Poor Drinking Water Research Articles

Assessment of hydrochemical characteristics, health risks and quality of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes in a mountainous region of Pakistan

Renowned for its agriculture, livestock, and mining, Zhob district, Pakistan, faces the urgent problem of declining groundwater quality due to natural and human-induced factors. This deterioration poses significant challenges for residents who rely on groundwater for drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes. Therefore, this novel study aimed to carry out a comprehensive assessment of groundwater quality in Zhob district, considering various aspects such as hydrochemical characteristics, human health risks, and suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes. While previous studies may have focused on one or a few of these aspects, this study integrates multiple analyses to provide a holistic understanding of the groundwater quality situation in the region. Additionally, the study applies a range of common hydrochemical analysis methods (acid–base titration, flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and ion chromatography), drinking water quality index (WQI), irrigation indices, and health risk assessment models, using 19 water quality parameters. This multi-method approach enhances the robustness and accuracy of the assessment, providing valuable insights for decision-makers and stakeholders. The results revealed that means of the majority of water quality parameters, such as pH (7.64), electrical conductivity (830.13 μScm–1), total dissolved solids (562.83 mgL–1), as well as various anions, and cations, were in line with drinking water norms. However, the water quality index (WQI) predominantly indicated poor drinking water quality (range = 51–75) at 50% sites, followed by good quality (range = 26–50) at 37% of the sites, with 10% of the sites exhibiting very poor quality (range = 76–100). For irrigation purposes, indices such as sodium percent (mean = 31.37%), sodium adsorption ratio (mean = 0.98 meqL–1), residual sodium carbonate (– 3.15 meqL–1), Kelley’s index (mean = 0.49), and permeability (mean = 49.11%) indicated suitability without immediate treatment. However, the magnesium hazard (mean = 46.11%) and potential salinity (mean = 3.93) demonstrated that prolonged application of groundwater for irrigation needs soil management to avoid soil compaction and salinity. Water samples exhibit characteristics of medium salinity and low alkalinity (C2S1) as well as high salinity and low alkalinity (C3S1) categories. The Gibbs diagram results revealed that rock weathering, including silicate weathering and cation exchange, is the primary factor governing the hydrochemistry of groundwater. The hydrochemical composition is dominated by mixed Ca–Mg–Cl, followed by Na–Cl and Mg–Cl types. Furthermore, the human health risk assessment highlighted that fluoride (F–) posed a higher risk compared with nitrate (NO3–). Additionally, ingestion was found to pose a higher risk to health compared to dermal contact, with children being particularly vulnerable. The average hazard index (HI) for children was 1.24, surpassing the allowable limit of 1, indicating detrimental health effects on this subpopulation. Conversely, average HI values for adult females (0.59) and adult males (0.44) were within safe levels, suggesting minimal concerns for these demographic groups. Overall, the study’s interdisciplinary approach and depth of analysis make a significant contribution to understanding groundwater quality dynamics and associated risks in Zhob district, potentially informing future management and mitigation strategies.

Implementation Of Water Quality Index For Measuring Groundwater Quality

Groundwater is one of the major sources of water consumption in developing countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the variations in physicochemical characteristics and metal content and to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI) to assess the groundwater quality of seven districts (Central, East, West, South, Malir, Korangi, and Kemari) of Karachi City, Pakistan. A stratified sampling approach was used to collect groundwater samples and turbidity, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Nitrate-N, and arsenic concentrations were investigated to profile WQI. The physicochemical parameters from districts South, West, Korangi, and Kemari were as per APHA standards and found suitable for drinking purposes. EC and TDS were in ranges of (2660-3870μS/cm) and (1596-2322mg/L) exceeding the standard limits resulting in poor drinking water quality respectively in districts Central, Malir, and East. These districts fail to meet the APHA standards and become unfit for human consumption on the WQI scale. However, TSS and arsenic was not detected in any of the collected samples. The correlation matrix for the[1] correlation coefficient (R-value) of tested parameters with WQI indicated significant linear and high R-value among tested parameters. The statistical analysis showed that turbidity, pH, EC, TDS, and Nitrate-N have significant effects on WQI. EC and TDS showed a direct correlation with WQI (R=1.0) whereas turbidity significantly correlates with the presence of nitrate in drinking water (R=0.64). These findings help the decision makers to plan mitigation strategies for comprehensive water quality monitoring of the respective areas and ensure the availability of clean and safe drinking water to the public.

