Wanda Maria Risso Günther

PAH biomarkers for human health risk assessment: a review of the state-of-the-art

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are widely distributed in the environment, and some are carcinogenic to human beings. The study of biomarkers has helped clarify the nature and magnitude of the human health risks posed by such substances. This article provides a review of the state-of-the-art on PAH biomarkers for human health risk assessment and also discusses their applicability within the context of environmental management in Brazil. The article discusses the methodologies for determination of some biomarkers such as 1-hydroxypyrene and PAH-DNA adducts. Cytogenetic markers, frequency of chromosomal aberrations, and micronucleus induction were considered for the evaluation of cancer risk. The current stage of studies on validation of such biomarkers was also approached.

Surface dental enamel lead levels and antisocial behavior in Brazilian adolescents

Lead poisoning has been reportedly linked to a high risk of learning disabilities, aggression and criminal offenses. To study the association between lead exposure and antisocial/delinquent behavior, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 Brazilian youths aged 14-18 and their parents (n=93), living in impoverished neighborhoods of Bauru-SP, with high criminality indices. Self-Reported Delinquency (SRD) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) questionnaires were used to evaluate delinquent/antisocial behavior. Body lead burdens were evaluated in surface dental enamel acid microbiopsies. The dental enamel lead levels (DELL) were quantified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and phosphorus content was measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Logistic regression was used to identify associations between DELL and each scale defined by CBCL and SRD scores. Odd ratios adjusted for familial and social covariates, considering a group of youths exposed to high lead levels (>or=75 percentile), indicated that high DELL is associated with increased risk of exceeding the clinical score for somatic complaints, social problems, rule-breaking behavior and externalizing problems (CI 95%). High DELL was not found to be associated with elevated SRD scores. In conclusion, our data support the hypothesis that high-level lead exposure can trigger antisocial behavior, which calls for public policies to prevent lead poisoning.

Neurotoxicity and aggressiveness triggered by low-level lead in children: a review

Lead-induced neurotoxicity acquired by low-level long-term exposure has special relevance for children. A plethora of recent reports has demonstrated a direct link between low-level lead exposure and deficits in the neurobehavioral-cognitive performance manifested from childhood through adolescence. In many studies, aggressiveness and delinquency have also been suggested as symptoms of lead poisoning. Several environmental, occupational and domestic sources of contaminant lead and consequent health risks are largely identified and understood, but the occurrences of lead poisoning remain numerous. There is an urgent need for public health policies to prevent lead poisoning so as to reduce individual and societal damages and losses. In this paper we describe unsuspected sources of contaminant lead, discuss the economic losses and urban violence possibly associated with lead contamination and review the molecular basis of lead-induced neurotoxicity, emphasizing its effects on the social behavior, delinquency and IQ of children and adolescents.

Impactos na saúde das deficiências de acesso a água

O acesso regular a agua potavel e segura tem causado preocupacao, principalmente em paises em desenvolvimento e, mais enfaticamente em areas periurbanas, que abrigam a populacao socialmente excluida. O objetivo deste trabalho e abordar questoes de acesso a agua em regioes periurbanas e para tanto foi realizado levantamento bibliografico nas bases de dados Pubmed, Medline e SciELO assim como relatorios da OMS, OPAS, IBGE e Ministerio das Cidades. A falta ou a precariedade do acesso a agua representa situacao de risco que propicia aumento da incidencia de doencas infecciosas agudas e da prevalencia de doencas cronicas. O estabelecimento do grau de acesso a agua de qualidade considera fatores como distância e tempo percorrido ate a fonte de agua, volume coletado, demanda atendida e nivel de prioridade de acoes de intervencao. Na qualidade da agua, consideram-se como fatores de impacto o manuseio - maneira como ocorre a coleta, o transporte, o armazenamento e o uso -, a presenca de patogenos nas fontes e as praticas rotineiras da populacao. A determinacao da presenca de patogenos nas fontes evidencia o risco a saude e a identificacao do agente etiologico indica a origem da contaminacao. O caminho para reverter esse cenario e a implementacao integrada de politicas publicas de gestao, que envolvam acoes conjuntas e ajustadas nos setores de desenvolvimento urbano, habitacao, saneamento e saude e que visem a promocao e a protecao da saude da populacao local e ao enfrentamento da complexidade de fatores que evidenciam sua vulnerabilidade.

