Biological Water Research Articles

Commercial hydrogel product for drug delivery based on route of administration.

Hydrogels are hydrophilic, three-dimensional, cross-linked polymers that absorb significant amounts of biological fluids or water. Hydrogels possess several favorable properties, including flexibility, stimulus-responsiveness, versatility, and structural composition. They can be categorized according to their sources, synthesis route, response to stimulus, and application. Controlling the cross-link density matrix and the hydrogels' attraction to water while they're swelling makes it easy to change their porous structure, which makes them ideal for drug delivery. Hydrogel in drug delivery can be achieved by various routes involving injectable, oral, buccal, vaginal, ocular, and transdermal administration routes. The hydrogel market is expected to grow from its 2019 valuation of USD 22.1 billion to USD 31.4 billion by 2027. Commercial hydrogels are helpful for various drug delivery applications, such as transdermal patches with controlled release characteristics, stimuli-responsive hydrogels for oral administration, and localized delivery via parenteral means. Here, we are mainly focused on the commercial hydrogel products used for drug delivery based on the described route of administration.

EXPRESS CALCULATION OF OXYGEN REGIME IN WASTEWATER FACILITIES

Problem statement. The efficiency of biological water purification depends significantly on the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the volume of the bioreactor. But during the operation of bioreactors, the oxygen regime changes, so it is important to predict the oxygen concentration for different modes of operation of treatment plants. Simplified mathematical models are used to calculate the oxygen regime, but these models are designed for typical bioreactors. An important task is the development of effective multivariate numerical models for evaluating the oxygen regime in reactors of different geometric shapes, which differ from “classical” reactors. The purpose of the article. Development of a CFD model for operational evaluation of the oxygen regime in bioreactors. Methodology. For mathematical modeling of the oxygen regime in the bioreactor, a two-dimensional mass transfer equation is used, which takes into account the place of oxygen supply from the aerator located in the building, the hydrodynamics of the flow in the bioreactor, and the diffusion process. The potential motion model was used to solve the hydrodynamic problem. Numerical integration of modeling equations is carried out by using finite-difference splitting schemes. At each splitting step, the difference equations are solved using explicit schemes. This allows a simple computer implementation of the numerical model. Scientific novelty. A multifactor two-dimensional CFD model was developed, which allows for a quick assessment of the oxygen regime in a bioreactor used for wastewater treatment. Practical significance. The developed CFD model and computer code can be used at the stage of designing or re-engineering bioreactors in order to find the optimal location of aerators in the structure. Conclusions. The software implementation of the developed numerical model was carried out. The results of a computational experiment on the study of the wastewater treatment process in a sedimentation tank are presented.

Holographic Brain Theory: Super-Radiance, Memory Capacity and Control Theory.

We investigate Quantum Electrodynamics corresponding to the holographic brain theory introduced by Pribram to describe memory in the human brain. First, we derive a super-radiance solution in Quantum Electrodynamics with non-relativistic charged bosons (a model of molecular conformational states of water) for coherent light sources of holograms. Next, we estimate memory capacity of a brain neocortex, and adopt binary holograms to manipulate optical information. Finally, we introduce a control theory to manipulate holograms involving biological water's molecular conformational states. We show how a desired waveform in holography is achieved in a hierarchical model using numerical simulations.

Integrated Assessment of Kirala Kele Wetland Health: Bridging the Gap between Water Quality Parameters and Biotic Components

Abstract The present study was carried out to assess the health of the Kirala Kele Wetland, Sri Lanka, by coupling water quality indices and bioindicators. A total of 12 sampling sites were selected to represent different land-use patterns of the Kirala Kele Wetland using purposive sampling technique, and sampling was conducted from March 2021 to May 2021, on a monthly basis. Triplicated samples (n = 3) were obtained for each sampling event at each sampling site. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected from each site to determine the biological water quality using the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) score. Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) was calculated to understand the physicochemical parameters of water, and the mean values of physicochemical water quality parameters were compared with the Sri Lankan water quality standards. According to the WAWQI for the different sampling sites, water is not suitable for drinking without treatment. The resulted BMWP score (BMWP = 61) shows that the water quality is acceptable (clean but slightly impacted) for biotic components of the wetland in accordance with the aquatic macroinvertebrates present. Spatial variation in water quality parameters and the aquatic macroinvertebrates were taken into account, and the temporal variation in water quality parameters within the 3 months from March to May was considered.