Estimation of Rotavirus Associated Diarrheal Disease Burden Amongst Primary School Children of Sindh

Introduction: Human Rotavirus Virus (HRV) is amongst the common enteric viral diarrheal diseases that indirectly or directly influence school-going children in low-income countries. Inadequate information exists on the presence of rotavirus, with reference to drinking water supplies of primary schools in Sindh, Pakistan. Aims & Objectives: We estimated the risk of rotavirus-associated diarrhea through drinking water. The study further compared the HRV-associated risk of diarrheal disease by a type of water source. Place and Duration of Study: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in ten representative districts of Sindh from February 2022 to December 2022. The samples for drinking water were collected from primary schools of ten representative districts of Sindh. This study was a part of the WASH Project funded by USAID (USPCASW Seed Grant P-II) Material & Methods: We selected 425 samples of drinking water from primary schools based on pre-defined selection criteria. We used a Quantitative Microbial Risk Analysis using indicator organisms, i.e., E. coli, to predict the possible health risks of rotavirus. Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 26. The graphs were developed using Arc GIS version 3. Morbidity and mortality were predicted using the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QAMRA) model. Results: Our data revealed that the highest daily risk of HRV-associated diarrhea amongst school children was 11 per 10,000 schoolchildren, resulting in 8.4% annual risk, and the minimum risk was estimated to be 1 in 10,000 children. The burden of diseases for rotavirus using the QAMRA model revealed the severity of the diarrhea. Majority of the children presented with mild diarrhea (86%) followed by severe, and the probability of death was less than <1%. The daily risk of HRV infection was highest (estimated to be 7 and 11%) in pupils of Southern Sindh, with an annual risk of 17.4% to 40%. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the children in the primary schools of Sindh were exposed to poor drinking water quality. The surface water source poses the highest risk of HRV-related diarrhea to school children. Thus, it is highly recommended that point-of-use drinking water treatment systems be adopted. The water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) resources are interlinked, so each resource impacts the other; hence, schools urgently need to invest in providing adequate WASH facilities to stop enteric virus transmission through drinking water sources.

Water quality, criticality, and sustainability of mountain springs-a case study from the Nepal Himalaya.

In the hilly terrain of Nepal, springs are the main source of drinking water. With the increasing population, rapid urbanization, and unabated climate change, springs are under the risk of survival. There is increasing evidence that springs in the mid-hills of Nepal are drying up, or are reducing in discharge, or are deteriorating by water quality. As a result, local communities are facing unprecedented water stress. On this background scenario, assessment of water quality of the springs in the Marin Watershed of Sindhuli district of Nepal was carried out in this study. Spring water samples were collected during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon of 2020 and their hydrochemistry was analyzed. Further, springs' discharge was measured in situ and their criticality and sustainability were studied through community interaction. Results have revealed seasonal variation in spring discharge and spring water quality. Out of 39 flowing springs, water quality of 13, 8, and 6 springs, respectively, was very poor, poor, and unsuitable for drinking in the pre-monsoon. The count of springs with very poor, poor, and unsuitable drinking water quality during the post-monsoon was 8, 3, and 1, respectively. Occurrence of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli) was identified in five spring samples which makes the spring water unsafe for drinking. Again, out of 51 springs studied, 12 are already dried up, and another 12 of the 39 flowing springs have become seasonal with very low discharge (0.03-0.07 L/s). The study highlights and emphasizes the need to protect the flowing springs and rejuvenate the dying springs of the Himalaya and of other parts of the world.

