Brazilian standards for rainwater reuse and US EPA Guidelines for Water Reuse, suggesting that viruses monitoring should complement the study of bacterial indicators.

Virome in roof-harvested rainwater of a densely urbanized low-income region.

Rainwater harvesting has been considered an affordable practice to supplement the conventional sources of water supply for potable and non-potable uses worldwide. This study characterizes the viral community found in roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW) samples obtained under different rain volumes in a densely urbanized low-income region in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Three pilot-scale standardized metal-sheet roofs (same catchment area, material age, and slope - 3%) were installed in the study area aiming at obtaining more reliable and representative samples. Fifty-four samples were collected from six rainfall events from January to April 2019 and concentrated by the skimmed-milk flocculation method. Pools of different rainfall volumes were submitted to high throughput sequencing using the shotgun metagenomic approach. Sequencing was performed on NextSeq platform. Genomic analysis of the virus community revealed that most are RNA non-human viruses, including two main families: Dicistroviridae and Iflaviridae, recognized for infecting arthropods. Bacteriophages were also relatively abundant, with a predominance of DNA phages belonging to Microviridae and Siphoviridae families, showing percentages from 5.3 and 3.7% of the total viral hits present in these samples, respectively. Viral genomic RNA viruses (77%) predominated over DNA viruses (23%). Concerning number of viral species identified, a higher percentage was observed for plant viruses (12 families, 58%). Hepatitis A virus and human klassevirus 1 were detected among the established human pathogens, suggesting the need for RHRW treatment before it is considered for human consumption. Australian bat lyssavirus was also detected, emphasizing the importance of environmental monitoring facing emerging viruses. The results corroborate the influence of the surrounding area on the rainwater quality.

Virological Characterization of Roof-Harvested Rainwater of Densely Urbanized Low-Income Region.

Roof-harvested rainwater (RHRW) is considered relatively clean water, even though the possible presence of pathogens in the water may pose human health risks. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of enteric viruses in the first flush (10 mm) of RHRW from a densely populated and low-income urbanized region of Rio de Janeiro. One hundred samples (5 L) were collected from 10 rainfall events between April 2015 and March 2017. RNA and DNA viruses were concentrated using the skimmed milk flocculation method and analyzed using the TaqMan® quantitative RT-qPCR and qPCR. Human adenoviruses, noroviruses, rotaviruses A, and avian parvoviruses were detected in 54%, 31%, 12%, and 12% of the positive samples. JC polyomavirus, also targeted, was not detected. Virus concentrations ranged from 1.09 × 101 to 2.58 × 103 genome copies/Liter (GC/L). Partial nucleotide sequence confirmed the presence of HAdV type 41, norovirus genotype GII.4, and avian parvovirus 1. The results suggest that the first flush diversion devices may not adequately remove enteric virus from the rainwater. Additional treatment of RHRW is required to mitigate potential health risks from potable use of captured water.

Ensino de biossegurança e meio ambiente: uma experiência na Fundação Oswaldo Cruz / Biosafety teaching and environment: an experience in the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation

Preocupada em minimizar os riscos ocupacionais, a Fundação Oswaldo Cruz realizou em maio/2010 o I Curso de Biossegurança e Meio Ambiente, que contou com a participação de 14 profissionais e carga horária de 60 horas, distribuídas em três módulos: (i) identificação dos riscos; (ii) conhecimento de recursos para evitar acidentes e contaminações; (iii) medidas a serem adotadas em caso de acidentes. Este estudo tem como objetivo relatar esta experiência de capacitação fundamentada na Teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa e na Abordagem Ergológica. Através do modelo de Kirkpatrick foi possível aferir a efetivação do curso no tocante aos primeiro e segundo níveis de avaliação, reação e aprendizagem, verificando se os conceitos de biossegurança foram incorporados à estrutura cognitiva dos alunos. Os resultados evidenciaram que a proposta de ensino e as estratégias utilizadas possibilitaram a assimilação do conhecimento, e consequentemente, a reflexão sobre o processo de trabalho. Para constatar, se os alunos, protagonistas das atividades, de fato estão colocando em prática, o que apreenderam no ambiente educacional, será necessária a implantação dos terceiro e quarto níveis de avaliação: comportamento e resultados.

One year monitoring of norovirus in a sewage treatment plant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Norovirus (NoV) is one of the most important aetiological agents of acute gastroenteritis both in developed and developing countries. NoV is shed in high concentrations by infected persons and contaminates recreational and drinking water through sewage discharge into the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, genotypes and removal ratio of NoV by PCR, seminested-PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays in a sewage treatment plant in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, during one year of surveillance. NoV was detected in 7 (15%), 14 (29%) and 28 (58%) samples using PCR, seminested-PCR and qPCR, respectively. The mean removal ratio for the activated sludge process was 0.6 log10 for NoV genogroup I (GI) and 0.32 log10 for NoV genogroup II (GII). The peak NoV concentration was detected in the coldest months, with 53,300 genomic copies/litre. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that five strains clustered with GI strains and six with GII strains. This study demonstrates that NoV spreads into the environment despite the sewage treatment process and remains a source of waterborne outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis.