Contamination Characteristics，Detection Methods，and Control Methods of Antibiotic Resistance in Pharmaceutical Wastewater

Pharmaceutical industry wastewater contains a large number of emerging pollutants such as antibiotics， antibiotic resistant bacteria （ARBs）， and antibiotic resistance genes （ARGs）. The present biological water treatment processes cannot effectively remove these pollutants. Eventually， they are discharged into various water bodies or penetrate into soil with the effluent， causing environmental pollution and affecting human health. Therefore， exploring the pollution characteristics of antibiotics， ARBs， and ARGs in pharmaceutical wastewater and knowing the methods to detect and control antibiotic resistance pollution in wastewater are crucial for reducing the contamination of antibiotics and ARGs and assessing the ecological risks of antibiotic resistance. Aiming at the problem of antibiotic resistance pollution in a pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plant （PWWTPs）， the pollution status of antibiotics， ARBs， and ARGs in pharmaceutical wastewater was discussed. Different assessment methods of antibiotic resistance in pharmaceutical wastewater were summarized. Finally， the wastewater treatment technologies commonly used to remove antibiotics and ARGs in PWWTPs were summarized in order to provide a theoretical basis for the ecological risk assessment and scientific control of antibiotics and ARGs in the environment.

The Influence of Environmental Sanitation on Stunting

Introduction: According to Pekanbaru City Health Department in 2019, there were 17.,67% of toddlers in Pekanbaru with poor nutritional status. Poor sanitation can trigger the emergence of infectious diseases that can reduce nutritional absorption in toddlers throughout the digestive process, resulting in stunting. The aim of this study was to analyze environmental sanitation influences on stunting. Methods: This research used case control study design. The case and control groups each received 30 samples. Independent variables include water source for sanitation, condition of latrines, condition of hand washing facilities with soap, condition of waste water drainage channels, management of household waste, type and condition of floors, presence of vectors and disease carrier animals, drinking water quality from biological conditions. The dependent variable was stunting. All data were collected using questionnaires that were asked directly to participants. Data analysis was performed by using the chi-square and multiple logistic regression tests. Results and Discussion: Water sources for sanitation, availability and condition of latrines, drinking water quality from biological terms influences on stunting (p-value <0.,05). Multivariate tests show that, the drinking water quality from biological terms and water sources for sanitation had a probability value of 21% to cause stunting. Conclusion: The dominant factor influences on stunting is the drinking water quality in biological terms and water sources for sanitation.

The effect of water temperature changes on biological water quality assessment

Increasing temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change are leading to changes in the composition of local communities across biomes. This has implications for ecological assessment methods that rely on macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of water quality. To investigate the influence of changing water temperature on these assessment methods, we analysed macroinvertebrate data from Swiss national monitoring programs. We used a species distribution model to simulate temperature change effects on macroinvertebrate communities and estimated the resulting changes on three biological indices commonly used in Switzerland, namely the species richness of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), the Swiss biological (IBCH) index along with its components, as well as the species at risk pesticides (SPEARpesticides) index. While results vary by temperature scenario and index, our model results for the most realistic water temperature increase scenario of + 2 °C across most sites in Switzerland suggest no, or only a minor, influence of temperature (not accounting for other hydrological changes). Our model projection predicted only a small increase in the probability of occurrence for 70 % of the studied families. The sensitivity to temperature as captured in our model is generally not very high and varies among the biological indices: on average across all sites, a + 2 °C increase in temperature resulted in a 7 % increase in EPT species richness, a 4 % increase in the IBCH index, and a less than 1 % increase in the SPEARpesticides index. Our study suggests the robustness of these biological indices to moderate warming and points towards the usefulness of these biological indices for the next few decades as tools for water quality assessment. Despite some limitations of statistical species distribution models (e.g., not accounting for dispersal limitation or biotic interactions, predictive performance varying by taxon), the study provides valuable insights into the complex relationships between environmental factors and macroinvertebrate communities, and the potential impacts of future temperature change. These findings can inform conservation and management efforts for these important ecological systems.

