Pollution Of Water Resources Research Articles

Protection of water resources from agricultural pressures: Embracing different knowledge domains in governance approaches

AbstractThe remediation of nitrate and pesticide pollution from agriculture in drinking water resources has manifested itself as a complex and multifaceted challenge in Europe and in other continents. Addressing agricultural pollution in water resources requires cross‐sectoral approaches. The EU Water Framework Directive aims to build bridges among these sectors, but the often sectoral implementation by Member States prevents its potential from being fully explored. This study aims to contribute to the body of interdisciplinary knowledge on the driving forces towards water quality improvement from agricultural pollution by case study research in five European countries in an interdisciplinary setting. The cases have shown that the added value of voluntary practices is considerable for creating shared ambitions but limited for actual water quality improvement. Implementation of strategies should be supported by practical guidance and monitoring of outcomes that enables compliance testing and refines simulation models for the formulation of follow‐up actions. Dynamic interactions among the knowledge domains, for example, social‐economic context, the legal framework, and the state of the water system, help to identify necessary actions at the different stages of the policy cycle. Especially in the implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation stage of the policy cycle, there is a need for further studies in order to improve effectiveness, for example on the role of monitoring and evaluation, licensing, and the issue of scale in cross‐sectoral approaches.

How Has the Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Soil and Water Evolved over the Past 20 Years? A Bibliometric Perspective

Exploring soil heavy metal sources is of great significance for ensuring the safety of ecological environments and agricultural product safety, as well as for guiding pollution control and management policies. This paper retrieved 452 research papers on soil heavy metal source analysis published over the 2004–2024 period from the Web of Science database. The collected literature was subjected to multidimensional bibliometric analysis using the CiteSpace 6.3.R1. The results showed significantly increasing trends in the scientific outputs and the number of papers on heavy metal source analysis in soils and water over the study period. In addition, related research topics have expanded from single to multiple heavy metal elements in environmental media and have increasingly recognized the impact of water pollution on soil contamination. Research methods have also evolved from basic statistical analysis to complex spatial analysis techniques, covering agricultural and urban soils. Previous related studies have focused on heavy metal pollution in different areas, and related research on heavy metal source analysis has now extended from ecological environments to associated human health risks. The present study provides directions for future related research and guidance for ensuring effective source control of heavy metal pollution and safe utilization of land and water resources.

Fractal Analysis of Mining Wastewater Time Series Parameters: Balkhash Urban Region and Sayak Ore District

The population life and health quality are significantly reduced due to water resources pollution caused by heavy metals, especially in urban agglomerations located close to metal ore mining and processing facilities. The greatest environmental pollution occurs during the extraction of Cu, Zn, and Pb. In this study, a fractal R/S analysis of wastewater discharge indicators time series from a metal ore mining facility located in the Sayak ore district in the Republic of Kazakhstan (turbidity, electrical conductivity, flow magnitude, and pH level) was carried out. A sharp increase in the flow rate was recorded from 10 to 15 July 2024 and an increase in the electrical conductivity from 4 to 26 July 2024. However, the latest type of indicator assessment does not exceed the critical level for life. The presence of electrical conductivity indicators time series long-term memory and persistence was also recorded (the Hurst exponent for the electrical conductivity time series is fixed in the 0.56 to 0.59 range and does not go below the threshold value for randomness according to the Anis-Lloyd formula). Thus, the value-changing process is controlled and stable, and minor changes in turbidity indicate that these releases do not significantly harm the environment. Despite this, the results obtained do not allow for a comprehensive analysis of the state of releases as the data from all deposits is not available. Therefore, due to the time constraints of the data provided for analysis, it is difficult to fully assess the impact of specific metal ore mining facilities on the environmental safety of the Balkhash urban region. In addition, many studies indicate very high risks of chronic diseases for the population living in this region. The findings of this study enable us to conclude that the application of fractal analysis and the calculation of fractal characteristics for time series of emissions can serve as an indicator of the environmental status within the given area. This information can be used by environmental services to build reliable environmental pollution monitoring systems.

