Poor Water Quality Research Articles

Microbial diversity characterizations, associated pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance profiling of Najafgarh drain

The Najafgarh drain plays a significant role in the pollution of the Yamuna River, accounting for 40% of the total pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate and analyze the microbial diversity, metabolic functional capacity, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in the Najafgarh drain. Additionally, studying the water quality and its relationship with the proliferation of microorganisms in the drain is of utmost importance. Results obtained confirmed the deteriorated water quality as physico-chemical parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), and total suspended solids (TSS) in the range of 125–140, 400–460, 0–0.2, 25–140.4 mg/l respectively violated the standard permissible national and global standards. In addition, the next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis confirm the presence of genus such as Thauera, Arcobacter, Pseudomonas, Geobacter, Dechloromonas, Tolumonas, Sulfurospirullum, Desulfovibrio, Aeromonas, Bacteroides, Prevotella, Cloacibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium etc. along with 864 ARGs in the wastewater obtained from the Najafgarh drain. Findings confirm that the pathogenic species reported from this dataset possess severe detrimental impact on faunal and human health. Further, Pearson's r correlation analysis indicated that environmental variables, mainly total dissolved solids (TDS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), play a pivotal role in driving microbial community structure of this heavily polluted drain. Thus, the poor water quality, presence of a microbial nexus, pathogenic markers, and ARGs throughout this drain confirmed that it would be one potential contributor to the dissemination of disease-causing agents (pathogens) to the household and drinking water supplies in the near future.

Tigris River water surface quality monitoring using remote sensing data and GIS techniques

Remote sensing and GIS technologies help in decision-making processes to reduce pollution and treatment time. In this study, we aim to investigate using remote sensing data in predicting water quality parameters of the Tigris River. Our approach involves the development of mathematical and statistical models that leverage satellite imagery to predict relevant water parameters. Over 2018 and 2019, fourteen different locations along the Tigris River were surveyed. Measurements for eight parameters were collected simultaneously with satellite images at each location. These parameters included temperature (Temp), electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, turbidity, chlorophyll A, blue-green algae, and dissolved oxygen. The spectral bands from Landsat 8 images and spectral indices of soil, vegetation, and water were adjusted as a preprocessing step. Spectral bands and indices were then implemented in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to predict the eight water parameters. The evaluation of the prediction model showed that the LASSO model has a determination coefficient (R2) of more than 0.8 for pH and Temp, and the minimum R2 of 0.52 was for TDS. It was found that incorporating spectral indices, as additional features in the prediction models, has significantly improved the models' performance, as demonstrated by an average R2 of 0.7 compared to 0.42 when using spectral bands only. The predictive model for each parameter provided cost-effective alternatives to frequent monitoring of Tigris water quality using field data. The predicted parameters were then utilized to calculate the water quality index (WQI) to indicate water quality along the river. The WQI showed that the river had poor water quality during the year except for April and June, which was very poor. This information will be beneficial in enforcing standards and controlling pollution activities in the study region.

Temporal Irrigation Water Quality Monitoring and Analysis in Semiarid Tropics: Implication on Crop Production

Irrigation water quality analysis and monitoring is tricky task in semiarid tropics (SAT characterized) experiencing water scarcity. Conjunctive use of water in SAT have emphasizes on surface and ground water quality analysis for increase in agricultural production. Surface water quality analysis is carried out for reservoir water, canal flow, return flow and streams for a Devarabelakere, Village in Harihara Taluk in Davangere District of Karnataka State, India. It is located 12 Km towards west from Davanagere and 9 Km from Harihara. Devarabelakere pickup is constructed at downstreamof the Bhadra Reservoir at a distance of 136.00 Km. The total catchment area of this sub-project is 2106.90sq. Km. of which 1338.90 sq.Km SAT. Average Water quality index in the pre and post monsoon season for surface water was found between in the range of 51 to 75 and falls in the poor water quality status and suitable for irrigation and industrial purpose. Ground water sampling is also carried out at Deverabelekere command area and water quality index in pre and post monsoon seasons was found between the range 26 to 50 and falls in good water quality status and used for drinking, irrigation and industrial purpose. Although WQI shows many of the water samples were suitable or fit for irrigation, calculated other indices such Kelly’s Ratio (KR), Permeability Index (PI), Magnesium Absorption Ratio (MAR) with higher values covering all factors makes the water unsuitable which influences the irrigation water quality. In the study area the crops grown like Sugar cane in area of 28 ha, Plantation crop in area of 34 ha and Semi dry plant grow in 1152 ha and efficiency was found 37.03 % in post monsoon season for canal water and 44.38 % in pre monsoon due to temporal variations in season implicating the yield which is addressed by this paper.

