Drinking Water Intake Research Articles

Protective roles of the red-dragon fruit peels (Hylocereus costaricensis) against the cigarette-smoke harmful effect in Wistar rats

Background: Many people are exposed to cigarette smoke unintentionally in numerous places worldwide. Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, nicotine, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are toxic and can trigger the production of free radicals in the body.Objective: To study the impact of cigarette-smoke exposure twice daily for 30 days on 4-5 weeks Rattus norvegicus L. without or with a daily intake of the juice or ethanol extract of the red-dragon fruit peels H. costaricensis. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight 4-5 weeks old male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into Control (not exposed to cigarette-smoke), exposed to cigarette-smoke only (Csmoke), exposed to cigarette-smoke and H. Costaricensis-peel juice (JcHc), exposed to cigarette-smoke and had H. Costaricensis-peel extract (ExHc). Cigarette-smoke exposure was given twice daily. The juice (3g/mL) and extract (3.15g/mL) were given for 30 days ad libitum. Feed and drink intake, body weight, and serum biochemistry (MDA, bilirubin, ALT and AST) were determined. Data were analyzed by ANOVA.Results: The positive control group with cigarette-smoke exposure (Csmoke) had a significant elevation in serum malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine-transaminase (ALT), and aspartate-transaminase (AST) and drinking water intake (p<0.05) but reduced feed intake and body weight (p<0.05). The JcHc and ExHc groups had reduced serum MDA, ALT, and AST and higher body weight and feed intake than the Csmoke, and the extract had a better reduction than the juice (p<0.05). Furthermore, the extract had a lower biochemical profile than the Control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: The disturbance in serum MDA, ALT, AST, water and feed intake, and body weight by cigarette smoke was ameliorated by H. costaricensis peel juice or extract daily for 30 days. H. costaricensis peel juice or extract can be used to prevent the adverse effects of cigarette smoke exposure and has the potential to be developed into valuable products.

Groundwater for drinking and industrial purposes: A study of water stability and human health risk assessment from black sand mineral rich coastal region of Kerala, India

Tempero-spatial analysis of groundwater to disseminate the level of drinking water quality and industrial suitability to meet the developmental requirement of a region is a significant area of research. Accordingly, groundwater quality and geochemical interactions prevailed in a black sand mineral rich coastal village is systematically presented in appraisal of drinking and industrial uses for economic engineering purposes. The study area focused is Alappad village, Kollam, Kerala, India has numerous ecological features in a sustainable perspective. The region is unique with placer deposits where an alluvial soil aquifer–saline water–freshwater interaction occurs. This dynamics decides the pertinent hydro geochemistry, potable and designated uses of ground water in season wise. Coastal area is hereby presented based on water quality parameters predicted with the health risk assessment model with a view on human health and cancer risk due to ions (Pb, Ni, Cu, Ba, Fe, Al, Mn, Zn) in groundwater.. To ascertain industrial usage, ground water is evaluated by Langelier saturation index (LSI), Ryznar stability index (RSI), Aggressive index (AI), Larson-Skold index (LS) and Puckorius scaling index (PSI) and inferences are complemented. Chemical weathering and evaporation processes are the natural factors controlling hydrochemistry of this aquifer. This complex coastal system has Nemerow pollution index (NPI) of moderate pollution for total dissolved ions of Fe and lesser for Cu, and Cr present in groundwater. LSI indicates, water is scale forming but non corrosive (46% in PRM, 20% in MON and 47% in POM). Water quality index (WQI) in POM (ranged 28.7–79.9) was excellent for drinking, followed by PRM (23.6–218.2) and MON (33.4–202.7) seasons. This groundwater bears temporary hardness with the dominance of Ca–Mg–HCO3 water type. Health risk assessment of non-carcinogenic risk index of trace metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, and Pb) revealed, children are at ‘low risk’ and ‘medium’ risk with Ni and Cu. The carcinogenic risk index indicated 93% of samples were high Ni induced cancer risk for children, and 87% for adults due to long term ingestion (drinking water intake) pathway. Studies specific on placer mineral deposited coastal region of India are not sufficiently reported with a focus on the above perspectives. Growing need of rare earths for material, device and energy applications, placer mineral explorations can destabilise the coastal hydrosphere. Interrelations of mineral soil – water chemistry prevailed and health hazard predicted would kindle a set of sustainable deliberations. This study summarises the drinking and industrial use of coastal groundwater for future development and human well-being on the basis of quality criteria, corrosion proneness, water stability and health risk factors.

