in Albania - Instituti i Shendetit Publik

INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE IN TIRANA, ALBANIAHealth risks from water and new challenges for thefutureArben Luzati 1 , Valbona Bara 1 , Oltiana Petri 1 , Anilda Kokali 1 , Anjeza Çoku 1 ,Mimoza Luzati 11Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.Water is a very important element for the humanexistence, as a necessity for the economy, industryand agriculture. Water sources occupy 71% of theland surface and only 1% of this amount, locatedunderground, consists of drinking water, while therest is salt water. The main water reserves arerepresented by: i) surface waters including waters ofthe oceans, seas, rivers, lakes and pools; ii)groundwater including natural groundwaterresources, hydro-geological, individual or collectivewater wells, and; iii) free water, which is constantlypresent in the air (water vapour).Albania is one of the first countries in Europe forpossession of abundant water resources, which varyfrom 5-1500 L/ sec. Although the quantities aresufficient to meet current needs, water quality is oftenproblematic due to pollution, especially in lowlandareas, where most of the Albanian population residescurrently. Also, in these areas take place most of theurban and agricultural industrial activities. Waterpollution implies the presence of microorganisms andchemical substances, toxic and radioactive substancesthat are classified as harmful for humans.Water pollution may be bacteriological, physicalchemical,toxic and radioactive. Bacteriologicalpollution of water is caused by bacteria, viruses,parasites eggs, which cause serious diseases such astyphoid, cholera, hepatitis A, salmonella, etc.Chemical pollution is caused by waste waterchlorides, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, sulphates andphosphates. Toxic pollution is due to the presenceof heavy metals such as nickel, lead, cadmium,mercury, arsenic, zinc, and the presence of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons, artificial chemical fertilizers,pesticides, or oil products with high sulphurconcentration. The main means of radioactivepollution consist of nuclear explosions resulting inradioactive precipitations, which may contaminatenatural water sources. The radiation causes anionizing action to living cells, leading to differentchanges in the molecular structure that are associatedwith subsequently somatic and genetic consequences.The monitoring of drinking water still remains anirreplaceable activity in providing information onwater quality. Monitoring activities can also beenriched with innovative tools, such as genotypingand bio-molecular methods, particularly usefulduring incident and outbreak investigations inattributing sources and establishing correctinterventions.In most of the developed countries, but also intransitional countries such as Albania, there are nosurveillance systems on water-borne diseasesprobably reflecting the belief that these diseasesbelong to the past.A fairly recent argument of public concern is dueto the awareness of the possible simultaneousoccurrence in water of a wide variety of substancessuch as pharmaceuticals, pesticides in non-agriculturalareas, chemical substances that interact with theendocrine system, personal care products, surfactants,etc. New challenges are also posed from theexpansion of potentially harmful microalgae andciuanobacteria in new ecosystems as a consequenceof intensification of intercontinental trafficand climate change.Keywords: drinking water, pollution, risk assessment, water.ALBANIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT67