African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6938

Full Length Research Paper

Monitoring of outcrops waters quality in the watershed UBÁ creek

José Antonio R. Souza*, Debora A. Moreira, Naiara M. Condé, Wanderbeth B. Carvalho and Aluízio A. Fernandes
Instituto Federal Goiano – Câmpus Urutaí, Urutaí – GO, Brazil.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Received: 30 July 2014
  •  Accepted: 09 January 2015
  •  Published: 05 February 2015

 ABSTRACT

This study aimed to monitor the effects of anthropic action on outcrops waters quality located in the Ubá city - Brazil. For this study, ten outcrops waters had their physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics monitored throughout the year 2013, for five times. The results showed that there was a great environmental degradation and only 30% of outcrops waters monitored presented adequate fresh consumption of the standard portability point of view, making it necessary interventions to ensure its quality.

 

Key words: Potability, pollution, water analysis.

 


 INTRODUCTION

Groundwater corresponds to approximately 90% of the freshwater in the world and about 1.5 billion people depend on these supplies (UNEP, 2008). However, the available quantities are not always sufficient to supply the urban area and, in this case, the population suffers from water scarcity that can be aggravated by failure to control pollution that affects the aquifers (Foster et al., 2010).
 
In Brazil, about 39% of cities are supplied by groundwater, and several of them supply all their water requirements using this type of supply which in addition meets directly to the population and are used in industry, agriculture, leisure and among others (ANA, 2010; BRASIL, 2009).
 
The increased demand for water in the cities associated with the impacts of intense urbanization, leads to a worrying situation for the future sustainability of urban public water supply, especially in some Brazilian metropolitan regions (SRH, 2006).  The reduction of quantity and the degradation of water affect the society as a whole (BRASIL, 2007).
 
Groundwater is responsible for the supply of more than 50% of water demand for all human needs, for food and regulation of rivers, streams and many lakes and ponds, enabling them to continue flowing in the dry season. Groundwater generally have high standard of physical-chemical and bacteriological quality and are captured in outcrops waters or wells that can be built close to the areas of consumption (BRASIL, 2009).
 
The quality of surface water and groundwater for human consumption must satisfy standards of quality and portability, ensuring that their physical, chemical and biological characteristics are within recommended standards by the World Health Organization (WHO). Owing to the fact that water is vital to the activities of the human body, hygiene and food preparation.In Brazil, these standards are defined in Decree 2914 of 2011 of the Ministry of Health of Brazil.
 
The pollution caused by human activities, the increase in world population, over consumption and the high degree of wastage are factors that put at risk the availability of fresh water. Owing to its strategic importance for present and future generations, our groundwater reserves require special care in order to ensure its preservation and use of rational and sustainable manner.
 
Considering the great importance of groundwater for the maintenance and expansion of urban development and the possibility of contamination by waterborne diseases, this study aimed to monitor outcrops of waters quality in the Ubá city –Brazil.


 METHODOLOGY

The study area comprised of an urban route of watershed of the Ubá or Miragaia creek, pertaining watershed of the Paraíba do Sul river, which has 33 km long and drains an area of 254 km², which represents 62.3% of the area Ubá city - Brazil (UBA, 2011).

 

The predominant soils in the region are loamy, presenting 55% of wavy relief and 40% hilly with elevations ranging from 300 m (southern county region) and 900 m (north-east region of the city) and an average rainfall in the region is 1,272 mm yr-1 (UBA, 2011). To evaluate the effects of anthropic action on the groundwater quality, ten outcrops waters had the physical, chemical and microbiological   characteristics   monitored   throughout   the year 2013, for five times.

 

Figure 1 presented the geographic location of monitoring points, corresponding to outcrops waters located in districts Fazendinha, Cibraci, Primavera, Eldorado, Bom Pastor, Paulino Fernandes, Caxangá, São Judas Tadeu and Sobradinho e Altair Rocha. The determinations of temperature and pH values were carried in situ, while for the other characteristics, water samples were taken in pre-sterilized flask, packed in a plastic box with ice, being conducted, immediately, to the Laboratory of Water Analysis of the Minas Gerais University – Uba Unit. In these samples, the following analyzes were carried: turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride, hardness, nitrate, total coliform (TC) and fecal (CF), according to the methods described in APHA (1998).

 

 

 


 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The mean values and respective standard deviations of the physical and chemical characteristics of the ten outcrops waters monitored over year 2013 are presented in Table 1. The temperature is one of the standards, or organoleptic characteristics, waters quality, associate to the sensitivity in living organisms, which make it an attractive water or not for consumption. When changing the temperature of aquatic system which is so significant to the point of changing their quality, it is described as thermal pollution (PERCEBON, 2005).
 
 
The temperatures recorded (20.6 to 24°C) did notreflect any human activity occurring in the waters,  verifying only an elevation of their levels due to the increase of air temperature during the sample taking, once the city presented a humid tropical climate, with average annual temperature of 21°C (UBA, 2011). The recorded pH range (6.19 - 7.66) is regular, which is in accordance with the quality standard of surface water in the CONAMA Resolution 357/2005 and, potability, according to Decree 2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health Brazil, not being evidenced a spatial pattern of occurrence. These results are in accordance with studies of surface water quality of the Ubá creek conducted by Carvalho et al. (2004) and, separately, do not indicate any effects of human activity on the quality of water evaluated.
 
