ESSa - Posters em Encontros Científicos Internacionais
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Browsing ESSa - Posters em Encontros Científicos Internacionais by Author "Afonso, Andrea Luísa Fernandes"
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- Assessment of iron and nitrates concentration in drinking water, in the district of Bragança, Portugal between 2012 and 2013Publication . Mendes, Ana; Souto, Flávia; Faria, Paula; Pires, Bruno; Barros, Pedro; Nogueira, António José M.; Afonso, Andrea Luísa FernandesWater is an essential resource for life. It is a crucial factor for all living beings’ survival thus, it is necessary to promote means to obtain drinking water for human consumption.1 The water intended for human consumption, according to the World Health Organization (WHO),is quality water as soon as it does not cause a significant threat to human health during its consumption.2 The diseases related to the contamination of water for human consumption constitute a very high responsibility and importance to the Public Health. The nitrates have a high solubility and may reach the groundwater in the deep layers of the soil by processes as leaching, particularly in areas with intensive farming and livestock. High concentrations of nitrates can be very harmful to human health since they can be easily converted into nitrites which concentrations cannot exceed the parametric value of 50 mg/L in water for human consumption (Dec. Law n.º 306/2007). The greater effect of nitrite in human health is your involvement in the oxidation of hemoglobin (Hb) to methemoglobin (MetHb). High concentrations of nitrates cause severe methaemoglobinemia in infants and adults. The methemoglobinemia is a rare condition caused by excessive conversion of hemoglobin (Hb) in methemoglobin (MetHb), being unable to bind and transport oxygen.3The iron exists in low concentrations in natural waters and usually its presence results of processes such as leaching of soils or industrial pollution. The presence of iron in the water can consequently cause the corrosion of metal pipes or the use of iron salts as agents of coagulation/flocculation in water treatment and the parametric value of iron is 200μg/L (Dec. Law n.º 306/2007) in water for human consumption.The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentration of nitrate and iron in drinking water in the district of Bragança in order to identify the sampling point that keeps concentrations of these ions above the parametric values.The collection of drinking water samples in the district of Bragança occurred between the years of 2012 and 2013, with subsequent spectrophotometric determination of nitrate and iron concentration, in the Public Health Laboratory of Bragança (PHLB).Samples with concentrations above the parametric values were identified: above 200 μg/L to iron and above 50 mg/L to nitrates (Dec, Law n.º 306/2007). The collected data was statistically treated in program Microsoft Office - Excel and the analysis of the data was carried out using the normal distribution with levels of confidence of 95 %. In the year 2012 were collected 624 samples and 8.8% of these were outside the parametric values with 8.7% corresponding to samples with values of increased iron and 0.1% corresponding to increased nitrate’s values. In the year 2013 it was collected 1208 samples in which 8.9% were above the parametric values stipulated, from which 8.6% corresponded to samples with increased concentrations of iron and 0.3% corresponded to samples with nitrate levels above the parametric values. Two regions exhibited a greater number of samples with concentrations above the established limits for the parameters studied in this work. One of the regions had 15.9% of the samples above the established limits and the other had 12.6%.Individuals that consumed this water with high levels of iron and nitrates may be associated with several potential health threats
- Assessment of microbiological contamination in different catering units related to food handling in the district of BragançaPublication . Salgado, Ana; Cunha, Joana; Abreu, Jacinta; Barros, Pedro; Pires, Bruno; Nogueira, António José M.; Afonso, Andrea Luísa FernandesThe catering industry has developed over time, increasing the concern about the health and nutritional quality of the food. Therefore producers and food establishments are under pressure to improve the quality of their products and services in order to assure that food is safe and suitable for consumption. The microbial contamination of food is a major public health problem since it affects millions of people worldwide. Poor hygiene practices within the food processing environment can cause the contamination of food with pathogenic particles, which is a risk for the consumers health and safety. In establishments where food is manufactured and served, several measures regarding the control of the microbiologic contamination are needed. The majors microorganisms associated to food contamination are the bacterias due to the fact that they have a high pathogenicity and diversity. For an assessment of the hygienic conditions related to food handling is essential to know the sanitary conditions of the establishments since they can reduce the risks of food contamination. These food contaminations can cause adverse human health problems. Assessment of microbial contamination of the materials and hands of food handlers in different restoration units in the district of Bragança. In this project we analyzed 694 samples, 356hands and 338 utensils (crockery). It was conducted a microbiological assessment of the following microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli in the hands of food handlers and analysis of total