A água purificada exerce um papel fundamental na rotina laboratorial e em diversas aplicações, exigindo elevado grau de pureza. Deste modo, foi realizada uma avaliação da qualidade da água distribuída pelo sistema de purificação de água instalado nos Laboratórios de Qualidade e Segurança de Alimentos do Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos da UFV. A primeira parte do trabalho aborda a qualidade físico-química e microbiológica da água potável que alimenta o sistema de purificação e também a qualidade da água obtida e distribuída nos pontos de uso. A instalação e as condições de operação e desempenho do sistema de purificação de água foram avaliados. A avaliação da água potável que abastece o sistema de purificação permitiu constatar uma boa qualidade, tanto para as especificações físico-químicas (alcalinidade 20,3 mg·L-1 CaCO3, condutividade 62,7 &#956;S·cm-1, cloro residual livre 0,84 mg·L-1, pH 6,17, temperatura 25 °C, índice de saturação de Langelier -3,76, dureza 20 mg·L-1 CaCO3, e sílica 15,2 mg·L- SiO2) quanto microbiológicas (1,24 log10 UFC·mL-1). A água purificada obtida pelo sistema esteve sempre de acordo com as especificações físico-químicas e microbiológicas estabelecidas pelo fabricante do equipamento e pela Farmacopeia Brasileira. A água purificada distribuída foi aprovada nas especificações físico-químicas, porém o nível de contagem de bactérias heterotróficas estava acima do permitido (>2 log10 UFC·mL-1), o que pode comprometer alguns resultados analíticos dos laboratórios. Foi verificado ainda que higienização do reservatório de água potável e do reservatório de água purificada deve ser feita a cada 6 meses, uma vez que os resultados deste procedimento mostraram redução significativa (p<0,05) na contagem de bactérias heterotróficas. Além disso, o sistema deve apresentar manutenção e reposição dos elementos filtrantes e acessórios do equipamento. A segunda parte do estudo teve como objetivo identificar os isolados bacterianos por meio de técnicas moleculares. Com o sequenciamento do gene ribossômico 16S rDNA, as espécies identificadas na água potável foram Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia fergusonii e Enterobacter cloacae subsp. Dissolvens. Na água purificada, foram encontradas as espécies Acinetobacter calcoaceticus e Staphylococcus warneri e na água distribuída, Enterococcus faecium e Enterobacter cloacae subsp. Dissolvens. A superfície dos isolados identificados foi submetidas à medida do ângulo de contato, com intuito de fazer a previsão teórica da adesão em função da hidrofobicidade das superfícies dos micro-organismos e da superfície do Loop de distribuição. As espécies e a superfície estudadas foram consideradas hidrofílicas. A adesão não foi termodinamicamente favorável (&#916;G adesão >0) entre a superfície e todas as espécies identificadas. Os resultados de predição termodinâmica foram compatíveis com as contagens de bactérias heterotróficas da superfície de polipropileno (loop de distribuição) que atingiram valores de aproximadamente 5 log10 UFC·cm-2, indicando que não se caracteriza como biofilmes. | Purified water exert a fundamental role in routine clinical practice and in many applications requiring high purity. Thus, an assessment of the quality of the water distributed by water purification system installed in the Laboratory of Quality and Food Safety of the Department of Food Technology at UFV was performed. The first part of the paper deals with physical-chemical and microbiological quality of drinking water that feeds the purification system and the quality of water produced and distributed at points of use. The installation and operating conditions and performance of the water purification system were evaluated. The evaluation of drinking water supply purification system have revealed a good quality for both the physical and chemical specifications (alkalinity 20,3 mg·L-1 CaCO3, conductivity 62,7 &#956;S·cm-1, chlorine 0,84 mg·L-1, pH 6,17, temperature 25 °C, Langelier Saturation Index -3,76, hardness 20 mg·L-1 CaCO3 and silica 15,2 mg·L-1 SiO2) and microbiological (1,24 log10 UFC·mL-1). The purified water produced by the system always in accordance with the specifications established by the equipment manufacturer. Purified water distributed showed the physicochemical requirements within the allowed, but the levels of heterotrophic bacteria counts were higher than allowed (> 2 log10 UFC·mL-1), which may compromise some analytical results performed in laboratories. It was found, although cleaning of drinking water reservoir and the reservoir of purified water should be performed every 6 months, once the results of this procedure showed a significant reduction (p <0.05) in the count of heterotrophic bacteria. In addition, the system shall provide the maintenance and replacement of filter elements and equipment accessories. The second part of the study aimed to identify the bacterial isolates using molecular techniques. With the sequencing of the ribosomal 16S rDNA species identified in drinking water were Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia fergusonii and Enterobacter cloacae subsp. Dissolvens. Purified water the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus species were found; Staphylococcus warneri and distributed water Enterococcus faecium and Enterobacter cloacae subsp. Dissolvens. The surface of the isolates identified were subjected to measurement of contact angle, in order to realize the theoretical prediction of membership depending on the hydrophobicity of the micro-organisms and the surface of the Loop distribution. The species studied were considered and the surface hydrophilic. Adherence was not thermodynamically favorable (&#916;G adhesion> 0) between the surface and all identified species. The species studied were considered and the surface hydrophilic. Adherence was not thermodynamically favorable (&#916;G membership > 0) between the surface and all identified species. The results of thermodynamic prediction were consistent with heterotrophic bacteria counts the surface of polypropylene (loop distribution) which reached values of approximately 5 log10 CFU· cm-2 indicating that it is characterized as biofilms. | Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) | Rosegrant Mark W. et al., 'Water and food in the bioeconomy: challenges and opportunities for development', Agricultural Economics 44, IFPRI, 2013

