Occurrence of parasites in waters used for crops irrigation and vegetables from the Savannah of Bogot á, Colombia

In this study, the presence of parasites in surface water used for irrigation of crops (n = 96) and vegetables (celery and lettuce) (n = 120), from the Former La Ramada irrigation district, was evaluated using conventional and molecular parasitological methods. Our findings showed contamination of irrigation systems in the study area with domestic wastewater, demonstrated by the presence of Ancylostomatidae eggs, Ascaris spp., Hymenolepis spp., Trichuris spp., Capillaria spp., Giardia spp. cysts, and oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium spp. A prevalence of 33% and 23.3% was calculated for helminths and protozoa, respectively in vegetables, representing a possible risk to human and animal health in relation to these parasites. These findings show the need for continuous monitoring of the water quality used for crop irrigation, as well as the safety of food, taking into account the values established in national and international regulations.PMID:38676868 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-024-33088-1

Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International - April 27, 2024 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Daniel Eduardo Ospina Santos Yulieth Alexandra Upegui Zapata Catherine Aguilar Buitrago Geraldine S ánchez Herrera Libia Eunise Chandillo Becoche Myriam Consuelo L ópez Páez Martha Cristina Bustos L ópez Carolina Ortiz Pineda Source Type: research