Socio-ecological analysis of the eutrophication in Chesapeake Bay, USA

This study is a social-ecological analysis of eutrophication in the Chesapeake Bay, United States of America (USA). It uses an expanded DPSIR framework (Drivers/Pressures/State/ Impacts/Responses) methodology to analyze the issue. In addition, a typology of the social actors and stakeholders in the socio-economic part of the system is identified. These stakeholders include residents, agriculturists, fishers, real estate developers, tourism operators, scientific researchers, and state and federal regulators. The framework results found that the Drivers are food security, housing, economic development, recreation pursuits, a sense of belonging, and population growth. These result in human Activities such as land and coastal change for development, coastline changes for fisheries, urban or suburban development, burning fossil fuels, and agricultural fertilization. The activities exert Pressures such as wastewater discharge, runoff from cleared land, atmospheric deposition (NOx), nutrient input, decreased tidal vegetation, and overfishing of filter feeders. These alterations change the State of the environment and its resilience by increasing the duration and areal extent of hypoxia, turbidity, and change in nutrient ratios. This also causes ecosystem changes, such as a decrease in wildlife diversity, and affects ecosystem services, such as decreasing nutrient buffering. The health of Chesapeake Bay benefits all stakeholders and wildlife, so the reduction of ecosystem services results in Impacts on society’s welfare and well-being, the economy, and environmental justice. Examples are decreased fishery yields and poorer water quality, affecting aesthetics, tourism, and ultimately human health. The governance Response to the degradation of the Chesapeake Bay and main management Measures has been the formation of the Chesapeake Bay Program, which has developed several agreements to improve water quality. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Progress, and Report Cards are accountability tools to observe and communicate the management project results or enforce state laws. The current management shows promising results, but further efforts are required to improve the water quality. Using various management options may bridge this gap to benefit all stakeholders. The main conclusion is that, although eutrophication is a complex problem, there is a scientific knowledge-base and a range of management options to restore the Chesapeake Bay.

Assessment of Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation in Kalanaur Block (Rohtak) Haryana, India

Groundwater is an essential source of drinking and irrigation in rural areas across the globe. Water pollution is among the leading problem in causes of health-related disorders all over the world. Physico-chemical analysis of water gives an insight into the quality of water. Various physical and chemical parameters were examined to calculate the water quality index (W.Q.I.) in villages of the Kalanaur block of Rohtak district (Haryana), India. The suitability of groundwater for irrigation purposes was determined by calculation of Sodium Adsorption Ratio (S.A.R.), Sodium Percent (Na %), Residual Sodium Carbonate (R.S.C.) and Permeability Index (P.I.), U.S. salinity plot, Wilcox diagram, etc. Most water samples were of high W.Q.I., indicating poor water quality. A minimum value of W.Q.I. was 58.38 for S17 and the maximum was 454.41 for S12. Most of the parameters analyzed suggested that water was polluted due to very high concentrations of T.D.S., chloride, magnesium and bicarbonate ions. S.A.R., Na %, R.S.C. and P.I. values were in the excellent to good range. Piper trilinear plot indicated that most of the water samples belonged to mixed Ca-Mg-Cl and Ca-HCO-3 type of water facies. Gibbs plot suggested a significant interaction between water and rocks in the area. Almost 50% of the water samples were suitable for irrigation.