Associations among Drinking Water Quality, Dyslipidemia, and Cognitive Function for OlderAdults in China

AbstractBackgroundEpidemiological evidence has shown that poor drinking water quality can lead to dyslipidemia, which might be associated with cognitive decline or lower domain‐specific cognitive function in older adults. Given the prevalence of water pollution, dyslipidemia, and dementia in China, it is important to examine the association between drinking water quality and cognitive function in older Chinese and to identify the direct and indirect effects of drinking water quality and dyslipidemia on their cognitive function.MethodPrimary data for the study were selected from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2015) and 4,951 respondents aged 60 and above were included. Data on drinking water quality were selected from the 2015 prefectural water quality data from the Institute of Public and Environment Affairs in China. Mixed effects models were conducted to assess the associations of cognitive function with drinking water quality and dyslipidemia. The mediation effects of dyslipidemia were examined by path analyses.ResultExposure to high quality drinking water was significantly associated with higher scores in mental status, episodic memory, and global cognition (β = 0.34, p < 0.001 for mental status; β = 0.24, p < 0.05 for episodic memory; β = 0.58, p < 0.01 for global cognition). Respondents who reported dyslipidemia diagnosis had higher scores in the three composite measures of cognitive function (β = 0.39, p < 0.001 for mental status; β = 0.27 p < 0.05 for episodic memory; β = 0.66, p < 0.001 for global cognition). An elevated blood triglycerides was only associated with higher scores in mental status (β = 0.21, p < 0.05). Self‐reported dyslipidemia diagnosis was a suppressor, which increased the magnitude of the direct effect of drinking water quality on mental status, episodic memory, and global cognition.ConclusionDrinking water quality was associated with cognitive function in older Chinese and the relationship was independent of natural or socioeconomic variations in neighborhood environments. Improving drinking water quality could be a potential public health effort to delay the onset of cognitive impairment and prevent the dementia pandemic in older people.

MOF based nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in water: A critical review

Metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanocomposites have a wide range of applications; however, research output indicates that MOF based nanocomposites have attracted great attention in the area of water treatment, particularly photodegradation of water pollutants. This comes as a result of high water pollution, water scarcity, poor drinking water quality and the emerging of tenacious micropollutants found in water bodies. Majority of water pollutants can be treated via photocatalytic processes and MOF is a remarkable modifying and support material for photocatalytic nanomaterials. MOF have tremendous physicochemical properties which provide opportunities for unique fabrication and modification of photocatalytic nanocomposites with enhanced efficiency, recovery, recyclability and reusability in water treatment. In this review, MOF-based nanocomposites, fabrication techniques, classifications, mechanisms as well as challenges and future prospects for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in water are investigated and discussed.

Making waves: Mental health impacts of inadequate drinking water services - From sidenote to research focus.

The paramount significance of the harmful impacts of poor drinking water services on physical health have been recognized for decades. Besides, over the past twenty years, an additional body of literature on their negative mental health impacts has emerged. With this brief review, we summarise the findings of the scholarship to advance addressing overall health (physical, mental, and social) in the water sector. We furthermore review the key policy documents of this field with a focus on mental health aspects and give recommendations for practitioners and decision-makers on addressing mental health in water service delivery. We reviewed the existing published works (42) assessing psychological impacts of deficient drinking water services in low-income settings. We then identified and compared the different mechanisms causing negative mental health outcomes described in them. For these purposes, we used a water insecurity experience -model and the vulnerability-stress model of clinical psychology. Next, we probed key international and national guiding documents of the water sector to analyse how mental health issues resulting from poor services are addressed today. We found that according to the literature, poor quality and quantity of water was predictably one of the most important psychosocial stressors to users. Surprisingly, however, various kinds of water-service-related inequalities (e.g. between genders, communities or socio-economic groups) showed up as equally significant stressors. Our analysis with the vulnerability-stress model furthermore indicates that insufficient drinking water services may predispose to common mental disorders particularly through external stress. Existing field guidelines have evolved to highlight the values of non-discrimination and participation, whilst mental health aspects remain ignored. This should not be the case. Therefore, practices for addressing mental health effectively in documentation and water service development should be further researched. But already in the light of the existing literature, we urge stakeholders to focus more on the negative mental health impacts of unequal service provision for users and nearby people left without improved services.