This paper considers whether there will be sufficient water available to grow enough food for a predicted global population of 9 billion in 2050, based on three population and GDP growth modelling scenarios. Under the a low population growth with high GDP growth scenario, global consumptive water demand is forecast to increase significantly to over 6,000 km3, which is approximately 3,000 km3 greater that consumptive use in the year 2000. Also of concern is that rising global temperatures are going to increase potential evaporation, and t us irrigation water demand, by up to 17%. Sustainable intensification of agriculture can provide solutions to this predicament. However, productivity growth i not fast enough and we face considerable risks in the next 20 to 30 years. Concerted action to combat food insecurity and water scarcity is required based on agricultural research and development, policy reform and greater water productivity, if the world is to feed its growing population.

For the first time, alginate polymer has been applied to prevent dyes from leaching out of colorimetric oxygen indicator films, which enable people to notice the presence of oxygen in the package in an economic and simple manner. The dye-based oxygen indicator film suffers from dye leaching upon contact with water. In this work, UV-activated visual oxygen indicator films were fabricated using thionine, glycerol, P25 TiO2, and zein as a redox dye, a sacrificial electron donor, UV-absorbing semiconducting photocatalyst, and an encapsulation polymer, respectively. When this zein-coated film was immersed in water for 24h, the dye leakage was as high as 80.80±0.45%. However, introduction of alginate (1.25%) as the coating polymer considerably diminished the dye leaching to only 5.80±0.06%. This is because the ion-binding ability of alginate could prevent the cation dye from leaching into water. This novel water-resistant UV-activated oxygen indicator was also successfully photo-bleached and regained colour fast in the presence of oxygen.

The world economy is under pressure for greater, more efficient and more sustainable use of natural resources to meet complementary and competing objectives in the food, water and energy sectors. Interactions between these three sectors have become increasingly affected by the bioeconomy—a concept that encompasses economic growth driven by the development of renewable biological resources and biotechnologies to produce sustainable products, employment and income. This article explores how water and the bioeconomy are interlinked, including how the constraints from growing water scarcity—in part caused by development of the bioeconomy—may influence bioeconomic growth. The article describes the impact of biofuel production on water quantity and quality and examines the potential for improved water use through the development of crop biotechnology and improved crop management. Then alternative scenarios for water in the bioeconomy are assessed, and policy conclusions are presented.

The world economy is under pressure for greater, more efficient and more sustainable use of natural resources to meet complementary and competing objectives in the food, water and energy sectors. Interactions between these three sectors have become increasingly affected by the bioeconomy—a concept that encompasses economic growth driven by the development of renewable biological resources and biotechnologies to produce sustainable products, employment and income. This article explores how water and the bioeconomy are interlinked, including how the constraints from growing water scarcity—in part caused by development of the bioeconomy—may influence bioeconomic growth. The article describes the impact of biofuel production on water quantity and quality and examines the potential for improved water use through the development of crop biotechnology and improved crop management. Then alternative scenarios for water in the bioeconomy are assessed, and policy conclusions are presented.