Agricultural Drainage Research Articles

Dissolved nitrous oxide emissions associated with agricultural drainage water as influenced by manure application

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is highly water soluble and can be readily transported in waters draining from agricultural fields. Relatively few studies have quantified N2O losses through agricultural tile drainage systems and none have compared the effect of different sources of applied nitrogen or their timing of application. While IPCC guidelines provide estimates of emissions from agricultural drainage water, the uncertainty in these estimates is relatively high. This research quantifies N2O loss in tile drainage water, as influenced by nitrogen source and timing. The study site was located at Agriculture Canada research station, Harrington, PE, Canada and consisted of 12 plots with subsurface drainage systems installed at approximately 80 cm, separated by buffer drains. Three swine manure treatments were considered with inorganic fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) as a control, each replicated three times. Manure treatments included fall and spring application of solid swine manure and spring application of liquid swine manure, all applied to supply 120 kg N ha−1. The magnitude of N2O loss, as measured from samples collected at the tile outlets, demonstrated significant episodic emissions. Annual cumulative dissolved N2O emissions ranged from 0.1 to 5.69 kg N ha−1 (mean 0.83 kg N ha−1), while emissions from the soil surface were 0.09–1.16 kg N ha−1 (mean 0.33 kg N ha−1). N2O emissions in tile water were not significantly affected by the form of N applied, however tile drain length significantly impacted tile water N2O concentration. IPCC coefficients for N2O emissions from agricultural drainage water would underestimate actual N2O emissions at this site.

Bacterial bioaugmentation of woodchip bioreactors to increase nitrate removal in cold agricultural drainage water

ABSTRACT Woodchip bioreactors (WBRs) are biological systems designed to prevent excess nitrate (NO3 −) leaching from agricultural fields to aquatic ecosystems. Nitrate is removed by microbial denitrification, but the enzyme-mediated process slows down at cold temperatures (<10°C), where NO3 − removal in WBRs can be less than 20%. We studied the use of bacterial bioaugmentation in replicated test-scale WBRs (∼0.1 m3) as an environmental technology to increase NO3 − removal at cold temperatures. Nitrate removal rates increased following injection of a nitrate-reducing inoculum (Pseudomonas proteolytica and Klebsiella sp.), but the effect disappeared within a week and was reproduced in control WBRs by injection of sterile medium (phosphate buffer saline). Metagenome analyses showed a shift in the bacterial community composition after bioaugmentation in the planktonic phase of the woodchip reactors, but not in the solid phase (woodchip matrix). Only in the planktonic phase, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella increased their relative abundance as monitored by 16S rRNA gene sequences. In addition, an increased abundance of genes related to NO3 − transformation after bacterial inoculation was observed in the metagenomic sequences. After one week, bacterial community composition became similar to its initial state, indicating resilience of the WBR microbial communities. We conclude that improved inoculation methods are needed to unlock the potential of bioaugmentation to increase NO3 − removal at cold temperatures and make it a relevant technology for practical use at field-scale.

Longitudinal and Seasonal Changes of Organic Matter Sources Through a Semi‐Arid River‐Reservoir System

AbstractThe quality and quantity of organic matter (OM) in a river system directly affects ecosystem health; thus, managers benefit from an in‐depth understanding of the drivers and sources of OM. In the Snake River, a highly altered river‐reservoir system in the semi‐arid western United States, OM production and loading are key drivers of reservoir anoxia, which leads to several deleterious processes such as mercury methylation. However, sources and quantities of OM to the Snake River, and the effects of impoundment on OM moving through the river‐reservoir system, are not well understood. Particulate organic carbon (POC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate nitrogen (PN), chlorophyll a (chl‐a), and δ15N–PN and δ13C–POC isotopic ratios were measured bi‐weekly for over 2 years at four locations through the Snake River Hells Canyon Reservoir Complex to determine spatial and temporal patterns of OM quantities and sources. POC concentrations increased through the riverine zone upstream of the reservoirs, likely due to in situ primary production and/or inputs from tributaries and agricultural drains; then decreased through the most upstream reservoir likely due to particle settling. Isotopic ratios and other OM source indicators (δ15N–PN, δ13C–POC, POC:PN, chl‐a:POC) show that the dominant source of particulate OM was phytoplankton with seasonal terrestrial/macrophytic inputs. Results highlight the effects of major tributary and agricultural drain inputs, primary production, and impoundment on OM composition and concentration through a large river‐reservoir system and may inform water quality management efforts in this and similar systems.