Physicochemical and Microbiological Assessment of Utaewa Estuary Water

Most communities in the oil rich Niger Delta find it difficult to access to potable water due to constant pollution of their natural water sources. The sole aim of this study was to examine the microbiological and physicochemical qualities of the Estuary water at Utaewa to ascertain its suitability for potable use. Standard culture dependent techniques as well as metagenomics approach using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) on Illumina Miseq platform was used to determine the microbiological characteristics while standard analytical procedures were employed to ascertain the physicochemical properties of Utaewa in Imo River. The average microbial counts ranged as follows: Total Heterotrophic Bacteria; 2.17±0.08x106 to 2.23±0.08x106 cfu/ml, Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria; 1.03±0.06x105 to 1.39±0.08x105 cfu/ml, Total Heterotrophic Fungi; 1.23±0.13x105 to 1.64±0.09x105 cfu/ml, Hydrocarbon Utilizing Fungi; 7.9±0.21x103 to 8.6±1.00x103 cfu/ml. Bacterial isolates belonging to the genera Escherichia, Citrobacter, Bacillus, Salmonella, Shigella, Proteus, Flavobacterium, Vibrio, Micrococcus and Pseudomonas. were isolated and identified. The fungal isolates belonged to the genera Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Saccharomyces and Candida. On the other hand, Unknown (50.16%), Acinetobacter (8.34%), Ignatzschineria (4.73%), Planctomyces (3.28%), Anaerospora (3.27%), RS62 (2.73%), Methylophaga (1.64%), Wohlfahrtiimonas (1.31%), Myroides (1.23%) and Candidatus (0.95%) were captured by metagenomics analysis at the generic level. All the physicochemical parameters conformed to WHO and NIS standards for potable water except for Turbidity and Magnesium. Cultural methods used in this study were able to identify many potential water borne pathogens, metagenomics captured more microbial groups and give a better insight to bacterial composition and diversity. The presence of theses pathogenic bacteria underlies poor water quality and can pose public health threat to man and aquatic fauna. There is need to adhere to good hygienic practices and minimize the direct discharge of waste without proper treatment.

Valve gaping behaviour in the European oyster (Ostrea edulis) in response to changes in light intensity when combined with variations in salinity and seawater temperature

Valve gaping behaviour in bivalve molluscs controls the flow of water across gills that provides both food, and oxygen for respiration. Closure of the valves also provides protection from predators and poor-quality water conditions. Research presented here used a flow through seawater system with controlled changes in salinity and temperature, combined with continuous measurement of valve gape using Hall effect sensors, to study how changes in these variables affect the valve movements of the European oyster (Ostrea edulis) held under controlled long day-length conditions. A clear relationship between periods of reduced light intensity and maximum valve gape was recognised in preliminary studies and provided a benchmark against which to compare how changes in environmental conditions linked to climate change may alter the behaviour of these coastal marine bivalves. Oysters collected from the southwest coast of Norway in August 2022 were held for 72 h at full seawater salinity of 33.6 and a temperature of 15.8 ± 0.5 °C prior to exposure to a reduction in salinity down to 18.2 over a 3 h period. Oysters showed an initial reduction in valve gape width as salinity reached 31.4, with valve gape decreasing further as salinity fell to 28.8. All valves were fully closed at salinity 20.5. Oysters remained in this condition throughout the subsequent 21 h exposure period with salinity at 18.2. Thereafter salinity was increased in 3 steps. In the first step, salinity reached 24.2 over 2 h, and was held there over the following 22 h. All oysters commenced re-opening valves between salinity 22.8 and 24.2. When salinity was further increased to 27.3 over the subsequent 24 h, oysters returned to approximately their pre-exposure valve gape widths. When salinity 33.8 was delivered to the tanks there were 2 d during which maximum valve gape was significantly reduced, after which valve gape width returned to a pre-exposure condition. The predicted pattern of valve opening during reduced light intensity periods was maintained when seawater temperature was raised from 15.8 °C up to 20.1 °C in approximately 1 °C steps every 24 h. However, reduction of temperature from 20.1 °C in similar sized increments altered the expected patterns of behaviour. The results indicate that increasing occurrences of fluxes in salinity and temperature due to climate change have the potential to disrupt normal valve gaping behaviour in European oysters, creating an additional challenge to those they already face from invasive species and disease.

