Abstract

CAMPOS PINILLA, Claudia; CONTRERAS, Ana Milena  and  LEIVA, Fabio R.. HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT IN A LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa) CROP DUE TO IRRIGATION WITH UNTREATED WASTEWATER IN THE MARENGO AGRICULTURAL CENTER (CUNDINAMARCA, COLOMBIA). Biosalud [online]. 2015, vol.14, n.1, pp.69-78. ISSN 1657-9550.  https://doi.org/10.17151/biosa.2015.14.1.8.

Innocuousness of vegetable crops and consequently the resultant health risk for farmers and consumers are associated with the quality of water used for irrigation. The objective of this study was to assess the health risks due to irrigation with untreated wastewater in a lettuce crop (Lactuca sativa). The microbiological quality of the water used for irrigation, the soil and the harvest were assessed at the Marengo Agricultural Center, an agricultural area that supplies food to the capital city and other municipalities. A lettuce crop irrigated through sprinkling was selected and concentrations of indicators of bacterial fecal (fecal coliforms and Salmonella spp.), viral (somatic coliphages) and parasitic (helminth eggs) contamination were evaluated. It was found that concentration of these microorganisms in some cases exceeded those proposed in the guidelines (fecal coliforms between 1.3 x 10³-1.4 x 10⁴ CFU/100 ml and 1.2 HHV/L) which can generate health risks for farmers and consumers.Salmonella spp. values were below the Limit of Quantitation in all three matrices. Coliphages did not exceed concentrations of 10² PFP/100 ml in water and 4 g in soils. Helminth eggs were 1.2/4 g in soil y 1.4/kg PF in lettuce.

Keywords : vegetables; pathogens; innocuousness; sprinkling irrigation.

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