Domestic Purposes Research Articles

Geochemical assessment of groundwater quality for domestic, irrigation and industrial purposes: a tool for environmental monitoring and assessment in a semiarid region of eastern Maharashtra, India

Geochemical assessment of groundwater quality for domestic, irrigation and industrial purposes: a tool for environmental monitoring and assessment in a semiarid region of eastern Maharashtra, India

Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Semi-Arid Environment: Implications of Climate Change

The hydrogeochemical properties and evolution of groundwater in the Essaouira syncline basin in northwestern Morocco were investigated in this study, with a total of 447 samples during different campaigns (April 2017, May 2018, March 2019, and July 2020). These samples were analyzed for major ions and stable and radioactive water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, and 3H). With decreasing rainfall from climate change in Morocco, it is crucial to assess the sustainability of groundwater reserves. This shortage leads to the degradation of water and soil quality. To ensure sustainable water management and preserve the environment in the study area, it is necessary to assess groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation, take precautions, and establish management plans. This study assessed groundwater quality using two water quality index methods (WQI and IWQI). Several natural processes control groundwater mineralization, including the dissolution of evaporite and carbonate minerals, cation exchange phenomena, evaporation, and seawater intrusion. According to the results obtained using the WQI method, all groundwater samples in the study area are generally of poor quality and must be treated before being used for domestic purposes. Based on the results obtained by the IWQI method, the samples are suitable for use as irrigation water, especially for plants resistant to high salinity concentrations. Stable isotope measurements (δ2H and δ18O) indicate that Atlantic precipitation continuously recharges the recharge areas of the Essaouira Basin. Thus, the low values of tritium (3H) in groundwater mean that the freshwater in the Essaouira Basin is ancient.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Waste Disposal on Groundwater Quality

<p class="CxSpFirst" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;text-autospace:none;">This study focuses on the impact of solid waste on groundwater quality in the region of Ramayanpatti, Tirunelveli. Tirunelveli city generates 100 tonnes of solid waste in a day. Solid waste has organic matter, inorganic matter, and moisture content which leaches dissolved organic matter, and heavy metals to the groundwater. Rainfall runoff carries all the dissolved contaminants from the solid waste and infiltrates into the groundwater. Groundwater quality is characterized at 30 locations around the dumping yard. Water Quality Index (WQI) is calculated using important characteristics such as pH, TDS, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Nitrate, and Sulphate by its relative weightage. The Spatial distribution of WQI is drawn.  Groundwater Quality is very poor in the surrounding region of solid waste dump yard and also in the areas of agriculture irrigated areas. Groundwater in other areas shall be used for domestic purposes except drinking with proper disinfection.</span></p><p class="CxSpMiddle" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;text-autospace:none;"><strong>Keywords:</strong> Solid waste, Groundwater Quality, Characterization, Water Quality Index, Groundwater use</span></p>

Groundwater Dynamics in the Middle Brahmaputra River Basin: A Case Study of Shallow Aquifers in Inner Guwahati City, Assam, India

This study investigated the hydrogeological characteristics and groundwater dynamics in the shallow aquifer zones of inner Guwahati city, Assam, India. Sixteen dug wells spread across the city, specifically used for domestic purposes, were selected for this study. Additionally, ten wells were selected for trend analysis. The borehole lithology reveals predominant compositions of clay, sand, and granules, with thin clay cappings indicating significant groundwater potential. Depth-to-water level analysis revealed varying water levels across the study area, with shallow levels in the northern and western regions and gradual deepening toward the eastern and southern parts. The groundwater flow directions show nonuniform patterns and reflect the influence of topography and domestic pumping in urban residential zones. The general groundwater flow direction is toward the Brahmaputra River. Trends in groundwater level, assessed using the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope, suggest both falling and rising trends across different locations, indicating complex groundwater dynamics influenced by factors such as recharge, extraction, and topography. However, the long-term rainfall data indicate no significant trend over the studied period, suggesting limited natural influence on groundwater level trends. These findings may contribute to a comprehensive understanding of groundwater dynamics in the study area and are essential for sustainable water resource management and mitigation of groundwater depletion risks.