Edukasi Monitoring Kualitas Air Pada Kelompok Tani Tambak Desa Margoyoso Pati Jawa Tengah

Water quality is one of the most influential factors in the process of cultivating fish in ponds, so it is necessary to monitor water quality regularly to obtain viable and abundant fish commodities. The obstacle in fish farming is the problem of unproductive land due to poor water quality. The low understanding of pond farmers regarding water quality is also one of the factors in decreasing income from fish farming in ponds. Thus it is necessary to carry out education related to monitoring pond water quality to farmers. This community service activity was carried out at the pond farmer group in Margoyoso Pati Village, Central Java on Saturday, August 12, 2023. The community service partner for this activity is the “Bersatu Makmur” farmer group. The implementation of this service activity is divided into two sessions. The first session was a material delivery session on water quality monitoring education while the second session was the practice of monitoring water quality in the farmers' pond locations. The result of this community service activity is the increased understanding of pond farmers in Margoyoso Village, Pati Regency, Central Java regarding monitoring water quality according to the parameters of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI).

Geochemical evaluation of groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes in arid and semiarid regions: The case of Zeuss-Koutine and a part of Mio-Plio-Quaternary aquifers (SE Tunisia)

Water scarcity is a significant issue in the southeastern region of Tunisia, where the sole source of water is from overexploited, salinized, and contaminated aquifers. Despite considerable advancements in studying groundwater hydrochemistry in the study area, Jeffara plain, further investigation is crucial to comprehensively assess groundwater quality in greater depth. The present study investigates the hydrochemistry of the Zeuss-Koutine (ZK) and a part of Mio-Plio-Quaternary (MPQ) groundwater of the Jeffara plain to identify groundwater quality and assess its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes, as it serves as a vital water source for various sectors. Groundwater samples were collected from 43 exploitation wells and analyzed for temperature, pH, conductivity, major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+), major anions (Cl−, HCO3−, NO3−, SO42−), F−, trace elements and NH4+. The findings revealed that the groundwater hydrochemical type in the ZK aquifer is dominated by Na–Ca/SO4–Cl, while the MPQ samples fall under the Na–Ca–Mg/SO4–Cl category. Most of samples show too high concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, Cl−, SO42− and Fluoride. The studied groundwaters are highly affected by gypsum dissolution. The WQI indicate that 86% of samples have poor and very poor water quality and 14% are unsuitable for drinking. These findings are further supported by the TH measurements, which classify all water samples as very hard and unsuitable for drinking purposes. Irrigation water quality index indicate that samples fall in severe and high restriction, so, careful attention should be given to the high sodium and salinity content when used in intensive irrigation. The combination of water quality indices and GIS tools is performed to raise awareness among decision makers about groundwater availability and quality in the study area. Additionally, the need to develop strategies for the treatment and preservation of these valuable resources.

