Research evaluates impacts of human action on rivers in Sergipe | F5 News

One of the main concerns related to the environment is the state of preservation of the rivers and tributaries, which form the river basins. The state of Sergipe has a total of eight basins, two of which are coastal and six formed from large rivers. Of these, three are entirely in Sergipe territory: Japaratuba, Sapucaia and Caueira-Abaís. The other five are connected to rivers that originate in other states and flow here: São Francisco, Sergipe, Vaza-Barris, Piauí and Real. A water resources situation report carried out in 2023 by the National Water Agency (ANA) states that the quality of water in Sergipe’s surface water sources varies from good to regular, on a scale that goes from excellent to very poor.

However, there are still no other documents or more comprehensive surveys on the current situation of Sergipe’s rivers and tributaries, with regard to preservation. “It is necessary to analyze the basins in their entirety, considering both the main rivers and the tributaries. Certainly, we will find areas of the rivers impacted by human action, as well as areas that remain preserved”, says professor and researcher Maria Nogueira Marques, from the Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment (PSA) at Tiradentes University (Unit).

She adds that, in the impacted areas, there are problems caused by some problems caused by human action. One of them is the release of domestic and industrial sewage without adequate treatment, along with the runoff of fertilizers and pesticides through rainwater, which ends up contaminating the waters of these sources with substances that are harmful to the health of both the ecosystem and human beings. “Among these substances, we can mention hormones, plasticizers, antibiotics and pesticides, which are not completely removed in the conventional treatment process of water intended for human consumption”, details Nogueira.

Another problem is the absence of riparian forests, present in the regions bordering the rivers, which prevent silting and erosion of the banks, in addition to preventing the transport of rainwater into the rivers. According to the researcher, the lack of this type of vegetation contributes to the degradation of the aquatic environment, directly affecting the local fauna and negatively impacting riverside communities. Such impacts are reflected in losses to the supply of drinking water, fishing, irrigation and other activities.

Ongoing studies

Some of these impacts on Sergipe’s rivers and tributaries have been studied in research, theses and dissertations developed by the Unit’s PSA, in conjunction with the Institute of Technology and Research (ITP). Professor Maria Marques, who also works with ITP, directs her line of research towards the assessment of water resources, with the aim of generating information that contributes to the management of water resources and the public water supply service. One of them, published in 2021, pointed out the presence of microplastics and micropollutants on beaches close to the São Francisco River estuary, between the cities of Brejo Grande (SE) and Piaçabuçu (AL).

Currently, the main research underway at PSA investigates the inadequate disposal of plastic waste on the beaches of Aracaju. It has the participation of scientific initiation students from the Unit’s undergraduate Pharmacy course and from High School at Colégio Estadual Tobias Barreto. Another project, in its initial phase, by researcher Anderson Ezequiel Silva, will study the degradation of the polymer poly (ethylene terephthalate) – PET with enzymatic action.

Policies and prevention

In addition to the diagnosis, it is important to effectively apply public policies for the preservation and recovery of rivers and tributaries, guaranteed through laws such as the Forest Code (Law 12,651/2012), the National Guidelines for Basic Sanitation (Law 11,445/2007) and the standardization of effluent discharge (Conama Resolution 430/2011). To this end, there are river basin committees, consultative spaces for discussion and deliberation on the management of water resources in a given region.

These committees are also known as “Water Parliaments”, as they are made up of representatives from public authorities, water resource users and civil society. “They face the challenge of dealing with diverse views and interests, seeking to find solutions that meet the needs of everyone involved. Therefore, the work carried out by the committees is fundamental to guarantee sustainable management of water resources, promoting the rational use and preservation of water sources, for the benefit of the entire community and the environment”, explains Maria Nogueira, who also represents the Unit in State Water Resources Council (Conerh) and in the Sergipe River and Japaratuba River basin committees.

Also according to the researcher, the population itself can contribute to the preservation of rivers, avoiding waste of drinking water and separating recyclable garbage from organic waste. Expired medicines and packaging must also be discarded at pharmacy collection points, in addition to conscientiously using cleaning products considered polluting, such as shampoos, liquid soaps and detergents. The same moderation must be adopted for pesticides, which must follow the appropriate dosage prescribed by an agronomist, and with irrigation, which must follow methods that minimize and optimize water consumption

Source: Asscom Unit