The Philippines relies on a vast biodiversity of fishes as a staple food, but like many countries around the globe, experiences severe “leakages” of contaminants and pollutants in the environment. In order to better understand the relationship between environmental pollutants and public health, this research project measured the concentration of pollutants in a commonly consumed local fish (Siganus fuscescens), and then evaluated the potential health risks of eating this fish based on estimated average consumer weight and consumption levels. Fish sampled from four different sites located in Negros Oriental, Philippines were analyzed for organic contaminants using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Pollutants quantified included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, phthalates, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). Across the four study sites, fishes from Manjuyod showed the highest frequency of detection of different pollutants. However, phthalates and PAHs were found in similar concentrations in all four sites, with fishes from Dumaguete showing the highest level of PCBs compared to the other sampled sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s guide for fish contaminants pinpoints several health risks associated with the chronic ingestion of these contaminants. Based on estimated average body weights of Filipino adult men, adult women, and children, and various consumption levels, people who eat the fish at or above the national average consumption level may be at increased risk for chronic health outcomes, such as cancer and/or other adverse effects. Specifically, due to the high concentration of PCBs in Dumaguete, selected populations who eat local fish from this site may be at higher risk than the citizens who eat the fish from other sites at similar consumption rates. These results can help to inform local and national policies on water quality, waste disposal, and fish consumption advisory programs.
While it may be complex, the prevention and treatment of contaminated water is possible. Founded in 2010, 33 Buckets is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based out of Tempe, Arizona who partners with vulnerable communities and local partners to provide sustainable access to clean drinking water and WASH (Water and Sanitation for Health) training. Prior to 2018, 33 Buckets had completed drinking water projects in Bangladesh, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. In the summer of 2018, the 33 Buckets team returned to the Cusco region of Peru in an effort to assess more communities in need of clean drinking water infrastructure. In Cusco, 33 Buckets works closely with the Peruvian university, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL). The primary purpose of this partnership is to identify communities in the Cusco region with contaminated water sources and a strong interest in improvement of current systems. Throughout this assessment trip, two communities were initially identified as potential partners, Occopata and Mayrasco. The results of bacteria tests showed a presence of Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli. When consumed, especially repeatedly, select strains of E. coli will cause severe diarrheal illness. Interviews with community members confirmed that common symptoms of water related disease are prevalent, especially in children. In Occopata and Mayrasco, there is an absence of support for water services from the municipality. Consequently, there is a volunteer-based water advisory board known as Junto Administración de Agua Sanitemeniento (JAAS). JAAS, in most nearby communities, currently utilizes a drip chlorination system in an attempt to disinfect bacterial pathogens from their water source. However, chlorine disinfection requires a precise dosing in order to be effective. In excessive amounts, chlorine will taste and smell of chemicals, likely producing negative feedback from community members. As a result, chlorine levels often are below the necessary level for disinfection. Chlorine tests performed by the 33 Buckets team confirmed that chlorine levels were insufficient to disinfect E. coli.
During the assessment trip, the 33 Buckets team provided a temporary solution to make chlorine disinfection more effective. Following the 2018 assessment trip, 33 Buckets formed a team of student engineers with the primary goal of furthering the technological development of a chlorine disinfection system to be implemented in communities with bacterial infected water sources. This student team was formed through the EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) program at Arizona State University. The purpose of the program is providing a platform for undergraduate engineers to design solutions that create positive impact the greater community. From August of 2018 through April of 2019, the team developed the design for a continuous chlorine disinfection system that automatically tests for residual chlorine levels at multiple points throughout a community. The system is powered entirely from a low-cost solar panel, requiring a minimal amount of sunlight for full functionality. Moving forward, the goal of project development is to create an autonomous feedback loop that will adjust the amount of chlorine exposure to incoming water flows based on the results of the automatic residual chlorine test. The team also hopes to implement automatic data collection for remote monitoring of water quality in addition to onsite test results. The vision of the proposed solution is a network of chlorine disinfection systems around the Cusco region that ultimately will provide access to clean drinking water, indefinitely. This model of user-friendly purification, automatic testing, and data collection can be adjusted and applied to any region around the world experiencing health issues from consumption of contaminated water. A low-cost, scalable, and reliable water disinfection system has the potential to make significant increases in the quality of life for millions of people.