Scaling up an Electrochemical Nitrogen Recovery Process from Lab Benchtop to Pilot Wastewater Plant

Municipal wastewater and agricultural runoff contain large amounts of reactive nitrogen, which can pollute the environment upon release, leading to harmful algal blooms and poor drinking water quality. At the same time, these reactive nitrogen species are valuable and can be recycled to generate fertilizers and commodity chemicals; it has been estimated that doing so would offset the need for ~30% of global Haber-Bosch ammonia production. For this reason, both removal and recovery of active nitrogen from wastewaters are important goals. An electrochemical separations technique known as Electrochemical Stripping (ECS) has been developed to achieve selective ammonia recovery from wastewater.1 This technique leverages pH swings induced by water-splitting, coupled with appropriate cation- and gas-selective membranes, to remove and recover ammonia nitrogen from wastewaters. ECS has been demonstrated at the benchtop scale with relatively high efficiency (>90% total ammonia nitrogen [TAN] recovery) in various wastewaters, and the effects of certain process variables such as temperature, influent TAN concentration, and gas-permeable membrane material have previously been reported.2 Our goal with this work is to initiate ECS process scale-up by at least 3 orders of magnitude in order to match the scale of municipal wastewater treatment. In order to do this, we set out to build a more complete fundamental process model to inform our design decisions during scale-up. Here we will present results of exploratory tests varying multiple process parameters, including current density, relative electrolyte volumes, reactor residence time, catholyte solution chemistry, and reactor geometry. We then translate these results into a process model comprising thermodynamic relationships as well as kinetic equations, describing both the rates of species generation/consumption as well as transport between reactor compartments. This model, which yields molecular-level insights, is then used in an iterative fashion to first predict performance at small scales under new sets of conditions, and then ultimately inform the design of a ~1000 L/day ECS reactor at a pilot-scale wastewater treatment facility.In addition, we will discuss findings from stakeholder engagement conducted in parallel to lab-scale tests, indicating utility limitations, priorities, needs for certain effluent specs, desired product specs, cost bounds, and details around hydrogen coproduct handling. These discussions additionally feed into design decisions and are crucial for eventual technology deployment.

The interplay among conflict, water scarcity, and cholera in Northern Nigeria

AbstractCholera is a recurring issue in Nigeria, with outbreaks predominantly affecting the Northern states. In 2021, Nigeria experienced its most significant cholera epidemic in a decade, resulting in thousands of fatalities and cases. The spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases in Nigeria is linked to various factors such as flooding, conflict, and water scarcity. The country's poor drinking water quality and lack of equitable access to clean water exacerbate the problem, particularly in the conflict‐affected areas of the North. This paper discusses the interaction of conflict‐related displacement, water shortages, and cholera transmission in Northern Nigeria and provides insights into how these factors impact water resources and public health. This information can inform initiatives and policies to reduce the impact of conflict on water resources and enhance access to clean water in impacted areas. The article suggests that the primary challenges in eliminating cholera in the region include a lack of information due to severe security situations, bureaucratic requirements for delivering essential supplies, and a chronic shortage of water. A successful response to cholera in conflict and displacement situations also requires community engagement and the security and safety of humanitarian personnel. Long‐term solutions to the uprisings in the region are necessary to put an end to the issues related to banditry and insurgency.