Fluid and water balance: a scoping review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

Water, being an essential nutrient, is crucial for all life. Adequate maintenance of body water compartments is required for optimal fluid balance, which is a prerequisite for cellular homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. Water balance is the result of dietary intake of both fluids and foods as well as metabolically produced water, excretion from the kidneys and losses from other sources (e.g. sweat and feces). The water content in food items varies considerably and ranges from about 5% in nuts to 90% in many fruits and vegetables. Intake of drinking water and beverages also provides varying amounts of water. In everyday life assessment of water balance (i.e. hydration status) is challenging as clinical observations are inaccurate. There is no data regarding drinking water intake in the Nordic or Baltic countries.

Race/ethnicity and sex differences in the association between area-level arsenic exposure concentration and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence rates in Texas. An ecological study

IntroductionTexas has the highest rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. Exposure to toxicants may play a role in liver disease. Several mechanisms of arsenic carcinogenesis have been proposed, however, the evidence in human populations is limited to associations between HCC and ingestion of arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Through an ecological study, we examined associations between ambient arsenic and HCC incidence rates. MethodsPrimary outcome was HCC incidence rates based on Texas Cancer Registry (TCR) data. Primary exposure of interest was the simulated census-tract level estimate of arsenic exposure concentration (EC) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2011 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA). We analyzed the association between the arsenic EC and HCC using the negative binomial Poisson regression model separately for six study groups that were based on race/ethnicity and sex. We adjusted the main analyses for selected characteristics. ResultsTexas has 5265 census tracts and TCR reported 18,235 new ≥20 years old HCC diagnoses between 2007 and 2015. We observed significant differences along racial-ethnic and sex groups while accounting for socioeconomic deprivation, urban/rural residency, and senior residents’ health insurance status. Census tracts with the highest arsenic EC had elevated rates of HCC among NH black men (Quintile 5 vs. Quintile 1: IRR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.66–2.86), NH black women (Quintile 5 vs. Quintile 1: IRR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.33–2.22) and NH white men (Quintile 5 vs. Quintile 1: IRR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.24–1.54). The associations in the remaining study groups were either inconsistent or attenuated. ConclusionsOur finding suggests a potential inhalation pathway for the Arsenic-HCC association; however, the ecological nature of our study precludes the interpretation of a causal link between exposure to aerial arsenic and HCC. This finding needs to be further examined in cohort studies.

Investigation of environmental radioactivity levels and human health risk around San'ao Nuclear Power Plant (China) before operation

Baseline study on environmental radioactivity levels and public health conditions are crucial before the operation of nuclear facilities. Our goal is to establish a baseline database before the operation of San'ao Nuclear Power Plant (SNPP). To achieve this, water and food samples collection was carried out around the SNPP from 2021 to 2022 for laboratory analysis to determine the radioactivity levels. Thereafter, annual effective dose (AED) to local residents were evaluated by the analysis results and cancer incidence rates were analyzed by health data of local residents. Our results showed that the gross α and β activity concentrations in water varied within < 0.016–0.023 Bq/L and 0.031–0.080 Bq/L, respectively. The 90Sr and 137Cs activity concentrations range from 3.1 to 9.7 mBq/L and 0.11–0.42 mBqg/L in water, and range from 0.037 to 0.95 Bq/kg and 0.015–0.38 Bq/kg in food. All obtained results of gross α and β, 90Sr and 137Cs were below the thresholds of World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese national standard. The AED induced by ingestion of food or drinking water were below the thresholds of WHO or Chinese national standard, indicating that radiation exposure was at a safe level. The incidence rate of all cancer sites combined among the residents around the SNPP was slightly higher than other regions, but still remained at the same scale. However, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer stood out to be significantly higher than the national average value in China, presumably due to excessive iodine intake in the study region.