Ethical and Legal Protection of Drinking Water Resources in Islamic Jurisprudence (with Emphasis on Drinking Water Resources in Kabul)

Water is a vital resource for all living beings. The increase in population and decrease in rainfall in many cities around the world have led to serious water scarcity and pollution of wells and water resources in countries. The expansion of industrial production has resulted in the release of pollutants into surface and groundwater in cities and farmlands of countries. Therefore, this research has been conducted in a library way to examine the views and solutions of Islamic jurisprudence on resolving the problems and preserving the health of drinking water resources and wells, especially in Kabul. The findings of this research are that to preserve the health of water resources, a legal or spatial boundary between neighboring wells or farmers is required to be 500 meters in soft land, but in hard land, at least 250 meters between them is necessary to prevent the resulting damages. However, the distance between a well and a septic tank is 2.5 meters in hard land, and at least 7 cubits or 3.5 meters in soft areas. This is to purify water pollutants and prevent the resulting damages to neighbors. The legal boundary approach has been stated to compensate for the damage caused by a well or a water canal. Moral boundary means the growth of human responsibility to prevent water and environmental pollution in Islamic jurisprudence. Natural pollutant filters for well and canal water are the elements of soil, sand, abundant or flowing water, and oxygen present in water in Islamic jurisprudence.

Laccase immobilized on amino modified magnetic biochar as a recyclable biocatalyst for efficient degradation of trichloroethylene

Bioremediation of trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated groundwater has recently attracted considerable attention. In this study, laccase was immobilized on amino modified magnetic pine biochar (MBC-NH2) by adsorption-crosslinking-covalent binding method, and its application in the degradation of TCE was evaluated. MBC-NH2 was obtained from pine sawdust by calcination, magnetic modification and amino modification. MBC-NH2 had high specific surface area (71.3 m2/g), rich surface functional groups and good magnetism. Under the conditions of 25 °C, pH = 4, glutaraldehyde (GA) concentration of 7 %, crosslinking time of 1 h, laccase concentration of 0.75 mg/mL, and immobilization time of 7 h, the loading capacity of laccase on MBC-NH2 carrier was as high as 782 mg/g. Compared with free laccase, immobilized laccase showed higher pH stability and thermal stability, and its activity remained 48.5 % after being reused for 10 times, and 80.8 % after being stored at 4 °C for 30 days. The immobilized laccase exhibited a good degradation effect on TCE. At 25 °C, pH = 4, immobilized laccase concentration of 0.35 g/L, and initial TCE concentration of 10 mg/L, the degradation efficiency of TCE by immobilized laccase was as high as 92.1 % within 48 h. In addition, the degradation products of TCE were analyzed, and the results showed that immobilized laccase could degrade TCE into non-toxic products through epoxidation, hydroxylation, and dechlorination. The immobilized laccase biocatalyst prepared in this study can achieve efficient degradation of TCE, which provides a feasible solution for chlorinated pollution of water resources. These research results are of great significance for the synthesis of biocatalysts for the efficient degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated CRISPR sensing platform for simple and point-of-care detection of cobalt pollution

The excessive use of cobalt in various chemical industries and arbitrary discharge of industrial wastewater have led to increased cobalt pollution in soil and water resources, increasing the risk of human exposure to high concentrations of cobalt and necessitating an urgent need for on-site monitoring platform for cobalt pollution. In this study, the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-CRISPR platform has been developed. In this platform, cobalt as a cofactor of TdT, can significantly improve the tailing efficiency of TdT-mediated extension. Therefore, when cobalt is present, the detection probe can be extended with poly(T) tails through the TdT-mediated extension, which can be subsequently served as the DNA activator for Cas12a, leading to the cleavage of fluorescence reporter molecules and triggering turn-on fluorescence signals. Consequently, this dual amplification sensing strategy of TdT-CRISPR platform demonstrated exceptional sensitivity (0.83 nM) and high specificity for cobalt over other ions. Furthermore, the method was successfully employed for the detection of cobalt in tap water and river samples. CRISPR-lateral flow assays (CRISPR-LFAs) were evaluated in this study for the simple and point-of-care detection of cobalt pollution. The assays are capable of detecting cobalt concentrations as low as 50 nM, which is significantly lower than the environmental standards of 16.9 μM, through strip analysis with the naked eye. These results commonly suggest that the TdT-CRISPR platform holds significant promise for monitoring cobalt pollution, providing a robust and sensitive solution for on-site detection and contributing to the mitigation of cobalt contamination risks in environmental matrices.