Fabrication of a Portable Groundnut Decorticating Machine for Domestic Purpose

Groundnut is one of the important oil seed crops cultivated in India. India ranks first in groundnut area under cultivation and is the second largest producer in the world with 101 lakh tones with productivity of 1863 kg per hectare in 2021-22. Groundnut cultivation in India is done by small-scale farmersand is the predominant dryland crop. In the beginning, thepeanuts were separated from their shells by the workers and theoutput from this method was much less and could not satisfy themarket demand as it was a very time-consuming process. It is atime-consuming and tedious operation. Hence, a portablegroundnut decorticating machine is designed and fabricatedwhich is small in size, easy to carry anywhere, and very easy tooperate (at any time). This is more useful for domestic purposessuch as households, hotels, and restaurants. This paper describesabout the design and fabrication of various components of a hand-operated groundnut decorticator. Small farmers or businessmencan start businesses by investing less capital. The output is about40-42 kg/hour, shelling time taken 1.5 min/kg, and with a highcost-benefit ratio of 1:28.6. The machine is also lightweight andeasy to operate and maintain, the spare parts are also availablelocally. Maintenance is very easy, purchase cost is low, and highlyeconomical in use. No electric power or diesel or skill knowledge is required. The shelling operation can be done by women at any time by accommodating in the house itself. Small and marginalfarmers can use regular shelling for the sowing of groundnut. This is a convenient equipment and can be used at any time(during day time or night time) based on their convenience. Not much labor is required and one person can manage the decortication process it is cost effective also.

Effects of Tin Mining on Water Sources in Mwerasandu Tin Mine, Ntungamo District, Uganda

Tin mining is a widespread economic activity across various regions worldwide. Understanding the consequences of such operations is crucial for sustainable water management and environmental conservation. The current study aimed at determining the concentrations tin, lead and mercury in the water sources of Nyakahiimbura Stream in Mwerasandu, and assessed the physico-chemical properties including pH, turbidity, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the water from the Nyamuhimbura stream, Ntungamo district. Water samples from three locations, that is; the upstream, impact area and downstream of the Nyakahiimbura water stream were collected during the dry and wet seasons of the year 2024. The samples collected were analyzed for the physico-chemical properties in the laboratory while the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP – OES) was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the water samples. The pH, COD values obtained were within the acceptable effluent standards while the turbidity values at the upstream and downstream of the dry season and downstream during the wet season were above the acceptable effluent Standards. The tin concentration was high in the dry season (0.09mg/L) as compared to concentration (0.118mg/L) in the wet season. Lead concentration was the same (0.015mg/L) in both seasons. The concentrations of the heavy metals showed some variations in both dry and wet seasons in the upstream, impacted area and the downstream of the study area as compared to the values of the effluent standards. The study recommends that alternative sources of water for domestic use should be sought of. Also, the government officials especially from the Ministry of Health should carry out awareness campaigns to members of the community about the health risks associated with the uptake of the contaminated waters for domestic purposes. Constructed wetlands should be in place around the mining sites to act as filters for the dangerous metals before the water enters the surrounding environment.

Prevalence of Resistance Genes Among Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Waters of Rivers Swat and Kabul, Pakistan.

