Based at USP’s Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC), the new Fapesp Science for Development Center will conduct pioneering research on hydro-sanitary health in Brazil
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With a five year duration and an investment of almost R$ 10 million, the new Science Center for Development (CCD) based at USP’s Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC) aims to pave the way for new models of environmental monitoring and public management.
The research will combine chemical, biological, and inorganic analyses with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning models capable of revealing patterns invisible to the naked eye in the sewage system of São Carlos, São Paulo. Named the Science for Development Center in Hydro-Sanitary Health and Quality of Life (CCD-SHQV), the project was selected in the fourth call of the Fapesp Science for Development Program.
Coordinated by professor Emanuel Carrilho, from IQSC, the project will be carried out in partnership with the Autonomous Water and Sewage Service (SAAE) of São Carlos.“Being selected for this project is a great responsibility. We are talking about a leading center, with long-term goals and a financial and scientific scale comparable to a major thematic project. However, the responsibility here is even greater because this is not merely an academic exercise, it is applied research, with a clear purpose: to understand the nature of this environment and transform that knowledge into concrete actions to improve the city’s quality of life,” says Carrilho.
The CCD-SHQV will also bring together experts such as Débora Milori, researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), responsible for analyzing metals and inorganic contaminants; professor Fernanda Aníbal, from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), a specialist in parasitology and infectology; and professor André de Carvalho, from USP’s Institute of Mathematics and Computer Sciences (ICMC), who will lead the development and application of AI and machine learning models.
The project’s funding will primarily support research scholarships, the purchase of reagents required for analyses, and small equipment to strengthen laboratory activities.
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How the project will work
The proposal was born from the lessons left by the covid-19 pandemic, when sewage monitoring proved to be a powerful tool for predicting outbreaks even before they were recorded by official statistics. This experience inspired the Bioanalytics, Microfabrication, and Separations (Biomics) research group, coordinated by professor Carrilho.
According to the coordinator, samples will be collected weekly from different points across São Carlos and georeferenced, allowing each data set to be associated with its neighborhood of origin. From these collections, it will be possible to identify the presence of microorganisms, viruses, bacteria, parasites, hormones, pesticides, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. The information obtained will be cross-referenced with health, education, and income indicators, creating an unprecedented overview of the relationship between what flows through the city’s drains and the living conditions of its residents.
“Artificial intelligence tools will be used to integrate and interpret the large volumes of data produced in the analyses, recognizing patterns and correlations that indicate changes in the urban environment or in the population’s health,” explains Carrilho. “This approach will allow, for example, the detection of contamination trends before they become apparent, the identification of anomalies, and support for evidence-based decision-making in public policies,” he adds.
The researcher notes that sewage analysis can reveal areas of higher contamination by heavy metals, pharmaceutical residues, or agricultural pesticides, as well as indicate the use of illicit drugs in certain regions. “With this information, we will be able to anticipate the emergence of diseases or pandemics, locate sources of industrial contamination, and even recognize patterns of substance use in different parts of the city,” he adds.
The data generated will be shared with SAAE and can support preventive health measures, improve water and sewage treatment processes, and guide urban planning based on scientific evidence.
The project also foresees the active participation of undergraduate and graduate students from partner institutions. “It will be a unique opportunity for training and for developing analytical methods applied to a real-world problem with a direct social impact,” concludes Carrilho.
One of the expectations is that, after five years, the system developed in São Carlos can be replicated in other Brazilian cities or adapted by specialized companies to serve municipalities. Carrilho points out that fewer than half of Brazil’s municipalities have adequate sewage treatment, which also makes the project an invitation to reflect on environmental inequality and public health. “Without utopia, one cannot live,” says the professor, acknowledging that dreaming big is part of the University’s mission.
Written by Gabriele Maciel, IQSC Communications Office
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