Biological-based techniques for real-time water-quality studies: Assessment of non-invasive (swimming consistency and respiration) and toxicity (antioxidants) biomarkers of zebrafish

Swimming consistency and respiration of fish are recognized as the non-invasive stress biomarkers. Their alterations could directly indicate the presence of pollutants in the water ecosystem. Since these biomarkers are a routine process for fish, it is difficult to monitor their activity manually. For this reason, experts employ engineering technologies to create sensors that can monitor the regular activities of fish. Knowing the importance of these non-invasive stress biomarkers, we developed online biological behavior monitoring system-OBBMS and online biological respiratory response monitoring system-OBRRMS to monitor real-time swimming consistency and respiratory response of fish, respectively. We continuously monitored the swimming consistency and respiration (OCR, CER and RQ) of zebrafish (control and atrazine-treatments) for 7 days using our homemade real-time biological response monitoring systems. Furthermore, we analyzed oxidative stress indicators (SOD, CAT and POD) within the vital tissues (gills, brain and muscle) of zebrafish during stipulated sampling periods. The differences in the swimming consistency and respiratory rate of zebrafish between the control and atrazine treatments could be precisely differentiated on the real-time datasets of OBBMS and OBRRMS. The zebrafish exposed to atrazine toxin showed a concentration-dependent effect (hypoactivity). The OCR and CER were increased in the atrazine treated zebrafish. Both Treatment I and II received a negative response for RQ. Atrazine toxicity let to a rise in the levels of SOD, CAT and POD in the vital tissues of zebrafish. The continuous acquisition of fish signals is achieved which is one of the main merits of our OBBMS and OBRRMS. Additionally, no special data processing was done, the real-time data sets were directly used on statistical tools and the differences between the factors (groups, photoperiods, exposure periods and their interactions) were identified precisely. Hence, our OBBMS and OBRRMS could be a promising tool for biological response-based real-time water quality monitoring studies.

Enhancing immune response, antioxidant capacity, and gut health in growing beagles through a chitooligosaccharide diet.

Chitooligosaccharides (COS) have attracted significant attention due to their unique biological activities, water solubility, and absorbable properties. The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of COS-supplemented diets on the immune response, antioxidative capacity, hematology, serum biochemistry, and modulation of intestinal microbiota in growing beagles. Twelve weaning male beagles (6 weeks old; weighing 3.6 ± 0.6 kg) were fed either a control diet (food without COS, n = 6) or a COS-supplemented diet (n = 6) twice daily for 7 weeks. Blood samples collected at weeks 4 and 7 indicated that hematology and serum biochemistry remained unaffected by COS supplementation. Compared with the control group, the test group showed higher levels of serum antibodies against the canine distemper virus and parvovirus, higher levels of immunoglobulin A, G, and M, and increased activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. In addition, COS was observed to modulate the intestinal flora by enhancing the presence of probiotics, such as Muribaculaceae, Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group, Lactobacillus, Collinsella, Blautia, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group. In summary, a COS-supplemented diet could effectively improve dog health by regulating immune function and antioxidant responses and modulating intestinal microbiota. This study highlights the potentiality of using COS as a valuable nutraceutical for growing dogs.

Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index (PCII) – A potential supplementary tool for evaluating nutrient enrichment status of Hong Kong marine waters

Diagnosis of eutrophication requires evidence of disturbance to the balance of organisms. We describe a tool, the Plankton Community Integrity Index (PCII), derived from the Plankton Index (PI) for tracking change in the seasonal patterns of abundance of diatom and dinoflagellate lifeforms when plotted in state space. The tool uses a nutrient-minimum reference period to interpret PCII values as status indicators, with values close to 1 indicating “High” status and 0.6 a Biological Water Quality Criterion (BioWQC) target set at the “Fair”/“Good” status boundary. It has been applied to Hong Kong marine waters, using data from monthly samples from 1995 through 2021. A preliminary analysis, required for the PI method, confirmed monsoonal seasonality in the diatom lifeform. In 5 of the 9 water bodies examined, PCII time series correlated with those of Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN). Since 2020, all Water Control Zones met the operationally defined BioWQC target.

Assessment of Water Quality Parameters in Lake Hayq, Northeastern Ethiopia.

Lake Hayq is one of the highland lakes of Ethiopia that furnishes very important ecosystem services, fishing, tourism, transportation, drinking water, livestock watering, and irrigation. However, the lake ecosystem is being degraded by pollution, siltation, and excessive growth of macrophytes, buffer zone degradation, overfishing, and climate variability. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the physicochemical, heavy metals, and biological water quality parameters of Lake Hayq. Physiochemical (pH, water temperature, conductivity, TDS, total alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, NH3, NO2 -, NO3 -, CO3 -, HCO3 -, SO4 2-, PO4 3-, SiO2, and total phosphorus), heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Zn, Cr, Cu2+, Mn2+, and Ni), and biological (BOD5 and total coliforms) water quality parameters were analyzed both in situ and ex situ. The physicochemical parameters were measured using portable water quality measuring multimeters, the heavy metal analysis was done using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, the BOD5 was measured using a BOD5 meter, and the total coliform analysis was done using the spread plate technique. The collected data were analyzed using multivariate, two-way ANOVA to see the mean difference among sampling sites and seasons through the application of SPSS 16. Most of the water quality parameters of Lake Hayq have met the WHO standards for recreation, aquatic life, and drinking water quality. However, some parameters, such as Pb, BOD5, and total coliforms, were above WHO water quality permissible limits. Therefore, ecohydrological (nature-based) waste treatment methods such as macrophyte restoration in buffer zones and ecofriendly farming activities should be practiced to minimize the contamination of the lake.

Composts of diverse green wastes improve the soil biological quality, but do not alleviate drought impact on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth

AbstractIntense soil cultivation and climate change have detrimental effects on soils. Solutions are needed to improve the biological quality and water holding capacity of agricultural soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the interactive effect of compost application and drought stress on a soil/plant system in order to determine the improvement of soil quality and plant growth and the alleviation of drought stress. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was grown under greenhouse conditions in a sandy soil with sufficient mineral fertilizer application to test the effect of five compost types (three made from municipal garden and park wastes with differing nutrient contents, one from municipal household waste, and one from farm plant residues) applied at 30 Mg ha−1 dry weight, with which we compared soil quality and plant growth to soil without compost application. Treatment pots were irrigated or subjected to drought conditions during the last 14 days of lettuce growth. Assays of potential N mineralization during 28 days, dehydrogenase and β‐glucosidase activities, and a phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis were performed to assess effects on soil biological quality. Gas exchange, leaf relative water content, biomass, nitrogen accumulation, and root tip growth of lettuce were measured to investigate compost and drought stress effects on lettuce physiology. All composts improved indices of soil biological quality significantly, except for fungal abundance, relative to soil without compost. The greatest increase was obtained from farm compost, which significantly increased potential nitrogen (N) mineralization and soil enzyme activities of β‐glucosidase and dehydrogenase by factors of 4, 2, and 43, respectively. Furthermore, soil with farm compost generally showed a higher abundance of soil microbial organisms compared with soil without compost, which could be related to its high cellulose and hemicellulose contents. The lowest abundance of microbial organisms was generally found in soil with garden and park waste compost with a medium nutrient content, which could be related to its low organic matter content. The beneficial effect of compost on soil biological quality did not lead to improved lettuce growth, which suggests that soil biological quality (ameliorated by compost application) is not important for a fast‐growing crop, such as lettuce, that is sufficiently fertilized. Drought stress reduced aboveground lettuce biomass, root tip growth, and the abundance of most soil microbial groups significantly, but compost in soil did not alleviate these negative effects. In conclusion, the farm compost made from grass–clover, straw, and vegetable residues is superior to garden and park waste and household waste composts in terms of beneficial effects on soil biological quality. Compost clearly improved soil biological quality, but did not influence lettuce's response to drought stress. The knowledge gained in this study is useful for producing tailor‐made compost with desired effects of improved soil biological quality.