The waters of rivers Swat and Kabul are the main water source for domestic and irrigation purposes in the northwestern part of Pakistan. However, this water has been contaminated due to human activities. This study aimed to analyze the water of these rivers for occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes among Gram-negative bacteria. Samples were collected from 10 different locations of these rivers. The samples were processed for the isolation of Gram-negative bacteria. Isolated bacteria were checked against 12 different antibiotics for susceptibility. The isolates were also analyzed for the presence of seven antibiotic resistance genes. A total of 50 bacterial isolates were recovered that belonged to five different bacterial genera, that is, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Raoultella terrigena (Klebsiella terrigena), and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Antibiotic resistance pattern was cefixime 72%, cephalothin 72%, ampicillin 68%, nalidixic acid 68%, kanamycin 54%, streptomycin 42%, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim 28%, chloramphenicol 28%, meropenem 8%, gentamicin 8%, amikacin 2%, and tobramycin 2%. The prevalence of bla-TEM gene was 72% (n = 36), aadA gene 34% (n = 17), sul gene 32% (n = 16), bla-CTXM gene 12% (n = 6), int gene 66% (n = 33), and int1 gene 6% (n = 3). This information highlights the need for controlling and monitoring the release of domestic wastes to rivers.

Renewal of an active substance found in an insecticide: How to articulate risk assessment and risk management?

In Pesticide Action Network Europe v Commission (Case T-536/22), Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) contested the renewal by the European Commission of the active substance cypermethrin. This substance is used or is marketed as an insecticide in large-scale commercial agricultural applications as well as in consumer products for domestic purposes (ant and cockroach killer). PAN Europe sought the annulment of the European Commission's decision of 23 June 2022 by which the latter rejected the request for internal review made by PAN Europe in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1367/2006 on the application of the provisions of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. The applicant argued, in essence, that where a risk is established with sufficient certainty by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Commission could not disregard the conclusions of the scientific assessment by relying on its powers as risk manager. In stressing the discretion enjoyed by the Commission, the General Court dismissed the action of PAN Europe. This casenote suggests that the General Court applied the precautionary principle too formally.

Groundwater potential and recharge zone mapping using GIS and remote sensing techniques: the Melka Kunture Watershed in Ethiopia

Groundwater is the most dynamic natural resource that is not uniformly distributed both in space and time. Identifying it for sustainable water resource development for domestic use, irrigation, and industrial purposes is the biggest challenge and key concern due to climate change, overexploitation, and a lack of proper management. Geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) play a fundamental role in identifying suitable groundwater potential and recharge zones. In this study, groundwater potential and recharge zone map are delineated using GIS and RS techniques integrated with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for the Melka Kunture Watershed in Ethiopia. The thematic layers used were: Lithology, geomorphology, slope, lineament density, land use/cover, rainfall, drainage density and soil. GIS has been used to integrate and overlay thematic layers using a weighted overlay analysis tool, whereas the AHP method has been used to assign the weights, normalize, and rank thematic layers and their associated sub-themes based on their suitability, characteristics, or influence on groundwater potential and recharge zones. The output groundwater potential zone map is categorized into four suitable zones: high potential cover 1105.60 km2 (25.70%), moderate potential 2308.00 km2 (53.73%), low potential 880.0 km2 (20.49%), and very low potential 47.80 km2 (1.10%), whereas there are three suitable groundwater recharge potential zones: high potential cover 250.20 km2 (5.80%), moderate recharge 3647.90 km2 (84.00%), and low recharge 443.50 km2 (10.20%) of the study area. Hence, the study areas have been more suitable for groundwater potential and recharge zones as compared to the total area. The groundwater potential map was validated using the existing water source and well points, and it indicated a good prediction accuracy of 88%. Thus, the delineated groundwater potential and recharge zone maps are reliable, and the resultant potentiality mapping has played a vital role in the sustainable development and management of the water resources in the study area.