Algae in a Drinking Water Reservoir: Development of an Air–Water–Algal Growth Model (AWAM) for Long-Term Prediction

The condition of the water in drinking water source environments is critical for public health. However, in recent years, the rapid growth of algae has become a significant threat to the safety of the drinking water supply. This study investigated the temporal trends and spatial differences in algae in the Nanwan Reservoir during 2022. Regression analysis using the least-squares method demonstrated that water temperature and initial biomass concentration were critical parameters that influenced the rate of algal growth. An air–water–algal growth model (AWAM) for algal growth prediction was developed using a 30-day forecast of air temperature, an air-to-water temperature extrapolating equation, a water temperature–algal growth relationship, and only four monthly measurements of algal concentration. The results demonstrated that the model accurately predicted algal growth in the next 30 days, with an R2 of 0.738, which aligned with the monitored results. Compared to the upstream Wudaohe River inflow point, algal growth in the drinking water intake area near the downstream dam was delayed by at least 30 days. By using the upstream inflow area as a reference point, the prediction period was extended to provide a 60-day early warning. The extended prediction period and the reduced need for monitoring data make the model more convenient for guiding the prevention and control of algal blooms in drinking water reservoirs.

Drinking water intake, milk production, and grazing behaviour of alpine dairy goats in response to daytime water restriction on temperate pastures

Certain local breeds of goats have adapted to severe water restriction in arid and semi-arid regions, but little is known about the adaptability of high-producing dairy goats to water restriction while grazing under temperate conditions. The aim of this study was to assess effects of water restriction of lactating Alpine goats during the daytime at pasture (8 h/d) on herd-level drinking water intake and individual milk production and grazing time. Goats remained in the barn between evening and morning milkings, where each animal was offered 600 g of concentrate and 400 g of hay each day, with free access to water. Twenty four goats were used in a crossover design, for two consecutive 14-d periods. The study was conducted in early summer, with a daily mean ambient temperature of 18.2 ± 3.5 °C (range of 13–27 °C over all the study days), a mean temperature-humidity index of 64 ± 4.9 (range of 56–76). Goats had access to a high-quality multispecies pasture with a mean of 216 ± 44 g DM/kg fresh matter. Total drinking water intake averaged 5.57 L/d and did not differ significantly between treatments. Goats with water access at pasture drank a mean of 1.88 L of water per day during the grazing period, but drank 2.24 L less per day in the barn than goats without water access at pasture. Drinking water intake increased by 0.57 L per day for each °C increase in daily mean ambient temperature. Daily milk production, milk composition, body weight, and daily grazing time did not differ between treatments. Only the duration of the first morning meal at pasture differed significantly between treatments. Thus, water restriction for 8 h per day during grazing periods does not seem to influence the variables measured for Alpine dairy goats under temperate conditions.

Microcystins risk assessment in lakes from space: Implications for SDG 6.1 evaluation

Cyanobacterial blooms release a large number of algal toxins (e.g., Microcystins, MCs) and seriously threaten the safety of drinking water sources what the SDG 6.1 pursues (to provide universal access to safe drinking water by 2030, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal). Nevertheless, algal toxins in lake water have not been routinely monitored and evaluated well and frequently so far. In this study, a total of 100 large lakes (>25 km2) in densely populated eastern China were studied, and a remote sensing scheme of human health risks from MCs based on Sentinel-3 OLCI data was developed. The spatial and temporal dynamics of MCs risk in eastern China lakes since OLCI satellite observation data (2016–2021) were first mapped. The results showed that most of the large lakes in eastern China (80 out of 100) were detected with the occurrence of a high risk of more than 1 pixel (300×300 m) at least once. Fortunately, in terms of lake areas, the frequency of high human health risks in most waters (70.93% of total lake areas) was as less as 1%. This indicates that drinking water intakes can be set in most waters from the perspective of MCs, yet the management departments are required to reduce cyanobacterial blooms. This study highlights the potential of satellite in monitoring and assessing the risk of algal toxins and ensuring drinking water safety. It is also an important reference for SDG 6.1 reporting for lakes that lack routine monitoring.