Evaluation of Drinking Water Quality for Salem District Using Weighted Product Method

The quality of drinking water is one of the most important factors affecting human health. However, in many countries, especially developing countries the quality of drinking water is not satisfactory and Poor drinking water quality causes many waterborne diseases. This special issue of Expression and Health focuses on drinking water quality Edited to better understand the implications for public health, thus improving many countries appropriate action may be taken. This editorial introduction, reviewed some recent research, briefly summarizing the main points of each contribution to this issue, then in to increase scientific proposed some research/directions. The articles in this magazine are interesting and this research covers many aspects of the topic, and is meaningful for sustainable drinking water quality protection. Using the correct linear mathematical equation Home selection problems cannot be solved and treated as semi-structured problem a heuristic process is required. Computer-based decision support systems can be used as an alternative to expert decision-making by inexperienced users. This article is about improving decision support systems for the household selection and Presents empirical work. For choosing a house based on weighted product method providing web-based decision support systems with the general objective of the research. As a result of the interview with the respondents, the calculation of choosing this house. In the weighted product method, help people choose the best alternative, Computational results show that the given alternatives can be sorted. The Alternative Parameters is Salem West, Salem South, Yercaud, Attur, Pethanaickenpalayam, Valapady, Sankari, Edapadi, Mettur, Omalur, Kadayampatti. The Evaluation Parameters is PH, TDS, TH, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Sulphate. First rank is Pethanaickenpalayam and first rank is Salem West is lowest rank.

Evaluation of groundwater in aluminium slag disposal area

Aluminium slag waste is a residue from aluminium recycling activities, classified as hazardous waste so its disposal into the environment without processing can cause environmental problems, including groundwater pollution. There are 90 illegal dumping areas for aluminium slag waste spread in the Sumobito District, Jombang Regency. This study aims to evaluate the quality of shallow groundwater surrounding aluminium slag disposal in the Sumobito District for drinking water. The methods applied an integrated water quality index ( WQI) and heavy metal pollution index ( HPI), multivariate analysis (principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA)), and geospatial analysis for assessing groundwater quality. The field campaign conducted 40 groundwater samples of the dug wells for measuring the groundwater level and 30 of them were analysed for the chemical contents. The results showed that some locations exceeded the quality standards for total dissolved solids ( TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and Al 2+. The WQI shows that 7% of dug well samples are in poor drinking water condition, 73% are in good condition, and 20% are in excellent condition. The level of heavy metal contamination based on HPI is below the standard limit, but 13.3% of the water samples are classified as high contamination. The multivariate analysis shows that anthropogenic factors and natural sources/geogenic factors contributed to shallow groundwater quality in the study area. The geospatial map shows that the distribution of poor groundwater quality is in the northern area, following the direction of groundwater flow, and is a downstream area of aluminium slag waste contaminants.

Assessment of potability of surface water and its health implication in Mahanadi Basin, Odisha

Surface water resource plays a crucial role in economic development, human health, and ecological diversity. Population growth, climate change, and water contamination that result from rising residential, agricultural, and industrial needs have put a great deal of strain on the Mahanadi River in Odisha. The study was conducted to analyse surface water quality fluctuations using monitoring data of 20 water quality indicators at 19 locations during 2012–2022. The proposed work includes Weighted Arithmetic (WA) Water Quality Index (WQI), Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) WQI, Synthetic Pollution Index (SPI), Numerow's Pollution Index (NPI), Overall Index of Pollution (OIP), Comprehensive Pollution Index (CPI), Eutrophication Index (EI), Organic Pollution Index (OPI) and multivariate techniques like Cluster analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to analyse surface water quality. The results showed that the surface water was contaminated with high TC and TKN. The WQIs results demonstrated that the categories of excellent, good, poor, extremely poor, and unsuitable water quality that fluctuated at the chosen sampling points. Most of the locations fell into the excellent to good zone, as determined by the WQIs and Pollution indexes (PIs). According to several indexing methods, the results show that WA WQI (15.79%), CCME WQI (10.53%), SPI (15.79%), NPI (15.79%), OIP (15.79%), and CPI (15.79%) of the samples had poor, extremely poor, or unsuitable drinking water quality. The watercourse was highly susceptible to eutrophication at few locations as EI was above zero. Three locations (sites 8, 9 and 19) at the downstream of the river are polluted with organic substances with OPI > 1. To examine the link between the water quality measures, the correlation matrix has been developed. To find out the commonalities in the features of the water quality, hierarchical CA divided the 19 monitoring sites into three groups. Five principal components (PCs), which together account for 93.91% of the total variance, were identified via PCA. The first PC was devoted to mineralization, whereas the remaining PCs were constructed using characteristics that suggested contamination. To investigate the spatial distribution, the spatial analyst tools (IDW method) were used. Combining results with GIS also allows for a deeper analysis of drinking water quality. Ultimately, the combined use of various water quality indices along with GIS, CA, and PCA results in the conclusion that samples from the locations ST-8, ST-9 and ST-19 are the most prevalent and fall into the poor to extremely poor group. Considering the entire study, it was determined that the polluting factors were the fertilizers, land development, storm water runoff, and domestic waste water discharge. It is recommended that the sources of contaminations can be further explored to reduce the pollution load, that might be helpful in the promotion of sustainable ecotourism.

