Groundwater is important in maintaining the flow of water, being used in numerous activities from human consumption, irrigation, agricultural and commercial production. The objective of the research was to carry out a macroscopic environmental analysis characterizing the environmental conditions around deep wells, identify and quantify physical, chemical and microbiological variables, as well as active principles of pharmaceuticals and active ingredients of pesticides in water from deep wells (in two different times) of private rural properties in the Rio Grande do Sul, State, under the land uses and occupation of native field soil, irrigated rice, seasonal crop (soybean, corn, wheat), dairy productivity and swine farming, for later compare with current legislation (national and international) potability water. Environmental macroscopic analysis, 60% of the deep wells obtained obtained a degree of preservation in Class C (Reasonable), due to the lack of local protection (without enclosure) in the surroundings, proximity to residences (< 50 m) and low preservation of vegetation are factors that facilitate/potentiate contamination and may interfere with water quality, together with the proximity of these wells to activities carried out on these properties, they may be sources of waste generation capable of contaminating groundwater. For the physical and chemical variables, the total manganese and iron are above the maximum permitted values allowed (MPV) by the Legislation in force in the land uses and occupation with dairy productivity and swine farming; whereas pH, total hardness, fluoride, apparent color, turbidity, total ammonia and nitrite are below the MPV allowed for potable water for human consumption, under different land uses and occupation. Temperature, total alkalinity, total phosphorus, electrical conductivity, nitrite + nitrate, Kjedahl total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand are not mentioned in the Drinking Water current Legislation. The microbiological variables, total Coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected in the waters of all deep wells under different land uses and occupation, being in disagreement with the current legislation. Pharmaceuticals and pesticides were detected at both times of water collection and land use and occupation, totaling 8 active ingredients pharmaceuticals and 34 active ingredients pesticides, with the highest frequency of occurrence being caffeine and sulfadoxine (pharmaceuticals), 2,4-D and diuron (pesticides). When compared with the water potability legislation, these are below the MPV allowed, for those contained in these regulations. According to the results obtained, it is concluded that the water for human consumption from the deep wells studied under different land uses and occupation are not suitable for human consumption, requiring some treatment process for this, in addition to passing on rural producers information on necessary/essential corrective actions that must be carried out around these deep wells, in order to increase the groundwater preservation area, making them potable. It is believed that this exchange of scientific information with society will contribute to the reduction of residues of chemical compounds used in agriculture and other rural activities (pesticides and pharmaceuticals) in this water, which is of vital importance for human and environmental health. | A água subterrânea é importante na manutenção do fluxo de água, sendo utilizada em inúmeras atividades desde consumo humano, irrigação, produção agrícola e comercial. O objetivo da pesquisa foi realizar uma análise ambiental macroscópica caracterizando as condições ambientais ao redor de poços profundos, identificar e quantificar variáveis físicas, químicas e microbiológicas, bem como princípios ativos de fármacos e princípios ativos de agrotóxicos em águas de poços profundos (em duas épocas) de propriedades rurais privadas no Rio Grande do Sul, Estado, sob os usos e ocupação do solo de campo nativo, arroz irrigado, cultura sazonal (soja, milho, trigo), produtividade leiteira e suinocultura, para posterior comparação com a legislação vigente (nacional e internacional) potabilidade da água. Na análise macroscópica ambiental, 60% dos poços profundos obtidos obtiveram grau de preservação na Classe C (Razoável), devido à falta de proteção local (sem enclausuramento) no entorno, proximidade de residências (< 50 m) e baixa preservação de a vegetação são fatores que facilitam/potencializam a contaminação e podem interferir na qualidade da água, juntamente com a proximidade desses poços às atividades desenvolvidas nessas propriedades, podem ser fontes de geração de resíduos capazes de contaminar os lençóis freáticos. Para as variáveis físicas e químicas, os totais de manganês e ferro estão acima dos valores máximos permitidos (VPM) pela Legislação vigente nos usos e ocupação do solo com produtividade leiteira e suinocultura; já pH, dureza total, flúor, cor aparente, turbidez, amônia total e nitrito estão abaixo do VPM permitido para água potável para consumo humano, sob diferentes usos e ocupação do solo. Temperatura, alcalinidade total, fósforo total, condutividade elétrica, nitrito + nitrato, nitrogênio total Kjedahl, oxigênio dissolvido e demanda bioquímica de oxigênio não são mencionados na Legislação atual de Água Potável. As variáveis microbiológicas, Coliformes totais e Escherichia coli foram detectadas nas águas de todos os poços profundos sob diferentes usos e ocupações do solo, estando em desacordo com a legislação vigente. Fármacos e agrotóxicos foram detectados nos dois horários de captação de água e uso e ocupação do solo, totalizando 8 princípios ativos farmacêuticos e 34 princípios ativos agrotóxicos, sendo a maior frequência de ocorrência cafeína e sulfadoxina (fármacos), 2,4-D e diuron ( pesticidas). Quando comparadas com a legislação de potabilidade da água, estas encontram-se abaixo do VPM permitido, para os contidos neste regulamento. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, conclui-se que as águas para consumo humano provenientes dos poços profundos estudados sob diferentes usos e ocupações do solo não são adequadas para o consumo humano, necessitando de algum processo de tratamento para isso, além de repassar aos produtores rurais informações sobre /ações corretivas essenciais que devem ser realizadas no entorno desses poços profundos, a fim de aumentar a área de preservação das águas subterrâneas, tornando-as potáveis. Acredita-se que esta troca de informações científicas com a sociedade contribuirá para a redução de resíduos de compostos químicos utilizados na agricultura e outras atividades rurais (defensivos e fármacos) nesta água, de vital importância para a saúde humana e ambiental.