Distribution of radioelements in rock-water-air systems from the Caldas Novas hydrothermal complex (GO), Brazil

Radioactivity measurements have been done in rocks and groundwater samples of Caldas Novas Hydrothermal Complex, Goiás State, Central Brazil, aiming to investigate if the rock matrices could be responsible for transferring high levels of radionuclides into the atmosphere and liquid phase. Gamma spectrometry showed that rocks presented low concentrations of uranium (eU = 226Ra), thorium (eTh = 228Th) and 40K as confirmed by laboratorial radon (222Rn) emanation experiments that yielded low values in both, liquid and gas phases. The monitored dissolved radionuclides in waters were 222Rn, 210Pb, 223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra, 228Ra, 234U, and 238U, whose activity concentration was compared with the guideline reference values established by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water. The results obtained for the committed effective dose (CED), based on a drinking water ingestion rate of 2 L/day throughout a year, did not surpass the WHO reference level of 100 μSv/year.

Landscape Pollution Source Dynamics Highlight Priority Locations for Basin‐Scale Interventions to Protect Water Quality Under Hydroclimatic Variability

AbstractExtreme weather is associated with a variety of water quality issues that can pose harm to humans and aquatic ecosystems. Under dry conditions, contaminants become concentrated in streams with a greater potential for harmful algal blooms, while wet conditions can cause flooding and broadcast pollution. Developing interventions to improve water quality in a changing climate requires a better understanding of how hydroclimatic variability affects watershed processes, and which places are most vulnerable. We developed a Soil and Water Assessment Tool model of the Cape Fear River Basin (CFRB) in North Carolina, USA, representing contemporary land use, point and non‐point sources, and weather conditions from 1979 to 2019. The CFRB is a large, complex river basin undergoing urbanization and agricultural intensification, with a history of droughts and floods. To identify intervention priorities, we developed a Water Quality Risk Index (WQRI) using the average and variability of contaminant loads across dry, normal and wet conditions. The landscape generally contributed the majority of pollutants (e.g., via erosion, fertilizer and manure applications), including 90.1% of sediment, 83.2% of total nitrogen, and 52.4% of total phosphorus at the City of Wilmington's drinking water intake, yet point sources were influential during dry periods. Approximately 16% of the watershed contributed most of the pollutants across conditions—these represent priority locations for interventions such as restoration, urban, or agricultural best management practices. The WQRI approach considering risks to water quality across conditions can help identify locations where interventions are more likely to improve water quality under climate change.

Fluoride contamination in ground-drinking water and urine from rural population of Uttar Pradesh, India

This study was carried out to assess the fluoride concentration in ground-drinking water, vegetable juice and urine samples of the five villages in Lakhimpur (Kheri) of Uttar Pradesh, India. The experimental site retains a few agro-based industries like sugarcane processing units due to it enriched cultivation by the local farmers. Hence, the availability of fluoride in ground-drinking water is natural, and its excess intake through drinking water over a period caused irreversible serious illness affecting the nervous system and osteo-dental fluorosis. The fluoride level in ground-drinking water found from 0.5 to 4.3 mg L−1 with average of 3.42 mg L−1. Total number of residents involved in the study for analyzing their urine samples were 548 (277 males and 271 females). The absorption of fluoride was high among the youngsters (13–44 yrs). The positive correlation observed between fluoride content in ground drinking water intake and urine.

Effects of a phytogenic feed additive on weaned dairy heifer calves subjected to a diurnal heat stress bout