Hydrological connectivity drives intra- and inter-annual variation in water quality in an intermittent stream network in a mixed land use catchment under drought

We monitored the spatio-temporal variation of connectivity and linked water quality (WQ) in an intermittent stream network draining a mixed land use, lowland catchment in NE Germany. The monitoring period (2018–2022) coincided with four years of variable hydroclimate, though all years had negative rainfall anomalies compared to the long-term average. Correspondingly, streamflow became more intermittent (in terms of both the longevity and frequency of no-flows), with prolonged periods of no surface water flow in the summer and autumn. Despite inter-annual variation in hydroclimate and length of no-flow periods, in each of the four years the catchment showed three distinct seasonal phases of hydrological connection and disconnection in the channel network which has important implications for WQ. Autumn and early winter were characterised by a connecting phase as spatially variable streamflows were initialized in response to rising water tables following increased rainfall and reduced evapotranspiration as temperatures declined. The winter and early spring were charactered by a fully connected phase of the channel network where streamflows increased at the time of lowest temperatures. The late spring and early summer were characterized by a disconnecting phase as flow gradually ceased and the channel network began to fragment. A wetland in the centre of the catchment saw both the earliest and latest expression of streamflow, with the lower catchment downstream of this taking the longest to connect. The WQ is typical for a eutrophic lowland catchment and spatial variation is primarily related to soils and land use. During the connecting phase, stream WQ reflected that of groundwater though mobilization of solutes from the rewetting riparian area and channel bed also occurred. During the fully connected phase, streamwater was enriched by NO3 from soilwater and agricultural drainage. During the disconnecting phase, lower flows and higher temperatures increased the intensity of in-stream biogeochemical interactions with mobilization of P, Fe and Mn associated with declining oxygen levels and release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. Inter-annual variations in WQ related to how hydroclimate and antecedent catchment wetness regulated the initiation, longevity and cessation of connection each winter. Future climate change is likely to drive increasing intermittency in streamflow in many lowland regions with implications for local and downstream ecosystem services.

Fungal degradation of complex organic carbon supports denitrification in saturated woodchip bioreactors

Woodchip bioreactor (WBR) is a promising technology for the removal of nitrate from agricultural drainage, although the performance of WBRs is dependent on the decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass and the carbon availability for microbial denitrification. Fungal species are more efficient than bacterial counterparts in driving wood decomposition; however, little is known about the fungal community structure and functions in saturated WBRs. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of the mycobiome in field-scale, constantly saturated WBRs located in Willmar, Minnesota, USA. Fungal community analysis suggested that wood-rotting fungi were abundant in WBRs, especially near their inlet locations where microbial denitrification was most active. Complex network structures of fungal hyphae associated with a decayed cavity on the woodchip surface was further evidenced by confocal and scanning electron microscopy. These results suggest that fungi play a major role in wood degradation in WBRs, thereby promoting denitrification activity.

Characteristics of dissolved organic matter in water bodies during the dry season in the Huainan section of the Huaihe River Basin in Northern Anhui Province, China

This study investigated the spatial heterogeneity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and characteristics in the central reaches of the Huaihe River Basin. The dry season DOM content and composition of three river bodies (the main stream of Huaihe River, the Huaihe tributaries and agricultural drainage ditches) in the Huaihe River Basin were studied using UV-Vis and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC). The degree of DOM humification and the relative molecular weight of tributaries and agricultural drainage ditches were significantly higher than those of the main stream (p < 0.01), and regarding the autogenetic characteristics of the three types of water bodies the tributaries and drainage ditches were more strongly affected by exogenous interference than the main stream. Three kinds of chemical components were determined by PARAFAC mode(C1:terrsstrial humus-like;C2:tryptophan-like;C3:protein-like), protein-like components were the main fluorescent components in DOM during the dry season, the proportion of different water systems exceeds 50%. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the fluorescence intensity of humus was closely related to the TP(Total phosphorus) concentration in the Huainan section water body of the Huaihe River Basin during the dry season. The absolute principal component-multiple linear regression model showed that the contribution of water nutrition to the C2 and C3 of protein-like fluorescent components was greater, while exogenous interference had a greater effect on the TP physicochemical index.

The functions and factors governing fungal communities and diversity in agricultural waters: insights into the ecosystem services aquatic mycobiota provide.

