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Estimation and evaluation of the risks of protozoa infections associated to the water from a treatment plant in southern Brazil using the Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment Methodology (QMRA)

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Abstract

In this study, the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) methodology was applied to estimate the annual risk of Giardia and Cryptosporidium infection associated with a water treatment plant in southern Brazil. The efficiency of the treatment plant in removing protozoa and the effectiveness of the Brazilian legislation on microbiological protection were evaluated, emphasizing the relevance of implementing the QMRA in this context. Two distinct approaches were employed to estimate the mechanical removal of protozoa: The definitions provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the model proposed by Neminski and Ongerth. Although the raw water collected had a higher concentration of Giardia cysts than Cryptosporidium oocysts, the estimated values for the annual risk of infection were significantly higher for Cryptosporidium than for Giardia. From a general perspective, the risk values of protozoa infection were either below or very near the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, all the risk values of Cryptosporidium infection exceeded the threshold established by the USEPA. Ultimately, it was concluded that the implementation of the QMRA methodology should be considered by the Brazilian authorities, as the requirements and guidelines provided by the Brazilian legislation proved to be insufficient to guarantee the microbiological safety of drinking water. In this context, the QMRA application can effectively contribute to the prevention and investigation of outbreaks of waterborne disease.

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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank her co-workers from Municipal Department of Water and Sewage of Porto Alegre (DMAE) for their encouragement.

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  1. Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (DMAE), St. 24 de Outubro, nº 200, Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, 90510-000, Brazil

    Claudia Bauer Visentini

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Claudia Bauer Visentini was responsible for the development of the entire study, including the preparation and revision of the manuscript text, figures, and tables.

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Visentini, C.B. Estimation and evaluation of the risks of protozoa infections associated to the water from a treatment plant in southern Brazil using the Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment Methodology (QMRA). Environ Monit Assess 196, 439 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12577-3

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