Failure Analysis of Galvanized Iron Pipe at Perumda Tirta Kanjuruhan

The most commonly used type of water pipe is iron pipe or commonly called Galvanized Iron pipe. The disadvantage of GI pipe is that it rusts easily. So it can result in degradation, decreased efficiency and construction, poor water quality, and higher maintenance costs. Water channeled through rusty pipes will pollute the water and adversely affect the health of those who consume it. This study aims to determine the factors causing failures of GI pipe in the distribution pipeline that have failed due to corrosion. The tested pipes is 1/2"ᴓ sized, 5-year-old corroded pipe whose distribution uses a gravity system and a pumping system. To support this analysis, operational data on fluid and environmental conditions around the pipeline are needed, observations on macro and micro structures, and hardness testing. The corrosion rate is calculated through the thickness loss method and the corrosion rate in the gravity system is 0.153 mm / year that higher than pipe in pumping system. Microstructure observations support the characterization of the material that this pipe is a mild steel, where this type of steel has a high Fe content so it is vulnerable to corrosion attacks. Rockwell hardness testing showed that the corrosion rate is directly proportional to the hardness value of the pipeline. The results of the analysis show that the environment around the pipe which has low soil resistivity and high humidity levels is the main factor in the occurrence of uniform corrosion of the pipe. The selection of inappropriate materials is also supportive as the cause of corrosion occurring.

Water quality prediction based on AR and LSTM model

Prediction for water quality is essential because poor water quality can result in serious health problems. Turbidity is one indicator to measure water quality. This research uses time series models, the Autoregressive (AR) model and the Long short-term memory (LSTM) model, to predict the turbidity of water based on the dataset collected from Chicago Park District with a long-term time series from 2013 to 2021. Data cleaning and data exploration are done before building the model, and the stationary test and seasonality test are executed to prepare qualified time series. Also, ACF and PACF plots are drawn to figure out the order of AR to select the best model for prediction. AR Model is a traditional time series model which can make a prediction based on the previous values of time series, and LSTM Model is an advanced Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) designed to prevent the gradient from either decaying or exploding when learning from long-term sequences. The research applies these two models to the water quality data and makes an evaluation and comparison between them. It is found that the LSTM Model has a better performance in forecasting a long-period time series than the AR Model.

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.

Edukasi Melalui Media Kwartet dalam Peningkatan Pemahaman Mengenai Air Bersih dan Sanitasi kepada Siswa SMAN 1 Pariaman

Based on data from the Health Office of Pariaman City in 2020, 1049 cases of diarrhoea were found. One of the causes is influenced by poor sanitation conditions and water quality, so it needs to be a concern for all levels of society, especially the younger generation. They have an essential role as a driving force for good sanitation for society, which is helpful for survival in the future. In order to reduce the number of cases of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases, education was carried out using two methods for SMAN 1 Pariaman students, namely the lecture and quartet cards. Pre and post-tests were carried out to compare the effectiveness of the two methods. The pre and post-test scores had an average increase of 2.2 points; for the lecture method, the average increased by 0.4 points. The results obtained from both methods show an increase in the knowledge. However, compared with the difference in the increase of average value pre and post-test, the quartet card games were more effective in increasing student knowledge. This media quartet can continue to be used in health promotion.

Optimization of water quality index models using machine learning approaches.

To optimize the water quality index (WQI) assessment model, this study upgraded the parameter weight values and aggregation functions. We determined the combined weights based on machine learning and game theory to improve the accuracy of the models, and proposed new aggregation functions to reduce the uncertainty of the model. A new water quality assessment system was established, and took the Chaobai River Basin as a case study. To optimize the weight, two combined weights were established based on game theory. The weight CWAE was combined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy Weight Method (EWM). The weight CWAL was combined by AHP and machine learning (LightGBM). CWAL was judged to be an optimal composite weight by comparing the coefficient of variation (CV) values and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) extracted values. To reduce the uncertainty of the model, we proposed two aggregation functions, the Sinusoidal Weighted Mean (SWM) and the Log-weighted Quadratic Mean (LQM). The three water quality assessment models (WQIS, WQIL and WQIW) were established based on the optimal weights besides. All three models had good reliability. Both WQIS and WQIW models had low eclipsing problems (25.49% and 18.63%). The accuracy of the models was ranked as WQIS > WQIW > WQIL. The uncertainty of WQIs (0.000) in assessing poor water quality was low, and so was WQIW (0.259) in assessing good water quality. Overall, the WQIS model was recommended for assessing poor water quality and the WQIW model was recommended for assessing good water quality. The assessment results of WQIS showed that the Chaobai River Basin was "slightly polluted", and the water quality upstream was better than that downstream. TN was the main pollutant in the basin, and there was slight pollution with CODMn, CODCr, BOD5, etc. There was little metal contamination, only a few months exceeded Class I. The model established in this study can provide a reference for the same type work of water quality assessment. The assessment results can provide a scientific basis for the protection of the regional water environment.

