Contaminação por coliformes totais e fecais dos grãos de milho irrigado com água residuária tratada.

Abstract

The concern with the possible contamination by ingestion of foods irrigated with treated wastewater is understandable, since some microorganisms can take to serious illnesses; however, that risk decreases considerably when an appropriate and effective treatment is accomplished. The WHO and CONAMA formulated, among others, acceptability standards for the presence of microorganisms in waters destined to irrigation, mainly for foods that are consumed raw. The present research studied the effect of the furrow irrigation with wastewater treated by ETE of Campina Grande city, state of Paraíba, Brazil, on forage corn crop, verifying contamination by total coliformes and fecal coliformes of the corn grains, being that fact attributed to the transport of them by the aerosols, due to proximity of the experimental area from the ponds of stabilization.