The study objective was to evaluate the effects of a phytogenic feed additive (PFA) on dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), inflammation, and oxidative stress markers of heifer calves exposed to a heat stress bout in the summer. A total of18 Holstein and 4 Jersey heifer calves (192 ± 5 kg of body weight at 162 ± 16 d of age) housed in indoor stalls were assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (n = 11; 9 Holstein and 2 Jersey): (1) a basal total mixed ration (CTL), and (2) CTL top-dressed with 0.25 g/d of PFA. Following 7 d of acclimation, baseline measurements were made over 7 d under regular summer conditions [average temperature-humidity index (THI) = 79 from 0900 to 2000 h, and 75 from 2000 to 0900 h]. Calves were then subjected to a 7-d cyclic heat stress bout (HS) by turning on barn heaters and increasing the barn temperature to 33.0°C only during the daytime (the average THI = 85 from 0900 to 2000 h). The study continued for an extra 4-d period after HS ended (post-HS). The HS increased rectal temperature, skin temperature, and respiration rate from the baseline by 1.0°C, 4.0°C, and 49 breaths/min, respectively. The drinking water intake increased by 32% in response to HS, and calves continued to consume more water (44%) than the baseline consumption even after HS ended. The treatment × time interactions were not significant for feed intake, ADG, partial pressure of O2 in the blood, and blood concentrations of inflammation markers such as haptoglobin and lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), and antioxidant markers such as protein carbonyl and thiobarbituric acid (TBARS). The PFA tended to increase daytime DMI (0.24 kg/d) compared with CTL throughout the experiment but did not affect ADG, which decreased from 1.12 kg/d to 0.26 kg/d in response to HS. Both DMI (13%) and ADG (85%) increased during post-HS relative to baseline, indicating compensatory performances that were not affected by the PFA. Serum haptoglobin and plasma LBP concentrations of PFA calves were 44% and 38% lower than that of CTL calves across all time points. The PFA decreased O2 pressure and tended to decrease protein carbonyl concentration in the blood across all time points. The PFA tended to decrease TBARS concentration on the first day of HS and increase and decrease the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione in the blood during the baseline and post-HS periods, respectively. Despite the lack of growth improvements, feeding PFA seems to increase O2 levels in the blood and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation of heifer calve exposed to diurnal heat waves (∼7 d) in the summer.

The use of bicarbonate-sulphate-calcium-magnesium and sodium-low drinkable water improves functional gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A prospective study

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is increasingly gaining epidemiological ground in liver diseases. Among the proposed non-pharmacologic interventions, dietary interventions have been widely used. Several patients suffering from it complain of gastrointestinal symptoms unrelated to organic gastrointestinal tract disease. However, the role of drinking water quality modifications in this regard has not been investigated in depth. Patients with upper or lower functional gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled and divided into groups based on bright liver ultrasound relief's presence (SP) or absence (NSP). These patients were asked to drink bicarbonate-sulphate-calcium-magnesium and sodium-low drinkable water (Fonte Essenziale ®) for six months. Participants were assessed at baseline (T0), at the end of six months of drinking water intake (T6), and after an additional six months of washout (T12) by questionnaires designed to evaluate lower and upper gastrointestinal symptoms (Leeds dyspepsia score, short form) severity and frequency. A total of 61 patients were enrolled. In the SP population, the severity of lower gastrointestinal symptoms improved between T0-T6 (Z:-2.437; ES: 0.312) and worsened after the water washout (Z:-2.492; ES: 0.319). The same was for the Leeds score severity sub score in T0-T6 (Z:-2.850; ES: 0.364) and T6-T12 (Z:-2.921; ES: 0.374). These improvements seem unrelated to the severity of liver steatosis at baseline. Furthermore, no safety issues were recorded while taking the water nor during the six-month follow-up afterwards. Regular six-month intake of 400mL of Fonte Essenziale® water was associated, in the absence of dietary regimen modifications, with an improvement in some qualitative and quantitative features of upper and lower functional gastrointestinal symptoms in both an SP and NSP sample.

Comprehensive Assessment of Groundwater Quality of Drinking Water Intakes of the City of Saki

The results of comprehensive assessment of the qualitative composition of groundwater, used for water supply in the city of Saki of the Republic of Crimea, are presented. The parameters, for which the excess of the maximum permissible concentrations was mainly recorded, include: mineralization, total hardness, content of chlorides, nitrates, magnesium, boron and selenium. For all wells, used for water supply in Saki, the value of integral indicator of drinking water danger exceeded 1, which indicates the need to develop and implement a list of measures, aimed at improving the composition of water resources. To do this, it is advisable to provide water treatment in the form of desalination of water using reverse osmosis technology.