Utilizing RSM-CCD for optimizing the removal of Cr(VI) and tetracycline over a new recyclable Fe3O4/SiO2/ZIF-67 composite: Isotherms, kinetics, and mechanism

Pollution of water resources by a range of organic and inorganic non-degradable contaminants is becoming increasingly problematic. This study presents a novel Fe3O4/SiO2/ZIF-67 (FSZ) nanocomposite for removing tetracycline (TC) and hexavalent chromium (Cr6+). The synthesis began with the preparation of Fe3O4, SiO2, and ZIF-67 components. Following this, various loadings of the binary SiO2/ZIF-67 were prepared. Finally, the ternary FSZ adsorbents were synthesized by impregnating 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 wt% of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) onto the optimized binary SiO2/ZIF-67 NPs. Characterization techniques such as SEM, TEM, BET, EDS, XRD, and XPS were performed. The removal efficiencies were optimized using the RSM-CCD, considering factors like composite dosage, reaction time, pH levels, and contaminants concentration. Optimal composite dosages of 0.69 g/L for TC and 1.68 g/L for Cr6+, pH values of 6.05 for TC and 6.06 for Cr6+, reaction times of 90 min for TC and 57 min for Cr6+, and contaminant concentrations of 25.47 mg/L for TC and 2683.2 ppb for Cr6+ were achieved. Removal rates of 98.53 % for TC and 97.45 % for Cr6+ were achieved under optimal conditions. Moreover, various kinetic and isothermal adsorption models were applied. The FSZ composite maintained high removal efficiencies for Cr6+ (81.14 %) and TC (79.82 %) after four cycles. Its performance was assessed in various water types, including deionized water, river water, and municipal wastewater. Additionally, the FSZ composite effectively removed other contaminants, achieving high efficiencies for cadmium (95.18 %), lithium (83.42 %), arsenic (88.29 %), sulfamethoxazole (87.38 %), doxycycline (96.15 %), and cefixime (81.97 %). Finally, the mechanisms responsible for the removal of TC and Cr6+ were evaluated. The sustainable synthesis of FSZ provides a valuable foundation for future studies focused on Cr6+ and TC removal, offering a potential solution to pressing environmental challenges.

Study on PPTA/PEMs/PA composite NF membranes for highly efficient desalination of high-saline Kevlar® brine and long-term anti-scaling performance

It produces a large number of organic brine during the polymerization process of Kevlar®, which contains N-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinone) (NMP) and high concentrations of CaCl2 and NaCl. The wastewater will cause serious pollution of water and soil resources if discharged directly. The separation and recycling of inorganic salts have been an industrial difficulty. In this paper, based on the novel concept of green self-recycling, we used Poly (p-phenylene terephthamide) (PPTA, resin of Kevlar®) ultrafiltration membrane as the substrate, composited the loose and curled polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) as interlayers and formed a homogeneous polyamide separation layer through interfacial polymerization, from which we obtained the homogeneous reinforcement aramid composite nanofiltration (NF) membrane. The composite NF membranes with different interlayer numbers showed different advantages. For single-component brine, the retentions of PEMs-1/PA membrane were 93 % and 98.4 % for 10 g/L CaCl2 and MgSO4 respectively. For mixed brine of 20 g/L CaCl2 and NaCl, the retentions of PEMs-3/PA membrane were 87.13 % and 1.05 % for CaCl2 and NaCl respectively with the separation factor as high as 82.95. In the test of long-term service stability, PEMs-3/PA maintained stable performance in 4 cycles total of 160 h. And the permeance could almost fully recover after pure water backwash of only 0.5 h. In addition, the structural stability and anti-scaling performance of the PEMs-3/PA membrane were further verified in high-temperature brine. Surprisingly, the obtained PPTA NF membrane in this work could effectively treat the high-saline brine in the Kevlar® polymerization process and would have more promising prospects in the treatment of industrial wastewater of brine.