germs, total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli in handling utensils in different restoration units (day care centers, restaurants/snack bars, supermarkets/grocers; health center’s/hospitals, schools/kindergartens; butchers, fishmongers; delicatessens; dairies; hotels; governmental establishments). All the samples belong to the areas of Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Nova de Foz Côa,Vila Flôr, Vimioso and Vinhais,and were analyzed in the Public Health Laboratory of Bragança, in the period between January and December 2013. Excel - For the statistical analysis plan the program of Microsoft Office was used. Regarding the hands of manipulators, 53.67% of the cases showed contamination. The hands samples data analysis showed 28.74% of total coliform, 14.96% of fecal coliforms, 3.23% of Staphylococcus aureus and 6.74% of Escherichia coli. The contamination of crockery, cutlery and other kitchen utensils, was confirmed in 28.80% of the samples with “unsatisfactory” results and 10.87% with "bad” results. These contaminations stand out 91.67% of the samples with the presence of total germs, 53.47% with total coliforms, 27.78% with fecal coliforms and 15:28% with Escherichia coli . It was also found that 60.33% of the samples had “satisfactory" results. The classification of the cleanliness of glassware and/or cutlery is classified as satisfactory if the number of colonies is less than or equal to 100 CFU (Colony Forming Units) per piece and the detection of coliforms is negative, it is classified as “unsatisfactory” if the number of colonies is greater than 100 CFU per piece and/or if the presence of coliforms is positive, it may still be classified as “bad” when the search of fecal coliforms and/or the research of E. coli is positive. We concluded that food handler contamination is the main cause of poor hygiene in the food manipulation process. The level of hygiene registered in most samples of the crockery, cutlery and other kitchen utensils used in food manipulation process is satisfactory. And when compared with the samples from the food handlers these samples have better results, even though we still recorded some levels of contamination. In general, it is necessary to implement appropriate food hygiene measures in order to reduce these contaminants in the catering units.
- Contamination levels that compromise the hygienic condition in the handling of foodPublication . Sousa, Isabel Maria dos Santos; Gonçalves, Marília; Portelinha, Rita; Ferreira, Tânia; Afonso, Andrea Luísa Fernandes; Nogueira, António José M.; Pires, BrunoMicrobiological contamination of food is a major public health problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. Most of the contamination is associated with bad practices in the handling and processing of food, due to poor hygiene of food worker´s hands or utensils and surfaces used in this manipulation. This study evaluates the hygienic condition of food handling in the district of Bragança, determining microbial contamination of utensils and worker´s hands, during the period 2009-2011. With respect to the worker´s hands, 39 % of cases showed contamination. In 57 % of these samples total coliforms were identified, in 26% of them fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus in 10% and finally 7% with Escherichia coli. The utensils contamination was confirmed in 30% of samples with results "not satisfactory" and 4 % had results "bad". These contaminations stand out 60 % of the samples with the presence of total germs, 28 % with total coliforms, fecal coliforms with 9 % and even 3 % with Escherichia coli. It was also found that only 37 % of the samples developed positively. It was concluded that there is a better cleaning of utensils manipulation than the worker´s hands, however the trend to improve the hygienic condition is most pronounced in the hands of these workers. The implementation of a program of rules for good hygiene practices will reduce these contaminants to lower levels.
- Evaluation of trihalomethanes and aluminum in drinking water in the northwest of PortugalPublication . Moreira, Fátima; Rodrigues, Andreia; Silva, Fabiana; Portelinha, Rita; Pires, Bruno; Afonso, Andrea Luísa Fernandes; Nogueira, António José M.Safe water for human consumption is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as water that does not cause a significant hazard to human health during its consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of trihalomethanes (THM) and aluminum in the drinking water of the District of Bragança, in order to understand the importance of periodicity these analyzes and the risks to the health of the populations that have been supplied by this water. The THM and aluminum in drinking waters, 233 and 230 samples respectively, were analyzed in Public Health Laboratory of Bragança, in northeast of Portugal between January 1996 and April 2005, according to the guidelines of European Directives of 1980 and 1998. The THM concentration was determined by gas-liquid chromatography and aluminum concentration was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The THM were determined in 233 samples, of which only two showed a concentration greater than the Maximum Acceptable Value (MAV=150 µg/L), from reservoirs of the region of Moncorvo. This value represents a minority (0,9%), compared to the total number of analyzed samples. The determination of aluminum was performed in 230 samples, of which 11.3% exceeded the MAV=200 µg/L. The region of Mogadouro exhibited the major number of samples (n = 10) with concentrations above the MAV. Individuals that consumed this water with high levels of THM and aluminum in particular the individuals of the regions of Moncorvo and Mogadouro, may be associated with several potential health risks.