Integrated approach for the investigation of groundwater quality using hydrochemical and geostatistical analyses in Wadi Fatimah, western Saudi Arabia

The Wadi Fatimah area suffers from a lack of freshwater resources, so this study aimed to analyze the groundwater in this region and evaluate its quality for irrigation and drinking purposes. Eleven water quality parameters, including pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), Ca2+, HCO−3, NO−3, F−, Cl−, K+, Mg2+, SO2−4, and Na+, were utilized to evaluate the quality of the water and produce a water quality index (WQI). These parameters were measured at 100 different chosen locations. The spatial distribution map revealed that all parameters are high in the southern part except K+. Using the correlation matrix, a high positive correlation is obtained among TDS, Cl−, Mg2+, and Ca2+ in addition to a high correlation among TDS with Cl− and Na+. From PCA analysis, PCA1, PCA2, and PCA3 represent about 52%, 12%, and 10% of all components along the study area, respectively. PCA1 has low variance than PCA2 and PCA3. The majority of the Southern region’s sites went from having extremely poor to poor water classifications and from poor to unsuitable water. However, the center part possesses exceptionally high-quality groundwater. According to the results from the current study’s water quality index, the presence of nitrate and fluoride in the groundwater samples was primarily responsible for their high WQI values. The statistics showed that a higher percentage of the population had poor drinking water due to direct pollutant release, agricultural effects, and excessive groundwater resource use. The study offers a groundwater quality modeling technique that is both affordable and replicable in other areas.

Reporting water quality of sustainable traditional ponds using water quality index in Nagaur district of western Rajasthan, India

The present study investigates ancient water harvesting techniques of western Rajasthan and reports potable water quality by using the Water Quality Index (WQI). These small rain-fed ponds are still a significant water resource for the village community and quench the thirst for 6 to 10 months. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the water quality and its suitability for drinking, development of forest and irrigation purpose. There were four sampling sites that were analyzed seasonally for physico-chemical parameters including, pH, TDS, Fluoride, Nitrate, Chloride, Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Calcium and Magnesium over a period of one year from July, 2020 to June, 2021 in Nagaur district, Rajasthan. In the results, WQI indicated very poor and unsuitable drinking water quality in all seasons in the first sampling site located in the city due to poor management. Whereas, all the village sampling sites had excellent water quality index in terms of drinking in all seasons excluding one sampling site, which was showing poor water quality in summer. Calculations for WQI show that fluoride is the most influencing parameter in the study. The findings significantly enhance the understanding of the importance of these small water ponds and provide a base for making sustainable water strategies in present study areas.