Synthesis of various types of green biosorbents materials for removals of sulphates from contaminated water for better aquatic environments

Human and industrial activities pollute water resources with sulphur metal, endangering human health and ecosystems. Chemical precipitation and membrane filtration are expensive when treating large amounts of water, inefficient at low metal concentrations, and produce large amounts of toxic sludge and other products that must be disposed of waste water bio-sorption is eco-friendly and alternative. These methods are cheaper, more accessible, and reusable than conventional ones. This study investigates the bio-sorption of sulphur from contaminated water using neem leaf, custard apple leaf, mango tree leaf, orange peels, and banana peels biological waste materials. This work achieves 100 % removal efficiency. Biosorbents remove sulphates from contaminated water: custard leaves 100 % at 4gm, orange peels 40 % at 5gm, tea waste 50 % at 4gm, neem leaves 70 % at 5gm, and mango leaves 75 % at 5gm. The performances of biosorbents for removals of sulphates from water as follows: Custard leaves waste > Mango leaves > Neem leaves > Tea trash > Orange peels the sulphate reduction by biosorbents. The best biosorption occurred at basic pH 6.5, 3.7gm dosage, 90 min contact duration, 30 °C temperature, and 120 rpm agitation speed. The effects of contact time, agitation speed, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature are also examined. Before usage, biosorbents materials can be physically and chemically measured the changes. Regenerating and reusing bio-sorbent after sulphates removals makes the method cost-effective for removals of pollutants from water.

Determination of Tetracycline Group Antibiotics Residues in the Tigris River and Agricultural Lands Fed by Tigris River and Reduction of Unconscious Use of Antibiotics

The recent increase in environmental pollutants is contaminating important natural resources and causing irreversible damage. Due to the limitations of traditional treatment techniques, studies on the problem of micro pollutant contamination of water resources have increased significantly. Antibiotics used in medicine and veterinary medicine cause significant pollution of water resources as residues of these contaminants remain unchanged in the aqueous environment. This has recently been recognised as a global environmental health threat. The ecosystem is vulnerable to residues of these contaminants from agriculture and aquaculture. In this study, the presence of tetracycline group antibiotics, the most commonly used in veterinary medicine, was determined in the Tigris river. This is the first study to date in which antibiotics from the tetracycline group have been identified in the Tigris river. Water samples were taken from 16 different points (80 samples) along the river. Sampling points were grouped as abattoirs, livestock markets, farmland, cafes and bridges near settlements. The samples were analysed for the presence of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC). With a concentration range of 0.037 to 1.756 ng/L, oxytetracycline was found in 14 of the 16 sites. A concentration of 0.004–0.014 ng/L of tetracycline was found in five samples. Chlortetracycline was found in six samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.015 to 0.097 ng/L. According to the study, the tetracycline family of antibiotics was found in the water samples, and oxytetracycline was present in the highest concentrations in most of them.

The Ultimate Fate of Reactive Dyes Absorbed onto Polymer Beads: Feasibility and Optimization of Sorbent Bio-Regeneration under Alternated Anaerobic–Aerobic Phases