Unapređenje tehnološke opreme drona za uzorkovanje vode - projektovanje i modelovanje

One of the modern problems in the field of ecology is the creation of environmentally friendly equipment for monitoring the state of various reservoirs by taking water for further laboratory analysis. Water quality monitoring is needed to record changes in water quality over time, as well as to detect contamination from storm water runoff, which may contain microorganisms, minerals, debris, and fuel residues. One of the promising ways to solve this problem is using drones to collect hydro-chemical data on the spot and take water samples from freshwater environments. This approach makes it possible to perform the aspects of biological and physical-chemical water sampling that are necessary for implementing large-scale water sampling programs and makes these programs more efficient, safe, and economically profitable. However, in modern times, the use of drones for water quality monitoring is held back by a number of important limitations, namely the low level of objective sampling and the relatively small volume of water samples. The article proposes a fundamentally new design of the technological equipment of a drone for taking water samples, namely a new design of a bathometer - a device for taking water samples and installing them on the Cardan suspension. These structural differences ensure the orientation of the bathometer only under the influence of gravitational force, which in turn significantly increases the objectivity of water sampling. The article also provides kinematic and dynamic models of the bathometer's movement on the Cardan suspension rings. It presents the modeling results in the form of graphical and analytical dependencies of kinematic analysis, which constitutes the scientific aspect of the problem. The main motivation of the conducted research is the creation of environmentally friendly equipment in the form of an unmanned aerial vehicle, which is designed to increase the objectivity of water sampling.

Cole-Cole Model for the Dielectric Characterization of Healthy Skin and Basal Cell Carcinoma at THz Frequencies.

THz radiationeffectively probes biological tissue water content due to its high sensibility to polar molecules. Skin and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), both rich in water, have been extensively studied in the THz range. Typically, the Double Debye model is used to study their dielectric permittivity. This work focuses on the viability of the multipole Cole-Cole model as an alternative dielectric model. To determine the best fit parameters, we used a genetic algorithm-based approach, solving a least squares problem. Compared with the Double Debye model, a maximum reduction of the RMSE value up to more than 50% and maximum relative percentage errors of 2.8% have been measured for both second and third order Cole-Cole models. Since the errors of the second and third order Cole-Cole models are similar, a two-poles model is enough to describe the behaviour both tissues from 0.2 THz to 2 THz.

Carbohydrate polymer-supported metal and metal oxide nanoparticles for constructing electrochemical sensors

Metal- and metal oxide-carbohydrate polymers are considered a promising tool for electrochemical detection of biological analytes and water pollutants.

Assessment of pollution load on surface water in the down-lower part of the Tapung Kiri river, Kampar regency, Riau

The Tapung Kiri River is experiencing degradation especially due to the increase in the oil palm plantation industry and sand mining activities. The research was conducted from June to August 2024 to determine the pollution load of the Tapung Kiri River in down-lower by analyzing physical, chemical, and biological water quality samples. Water samples were taken triple, including TSS, BOD, COD, Nitrate, Phosphate, and E.Coli parameters. The quality of the Tapung River is compared to the quality standards according to The Regulation of Government of the Republic of Indonesia (RGRI) Number 22/2021 Class III. The results of the analysis of the pollution load were 472.5 kg/day (TSS), 15.75 kg/day (BOD), 94.5 kg/day (COD), 34.44 kg/day (nitrate), and 0.37 kg/day total phosphate. The actual pollution load in the Tapung Kiri River is lower than the maximum pollution load.

