Thesis (M. Tech. (Environmental Health)) -- Central University of technology, Free State, 2013 / Introduction: Drinking water of poor quality can cause a variety of diseases and may even result in death. The impact of poor drinking water is a course for concern even in South Africa. Therefore, the physical, chemical and microbiological drinking water quality was investigated in the peri-urban area of Bainsvlei and the Woodlands Hills Estate in Bloemfontein, Free State. Materials and Methods: The water quality was assessed in 20 identified sampling sites for three series with ten weeks apart. These sites use treated municipal and untreated borehole water for drinking. The determinants analysed for were pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, temperature, Ca, Mg, Na, F, Cl, N, SO₄,N, Free chlorine, Al, As, CN, Fe, Mn, Pb, Hg, total coliforms and E. coli. The water samples were collected and analysed on site and in the laboratory. Both the physical and chemical determinants were measured using standard methods whereas the microbiological determinants were measured using the Defined Substrate Technology (DST) method. The measurements were first compared to the SANS 241 (2011) for compliance. The ANOVA tests were used to investigate if any seasonal variations existed in the water quality as well as to compare the levels of the determinants between borehole and municipal water. In the assessment of the overall drinking water quality of different water sampling sites the water quality index (WQI) was used. Results and Discussions: Significant effects were believed to exist if the p-values of the ANOVA and Scheffe tests were at a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05). The study results revealed that of the four physical determinants that were measured turbidity exceeded the standard in many sampling sites in the three series. Of all the chemical determinants, nitrates exceeded the standard. In the same way coliforms exceeded the standard in a number of sampling sites while E. coli was found in a few sampling sites in the first series. ANOVA tests revealed that seasonal variations existed between pH, EC, temperature, cyanide and iron at a significant level of 5% (p < 0.05) while the Post-hoc Scheffe test further revealed the series in which the effect existed. Similarly, the ANOVA tests revealed that the levels of the determinants between municipal versus borehole varied in pH, EC, Ca, Mg, Na, F, Cl, N, and SO₄ at a significant level of 5% (p < 0.05). The WQI showed that in all the series when combining the good and excellent category season 2 had the highest percentage of 80%, followed by season 3 with 79% and season 1 with 70%. Only borehole sampling sites were found in the poor, very poor and unsuitable categories. Similarly all the highest WQI values were found in borehole sampling sites. Conclusion: This study revealed that the water quality is of good quality in the Bainsvlei and Woodlands Hills Estate of the Mangaung metropolitan municipality in Bloemfontein, in the Free State, South Africa. The presence of E. coli, though found in a few sampling sites and the high levels of turbidity, nitrates and coliforms are of concern to public health.

Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-04T12:42:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010 / O uso intensivo de agrotóxicos tem suscitado a preocupação de profissionais de diversos setores, face aos riscos potenciais que essas substâncias trazem ao ambiente e aos seres humanos. Nesse contexto, a água consumida pelas populações pode ser uma importante forma de exposição. Os agrotóxicos constituem parâmetro preconizado no padrão de potabilidade nacional, expresso na Portaria MS nº 518, de 25 de março de 2004, mediante a indicação de valores máximos permitidos (VMP) para 23 substâncias. A última atualização formal do conteúdo dessa norma ocorreu em 2000 e, diante do crescimento da agroeconomia brasileira e, por conseguinte, do consumo dessas substâncias, o processo de revisão / reformulação do padrão nacional para os agrotóxicos torna-se imperativo. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é analisar a consistência do atual padrão de potabilidade brasileiro referente aos agrotóxicos. A metodologia do trabalho foi constituída de cinco etapas; a primeira apresenta uma análise comparativa entre o padrão brasileiro e os padrões de outros países. As quatro etapas seguintes foram conduzidas de forma associada às etapas da Metodologia de Avaliação de Risco. Os resultados apresentados indicaram a ausência de informações sistemáticas sobre o consumo de agrotóxicos no país, o que compromete o conhecimento da realidade nacional, em termos das substâncias mais utilizadas. A despeito dessa limitação, dados de 2005 / 2006 apontaram um panorama de uso de agrotóxicos centrado principalmente nos estados de São Paulo e Paraná, embora todos os estados da federação façam uso dessas substâncias; o padrão de potabilidade nacional para agrotóxicos tem sido definido, essencialmente, mediante os parâmetros e valores guias recomendados pela OMS e não considera algumas substâncias das classes dos inseticidas e fungicidas comuso expressivo, cujas características toxicológicas e potencial de contaminação das águas merecem atenção. A revisão / atualização do padrão de potabilidade para os agrotóxicos constitui parte importante de um processo mais amplo de revisão da legislação nacional. Dentre as diversas questões afetas à constante avaliação de risco dos agrotóxicos no padrão de potabilidade, ressalta-se a importância de que o Governo Federal e, com destaque o Ministério da Saúde, garanta a sustentabilidade financeira, operacional e de recursos humanos desse processo. / The intensive use of pesticides has got attention of professionals of different areas, regarding the potential hazard of these substances for environment and for human beings. In this context, the water for human intake can be an important form of exposure. The pesticides are recommended in the national standard for potability, expressed in Portaria MS nº 518/2004, of 25 March 2004, with the maximum permitted values indication (VMP) for 23 substances. The last update of that normative occurred in 2000 and, considering Brazilian agricultural business growth and, consequently, consumption of those substances, revision/reformulation of the national standard for pesticides becomes imperative. The main objective of this work is to analyze the current consistency of Brazilian standard for potability considering pesticides. The methodology was made up with five steps; the first present an analysis between Brazilian standard and other countries’ standards. Remain four were conducted with the steps of Risk Assessment Methodology. The results indicated a lack of systematic information about the usage of pesticides in the country, which undermines national knowledge of reality, in terms of more common used substances. Despite this limitation, 2005/2006 data indicated a panorama of use of pesticides is focused mainly in the states of São Paulo and Paraná, although all federation states make use of such substances; the national standard for potability has been set to pesticides essentially through the parameters and guide values recommended by WHO, and does not consider some substances from classes of insecticides and fungicides with expressive use and such toxicological characteristics and water contamination potential deserve attention. The revision/update of national standard for potability considering pesticides is an important part of a wide process of revision of national legislation. Among the various issues related to risk assessment with pesticides in standard for potability, emphasize the importance that the Federal Government and, in particular the Ministry of Health, ensure the human resources, financial and operational sustainability of this process.

MPH / Department of Public Health / Water quality of drinking water has been linked to good health outcomes across the world. The aim of this study was to assess physico-chemical, bacteriological, community practices regarding collection and storage of water and evaluation of human health risk characteristics of drinking water supplied by the government to Lufule village in Thulamela municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa A cross-sectional study was conducted using questionnaires and interviews to determine drinking water handling practices and levels of contamination between the source and point-of-use at household. Assessment of water quality was carried out on 114 samples from selected sampling points using scientifically approved protocols. Total coliform was determined in 62.5% and 87.5% of the samples during the dry and wet seasons respectively. Similarly, E. coli was determined in 10.4 % and 13.2% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Trace metals levels in the drinking water samples were analysed and were within permissible range of both SANS and WHO. The calculated non-carcinogenic effects using hazard quotient toxicity potential, cumulative hazard index and chronic daily intake of drinking water through ingestion pathways were less than one unity, which showed that consumption of the water could pose little or no significant health risk. The results of this research suggest that lead has the potential of cancer risk to the residents through the cumulative ingestion in the drinking water samples of the studied area. Therefore, precaution needs to be taken to avoid potential risk of people in Lufule area especially, children. / NRF