Dyes employed in many production cycles are characterized by high toxicity and persistence in the environment, and conventional wastewater treatments often fail to reach high removal efficiencies. Consequently, there is an increasing research demand aimed at the development of more efficient and sustainable technologies. A two-step strategy consisting of dye sorption followed by sorbent bio-regeneration is proposed here, with a special focus on the regeneration step. The objective of this study was to establish the best operating conditions to achieve regeneration of dye-loaded polymers and concurrently the ultimate removal of the dyes. To this aim, the bio-regeneration of the Hytrel 8206 polymer, used as a sorbent material to remove Remazol Red dye from textile wastewater, was investigated in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) under alternated anaerobic–aerobic conditions. Comprehensive analysis of operational parameters, including sorbent load and initial contamination levels, was conducted to optimize bio-regeneration efficiency. Experimental data demonstrated high regeneration efficiencies (91–98%) with biodegradation efficiencies up to 89%. This study also examines the biodegradation process to investigate the fate of biodegradation intermediates; results confirmed the successful degradation of the dye without significant by-product accumulation. This research underscores the potential of TPPB-based bio-regeneration of polymeric sorbent material for sustainable wastewater treatment, offering a promising solution to the global challenge of dye pollution in water resources.

Intelligent aeration amount prediction control for wastewater treatment process based on recurrent neural network

The use of machine learning in artificial intelligence to solve industrial problems has been a current trend. Predictions can be made by machine learning algorithms. This greatly improves the efficiency and also the accuracy. With the development of industrialization, the pollution of water resources is becoming more and more serious. How to treat wastewater more cost-effectively to meet the discharge standards has become one of the most urgent problems in the world. In the Anaerobic-Anoxic-Aerobic (AAO) process, the key to reach the standard of sewage treatment with low cost and high efficiency lies in the aeration link. In this study, multiple machine learning methods are used for modeling, and proposed a method employing the long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model for regression prediction addresses the need for a more accurate prediction approach. By utilizing data from the preceding 100 days, this model replaces manual, experience-based prediction methods, thereby mitigating energy consumption. This model is optimized by training and testing with real wastewater treatment plant data and continuously adjusting the parameters through multiple sets of experiments. This can make the real recorded aeration amount and the actual aeration amount infinitely close. Through the experimental comparison, it is found that the performance of the LSTM neural network model is better, with about 14% higher accuracy than the benchmark model.

Innovative Geotechnical Solutions for Sustainable Infrastructure Development

Aim: To examine innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development. Problem Statement: The advancement in the world urbanization together with high rise in global population has alarmed the need for new infrastructures with additional innovative research to be conducted with already existing assets. Thus, It is important that geotechnical engineering should include basic practices targeting resource-efficient and environment-friendly techniques in order to add to sustainable development. Significance of Study: This technical review critically examines the innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development. The content presented in this manuscript will be beneficial to professionals in the area of geotechnical engineering. Methodology: Recent relevant published articles in the area of innovative geotechnical solutions for sustainable infrastructure development were consulted. These include journal articles, conference papers, Asian Development Bank articles and unpublished doctoral documents. Discussion: The six main environmental objectives of the Taxonomy Regulation to ensure the contours of an environmentally sustainable infrastructure were stated to include: (1) sustainable protection and use of marine and water resources (2) pollution control and prevention (3) switch to a circular economy (4) mitigation of climate change (5) restoration and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity and (6) adaptation of climate change. The three phase methods for sustainability infrastructure development in geotechnics were critically discussed. An imaginary excavation site in the municipality of Rozzano was referenced as a case study to reveal the application of the proposed methodology to the soil treatment systems. It was noticed that the adoption of an LCA introduces additional deep knowledge and the required quantitative analysis for sizing the assessment. Conclusion: The examined innovative geotechnical solutions were contributory to sustainable infrastructure development.

Eco-friendly thiol-functionalized magnetic oxygenous carbon nitride nanocomposites for effective elimination of heavy metals