Comparative Study of Physico-Chemical and Biological Water Quality Upstream and Downstream of the Manantali Dam and Hydropower Plant from 2019 to 2023

Comparative Study of Physico-Chemical and Biological Water Quality Upstream and Downstream of the Manantali Dam and Hydropower Plant from 2019 to 2023

Effect of Water Storage Tank Material on Quality of Water with Storage Period

Quality drinking water is of prime importance for human need. Potable water comes from surface water and groundwater sources and it is acceptable for human consumption. The method of storing water plays a crucial role in maintaining its purity and safety for human consumption. Due to lack of continuous water supply, storage tanks are necessary to store water and storage tank material may affect the quality of potable water. The objective of this study is to investigate the variation in water quality during storage for some particular time period in different types of storage containers. 40 days (six weeks) is considered to determine potable water quality variation during storage in different container materials and materials used for containers are plastic tanks, clay pot and Reinforced Cement Concrete. To find the water quality parameters, samples are to be collected at five days interval. During the period of storage, physical, chemical and biological water quality parameters are to be determined. Parameters obtained from above tests are analyzed to understand the effect of age and container material on the quality of potable water. This analysis is useful to choose the material of storage container to store water for a particular period of time.

The method of complex biological water treatment in aquaponic recirculation systems

The article discusses the results of experimental research work on the development of technical solutions aimed at creating an integrated innovative biotechnology for recycled water treatment in recirculating aquaculture systems. Schemes and descriptions of experimental units using the multitrophic approach when creating water treatment systems are given. The system is completed according to the principle of integration into a single multitrophic system of spatially delimited biomodules with various types of hydrobionts, where particular types of organisms serve as a food base for subsequent trophic levels. As a result of trophic chains, phytoplankton and zooplankton are cultivated and used as starter live food when rearing juvenile fish. Natural food base contributes to the production of high-quality viable fish stock, which is essential for commercial fish farming. The use of tiered units can significantly reduce the need for production space. Polyculture cultivation of various species of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks together with hydroponic plants allows to diversify production for obtaining additional profit and reducing the risks. Cultivation of high-value fish species (e.g. sturgeon) or crustaceans (Australian red claw) together with less valuable cyprinids, tilapia or African catfish allows to promote products in different market segments.

Physico-Chemical and Biological Water Quality of Tuntang Estuary, Demak, Central Java as A Base for Sustainable River Management

The estuary, downstream of the river, accumulates pollutants from upstream and marine. Tuntang is one of the major rivers in Central Java, 139 km length from Rawapening Lake, and ends in the Java Sea. Mangroves are the dominant riparian vegetation in the downstream and estuary of the Tuntang River. This research analyzes the water quality and pollution index (PI) of Tuntang Estuary, Demak. Water samples were collected from four sites in February (wet season) and September 2022 (dry season) and were analyzed for temperature, TDS, pH, BOD, COD, DO, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, TN, TP, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, fecal coliform, and total coliform. The water quality parameters of Tuntang Estuary in the dry season exceeded the threshold for Class I-III, such as TDS in T1 ((2530 mgL-1), BOD (4.06-5.12 mgL-1), COD (28.32-102 mgL-1), DO for Class I and II (3.93-4.28 mgL-1), Pb at T1 and T3 in the wet season, and T1 in the dry season, and Cr for Class I, II, and III (. 0.05 mgL-1), Pb (T1), and Cr for Class I, II, and III (. 0.05 mgL-1). In contrast, in the wet season, BOD (4.37-7.15 mgL-1), Pb (T1 and T3), fecal coli, and coliform exceeded the threshold. The TN (0.83-2.48 mgL-1) and TP in the wet season (0.45-0.53 mgL-1 at T1 and T1) indicated that Tuntang Estuary was in the eutrophic condition. Based on the PI method, the water quality of Tuntang Estuary is good to slightly polluted for Class I, II, and III. The sustainable river management that is appropriate to be developed for the Tuntang River is conserving the mangrove ecosystem in the Tuntang Estuary.