Determining Potential Groundwater Recharge Zones in the North Gujarat Region of Gujarat State Using Techniques of Geoinformatics and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

The rapid increase in population and industrialization has significantly raised the consumption of groundwater resources for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. This study aims to develop groundwater recharge potential zone maps to assist in the construction of artificial recharge structures in the North Gujarat Region of Gujarat, India. An integrated approach of remote sensing (RS), geographical information system (GIS), and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) were used to achieve this goal. Influencing factors of groundwater availability included geology, soil, lineament density, slope, rainfall, land use/land cover, geomorphology, and drainage density, were analyzed to delineate potential groundwater recharge zones. each influencing parameter was determined by using Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, and sub-parameters were ranked according to the AHP scale. A weighted overlay analysis tool in ArcGIS software was employed to map the groundwater recharge potential zones in the North Gujarat region. The classified results of the recharge potential area in the study area consist of excellent (9.93%), good (27.90%), moderate (17.58%), poor (3.92%), and very poor (0.92%) These findings provide valuable insights for effectively planning and managing groundwater resource development in the region.

Suitability Assessment and Optimization of Small Dams and Reservoirs in Northern Ghana

Water shortages, exacerbated by erratic rainfall, climate change, and population growth, pose significant challenges globally, particularly in semi-arid regions like northern Ghana. Despite the construction of numerous small dams in the region that were intended to provide reliable water for domestic and irrigation purposes, critical water issues persist during dry periods. Key drivers in this failure are attributed to the lack of studies and/or the number of inadequate studies on suitable dam siting. This study focused on assessing the sites of selected small dams in northern Ghana, employing various methods such as stream order analysis and the Analytic Hierarchy Process within a Geographic Information System framework. Results showed that many existing dams are poorly sited, with over half located far from major stream networks, resulting in drying out during the dry season and failing to meet sustainable water storage standards. This study proposed new dam locations that would allow achieving a significant increase in storage capacities from 30% to 60%. These results highlight the necessity for decision-makers to adopt research-based approaches to address water shortages effectively, balancing agricultural, domestic, economic, and environmental needs. Future research should integrate climate change considerations, long-term monitoring, environmental impact assessments, and advanced decision-making techniques such as machine learning.

Effect of vitamin supplementation and exposure-free break on hematological, Biochemical, and pathological parameters in male Wistar rats exposed to quinalphos

ABSTRACT Background: India is a land of agriculture, where the economy is based on cash crop cultivation. The wide and chronic use of pesticides for agriculture, domestic, and industrial purposes without protective measures has led to subsequent adverse health effects and further evaluation. It has become a major concern of public health due to its usage throughout the year among pesticide industrial workers, distributors and retail shopkeepers, agricultural field workers, and sprayers. Among the different types of pesticides (organochlorines, organophosphorus, carbamates, and pyrethroid compounds) used, quinalphos is the most common organophosphorus compound used in South India. These compounds were known to produce oxidative damage in the liver, kidney, bone marrow, brain, and intestine. Nonenzymatic antioxidants like vitamin C and E were found to alleviate the oxidative damage imposed by these pesticides. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of oral supplementation of vitamin E and vitamin C in comparison to exposure-free days on complete blood count, antioxidant enzymes, liver enzymes, and histopathological changes in the liver following exposure of male Wistar rats to quinalphos. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was done at XXXX after getting scientific and ethical committee clearance. A total of 24 adult male Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups, with six in each group. Group A consists of animals not exposed to quinalphos for 60 days (control group), group B exposed to quinalphos for 60 days, group C exposed to quinalphos orally only for the first 30 days with exposure-free days for the next 30 days, and group D exposed to quinalphos orally for 60 days along with vitamin E and vitamin C oral supplementation. During exposure, quinalphos was administered at the dose of 3 mg/kg/day mixed with drinking water through oral gavage. Animals were sacrificed at the end of 60 days. Blood was collected by direct cardiac puncture, and the liver tissue was used for histopathological investigation. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and post hoc Turkey’s test for intergroup comparison using SPSS 21.0 software. Results: RBC count (P = 0.011), Hb % (P = 0.000), and hematocrit (P = 0.000) were significantly reduced, whereas WBC count (P = 0.005) and neutrophil % (P = 0.001) significantly increased in the quinalphos-exposed group (group B) compared to other three groups. Liver enzymes, SGPT (P = 0.028) and SGOT (P = 0.343), were elevated, and the antioxidants catalase (P = 0.000) and glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.000) were significantly reduced in the quinalphos-exposed group when compared to the control and exposure free group. Histopathology of the liver showed diffuse necrosis of the hepatocytes with central venous congestion in quinalphos-exposed (group B) compared to the other three groups. The exposure-free group (group C) has shown better histopathological changes when compared to quinalphos exposure with (group D) and without (group B) vitamin C and E supplementation group. Conclusion: Quinalphos exposure orally results in anemia, leucocytosis with neutrophilia, liver damage, and oxidative stress. As evidenced by liver histopathology and altered antioxidant enzymes in the supplementation group compared to the group with exposure-free days, the toxic effects of quinalphos were less during exposure-free days. Thus, people occupationally exposed to quinalphos can alleviate the ill effects by having exposure-free days as interval breaks to remove the toxic accumulation of organophosphorus compounds.