The increased pollution of water resources by toxic heavy metals poses a huge threat to the aqueous ecosystem. Since the low concentrations of heavy metals are often highly toxic but difficult to remove, novel efficient adsorbents still need to be explored. Herein, the superparamagnetic thiol-functionalized oxygenous carbon nitride nanocomposite (CNO/Fe3O4-SH) with multifunctional groups such as –NH2, –OH, –SH, and –COOH was fabricated by a simple and eco-friendly method. The maximum adsorption capacities of Pb2+, As3+, and Cd2+ ions on CNO/Fe3O4-SH at pH = 6 were 80.79, 71.78 and 66.19 mg/g, respectively, when their equilibrium concentrations were 20 mg/L. Under the equilibrium concentration below 0.01 mg/L, the adsorption capacities of these heavy metals over CNO/Fe3O4-SH were much higher than those of other adsorbents. The competitive adsorption investigations showed that the adsorption order in polymetallic solutions was Pb2+ > As3+ > Cd2+. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms studies indicated that the adsorption of Pb2+, As3+ and Cd2+ by CNO/Fe3O4-SH was attributed to monolayer adsorption and the adsorption process was controlled by chemical adsorption. The thermodynamic experiments showed that the adsorption processes were spontaneous and endothermic. After six adsorption/desorption cycles, CNO/Fe3O4-SH maintained its original morphology and adsorption ability, indicating its excellent regeneration performance, which had significant potential application in the decontamination of trace heavy metal ions in water.

Wastewater Recycling to Enhance Environmental Quality using Fuzzy Embedded with RNN-IoT for Sustainable Coffee Farming

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Wastewater pollution is a major concern due to organic matter, pesticides, and other contaminants. Untreated discharge of this wastewater can pollute water resources and harm the environment. A data-driven approach for optimizing wastewater treatment systems and ensuring recycled water's safety and effectiveness by calculating energy, chemical, and greenhouse gas emissions. According to this study, the process of system optimization decreases the negative influence on the environment. This suggested research looks at the potential for reusing wastewater and purifying it so it can be used in coffee plants. A variety of methods for cleaning and disinfecting substances are detailed in the article. A wide range of physical, chemical, and biological processes can be utilized in these treatments. The primary objective of sewage wastewater treatment is to develop effective methods that ensure the safety and effectiveness of treated reused water for use in agriculture. data analysis using sensors Connected sensors that measure nutrients, pollutants, salinity, pH, organic matter, and toxins are being used to track various water quality measures. Fuzzy-based data processing utilizing FRNNs to handle uncertainties inherent in sensor data through fuzzy logic techniques. Recurrent neural networks capture temporal dependencies in the wastewater data, allowing for more accurate predictions. Compared with the other existing algorithms, the proposed method has the efficient treatment of wastewater and its safe reuse for coffee cultivation, promoting water conservation and sustainable agricultural practices.</span></span></span></p>

Easy and fast preparation of superhydrophobic multi-level structures with high stability and oil-water separation efficiency

Superhydrophobic materials can solve the problem of oil pollution in water resources. In this paper, superhydrophobic PDMS-SiO2 with macro-micro-nano multi-level structures was prepared by impregnation method. The superhydrophobic PDMS-SiO2 material has good physical and chemical stability, and retains its superhydrophobicity after sandpaper abrasion, tape peeling, water immersion, acid or alkali immersion, and high temperature baking. The superhydrophobic PDMS-SiO2 material has a high oil-water separation efficiency, with the highest oil-water separation efficiency reaching more than 99%, and the oil-water separation efficiency of different oils all exceeding 96%. The preparation of superhydrophobic PDMS-SiO2 material is simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly, which can achieve fast and large-area preparation, with good engineering application prospects.

The Second Life of Abandoned Orchards: Innovative Approaches to Land Use

As globalization accelerates, the issue of abandoned orchards has become increasingly prominent, posing a major challenge for land resource management. This paper reviews innovative approaches to the land use of abandoned orchards, aiming to explore the ecological services, economic benefits, and socio-cultural values in their transformation process. The article first analyzes the environmental impact of abandoned orchards, including soil quality degradation, water resource pollution, and biodiversity loss. Subsequently, it discusses innovative land use strategies such as smart agriculture, ecological restoration, and landscape design, and assesses the role of policy frameworks and planning in promoting sustainable land use. Through the analysis of successful domestic and international cases, the paper demonstrates the various possibilities of orchard transformation. Finally, the article summarizes the challenges and opportunities of land use transformation in abandoned orchards, providing sustainable solutions for future land management.