Fungi are essential to the aquatic food web, nutrient cycling, energy flow, and ecosystem regulation. Fungal community structures in water can be influenced by adjacent terrestrial environments, which drive and control some ecosystem services they provide. However, the roles of freshwater fungal communities remain underexplored compared to bacterial communities in this context. We assessed the impact of anthropological and environmental factors on freshwater mycobiota in an agriculturally dominated water basin in eastern Ontario, Canada. We undertook bi-weekly surface water sampling from 2016 to 2021 and conducted fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) metabarcoding on the samples, complemented by ancillary data, including water physicochemical properties, upstream land use, hydrology, and weather conditions. Our study yielded 6,571 OTUs from 503 water samples, spanning 15 fungal phyla, dominated by Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Chytridiomycota. Agricultural land use was associated with decreased mycobiota alpha diversity and distinct fungal communities were observed at agricultural drainage ditch and mixed-land use sites compared to a forested site that had minimal anthropogenic activities in catchment. Notably, river discharge emerged as a predominant influencer of both community diversity and composition, likely amplified by precipitation-induced erosion and drainage from adjacent terrestrial environments. Water physicochemical properties, including stream fungicide levels, explained a small proportion of the variation in mycobiota communities, underscoring the significance of unmeasured factors, alongside stochastic community assembly processes. Nevertheless, stream mycobiota demonstrated functional resilience for critical ecological processes under different environmental conditions. Altogether, these results highlight the complex interplay of factors influencing the freshwater mycobiota, which is essential for elevated understanding of the ecosystem services these fungi provide.

Removal of Inorganic Pollutants and Recovery of Nutrients from Wastewater Using Electrocoagulation: A Review

Water pollution is a major concern due to its detrimental effects on the environment and public health. The particular danger of inorganic pollutants arises from their persistent toxicity and inability to biodegrade. Recently, electrocoagulation (EC) has been demonstrated as an alternative sustainable approach to purifying wastewater due to the increasingly strict pollution prevention rules. In particular, EC has been used to remove inorganic pollutants, such as Cr, Zn, Pb, or As. EC has emerged as a sustainable tool for resource recovery of some inorganic pollutants such as N and P that, when recovered, have value as plant nutrients and are critical in a circular economy. These recovered materials can be obtained from diverse agricultural drainage water and recycled as fertilizers. In this work, a state-of-the-art technique is reviewed describing the advances in contaminant removal and nutrient recovery using EC through an in-depth discussion of the factors influencing the contaminant removal process, including operating pH, time, power, and concentration. Furthermore, limitations of the EC technology are reviewed, including the high-power consumption, fast deterioration of the sacrificial electrodes, and the types of contaminants that could not be efficiently removed. Finally, new emerging constructs in EC process optimization parameters are presented.

Bioremediation of nitrate in agricultural drainage ditches: Impacts of low-grade weirs on microbiomes and nitrogen cycle gene abundance

Artificial drainage is essential for the success of modern agriculture, but it can also accelerate the movement of nutrients, especially nitrate, from soil to surrounding and downstream water bodies. Removal of nitrate from agricultural drainage by using controlled drainage systems, such as ditches installed with low-grade weirs, has been shown to help reduce nutrient loading into watersheds. However, the effect of low-grade weirs varies greatly, likely due to the differences in climate, system designs (e.g., hydraulic characteristics), and the resulting variation in microbial structures and functions in the ditch. In this study, we analyzed the temporal and spatial dynamics of microbiomes in a paired ditch system with weir-installed and uninstalled (control) channels over two years by using the 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and the high-throughput quantitative PCR targeting various N cycle-associated genes [the Nitrogen Cycle Evaluation (NiCE) chip]. The installation of the low-grade weir had a significant impact on the microbiome structure and the distribution of denitrifiers. Microbiome structures also differed significantly between the ditch inlets and the outlets. Denitrification functional genes were more abundant in the inlets than in the other locations and in the channel installed with a low-grade weir. Additionally, oxygenic denitrifiers that use nitric oxide dismutase (nod) to produce N2 and O2 gases from nitric oxide were detected in the ditch channels, suggesting the occurrence of nitrate removal process that bypasses the production of nitrous oxide (N2O). The ditch microbiomes sampled during high-flow seasons (i.e., spring and fall) exhibited greater similarity to each other than microbiomes sampled during low-flow seasons (i.e., summer). Taken together, this study indicates that the low-grade weirs have the potential to foster a more favorable environment for denitrifiers, resulting in an increase in the abundance of denitrification functional genes. These findings could offer valuable insights into system management and optimization strategies.