PENGARUH PEMBERIAN LARUTAN DAUN BINAHONG DALAM AIR MINUM TERHADAP PERFORMA AYAM BROILER FASE AWAL (The Effect of Administration of Binahong Leaf Solution in Drinking Water on The Performance of Early Phase Broiler Chicken)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of giving binahong leaf solution on the performance of early-phase broilers. The material used was 96 DOC Strain CP 707 broiler chickens produced by PT Charoen Pokphan Indonesia. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments and six replications. The treatments tried were: R0: Drinking water without binahong leaf solution, R1: Drinking water containing 20 ml of binahong leaf solution per liter of water, R2: Drinking water containing 30 ml of binahong leaf solution per liter of water, R3: Drinking water containing 40 ml of solution binahong leaves per liter of water. Parameters measured were daily body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and water intake. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the treatment had no significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on feed intake, daily body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and drinking water intake. The conclusion of this study was that the administration of binahong leaf solution with levels of 0, 20, 30 and 40 ml/l drinking water gave the same effect on the performance of early-phase broilers.

Intercomparison of three spatially-resolved, process-based Lake Erie hypoxia models

Lake Erie hypoxia models have been developed for multiple objectives, including 1) to support development of phosphorus loading targets, and 2) to provide a real-time forecast of hypoxic zone location and movement. Nutrient management objectives have focused on spatially-averaged metrics, including the mean August-September hypoxic area or mean hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen (DO). However, the ability to model spatial patterns of bottom DO is also important for predicting impacts on drinking water intakes, benthic habitat, and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients. A previous binational effort used multiple models to develop load-response curves to guide setting phosphorus load reduction targets to achieve ecosystem objectives under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Models were assessed individually, using different sets of observations, obscuring differences in modeled spatial patterns of hypoxia. In a first binational effort, we compared three previously developed Lake Erie hypoxia models in terms of predicted hypoxic area, as well as spatial patterns of hypoxia. All models were similar in prediction of hypoxic area in 2012, but differed in 2013. Several differences in model constructs likely contributed to varying predictions of hypoxia spatial patterns, including sources and sinks of DO in the water column, parameterization of sediment oxygen demand, simulation of vertical mixing, and representation of atmospheric and riverine forcing. This study underscores the importance of comparing models, with various representations of ecological processes, using a common set of visualizations, metrics, and observations before generating ensemble modeling load-response curves to better inform lake management applications.

Comparative study of deterministic and probabilistic assessments of microbial risk associated with combined sewer overflows upstream of drinking water intakes

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are a source of microbial contamination of drinking water intakes located downstream from their discharge. To safeguard the quality of the source water, it is essential to evaluate the risk levels associated with these municipal structures. This study compares two risk assessment approaches to test their applicability for assessing the risk of CSOs to drinking water intakes in a highly urbanized watershed. The first approach was based on a deterministic equation that combines the characteristics of an overflow structure allowing the risk to be rated as very low, low, medium, high, or very high. The second probabilistic risk assessment approach yielded findings that are probabilistically distributed across the five levels of risk. This approach was developed by constructing a novel Bayesian network to probabilistically link the different factors defining the exposure of water intakes to the hazards of CSOs. The comparison between the results of these two approaches highlighted the importance of simultaneously considering many scenarios for assessing the risk of contamination of source waters. It was possible to use the Bayesian network rather than the deterministic equation, which only supports one scenario at a time. It was also shown that the deterministic approach often overestimated risk levels for CSO outfalls close to the water intake. This occurred because the assessment process emphasized the distance factor between the discharge point and the water intake, while neglecting other crucial characteristics of the overflow, such as duration and frequency. In particular, the deterministic approach tended to underestimate risk for CSOs associated with low overflow frequencies as it did not support scenarios of overflow duration, unlike the probabilistic approach. The validation and sensitivity analysis of the Bayesian model revealed that the population residing in the CSO's drainage basin, along with the frequency and duration of the overflows, exerted the greatest influence on the resulting risk levels. These factors outweighed other variables utilized in the risk assessment, including vulnerability of the drinking water intake, the type of overflow recorder, pipe diameter, and variables defining the exposure of the water intake to the discharge. In the context of implementing action plans, the Bayesian network is estimated as a cost-effective technique as it prioritized overflow structures needing special attention in a highly urbanized watershed, where the same CSOs were deterministically rated as having the same risk level. The results also demonstrated the effectiveness of the Bayesian model in addressing data gaps faced by water managers and stakeholders. The Bayesian model proved capable of assessing risks with uncertainties for CSOs, even with limited input data available. These findings can assist managers in identifying problematic structures by considering various scenarios, unlike the deterministic approach, which left almost half (n = 42) of the study site's overflow structures unassessed due to data limitations.