Molecular detection of human astrovirus in an urban sewage treatment plant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and dissemination of human astroviruses (HAstV) in the environment by analyzing urban sewage samples from a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A one-year study was performed with a total of 48 raw and treated sewage composite samples, which were collected biweekly from an activated sludge plant. Virus particles were concentrated by the adsorption-elution method using negatively charged membranes associated to a Centriprep Concentrator® 50 (Nihon Millipore). HAstV were detected in 16.7 percent of the samples in raw and treated sewage by using both qualitative and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR and qPCR, respectively). Positive untreated sewage sample exhibited mean values of 1.1 x 10(4) gEq/mL. The qPCR sensitivity was 18 gEq/reaction. Through utilization of qPCR, a HAstV recovery efficiency of 4.2 percent and 4.3 percent was demonstrated for raw and treated sewage samples, respectively. The presence of HAstV in both the raw and treated sewage samples demonstrated the dissemination of these viruses in the environment as well as viral permanence after sewage treatment. There was a reduction in the total and faecal coliform levels, indicating efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant.

Molecular detection of human astrovirus in an urban sewage treatment plant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and dissemination of human astroviruses (HAstV) in the environment by analyzing urban sewage samples from a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A one-year study was performed with a total of 48 raw and treated sewage composite samples, which were collected biweekly from an activated sludge plant. Virus particles were concentrated by the adsorption-elution method using negatively charged membranes associated to a Centriprep Concentrator 50 (Nihon Millipore). HAstV were detected in 16.7% of the samples in raw and treated sewage by using both qualitative and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR and qPCR, respectively). Positive untreated sewage sample exhibited mean values of 1.1 x 10(4) gEq/mL. The qPCR sensitivity was 18 gEq/reaction. Through utilization of qPCR, a HAstV recovery efficiency of 4.2% and 4.3% was demonstrated for raw and treated sewage samples, respectively. The presence of HAstV in both the raw and treated sewage samples demonstrated the dissemination of these viruses in the environment as well as viral permanence after sewage treatment. There was a reduction in the total and faecal coliform levels, indicating efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant.

Sustentabilidade do abastecimento e da qualidade da água potável urbana / Sustentability of the supplying and from the quality from the urban potable water

A forma pela qual os recursos hídricos são gerenciados vem degradando os mananciais a um nível tal, que compromete a qualidade de vida das populações, gerando risco de escassez até mesmo onde a água é abundante. Como os problemas são sistêmicos, ou seja, são interdependentes e interligados, não podem mais ser tratados de forma fragmentada, como até então tem sido o pensamento vigente. Busca-se, assim, uma transformação dos valores e idéias atuais, substituindo-se o paradigma mecanicista-reducionista por uma nova visão integrativa e orgânica. O setor de saneamento insere-se neste contexto com a função de promover a melhoria da qualidade de vida da população utilizando os recursos naturais de maneira ambientalmente sustentável e economicamente eficiente. Os desafios de garantir os serviços de abastecimento de água e esgotamento sanitário neste cenário de crescente urbanização trazem em seu bojo a falta de recursos financeiros suficientes para a expansão dos serviços e a ineficiência no uso dos recursos arrecadados pelo setor. O entendimento do recurso natural "água" como um bem econômico e finito, deve fazer com que todos os atores a utilizem de forma a maximizar o bem-estar social, quer seja produzindo com a máxima eficiência quer seja consumindo sem desperdícios. Pretende-se, com esse trabalho, demonstrar a viabilidade da aplicação de tecnologias que visem utilizar menos água para conseguir os mesmos objetivos. Adicionalmente, como benefícios indiretos, o resultado seria a redução da poluição dos meios hídricos e do consumo de energia, aspectos fortemente dependentes do consumo de água, de forma a garantir a sustentabilidade do abastecimento da água potável urbana.

Avaliação e diagnóstico das condições de trabalho em duas indústrias de baterias chumbo-ácidas no Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Evaluation and diagnosis of working conditions in two lead-acid batteries industries in the State of Rio de Janeiro

A análise do processo produtivo e das condiçöes de trabalho em fábricas de baterias chumbo-ácidas apresenta uma gama de informaçöes mais completas do que as que têm sido discutidas até entäo. O presente estudo analisa o processo produtivo de duas indústrias de baterias no Rio de Janeiro. A metodologia utilizada aborda o assunto de uma forma qualitativa, utilizando como ferramentas entrevistas estruturadas com os trabalhadores e análise do ambiente de trabalho. O principal objetivo deste artigo é mostrar uma metodologia de análise com visäo ambiental ressaltando os riscos inerentes a estas atividades com uso de mapas de riscos, através de sua construçäo nos ambientes estudados. Os resultados sugerem um conjunto de recomendaçöes, baseadas na literatura científica e nas normas de segurança e medicina do trabalho explicitadas pela legislaçäo brasileira