State Drainage Laws Muddy the Goals of the US Clean Water Act (1972)

The US Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972 to protect and restore America's waterbodies by regulating pollutant discharges from point sources such as industrial plants and sewer pipes. Over the years, Congress expanded the law to include non-point sources like polluted runoff from roads and agricultural areas. However, routine agriculture drainage maintenance activities, like continuously farmed wetlands and drainage ditch dredging, are exempted under the Clean Water Act. These exemptions allow sediment pollution to continue to be a major issue in agricultural streams and waterbodies managed by drainage districts. We examine the shortcomings of the Clean Water Act to address sediment pollution from the perspective of routine agricultural activities like drainage ditch maintenance and offer policy recommendations to mitigate its impacts. We discuss the exclusion of agricultural sediment originating from these activities as a major non-point pollution source under the Clean Water Act, the consequences of sediment pollution on aquatic ecosystems and stream water quality in agricultural streams, and the need for monitoring and regulation of sediment discharge from farming practices. In our analysis, we also consider the interaction between the state drainage laws and federal regulations. Finally, we seek to address gaps in the current regulatory structure and offer suggestions regarding better protection of water quality and ecosystem health in drainage districts.

The effect of leaf leachates addition on denitrification in subsurface flow constructed wetlands is shaped by the bed substrate type

In constructed wetlands (CWs), bed substrate and leaf leachates from vegetation may correct the low C/N ratio that constrains heterotrophic denitrification and nitrate removal from irrigated agricultural drainage water. However, the interactive effects of bed substrate type and leaf leachates on denitrification are still unknown. By focusing on a CWs pilot plant, we designed a laboratory experiment to evaluate i) wether denitrification potential rates varied among bed substrates: calcareous gravel (a conventional substrate), gravel+soil from a natural wetland (silty loam Solonchak, 1.5 % of organic C) and gravel+biochar from pyrolyzed ornamental plants (75 % of organic C); and ii) the response of denitrification within each bed substrate to the addition of their respective leaf leachates. We found that denitrification potential rates were lower in gravel beds (0.011 ± 0.006 μgN2O-N gDM−1 h−1) than those observed with the addition of biochar (0.06 ± 0.03) and especially soil (0.78 ± 0.04), with soil being the most advantageous option. Besides, leaf leachates addition boosted denitrification rates in all cases. Nevertheless, the effect of leachates was relatively higher in gravel beds than in the other substrates (15 times higher vs. 2 and 4 times with soil and biochar, respectively). Our outcomes highlight limited denitrification when using gravel substrate not only by low C but also due to essential macro- and micro-elements, and support the role of plant leaves as internal and self-sustainable source of nutrients.

Source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of antibiotics in Dafeng River Basin using PMF and Monte-Carlo simulation.

Antibiotics, prevalent in aquatic ecosystems, pose a grave threat to human health and the ecological well-being. This paper performed a case study on Dafeng River Basin in southern China. Specifically, techniques including positive matrix factorization (PFM) and Monte-Carlo simulation were employed to comprehensively investigate the spatial variations, possible sources, and ecological risks of antibiotics in four groups: sulfonamides (SAs), macrolides (MLs), quinolones (QNs), and tetracyclines (TCs). The major findings were as follows: first, 43 and 39 antibiotics were detected in the surface water and sediments of the basin, respectively, where the respective total content were ND-490.08ng/L and ND-144.34μg/kg, and the QNs and TCs were the two dominating groups. Second, the highest antibiotic content in surface water (441.43ng/L) was observed in the midstream area, whereas the highest concentration in sediments (68.41μg/kg) was found in the upstream region. Third, the investigation identified five sources of antibiotics discharged to surface water: domestic sewage, agricultural drainage, livestock discharge, sewage treatment plants, and aquaculture; three sources were detected for antibiotics in sediments: aquaculture, sewage treatment plants, and livestock discharge. Fourth, QNs had a significantly higher ecological risk than the other three groups of antibiotics, and livestock discharge (31.4% contribution) and aquaculture (23.4% contribution) were the main sources of risks of antibiotic contamination in Dafeng River Basin. This study is expected to provide some reference for control and risk management of antibiotic pollution in Dafeng River Basin.