Perception of masonry workers on health and safety risks in informal construction sites in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Informal construction (IC) is coined from an informal economy (IE). It involves unlicensed and unregulated individuals engaged in construction-related activities. Because it is unregulated, IC poses health and safety risks (HSR). This study identified and ranked the perception of HSR by masonry workers (MW) in informal construction sites (ICS) in Tanzania. A number of 19 HSRs were found in the literature, and then, the data were collected through questionnaires from 304 MW in ICS and 10 semi-structured interviews. The study employed a convergence concurrent mixed methods approach, whereby for quantitative data, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (one-sample t-tests) were used, and for qualitative data, directed content analysis was employed. The results showed that ‘skin sanitizers, irritants’, ‘sickness due to poor drinking water or poor toilet facilities’ and ‘injury or death due to falling from height’ were the most perceived HSRs by workers in IC. In contrast, ‘bullying and stress’, ‘diseases caused by exposure to airborne fibres and toxic materials’ and ‘hand and vibration syndrome’ are the least perceived HSRs. The study provides useful insights into the perception of MW on HSR in IC, which can be used as a baseline for good practice for policy directions in developing countries.

Fabrication of Disposable Electrodes Based on Green Synthesized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Enumeration of Bacteria in Water

Poor drinking water quality is a leading cause of preventable deaths in young children. Identifying contaminated water is a major challenge, especially where water resources are very limited. There is an urgent need to fabricate smart disposable electrodes to detect specific Escherichia coli ATCC-25922 in water to protect against diseases such as gastroenteritis and acute diarrhea. In this article, we presented a simple method to fabricate disposable electrodes using single-pot green iron oxide nanoparticles. The nanostructure and detailed morphology of the green synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles (Ne-Ne-Fe3O4-NPs) were analyzed using analytical techniques. Modified Ne-Fe3O4-NPs developed the disposable electrode and cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to detect the target bacteria. Under optimized experimental conditions, the signals increased linearly while the concentration range increased from 101−107 CFU ml−1, having a short response of time 35 min. In addition, the fabricated disposable electrode showed dynamic detection range, stability of the electrode, and selectivity and provides a new strategy by using green nanoparticles to detect selected bacteria from water.

Testing the Water: Drinking Water Quality, Public Notification, and Child Outcomes

Abstract Health-based drinking water violations affect about one in twelve Americans annually, yet the benefits of drinking water regulation are not well understood. I exploit plausibly exogenous variation in water quality violation timing to estimate the impacts on avoidance behavior and child outcomes. Using purchases of bottled water and common stomach remedies, emergency room visits for gastrointestinal illness, and school absences, I provide a comprehensive calculation of costs associated with poor drinking water quality. Individuals avoid the negative health impacts of coliform bacteria violations only when informed immediately. Timely public notification is a cost-effective way to induce avoidance behavior and protect health.

Risk Analysis of Heavy Metals and Groundwater Quality Indices in Residential Areas: A Case Study in the Rajanpur District, Pakistan

Continuous monitoring of drinking water quality is essential in terms of the levels of heavy metals and toxic substances, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate groundwater quality in residential areas of the Rajanpur District, Pakistan. Groundwater samples (n = 200) were collected from various sites in the study area and analyzed by in situ tests (pH, EC, TDS, temperature, and turbidity), and the concentration of 32 dissolved elements and ions was also analyzed. The results showed that higher concentrations of dissolved elements are the primary reason for poor drinking water quality. A few measured parameters (TDS~992 mg L−1 and EC~1921.15 µS/cm) exceeded the permissible limits of the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) in most of the samples. Elements that had higher values than the allowable limits in most of the samples were calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), bicarbonates (HCO3), sulfate (SO4), chlorides (Cl), manganese (Mn), and strontium (Sr), with average values of 113 mg L−1, 223 mg L−1, 282 mg L−1, 367 mg L−1, 175 mg L−1, 69 mg L−1, and 1291 mg L−1, respectively. The measured parameters that had no significant issues in terms of drinking water quality were aluminum (Al), nitrite (NO2), phosphate (PO4), pH, and turbidity. The levels of potentially toxic elements such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu) (average ~2.179 mg L−1, 1.659 mg L−1, 0.092 mg L−1, and 1.032 mg L−1, respectively) were found to be lower than the drinking water guideline values of the WHO. The statistical analysis revealed weak correlations possibly due to multiple sources and localized variations. The physicochemical analysis-based WQI values for all groundwater samples were much lower at the residential sampling locations and in industrial settings, indicating poor water quality. The elevation model indicated that as water moves in the aquifer in the general direction of west to southeast, it gets concentrated by mineral dissolution, with geogenic sources having a major impact on the hydrochemistry. Hence, regular monitoring of water quality is required through advanced technology to overcome groundwater deterioration issues. The quality of water is poor for drinking purposes and the health of the residents of the Rajanpur District may be at risk.