Introducción: La disfagia es una alteración de la deglución con una elevada incidencia en el paciente geriátrico relacionada con un aumento del riesgo de desnutrición y neumonía por broncoaspiración. La adición de espesantes comerciales en líquidos es frecuente en esta situación, así como la adición de fármacos en esta mezcla para facilitar su administración. Sin embargo, no existen estudios referentes al posible cambio de viscosidad producido por la adición de los mismos. Objetivos: Evaluar la variación ejercida sobre la viscosidad del agua espesada con preparados comerciales al añadir fármacos frecuentemente utilizados en pacientes de edad avanzada. Métodos: Se prepararon muestras de agua con espesante comercial Resource® (almidón de maíz modificado) o Nutilis® (almidón modificado de maíz, maltodextrina y gomas: tara, xantana y guar) para conseguir consistencia intermedia tipo "miel". Se midió la viscosidad de estas muestras y para muestras similares a las que se había añadido alguno de los siguientes fármacos: galantamina, rivastigmina, ciprofloxacino, colecalciferol, memantina, fosfomicina, calcio y amoxilina/clavulánico. Resultados: En las muestras con espesante Resource® se observó una disminución de la viscosidad al añadir galantamina, memantina, fosfomicina o calcio, y un aumento de la viscosidad con amoxicilina/clavulánico. La viscosidad de la muestras con Nutilis® disminuyó con galantamina, rivastigmina, amoxicilina/clavulánico, fosfomicina y calcio. Conclusión: La viscosidad del agua con espesantes comerciales puede verse afectada por algunos fármacos o sus excipientes, lo que puede incidir en la capacidad de deglución de los mismos. Es aconsejable realizar más estudios in vitro e in vivo para valorar ajustar dichas pautas en caso necesario.<br>Introduction: Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder with a high incidence in the geriatric patient related with an increased risk for undernutrition and pneumonia due to bronchial aspiration. In this condition, it is usual to add commercial thickeners in liquids, as well as the addition of drugs in this mixture to improve their administration. However, there are no studies regarding the possible change in viscosity produced by their addition. Objectives: To assess the change in viscosity of water thickened with commercial products by adding the drugs frequently used in elderly patients. Methods: Samples of water mixed with the commercial thickener Resource® (modified corn starch) or Nutilis® (modified corn starch, maltodextrin, and gums: tara, xhantan, and guar) to achieve an intermediate consistence as "honey". The viscosity of these samples was measured as well as for similar samples to which one of the following drugs was added: galantamine, rivastigmin, ciprofloxacin, cholecalciferol, memantine, fosfomycin, calcium, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Results: In the samples with Resource® thickener we observed decreased viscosity by adding galantamine, memantine, fosfomycin or calcium, and increased viscosity with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. The viscosity of the samples with Nutilis® decreased with galantamine, rivastigmine, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, fosfomycin and calcium. Conclusion: The viscosity of water with commercial thickeners may be affected by some drugs or their preservatives, which may influence the swallowing capability. It is recommended to perform further in vitro and in vivo studies in order to adjust these formulations if necessary.

A set of human pharmaceuticals enables identification of groundwater that is influenced by sewage and provides information on the time of recharge. As the consumption rates of the investigated pharmaceuticals have changed over time, so too has the composition of the sewage. At the study area, south of Berlin (Germany), irrigation was performed as a method of wastewater clean-up at sewage irrigation farms until the early 1990s. Today, treated wastewater is discharged into the surface-water-stream Nuthegraben. Groundwater and surface-water samples were analyzed for the pharmaceutical substances clofibric acid, bezafibrate, diclofenac, carbamazepine and primidone, the main ions and organic carbon. The pharmaceutical substances were detected at concentrations up to microgram-per-liter level in groundwater and surface-water samples from the Nuthegraben Lowland area and from the former irrigation farms. Concentrations detected in groundwater are generally much lower than in surface water and there is significant variation in the distribution of pharmaceutical concentrations in groundwater. Groundwater influenced by the irrigation of sewage water shows higher primidone and clofibric-acid concentrations. Groundwater influenced by recent discharge of treated sewage water into the surface water shows high carbamazepine concentrations while concentrations of primidone and clofibric acid are low.

The microbial degradation of pharmaceuticals found in surface water used for artificial recharge is strongly dependent on redox conditions of the subsurface. Furthermore the durability of production wells may decrease considerably with the presence of oxygen and ferrous iron due to the precipitation of trivalent iron oxides and subsequent clogging. Field measurements are presented for oxygen at a bank filtration site in Berlin, Germany, along with simplified calculations of different oxygen pathways into the groundwater. For a two-dimensional vertical cross-section, oxygen input has been calculated for six scenarios related to different water management strategies. Calculations were carried out in order to assess the amount of oxygen input due to (1) the infiltration of oxic lake water, (2) air entrapment as a result of water table oscillations, (3) diffusive oxygen flux from soil air and (4) infiltrating rainwater. The results show that air entrapment and infiltrating lake water during winter constitute by far the most important mechanism of oxygen input. Oxygen input by percolating rainwater and by diffusive delivery of oxygen in the gas phase is negligible. The results exemplify the importance of well management as a determining factor for water oscillations and redox conditions during artificial recharge.