scholarly journals Examining Public Perceptions about Lead in School Drinking Water: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Twitter Response to an Environmental Health Hazard

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Ekenga ◽  
Cora-Ann McElwain ◽  
Nadav Sprague
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Public Perceptions

Viruses and Water: Problems, Detection, and Control

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Dizer ◽  
J. Dürkop ◽  
A. Grohmann ◽  
H. Kopecka ◽  
J. M. López-Pila
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Secondary Effluent ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Water Problems

Secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants contains a high number of viruses and other pathogens, which pose a health risk to the population, (especially when receiv ng waters are used for bathing and swimming, or for growing shellfish. In areas with a high density of population, where drinking water supply is dependent on surface waters and contaminated rivers are the primary source of drinking water, failure of the filtration or of the disinfection step, or of any other “barriers” supposed to warrant safe potable water, will increase the risk of health hazard for the consumer. We have compared the efficiency of viral elimination in secondary effluent by flocculation, uv rradiation and membrane filtration taking naturally occurring, or additionally seeded f2 phages, as indicator for viruses. Flocculation decreased the number of phages present in secondary effluent by more than two logs. If combined with uv irradiation, the elimination reached five additional logs. Membrane filtration eliminated essentially all naturally occurring phages. Improvement of the quality of surface waters calls for a refinement of detection methods for viruses. We have found that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) might be used for detecting viruses in surface waters.

scholarly journals Alpha Spectrometry of Radon Short-Lived Progeny in Drinking Water and Assessment of the Public Effective Dose: Results from the Cilento Area, Province of Salerno, Southern Italy

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 5840
Author(s):  
Enver Faella ◽  
Simona Mancini ◽  
Michele Guida ◽  
Albina Cuomo ◽  
Domenico Guida
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Effective Dose ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Internal Exposure ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Radon Activity ◽  
National Regulation ◽  
South Italy

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas present in the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere abundantly. Its ionizing radiation provides the largest human internal exposure by inhalation and ingestion to natural sources, constituting a serious health hazard. The contribution to total exposure is mainly due to inhalation, as ingestion by food or drinking water is typically very small. However, because of public health concerns, the contributions from all these sources are limited by regulations and remedial action should be taken in the event that the defined threshold values are overcome. In this paper, the first campaign of measurements to control the radon activity concentration in drinking water from public water supplies in the province of Salerno, south Italy, is described. The results represent a main reference for the area, as it was never investigated before. The purpose of this survey was to contribute to data compilation concerning the presence of radon-222 in groundwater in the Campania region and to determine the associated risk for different age groups. The maximum radon activity concentrations and the related total annual public effective dose turned out to be lower than the threshold values (100 Bq/l and 0.1 mSv/y, respectively) indicated by international guidelines and the national regulation, showing that the health risks for public consumption can be considered negligible.

scholarly journals A quantitative investigation of narratives: recycled drinking water

Water Policy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leong Ching
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Subjective Perceptions ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
New Information ◽  
Psychological Difficulties

Recycled drinking water represents one of the most obvious and technologically reliable sources of urban water. Yet it is one of the least implemented solutions. Blame has often been laid on the emotional and psychological difficulties of persuading people that recycled drinking water is safe to drink. This ‘yuck’ factor has been empirically identified as a statistically significant variable. But how are such factors perceived? And more importantly – can these perceptions be changed? This study attempts a quantitative study of public perceptions and norm formation in recycled drinking water. Using the Q methodology, which reveals the subjective perceptions of key stakeholders, we uncover the following discourses: (1) technology can change current paradigms; (2) ensuring a safe water supply is a problem that has an economic cost; (3) environmental and global realities make it imperative to recycle water. These findings confound two prevailing views – that the debate in recycled drinking water is one of science over emotions, and more information can ‘overcome’ the apparently irrational norm formation. Instead, we find no new information in this case. Rather what was present was a new interpretative frame that allowed a new narrative enabling the bridging of two previously contradictory positions – in this instance, the pro- and anti-water reuse discourses.

scholarly journals Physicochemical Assessment of Rain Water of Karachi, Pakistan

2014 ◽  
Vol 06 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Total Dissolved Solids ◽  
Rain Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Good Source

Local Precipitation (Rain) is a good source of surface water and could be a safe source of drinking water if it is free from contaminants. Many Asian countries do not have access to safe drinking water; therefore, they have no alternative but to use water from contaminated sources that poses a health hazard. In the present study, thirty three rain water samples were collected from Karachi, Pakistan during monsoon season of year 2007. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO) and hardness were immediately monitored after sample collections and possible sources of NH4, Na, K, Mg, Ca, F- , Cl- , NO3 - , CO3 -2 and SO4 -2 concentrations in rain water of Karachi city, Sindh, Pakistan were analyzed in order to distinguish safe source of drinking water. All samples were completely free from fluoride contamination while the concentration of chloride and sulfate was in range of 15.11-125 mg/l and 10.02- 72.02 mg/l indicate their presence from air pollution. Moreover, the study showed that the rain water can be harvested to extend potable and non-potable water supplies in this city.

scholarly journals SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE EVIDENTIAL BASE OF HAZARD TO HEALTH IN THE POPULATION IN THE ZONE OF INFLUENCE OF WASTE FROM THE PAST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (11) ◽  
pp. 1038-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. V. Zaitseva ◽  
Irina V. May ◽  
S. V. Klein ◽  
S. S. Khankharev ◽  
A. A. Boloshinova
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Morbidity Rate ◽  
Atmospheric Air ◽  
The Past ◽  
Zone Of Influence

There are described an algorithm and methods for collecting the evidential base for causing hazard to the health of the population of Zakamensk (the Republic of Buryatia) in the zone of influence of the waste of the past activities of the Dzhidinsky tungsten-molybdenum combine. The source of danger is lying sands, containing a complex of toxic heavy metals - lead, cadmium, manganese, nickel, chromium, etc. The algorithm for the formation of the evidential base included: a general analysis of the sanitary and hygienic situation; assessment in the dynamics of the quality of atmospheric air, drinking water, soil, food; assessment of the risk to the health of the population; epidemiological studies; in-depth clinical surveys of a representative group of city residents (280 people). In the blood of the examinees, heavy metals were identified as biological markers of the exposure. There was evaluated a complex of the response (effect) adequate to effects of laboratory markers. By methods of mathematical statistics there was established the presence of reliable relationships in the system “source of hazard - the quality of the environment - exposure to risk factors - health status.” The hazard to the health of a citizen, due to the negative impact of the factor, was considered to be proven if it was possible to build a continuous step-by-step logical chain of relationships between the source of the harmful effect, the quality of the habitat and the establishment of the fact of the disease. The quality of the habitat of the population of Zakamensk was shown to give rise in unacceptable risks to the health of residents. The main influencing factor is the pollution of atmospheric air, local food products and drinking water from public and private wells. Risks are realized in terms of a level of the primary morbidity rate of the population of the respiratory diseases, endocrine system, digestive organs that is relatively high compared to the matched area. The relationship between health hazard and environmental factors has been fully proved in 14% of the surveyed persons. At the same time, the territory was shown not be characterized as a zone of “ecological disaster” or “an emergency environmental situation”.

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