Influence of supply temperature and booster technology on the energetic performance and levelized cost of heat of a district heating network with central heat pump

The development of new low-temperature district heating networks in existing urban areas can accelerate the replacement of fossil-fuel-based heating systems by collective heating using electricity or renewable heat sources. Buildings can either be connected to the network in their current, non-refurbished state for rapid deployment or be refurbished before connection to achieve maximum energy efficiency. To assess the difference between these two strategies, this paper examines eight low-temperature district heating concepts with central heat pump, comparing their energy use and levelized cost of heat. The study includes four scenarios for each strategy, considering supply temperatures ranging from 10 °C to 75 °C. Heat pumps or electric heaters are used as booster technology when the network supply temperature is too low for space heating or domestic hot water purposes. The use of booster heat pumps shows the highest seasonal coefficient of performance for both refurbished (4.61) and non-refurbished buildings (3.43). However, booster technologies result in the highest levelized cost of heat, driven mainly by the high investment cost of the network and booster units. Lowest levelized cost of heat of 213 €/MWhth is obtained for non-refurbished buildings at 75 °C and 297 €/MWhth for refurbished buildings at 55 °C without boosters.

Sustainable Energy Production From Biomass: A Case Study On Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus Gasification

The global transition to renewable energy sources is a crucial response to the urgent need to reduce global warming and its negative environment consequences. One feasible approach within this paradigm is to generate steam from syngas produced by biomass gasification. Background: Gasification is a thermochemical process that transforms organic materials into combustible gas mixtures, provides a sustainable and renewable way to generate energy, chemicals and fuels. This technology helps to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Materials and methods: In this experiment, Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus sawdust is used to generate pellets which will subsequently be processed into syngas using downdraft gasifier. The experiment investigates the effect of increasing air velocities specifically 10, 15, 20 and 25 M/sec as a gasifying agent to the gasification process. Results: The air velocity is measured at 10, 15, 20 and 25 m/s resulting in the time taken of 2280, 1860, 1560 and 1380 with efficiency increases of 41.11, 47.73, 49.62 and 54.67, respectively. This implies that optimizing air velocity is crucial for improving the overall performance of biomass gasification. The proximate and ultimate results of pellet are some better compared to the raw eucalyptus by researcher Filomena Pinto [16]. The efficiency is slightly high compared with the researcher R. Ravi Kumar [25]. The generated syngas may eventually replace the fossil fuel LPG for domestic purposes. Conclusion: The time taken for the gasification decreases with the increase of air velocity up to 25m/s. As the result the efficiency increases.

Legislative Purpose — The Unwritten Criterion in Classifying Goods: A Case Study of Israel Law

The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS Convention) or HS, which seeks to establish uniform rules for the classification of products for customs and indirect tax purposes, is considered a resounding success. Its main objective is to ensure that a given product is classified in the same way in all World Customs Organization (WCO) member countries. The HS Convention does not specify the duty rates on each product, leaving it to the discretion of the member states, nor does it consider the legislative purpose of each country — to tax or exempt a product. This paper examines the issue of legislative purpose and concludes that considering the domestic legislative purpose when classifying leads to a lack of uniformity in the classification method and undermines the principle underlying the HS Convention. The issue has not been widely discussed in the literature; therefore, this paper makes a novel contribution to the literature on this topic.

A Disturbing Emerging Trend of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Burns in Northern Ghana: A Case Series

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of it, there was a surge in the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS). This was because the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommended it as an essential commodity for hand hygiene and the reduction of infection transmission. However, alcohol is flammable and has the potential to cause burns if ignited. There are few reports of ABHS-related burns in literature. We aim to report 8 cases of ABHS burns in Northern Ghana and sound a clarion call to stakeholders on a disturbing emerging trend. Case Presentation: About 62.5% of the victims were children and 75% were female with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. The mean age of victims was 13.25 years while the mean total burn surface area was 29.8%. All victims in this study sustained their injuries because of an attempt by either them or their collaborators to use ABHS as fuel to light a fire for domestic purposes. Most of the burns sustained were second-degree (75%). The case fatality rate of ABHS burns was 25%. Conclusion: Alcohol-based hand sanitizer, though effective for hand hygiene, is flammable and can cause burns when used injudiciously. ABHS burn is an emerging public health problem. There is a need for public education to curb this emerging trend and forestall future incidents. The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) should consider the addition of warning labels for flammability on the containers and instruction manuals of sanitizers.

Synthesis of gamma aluminum oxide nano-powder for adsorptive removal of nitrate from aqueous solutions

Nitrate pollution of surface and groundwater could be a worldwide issue resulting in the threat to the environment and public health. The removal of nitrate from water was carried out using gamma aluminum oxide (γ-Al2O3) nano powder. The nano powder was synthesized from aluminum oxide powder using the aqueous-based reflux method and applied for nitrate removal. The surface properties of the activated γ-Al2O3 were characterized using FTIR, XRD, and BET surface area analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze nitrate removal to determine the appropriate regression model, which was found to be the quadratic model with a coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.99). The adsorption process was observed to be dependent on initial nitrate concentration, adsorbent dose, and time. The optimized nitrate removal efficiencies were 97.01% using a dose of 2.26 gL−1, an initial nitrate concentration of 10 mgL−1, and a contact time of 45 min. Additionally, the kinetics of nitrate ion adsorption was discussed based on pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetic models. The experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption mechanism is chemisorption. The equilibrium adsorption of nitrate experimental data followed the both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.95), implying a homogeneous nature of the γ-Al2O3 surface sites. These results suggest further consideration of the practical application of γ-Al2O3 for nitrate treatment for domestic purposes.

Assessing the Heavy Metal Contamination Prevailing in Groundwater at Rishipur Village, West Bengal, India

The recent surge in interest surrounding water contamination has prompted a study to evaluate the water quality of groundwater in Rishipur village, Malda District, West Bengal, India. The area's groundwater is crucial for drinking, residential, and irrigation purposes due to its proximity to agricultural fields, where most local residents live. The intended purpose of the study is to comprehensively appraise the groundwater quality of a dug well, specifically analysing the intensities of different heavy-metals existing in the water, resulting in valuable insights into its quality. The native residents rely on the usage of this groundwater for drinking and domestic purposes without any purification. However, potential contamination may be present due to nearby agricultural activities. Thus, the study will enable us to make recommendations for mitigating any identified contamination. Exemplary samples of water from a well were consistently collected near the agricultural region over the course of a year, from April 2021 to March 2022. The groundwater samples were analysed for the presence of heavy elements: iron; zinc; copper; manganese; nickel; chromium; cobalt and lead to evaluate the water excellence. To ascertain the overall water eminence status, the Heavy-Metal-Pollution-Index; (HPI), was calculated, which is considered an efficient and reliable technique for water eminence assessment. In this study, the value of HPI; 101.66 in January, indicates high heavy-metal pollution, although it remained within the desired range for the rest of the months. In the analysis of the descriptive statistical data, both substantial positive and negative relations were observed, which were illustrated in a correlation coefficient matrix. Furthermore, the interaction of heavy-metal variables was also explored by utilising the R-Square values derived from the multiple linear regression analysis, which allowed to gain insights into how these variables interplayed with one another. The investigation conclusively established that the eminence of water is deemed appropriate for consumption alongside other domiciliary purposes, with the exception of January.