The outcrops waters located in districts Eldorado, Fazendinha and Paulino Fernandes showed turbidity values above the standard of acceptance for human consumption without previous treatment, as Ordinance no 2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health of Brazil, which establishes the limit of 5 NTU, complementing the microbiological requirements.
 
Although, the turbidity may be of natural origin, not bringing direct health hazards, is aesthetically displeasing in potable water, and suspended solids can provide shelter for pathogenic microorganisms (Von Sperling, 2005). In the case of outcrops waters in evaluation, the observed values may be related both to natural causes, such as the misuse of the soil, anthropogenic and the contamination by sewage.
 
According Mouchrek Filho and Nascimento (2005), the electrical conductivity is an indirect measure of anthropogenic effects because it depends on the temperature and ionic concentrations, indicating the quantity of existing salts in water. Thus, the outcrops waters located in Bom Pastor, Eldorado, Fazendinha and Caxangá presented values for the electrical conductivity parameter above 100 mS cm-1, indicating impacted environments according to Mouchrek Filho and Nascimento (2005).
 
Regarding the organoleptic properties potability analyzed, both the values of chloride as the hardness of all outcrops waters were monitored within the limits established by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, according to Decree no 2914/2011. Similar results were obtained by Carvalho et al. (2004), when analyzing the surface waters of Ubá creek along urban stretch, including nearby launch of industrial effluents. Also, Silva and Araújo (2003), analyzed water samples from groundwater in Feira de Santana (BA), obtained 100% of the samples with parameters of chlorides and hardness within the recommended standard, indicating that these parameters require high concentration to change the quality of water.
 
The occurrence of nitrogen compounds in their different oxidation states is an indicative of contamination of the aquifer and possible inadequate sanitary conditions. The nitrate in excess, causes two adverse health effects, which are the induction of methemoglobinemia, especially in children and, the potential formation of nitrosamines and nitrosamides, both in carcinogenic (Scorsafava et al., 2010; Nascimento, 2005; Barbosa, 2005). Therefore, the maximum permitted value established by Ordinance 2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health of Brazil is 10 mg L-1 N-NO3 in potable water.
 
Therefore, analyzing Table 1, it is verified that the consumption in nature of outcrops waters would not cause this disease. However, with regard to contamination by anthropogenic activities, outcrop water located in Eldorado, Primavera, Fazendinha and Caxangá, that is, 30% of water supplies, N-NO3- concentrations showed higher 3 mg L-1, which was configure. According to Alaburda and Nishihara (1998), these water supplies are contaminated.
 
Scorsafava et al. (2010), studied the quality of water from wells and outcrop water for human consumption in the state of São Paulo, found that nitrate concentration was higher than those allowed by legislation in 15% of the wells and 30% of outcrop water. Similar results were obtained by Freitas et al. (2001) who studied water samples   from wells    on   Fluminense  Park  in   Rio   de Janeiro, found that 30% of the samples exceeded the maximum amounts permitted by legislation. The mean values and respective standard deviations of the microbiological characteristics of the ten outcrops waters monitored over year 2013 are presented in Table 2.
 
 

Determination of the concentration of total coliforms assumes significance as an indicator parameter of the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms responsible for the transmission of waterborne diseases. The presence of fecal coliforms indicates the possibility of other enteric pathogens and fecal contamination, serving as an indicator of sanitary quality of water (Moura et al., 2009; Silva, 2000). According to Decree 2914/2011 of the Ministry of Health of Brazil, in terms of microbiological, the potability of water can be determined by the absence of counting total and fecal coliforms in 100 ml of sample.

 

Observing Table 2, it is verified that the outcrops waters located in Bom Pastor, Eldorado, Altair Rocha, Sao Judas Tadeu, Fazendinha, Caxangá and Paulino Fernandes, that is, 70% of water supplies, did not present good conditions for natural consumption, necessary disinfection process is needed in order to make them suitable for consumption, due to the high degree of contamination. Similar results were obtained by Lima and Freitas (2007), when studying the water quality of wells and outcrops waters in the urban perimeter of Uberaba city, consumed by a segment of the population. These authors found that 40% of the wells and 75% of outcrops waters had inadequate water for human consumption, being in disagreement with current standards required by Ordinance 2915/2011. Regarding Ubá creek, Carvalho et al. (2004) found that surface waters close to urban perimeter were contaminated by total and fecal coliforms.

 

Considering the monitored parameters, it was observed that only 30% of the outcrop monitored had been presented suitable for consumption "in nature" as required by standards of potability, indicating significant environmental degradation and high risk of contamination by the water-transmitted diseases. The quality of water supplies monitored are directly associated with the characteristics of their location, such as reduced health infrastructure, soil erosion, proximity to places of effluent discharge and inadequate state of preservation of outcrop water. Although the city has the privilege of having high water supplies, both groundwater as surface water, these supplies are suffering from pollution by domestic and industrial effluents, making it necessary to ensure quality and quantity of water for present and future generations.

 
 


 CONCLUSION

According to the results, it can be concluded that only 30% of outcrops monitored were presented as suitable for consumption "in nature" according to the point of view of potability, indicating that the sources groundwater in the region has suffered from significant environmental degradation, and this requires interventions to ensure its quality.


 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors have not declared any conflict of interest.



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