Prevalência de diarreia em crianças e condições de saneamento e moradia em áreas periurbanas de Guarulhos, SP

Foi realizado estudo transversal em area periurbana do Municipio de Guarulhos, SP, atendida pelo Programa Saude da Familia (PSF) para verificar associacao entre ocorrencia de diarreia em criancas de 0-2 anos de idade e caracteristicas da crianca, condicoes de saneamento e tipo de moradia. Os dados foram coletados nas fichas de registro do PSF. Foi realizada analise de regressao logistica multivariada, a qual indicou a interacao Moradia*Esgoto (outros materiais e ausencia de rede de esgoto, p < 0,001) e idade (4 - 9 meses, p = 0,054; e 10 meses e mais, p = 0,008) como fatores de risco para ocorrencia de diarreia. Em localidades com falta de dados para compor indicadores de saneamento basico que permitem identificar populacoes que vivem situacoes de risco para a ocorrencia de diarreia, as informacoes coletadas pelo PSF podem se constituir em excelente ferramenta para identificacao de nucleos populacionais com precarias condicoes de habitacao e saneamento.

Agenda 21 e Governança

(Primeiro Paragrafo do Artigo) Atualmente, o avanco rumo a sociedade sustentavel e permeado de obstaculos, na medida em que existe uma restrita consciencia na sociedade a respeito das implicacoes do modelo de desenvolvimento em curso.

Quality of water sources used as drinking water in a Brazilian peri-urban area

The objective of this paper was to assess bacteriological quality of drinking water in a peri-urban area located in the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A total of 89 water samples were collected from community plastic tanks and 177 water samples from wells were collected bimonthly, from September 2007 to November 2008, for evaluating bacteriological parameters including: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and heterotrophic plate count (HPC). Clostridium perfringens was investigated in a subsample (40 samples from community plastic tank and 40 from wells). E. coli was present in 5 (5.6%) samples from community plastic tanks (2.0 - 5.1x104 MPN/100mL) and in 70 (39.5%) well samples (2.0 - 8.6x104 MPN/100mL). Thus, these samples were not in accordance with the Brazilian Regulation. Enterococcus was detected in 20 (22.5%) samples of the community plastic tanks (1 to 79 NC/100mL) and in 142 (80.2%) well samples (1 to >200 NC/100mL). C. perfringens was detected in 5 (12.5%) community plastic tanks samples and in 35 (87.5%) wells samples (2.2 to >16 MPN/100mL). HPC were above 500 CFU/mL in 5 (5.6%) waters from community plastic tanks. In wells samples, the HPC ranged from <1 to 1.6x104 CFU/mL. The residual chlorine did not attend the standard established in the drinking water legislation (0.2 mg/L), except in 20 (22.5%) samples. These results confirm the vulnerability of the water supply systems in this peri-urban area what is clearly a public health concern.

Association of dental enamel lead levels with risk factors for environmental exposure