Assessing water supply/demand dynamic balance in arid environments with policy options: a case study of Kuwait

ABSTRACT The water situation in arid environments is fragile because of climate change, population growth, economic development, irrational behavior in consumption patterns, and water pollution, which in their entirety threaten water security for such environments. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) (a planning software) was used to assess the actual (2000–2023) water supply sustainability with realistic annual growth rates to project (2024–2035) water demands for Kuwait's water future. The actual total water supply was found to be 1,375 Mm3/yr, of which 44% was for domestic, 5% for industrial, and 51% for agricultural water uses. It was also found that the per capita consumption for domestic and industrial purposes was 214 m3/yr. Suitable growth rates were as follows: 2, 1.5, and 1% for domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors, respectively. This will result in water shortage of 235 Mm3/yr during the period 2024–2035. Kuwait is called to implement strategic solutions to fully reuse treated wastewater and the virtual water concept for agricultural development purposes. This study demonstrates that when Kuwait implements these solutions, it can reduce CO2 emissions by 1.175 million tons saving $573 million annually. With the proper measures and policies, Kuwait can reduce their bulk water demand by 235 million cubic meters saving $1.15 billion dollars per year.

Comprehending Spatial Distribution and Controlling Mechanisms of Groundwater in Topical Coastal Aquifers of Southern China Based on Hydrochemical Evaluations

Groundwater quality and availability in coastal aquifers have become a serious concern in recent times due to increased abstraction for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. (1) Background: Zhuhai city is selected as a representative coastal aquifer in Southern China to comprehensively evaluate the hydrochemical characteristics, spatial distribution and controlling mechanisms of groundwater. (2) Methods: A detailed study utilizing statistical analyses, a Piper diagram, Gibbs plots, and ion ratios was conducted on 114 surface water samples and 211 groundwater samples. (3) Results: The findings indicate that the pH of most groundwater is from 6.06 to 6.52, indicating a weakly acidic environment. The pH of surface water ranges from 5.35 to 9.86, with most values being weakly alkaline. The acidity in the groundwater may be related to the acidic atmospheric precipitation, an acidic unsaturated zone, oxidation of sulphide minerals and tidal action. The groundwater chemical types are predominantly mixed, followed by Ca-Mg-HCO3 type. Surface water samples are predominantly Na-Cl-SO4 type. The NO3− concentration in groundwater is relatively high, with a mean value of 17.46 mg/L. The NO2− and NH4+ concentrations in groundwater are relatively low, with mean values of 0.46 mg/L and 7.58 mg/L. (4) Conclusions: The spatial distribution of the principal chemical constituents in the groundwater is related to the landform. The chemical characteristics of groundwater in the study area are mainly controlled by the weathering and dissolution of silicate and sulfate minerals, evaporation, seawater mixing and cation exchange. Nitrate in clastic fissure groundwater, granite fissure groundwater and unconfined pore groundwater primarily originates from atmospheric precipitation, agricultural activities of slope farmland and forest land. Nitrate in confined pore groundwater and karst groundwater primarily originates from domestic sewage and mariculture wastewater. Our findings elucidate the processes characterizing the hydrogeology and surface water interactions in Zhuhai City’s coastal system, which are relevant to other catchments with similar geological characteristics.