Artificial Cultivation of Aquatic Plants Promotes Nitrogen Transformation and the Abundance of Key Functional Genes in Agricultural Drainage Ditch Sediments in the Yellow River Irrigation Area in China

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. We here compare key processes of nitrogen transformation occurring in the rhizosphere of sediments of a ditch artificially planted with a mix of species (Phragmites australis, Typha orientalis, Nymphaea tetragon) with the rhizosphere of a ditch occupied by naturally occurring aquatic vegetation, dominated either by P. australis or T. orientalis. Our results revealed a species effect, with an increased denitrification rate (DR) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) in the cultivated ditch for P. australis, compared to the naturally occurring T. orientalis vegetation. The nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) increased in the artificial setting with T. orientalis in comparison to natural P. australis vegetation. The richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Geobacter were significantly greater in the rhizosphere of the artificially cultivated ditch due a greater availability in nitrogen and organic carbon. In the artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, whereas DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels. The dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK, and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage.

Assessing the nutrient removal performance from rice-crayfish paddy fields by an ecological ditch-wetland system

Agricultural drainage from catchments significantly impacts aquatic ecosystems due to high nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in runoff. While original ecological ditches and wetlands have demonstrated effectiveness in nutrient load removal, the overall impact of an ecological ditch-wetland system (EDWS) on agricultural nutrient removal has received limited attention. This study conducted a field experiment to investigate the physicochemical conditions and nutrient removal efficiency of an EDWS for purifying nutrient discharge from rice-crayfish paddy fields. Variations in water temperature (WT), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and total suspended solids (TSS) within the EDWS were assessed. Nutrient concentrations—including total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), total phosphorus (TP), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP)—were monitored from the tillering to the ripening stage of the rice growth cycle. The evaluation of nutrient removal efficiencies in the EDWS revealed that ecological ditches exhibited higher removal efficiencies compared to wetlands. The average total removal efficiencies for TN, NH4-N, NO3-N, TP, and SRP were 37.50 %, 39.38 %, 38.62 %, 37.94 %, and 39.51 %, respectively, with peak removal efficiencies observed at specific growth stages of the rice crop. Furthermore, the study explored the influence of hydraulic retention time on nutrient removal efficiency in the EDWS, indicating higher nutrient discharge removal efficiencies under low water discharge rates. Linear regression analysis identified water discharge, influent nutrient loads, and TSS as significant factors affecting nutrient removal efficiency in the EDWS. This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of EDWS in purifying nutrient discharge from rice-crayfish paddy fields, highlighting their potential as sustainable solutions for nutrient management in agricultural landscapes.

Quantification of crude extracts from Khaya senegalensis leaves irrigated with agricultural drainage water and treated with seaweed and some biofertilizers

Quantification of crude extracts from Khaya senegalensis leaves irrigated with agricultural drainage water and treated with seaweed and some biofertilizers

Research progress on operation control and optimal scheduling of irrigation canal systems

AbstractOpen canals are a common water transfer method used in water transfer projects and agricultural irrigation and drainage projects. With the emergence of drawbacks in traditional canal control models and the increasingly severe shortage of water resources, accurate transport and distribution of water in the canal system of the irrigation district, rational allocation of water resources, reduction in water loss, improvement in the efficiency and benefit of water resource utilization, and satisfaction of the water demand of different water users are needed. Many scholars have conducted extensive research on canal operation control and optimal scheduling. This paper systematically reviews and summarizes the relevant research progress, including the theory of unsteady flow in open canals, the operation mode of the canal system, the operation control model and algorithm of canal systems, and the optimization of water distribution in canal systems. By summarizing the research progress already achieved, the existing problems and future development directions are identified according to actual needs, providing a reference for the ongoing modernization of irrigation districts and the research and application of digital twin irrigation district technology.

Examining the efficacy of biological filters in the removal of agricultural pesticides and nutrient elements from agricultural drainage water

