Environmental Health Assignment: Water, Food, and Pathogens

This Environmental Health assignment solution addresses key concepts in water quality and food safety. It begins by describing the principal reserves for water, highlighting areas with adequate supplies and those facing shortages, followed by an explanation of the four stages of water treatment and the potential for waterborne pathogens like Cryptosporidium to contaminate treated water. The assignment then explores toxic chemicals in the public water supply and their health effects. The second part of the assignment focuses on foodborne diseases, identifying emerging pathogens like Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, and discussing outbreaks and preventive measures. The solution also covers microbial agents linked to illnesses on cruise ships and methods to prevent such outbreaks. References from academic journals are included to support the findings.

Running head:ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Environmental Health
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

1
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
A.
1.
The principle reserves for water are as follows-
 Surface water- this is the form of water present in lakes, rivers and fresh water wetland.
 Ground water- this is the form of fresh water located in the subsurface pore space, which
is present in rocks and soils.
 Frozen water- glacial runoffs are a source of water.
Most parts of American continent and some parts of Asian and Australian continent have
adequate water supply. Most parts of the African continent are facing a chronic shortage
(O'Riordan, 2014).
2.
The four stages of water treatment are-
 Coagulation- water is mixed with certain chemicals that cause the formation of particles
known as ‘floc’, which in turn attracts larger particles. These particles either rise to the
top or sink to the bottom of the tank.
 Sedimentation- this refers to the physical water treatment process with the help of
gravitational force for removal of suspended solids.
 Filtration- the water is pumped through filter for trapping and removing more particulate.
 Disinfection- the filtered water is pumped into a tank and disinfectant chemicals like
chlorine is added for elimination of microorganisms.

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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Waterborne pathogens such as Cryptosporodium can contaminate water that has been treated
with modern treatment plans since these organisms have tough cell walls that can withstand
environmental stresses and resist actions of chemical disinfectants (Battersby, 2016).
3.
Some examples of toxic chemicals that might be present in public water supply are lead,
mercury, fluoride, chlorine and arsenic. The health effects due to toxic chemicals present in
drinking water include damage of the nervous system, caner, reproduction disorders, liver
damage, kidney damage and metabolic disruptions (Frumkin, 2016).
B.
1.
Two emerging foodborne disease pathogens are Escherichia coli O157:H7 and the
epidemic strain of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium Definitive Type 104. In December 2017,
the Public Agency of Canada reported an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in a
number of provinces. Twenty-five people suffered infection due to an outbreak strain of Shiga
toxin producing EC O157:H7. Nine people had to be hospitalized among whom two individuals
were reported to have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one death was reported from
California (Ahlstrom et al., 2018).
2.
Food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has been associated with stillbirth.
Unpasteurized milk, refrigerated ready-to-eat meats and soft-ripened cheeses carry this pathogen.

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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
For preventing foodborne illness from this cause, food is to be prepared and handled properly.
Safer alternatives of these foods are to be eaten (Mariam et al., 2017).
3.
Viruses, mainly Noroviruses or Norwalk viruses, have been associated to outbreaks of
illnesses on cruise ships. Some preventive measures are as follows-
 Frequent washing of hands with disinfectant
 Use of bleach-based cleanser for disinfecting contaminated surfaces
 Immediate removal and washing of linings (Battersby, 2016)

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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
References
Ahlstrom, C. A., Manuel, C. S., Den Bakker, H. C., Wiedmann, M., & Nightingale, K. K.
(2018). Molecular ecology of Listeria spp., Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157: H7 and
non‐O157 Shiga toxin‐producing E. coli in pristine natural environments in Northern
Colorado. Journal of applied microbiology, 124(2), 511-521.
Battersby, S. ed., (2016). Clay's handbook of environmental health. Routledge.
Frumkin, H. (2016). Environmental health: from global to local. John Wiley & Sons.
Mariam, S. H., Zegeye, N., Aseffa, A., & Howe, R. (2017). Diffusible substances from lactic
acid bacterial cultures exert strong inhibitory effects on Listeria monocytogenes and
Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis in a co-culture model. BMC microbiology, 17(1),
35.
O'Riordan, T. (Ed.). (2014). Environmental science for environmental management. Routledge.