Viral and bacterial contamination in groundwater from the Guaraní Aquifer’s recharge area, Ivoti municipality, RS

  • Roger Bordin da Luz Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Rodrigo Staggemeier Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Leila Xavier Sinigaglia Fratta Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Larisse Longo Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Rafael Schutz Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Mayra Cristina Soliman Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Mariana Kluge Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Rafael Bandeira Fabres Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Guilherme Corrêa Schenkel Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Fabrício Prestes Bruni Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Juliane Deise Fleck Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Simone Ulrich Picoli Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
  • Fernando Rosado Spilki Universidade Feevale (FEEVALE), Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brasil Instituto Ciências da Saúde
Keywords: adenovirus, enterovirus, Escherichia coli, rotavirus

Abstract

The water supply of the municipality of Ivoti comes solely from an underground source. The potability of groundwater in the municipality was evaluated by analyzing bacterial (Escherichia coli and total coliforms) and viral (adenovirus, enterovirus and rotavirus) markers for contamination. Twenty-seven water samples from artesian wells, dug wells and springs were collected between February and April 2011. The determination of the most probable number (MPN) of E. coli and total coliforms in 100 mL was performed by the multiple-tube method. Viral markers were analyzed in 500 mL aliquots by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Total coliforms were found in 66.6% of samples. Contamination found for E. coli was 25.9%, 40.7% for adenovirus and 22.2% for rotavirus. Enterovirus was not found. The presence of coliform bacteria and viruses in the samples indicates fecal contamination of groundwater at the study site, located in the recharge portion of the Guarani Aquifer and suggests the need of caution regarding the use of these water sources for public water supply, individual water catchment and farming.


Published
23/08/2017
Section
Papers