Proposal of an alluvial dike as a nature-based solution for sustainable water management in coastal areas

Climate change affects several environments, and one of the main problems is the availability and pollution of water resources. As a sustainable strategy, nature-based solutions and rescue of ancestral knowledge are economical and environmentally friendly measures. This study aimed to analyse the design of an alluvial dike by integrating ancestral and engineering knowledge to obtain a surface water reservoir that improves the recharge of the coastal aquifer in the Manglaralto community. This study considers a geological-geotechnical analysis of the study area and presents an environmental analysis of civil work to determine its impact on the surrounding ecosystem systems. The alluvial material dike, green structure, 8 m high, allows the reservoir of approximately 0.06 hm3 of water, which allows the recharge of the coastal aquifer with a field capacity (volumetric content) of 0.1 and conserves its ecosystem. From an environmental perspective, reforestation of the riverbank would reduce annual evapotranspiration, and from an economic perspective, the budget would be reduced considerably (60 % owing to ancestral knowledge and community work). The proposed construction of this second dike relates to the context of Sowing and Harvesting Water (SHW) and nature-based solutions, with community participation leading the processes, with technical accompaniment, to contribute to SDG 2030. This study provides the criterion that the integrality of the green structure offers more significant benefits for the ecosystem and its inhabitants.

ПОЛИХЛОРИРОВАННЫЕ БИФЕНИЛЫ В ВОДНОЙ ЭКОСИСТЕМЕ ЗАПОВЕДНОГО ОЗЕРА МАРКАКОЛЬ И ВПАДАЮЩИХ В НЕГО РЕК

The article presents the results of the study of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution of water and bottom sediments of Markakol Lake and rivers of its basin. Brief information about the importance of studying the accumulation and distribution of these dangerous xenobiotics in water bodies and watercourses of the republic in order to realize the tasks adopted by the Republic of Kazakhstan in accordance with the requirements of the global Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is presented. The conducted research f irst of all showed pollution of water resources and bottom sediments of the lake and rivers located in the protected area. Uneven distribution of toxicant concentration over the lake water area both in water and bottom sediments was revealed. The highest toxicant concentrations were registered in the water of the Kalzhyr River outflowing from the lake. In lake and river waters, 30 individual PCB congeners were detected, among which highly toxic dioxin-like and «marker» congeners are present. Other congeners with rather high toxicity were also found in water resources. Based on the scientific results of scientists from far and near abroad in the field of problems of distribution of these toxicants on the planet, the hypothesis about atmospheric transfer of these toxic compounds to this protected zone from highly PCB polluted territories was made.

Optimization of cerium-based metal–organic framework synthesis for maximal sonophotocatalytic tetracycline degradation

Wastewater treatment is inevitably required to alleviate the pollution of water resources by various contaminants such as antibiotics. MOFs are novel materials with photocatalytic activities. In this study, sonophotocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) by the Cerium-based MOF (Ce-MOF) is optimized by modification of its synthesis route. Ce-MOF synthesis by room temperature (RT), hydrothermal (HT), and sonochemical synthesis (SC) are studied. TC degradation experiments revealed the superiority of SC synthesis. The interplay of main synthesis parameters, namely, initial ligand concentration, ultrasound (US) power and time on sonophotocatalytic activity of Ce-MOF, were investigated by response surface methodology model (RSM) utilizing the central composite experimental design (CCD). The optimum SC synthesis conditions are an initial ligand concentration of 8.4 mmol/L, a sonication power of 50 amplitude, and a US time of 60 min. The optimally synthesized Ce-MOF was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, zeta potential analysis, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, particle size analysis, Mott-Schottky analysis, photocurrent analysis, electrochemical impedance spectra, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The findings indicate that the removal efficiency of TC can reach up to 81.75% within 120 min in an aqueous solution containing an initial TC concentration of 120 ppm and 1 g/L Ce-MOF at pH of 7. Mineralization efficiency of the process is 71% according to COD measurements. The Ce-MOF catalyst retained its chemical stability and remained active upon TC degradation which makes it a promising candidate for wastewater treatment.