The high water consumption in agriculture has led to an obvious water crisis in this sector, and the use of unconventional water sources, especially agricultural drains, is considered necessary. For this purpose, the present study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of biological filters with different types of substrates for treating agricultural wastewater in Khuzestan province, located in the south of Iran, to use receptive resources and reuse them in agriculture. Next, the efficiency of four types of biological filters for treating agricultural drainage water with different retention times was evaluated. Sawdust, cotton stalks, wheat straw, stubble, and rice husk were used as filters. Qualitative factors included agricultural pesticides (Atrazine, Randup, Paraquat, and 2, 4-D) and nutrients (nitrate, nitrogen, phosphate, and phosphorus). By examining the trend of increasing the retention time and the corresponding removal percentage, it was observed that the retention time has a direct relationship with the amount of removal efficiency of nutrients and agricultural toxins. As the residence time increases, the average amount of nutrient compounds in different filters decreases, and their removal percentage increases. The highest removal percentage of nitrate, total nitrogen, phosphate, and total phosphorus was 74.03, 71.66, 57.97, and 61.85% in the sawdust filter and was assigned to 10 days. The highest percentage of removal of Atrazine, Tofudi, Paraquat, and Roundup toxins with a removal efficiency of 91.73, 84.27, 89.81, and 88.46% was also observed in the treatment of sawdust for 10 days. The sawdust filter showed a good performance in removing the parameters of agricultural toxins and nutrient compounds in a retention time of 10 days compared to other filters and retention times. As a general result, the sawdust filter can be cited as a reliable substrate with acceptable efficiency compared to other filters.

Removal of tricyclazole residues from water by sorption on metal organic frameworks (MOFs): A theoretical insight of the experimental data

All over the world, there are stringent regulations in place concerning the acceptable amount of pesticide residues in various food commodities, including cereals. The majority of the water tainted with pesticides comes from agricultural drainage, making it imperative that this water be cleansed of any lingering traces of the chemicals. The presence of unacceptable levels of pesticides residues is another issue hindering India's ability to export Basmati rice and other commodities. Tricyclazole, a fungicide has been found in rice in recent years, leading to the rejection of a number of bulk consignments. Therefore, three metal organic frameworks (MOFs) viz., MIL-53(Al), Fe-BTC, and ZIF-8, based on three different metal ions (aluminium, iron, and zinc) and three different organic "struts" were investigated for the removal of TRCZ from water. Interestingly, TRCZ was found to be selective towards both metal ions and linkers. The maximum adsorption capacities of TRCZ onto MIL-53(Al), Fe-BTC and ZIF-8 were 980.0, 896.7 and 904.6 μg g−1 (@1 ppm aqueous solution), respectively. Adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and best fit the Sips isotherm. The adsorption of TRCZ molecules onto the surface of the MOFs were confirmed using Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. MIL-53(Al) showed the best regeneration capacity (> 90 % efficiency after the 4th cycle). The adsorption of pesticide molecules onto MOF surfaces was studied (in vacuo and in aqueous) circumstances using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations revealing the prime competitive role of water molecules aided by π-π stacking and π-lone pair interactions during adsorption. Metal organic frameworks have the potential to replace costly commercial activated carbons in the future to treat pesticide-contaminated water.

Assessing the Efficacy of Agro-Waste Biochar-Derived Nanoparticles for Purification of Municipal Wastewater, Agricultural Drainage Water and Industrial Effluents

Assessing the Efficacy of Agro-Waste Biochar-Derived Nanoparticles for Purification of Municipal Wastewater, Agricultural Drainage Water and Industrial Effluents

Assessment of water quality and source apportionment of pollution in a tropical river in eastern India: A study utilizing multivariate statistical tools and the APCS-MLR receptor model.

The Mundeswari River, an ecologically distressed river in eastern India, has been subjected to water quality deterioration largely due to anthropogenic activities in its vicinity. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the current state of pollution in the river and assess the appropriateness of river water for irrigation, given its extensive use for agricultural purposes. Monthly water quality monitoring was undertaken at four distinct sampling sites (SP1-SP4) over a two-year period (2020-2022), considering seventeen water quality parameters. This research employed principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor modelling. These methodologies were used to discern and quantify potential sources of pollution influencing the water quality of the Mundeswari River. The study revealed that the water quality of the Mundeswari River was most degraded during the pre-monsoon season. Among the four sampling sites, SP3 exhibited the highest level of pollution with mean biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values of 5.36mg/L and 44.72mg/L, respectively. According to the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), there was considerable spatial and seasonal disparities (P < 0.05) in most water quality parameters. The PCA/FA extracted four latent pollution sources, accounting for 81.5% of the total variance. The primary factors influencing the quality of river water are natural weathering processes, discharge of domestic effluent and waste, and agricultural runoff. The APCS-MLR receptor model further revealed that agricultural drainage factors and the discharge of domestic effluent and waste had a greater impact on the Mundeswari River. The investigation concluded that the mean values of all indicators for irrigation suitability were below the defined threshold limits, indicating that the water of the studied river appears suitable for irrigation. The outcomes of this study may significantly contribute to the formulation of sustainable strategies for the ecological rejuvenation of the Mundeswari River.