Water quality characterization and pollution source apportionment in the Himalayan river flowing through Jammu City, India, using multivariate statistical approach and geospatial techniques.

The present study evaluates and characterizes the water quality of River Tawi in Jammu city of Union Territory of J&K, using water quality index, multivariate statistical methods, and geospatial techniques. Water quality parameters were measured at fourteen selected sites along a 12 km (approx.) stretch of river (passing through the city) over two seasons (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) using standard methods. Water quality index (WQI) results demonstrated spatial and temporal variations and the pollution level of the river increased from upstream to downstream sites. Calculated WQI revealed 35.71% of the water samples in the unfit for drinking category, 28.57% in good and poor category each, and 7.14% samples in very poor drinking water category during the study period. Comparison of analysis results with the drinking water standards prescribed by the World Health Organization and Bureau of Indian standards recorded elevated ranges of parameters like turbidity, BOD, total alkalinity, nitrate, and faecal coliform beyond the permissible limits. Hierarchical cluster analysis has transformed the sites into two clusters during pre-monsoon and three clusters during post-monsoon season indicating more water quality variation during post-monsoon season. Principal component analysis resulted in two PCs for the water quality, explaining 80.827% and 73.672% of the variance for pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods. The prepared WQI maps confirmed and depicted deterioration of river water quality towards the midstream and downstream sites of the river basin. Entry of major sewage drains from the city particularly at the midstream sites and dumping of solid waste and agricultural runoff towards the downstream sites of the river constituted the main anthropogenic sources that decreased the river water quality. The study establishes first step towards spatial zoning of River Tawi based on pollution level which would help in improving the river water quality through proper basin management. The study also recommends installation of sewage treatment plants particularly at the midstream and downstream sites.

SOCIO – ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE SCHEDULED TRIBES IN TELANGANA

Tribes are one of the many divergent groups that make up the Indian population. They continue to be disadvantaged primarily because they have been considered the smallest segment of Indian society since olden history. Cultural and geographic exclusion, a lack of appropriate healthcare facilities, an inability to meet basic needs, a loss of control over resources and assets, a lack of skills and education, poor nutrition, a lack of affordable housing, poor clean water and sanitation, insecurity to shocks, violence and crime, a denial of available to proper infrastructure facilities and technologies, and a lack of political freedom and voice are all factors that continue to disadvantage tribes. All of these obstacles can make life difficult for them. In light of these issues, the government is attempting to assist the tribes through various welfare schemes. The purpose of the study was to learn about the socioeconomic status of tribal people in the Bhadradri kothagudem district. To learn about their socio-cultural status, primary data were collected through a series of structured questionnaires. Discussions were held with tribal elders who were wise and insightful, and secondary data was gathered by reading tribal magazine articles and background. According to the findings of this study, the tribal’s socioeconomic situation has improved day by day. Though there are some issues in the area, such as poor communication, joblessness, power generation, social security, and clean drinking water, the primary education and health commonly known as to be adequate, and the socio-cultural bonding between tribes is also very powerful. KEYWORDS: Scheduled Tribes, Socio-Economic Status, Koya, Lambada, Bhadradri District.