OBJECTIVE To analyze household risk factors associated with high lead levels in surface dental enamel. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 Brazilian adolescents aged 1418 years living in poor neighborhoods in the city of Bauru, southeastern Brazil, from August to December 2008. Body lead concentrations were assessed in surface dental enamel acid-etch microbiopsies. Dental enamel lead levels were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and phosphorus levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The parents answered a questionnaire about their childrens potential early (05 years old) exposure to well-known lead sources. Logistic regression was used to identify associations between dental enamel lead levels and each environmental risk factor studied. Social and familial covariables were included in the models. RESULTS The results suggest that the adolescents studied were exposed to lead sources during their first years of life. Risk factors associated with high dental enamel lead levels were living in or close to a contaminated area (OR = 4.49; 95% CI: 1.69;11.97); and member of the household worked in the manufacturing of paints, paint pigments, ceramics or batteries (OR = 3.43; 95% CI: 1.31;9.00). Home-based use of lead-glazed ceramics, low-quality pirated toys, anticorrosive paint on gates and/or sale of used car batteries (OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.56;3.03) and smoking (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 0.52;5.28) were not found to be associated with high dental enamel lead levels. CONCLUSIONS Surface dental enamel can be used as a marker of past environmental exposure to lead and lead concentrations detected are associated to well-known sources of lead contamination.ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To analyze household risk factors associated with high lead levels in surface dental enamel. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 Brazilian adolescents aged 14–18 years living in poor neighborhoods in the city of Bauru, southeastern Brazil, from August to December 2008. Body lead concentrations were assessed in surface dental enamel acid-etch microbiopsies. Dental enamel lead levels were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and phosphorus levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The parents answered a questionnaire about their children’s potential early (0–5 years old) exposure to well-known lead sources. Logistic regression was used to identify associations between dental enamel lead levels and each environmental risk factor studied. Social and familial covariables were included in the models. RESULTS: The results suggest that the adolescents studied were exposed to lead sources during their fi rst years of life. Risk factors associated with high dental enamel lead levels were living in or close to a contaminated area (OR = 4.49; 95% CI: 1.69;11.97); and member of the household worked in the manufacturing of paints, paint pigments, ceramics or batteries (OR = 3.43; 95% CI: 1.31;9.00). Home-based use of lead-glazed ceramics, low-quality pirated toys, anticorrosive paint on gates and/or sale of used car batteries (OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.56;3.03) and smoking (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 0.52;5.28) were not found to be associated with high dental enamel lead levels.

Cooperativas de catadores de materiais recicláveis como alternativa à exclusão social e sua relação com a população de rua

A informalidade no trabalho, que marca a realidade da maioria das relacoes de trabalho brasileiras, somada as caracteristicas encontradas na populacao de rua, constituem o pano de fundo social propenso a geracao de formas alternativas de organizacao do trabalho. A informalidade no trabalho, assim como a populacao de rua, tem composicao e origem acentuadamente heterogenea; assim, torna-se fundamental que qualquer politica publica destinada a estes aspectos considere suas especificidades. Neste contexto, surgem as cooperativas de catadores de residuos solidos, formadas por antigos catadores de lixo e ex-moradores de rua, como alternativa a informalidade no trabalho e busca pela cidadania, dentro da perspectiva da autogestao. Por meio de uma analise atual e de uma caracterizacao historica sobre experiencias de cooperativas de catadores brasileiras, buscou-se mostrar a capacidade inclusiva do modelo cooperativista e da relevância das parcerias destas com o poder publico e com outros atores sociais. Neste escopo, e fundamental a abordagem de experiencias bem sucedidas de catadores que, unidos sob a egide do cooperativismo, com a participacao do poder publico e/ou independentemente dele – puderam lograr a inclusao social. A autogestao desponta, assim, como alternativa real de trabalho aqueles que se encontram marginalizados pelo sistema formal de trabalho.

Coleta seletiva na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo: impactos da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos

A ampliacao e o fortalecimento da prestacao de servicos de coleta seletiva pelos municipios brasileiros, com integracao de catadores de materiais reciclaveis, organizados em cooperativas e associacoes de catadores, vem ao encontro das metas estabelecidas na Politica Nacional de Residuos Solidos (PNRS). Estima-se que na Regiao Metropolitana de Sao Paulo (RMSP), em 2013, foram desviadas dos aterros sanitarios, pela coleta seletiva formal, apenas 3,8% das 21.000 toneladas diarias de residuos solidos urbanos coletadas. O artigo analisa os impactos da PNRS na coleta seletiva formal da RMSP, a partir de resultados de pesquisas realizadas nos anos de 2004, 2010 e 2013. Foram entrevistados gestores publicos das 39 prefeituras. Verificou-se que embora a coleta seletiva, em especial a praticada por organizacoes de catadores, tenha se ampliado no periodo entre 2004 e 2013, nao se observaram avancos significativos no periodo de 2010 a 2013, apos a aprovacao da Politica Nacional de Residuos Solidos.