[The importance of water testing for public health in two regions in Rio de Janeiro: a focus on fecal coliforms, nitrates, and aluminum]

In developing countries, due to poor sanitation conditions and poor quality of drinking water, typical water-borne diseases and more recently diseases caused by drinking water with high concentrations of nitrates and certain metals like aluminum have increased the concern over the health effects of these compounds. Several articles have shown associations between nitrates and methemoglobinemia in children, and aluminum and Alzheimer disease in adults. This study identified water quality with several parameters in non-conformity with Brazilian drinking water standards (Ruling 36/90): more than 50% of all samples from both regions contained fecal coliforms; some 31% of water samples from wells in Duque de Caxias had excessive nitrate concentrations; 100% of all groundwater samples from both regions showed aluminum concentrations not conforming to the norm, with the same result for 100% of samples from the drinking water distribution system in São Gonçalo and 75% of same in Duque de Caxias. This lack of conformity poses several health risks for the local population.

[Hexachlorocyclohexane contamination in urban areas of the south eastern region of Brazil]

A factory for producing the pesticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCR) in its technical grade (mix of the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta isomers), that belonged to the former Institute of Malaria Sciences, then Ministry of Education and Health, located in the "Cidade dos Meninos", county of Duque de Caxias, State of Rio de Janeiro, was closed down in 1955. Part of its production and wastes - many tons this mix - were left behind on the site. The action of winds and rain as well as the movement of the local inhabitants - approximately 1,000 people, including 400 children, have caused the scaltering of this agent. Blood specimens from the inhabitants showed a high human contamination levels, with the highest concentration (beta isomers) being found in people living within a 100 meter radius of the ruin of the factory. Local soil and pasture samples taken at distances of less than 100 m from the ruin of the former factory showed HCH isomer concentrations of the order of thousands of ppb, thus providing evidence of high environmental contamination.