Prediction of drinking water requirements by applying statistical and machine learning models in growing-finishing stage of pigs

Effective monitoring and management of drinking water in swine buildings is a crucial aspect for promoting pigs' health and productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and model drinking water intake (DWI) in growing-finishing pigs by providing them with three concentrated diets in experimental pig barns. Two independent experiments were conducted in three experimental barns between 2021 and 2022. One statistical (multiple linear regression) and four machine learning algorithms (elastic net, random forest regression, support vector regression, and multilayer perceptron) were employed, with feed intake (FI), mass of pigs (MP), pigs' body temperature (PBT), room temperature (RT), CO2 concentration (RCO2), and temperature-humidity index (RTHI) as input parameters. The results revealed that pigs with a body mass of 30 to 60 kg consumed approximately 3.58 L of drinking water and 2.10 kg of concentrated diet per day. Additionally, strong positive correlations were observed between MP, FI, and DWI (correlation coefficient (r) > 90) during both experimental periods. The findings indicated that the random forest regression algorithm performed the best, explaining over 90% and 80% of the observed and predicted data during the training and testing phases, respectively. However, during the testing phase, the multiple linear regression methods performed the worst (R2 < 0.79 and RMSE > 0.89 L pig−1 day−1) when compared to the other models. Sensitivity analysis indicated that among all the variables, MP had the greatest impact on predicting DWI, followed by FI, RCO2, RTHI, and RT. The study concluded that random forest regression could predict DWI precisely, which can assist pig farmers in enhancing their water monitoring capabilities and promptly assessing the availability of drinking water.

Assessment of internal radiation exposure caused by radon in commercially bottled spring waters consumed in Turkey

ABSTRACT The variation of dissolved radon levels in water supplies remains of interest since radon ingested through drinking water can give considerable radiation to the lining of the stomach. This study aims to determine the radon concentration levels in bottled spring drinking water (BSW) brands commercially sold in Turkey using a radon gas monitor and to assess the internal radiation exposure caused by the ingestion and inhalation of radon. The activity concentrations of radon analyzed in 77 BSW brands varied from 7.1±0.8 to 28.7±2.7 mBq/L with an average of 15.7±5.1 mBq/L. The total annual effective dose was estimated to assess the radiological risk for three age groups in four different scenarios based on annual drinking water intake. All estimated dose values are well below the recommended reference dose of 100 µSv for drinking water. Therefore, radon gas in the investigated BSW samples poses no significant radiological risk to the public.

A Review of Organophosphate Esters in Aquatic Environments: Levels, Distribution, and Human Exposure

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are increasingly used as flame retardants and plasticizers in various products. Most of them are physically mixed rather than chemical bonded to the polymeric products, leading to OPEs being readily released into the surrounding environment. Due to their relatively high solubility and mobility, OPEs are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and may pose potential hazards to human health and aquatic organisms. This review systematically summarized the fate and distribution of OPEs in the aquatic environment and the potential effects of OPEs on humans. Data analysis shows that the concentrations of OPEs vary widely in various types of aquatic environments, including surface water (range: 25–3671 ng/L), drinking water (4–719 ng/L), and wastewater (104–29,800 ng/L). The results of human exposure assessments via aquatic products and drinking water ingestion indicate that all OPEs pose low, but not negligible, risks to human health. In addition, the limitations of previous studies are summarized, and the outlook is provided. This review provides valuable information on the occurrence and distribution of OPEs in the aquatic environment.