General information

PROJECT

COMPLEX PROGRAM FOR ENSURING THE QUALITY AND SECURITY OF ENVIRONMENT IN SPECIFIC RURAL AREAS, POLLUTED WITH PESTICIDES AND HEAVY METALS WITH IMPACT UPON THE QUALITY OF LIFE

ACRONYM: MESAR

PROJECT DIRECTOR: ProfF. ASsoc. Dr. Eugen Stelian Gurzau
Environmental Health Center Cluj-Napoca
Tel: +40264432979
Fax: +40264534404
E-mail:egurzau@ehc.ro

PROJECT’S BuDget: 2045176 lei, out of which
Budget - 1750000 lei
Cofunding – 295176 lei

SUMMARY

In order to reduce the negative impact caused by pesticides and heavy metals the project approaches integrated aspects concerning environmental quality and safety by proposing a comprehensive program to ensure these aspects in specific rural areas polluted with pesticides in Sibiu county (Saliste) and polluted with heavy metals (Copsa Mica) with impact on the quality of life. A complex social and economic mechanism based on the European principles and strategies in the domain of environmental and rural health will be developped and implemented. A correlation between the environmental factors specific for the studied rural areas that generate some potential ecological imbalances and indicators of medical biostatistics will be obtained. Within this framework a conceptual model of social and economic mechanisms will be developed to prevent and control pollution of the main environmental factors in order to ensure the environmental quality and security. Developing the experimental design of the analysis issues and types of studies includes the development of research methodologies in an integrated system based on ecological, modern and efficient concepts consistent with the integrated assessment models for environmental and rural health at European standards. Testing and optimization of the design regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of pesticides and heavy metals in the environmental factors in the two investigated rural areas (Saliste and Copsa Mica) will be substantiated by the concepts and assumed methodologies of integrated analysis of pesticides and heavy metals, including modeling regarding the transfer source-environmental factor (novelty). Based on the results obtained by analyzing pesticides and heavy metals in the environmental factors (soil, water, dust) databases will be created, digital maps will be elaborated and an evaluation and quality-assurance system for the developed and practiced model will be implemented. Improvement of the experimental model by integrating information with data referring to the population (demographic data, pathology, distribution) will be correlated with the activities for decreasing the impact upon the quality of life in the rural areas Saliste and Copsa Mica. Thus, the model will be tested in the field for the collection, storage, transportation, analysis and assessment of specific bioindicators (blood lead level) for the population groups exposed to pesticides and heavy metals in the investigated rural areas, followed by a randomized analysis based on the screening of the collected samples, in order to evaluate the specific bioindicators for the exposed population groups. A spatial and temporal representation of the biomonitoring indicators will be achieved through GIS technique (novelty in Romania). Immediate applicability of the project consists in elaboration and development of the strategy for implementation of the functional model, in order to demonstrate its functionality and utility within the public administration and education systems and to prevent and control pollution by providing environmental quality and security in rural areas, in accordance with EU policies and strategies. The functionality and utility will be demonstrated in order to validate the developed model by determining some measurable indicators to assess the functionality of the developed socio-economic mechanism. The transfer procedures will be developped for the model in similar situations that require similar solutions for ensuring the environmental quality and safety in other rural areas polluted with pesticides and heavy metals. Besides the local authorities the consortium will organize activities for the stimulation and involvement of the community groups in order to implement the measures for environmental quality and safety in rural areas and will contribute to increasing the capacity of understanding and awareness of the community groups on these matters. In order to promote specific measures for the environmental quality and safety in rural areas through education for health in groups with high susceptibility to the action of pesticides and heavy metals workshops will be organized in the area, leading to an increased ability to a more efficient and effective utilization of the community resources (community costs) in terms of sustainability.