Analysis of Well Water Quality Index as Panacea for Sustainable Healthy Living in Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria

This investigation was carried out to analyze the hand-dug well water quality index as a panacea for sustainable healthy living in Zing Local Government Area of Taraba state, Nigeria. Ten (10) different hand-dug well water samples were studied for a period of six months (October- March). Various physicochemical parameters such as PH, EC, Turbidity, Total hardness, total dissolves solids, chlorides, sulphates, calcium, magnesium, total alkalinity, fluorides and phosphates were assessed using standard methods and instruments recommended by WHO. The arithmetic index method was adopted to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI). The investigations revealed that Zing A1, Zing A2, Yakoko, Monkin A and Monkin B, Lamma, Bitako and Bubong hand-dug well water were not suitable for domestic uses, while Zing B and Dinding showed a very poor water quality for domestic uses and human consumptions. It was therefore recommended that alternative portable sources of drinking water for these communities be provided to avert contracting waterborne diseases and that regular monitoring be encouraged by authority concerns.

Assessing surface water uses by water quality index: application of Qalyubia Governorate, Southeast Nile Delta, Egypt

In this study, water quality index (WQI) was applied at one of the most crowded Nile reaches surroundings in Egypt to investigate its impacts on different water uses. Twelve sites are selected for monitoring (S1–S12) within the irrigation system network of the Qalyubia Governorate, and water samples from these locations in 2021 were collected, analyzed, assessed, and compared to analyze water quality data collected in 2014 in light of the Egyptian permissible water quality limits regarding the drinking and irrigation uses. These two main sets of data were chosen to emphasize the change in WQI within this period, denoting the time before the epidemic COVID19 and after the lockdown of the epidemic in 2021 in the study area. Fifteen physicochemical water parameters were measured. The results show that the WQI for the surface water monitoring sites is classified as good quality except for S8, which showed a poor water quality type. In addition, S2 has recorded a BOD concentration of 6.4 mg/L, which is slightly above the Egyptian limit (6 mg/L). Also, S8 recorded a slight increase in Fe, Mn, and F compared to permissible concentrations. TDS varies between 258.08, 318, and (249 ± 18.2) mg/L for minimum, maximum, and average ± standard deviation, respectively, indicating suitable irrigation water. The study suggests that surface water can be used to irrigate crops, but it should be purified before being used for drinking purposes. A comparison of the water quality parameters for the years 2014 and 2021 for the sites S1, S4, S5, S7, S9, and S10 reveals an increase in water quality from poor (2014) to good (2021). Therefore, the poor water quality in 2014 can be referred the effect of inadequate sewage treatment, industrial wastewater flows, and urban runoff discharge, which had been decreased with the decrease in different activities during the epidemic period and lockdown.

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.

Morphometric responses of two zooxanthellate octocorals along a water quality gradient in the Cuban northwestern coast.

Octocoral abundance is increasing on Caribbean reefs, and one of the possible causes is their vertical morphological plasticity that allows them to grow above the substrate to reduce the effect of processes that occur in it (e.g., scour by sediments) as well as adapt to environmental gradients. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric response of two octocorals species (Eunicea flexuosa and Plexaura kükenthali) with different life strategies in a water quality gradient. The research was carried out between 2008 and 2016 on eight forereefs of northwest Cuba. Different morphometric indicators were measured in the colonies of both species found within a belt transect (100 x 2 m) randomly located at each site. The lowest means in height, diameter, number of terminal branches/colony, cover index, and least arborescent colonies of E. flexuosa were detected at the sites with the greatest anthropogenic pollution. The water quality gradient did not explain the variability of the five morphometric indicators of P. kükenthali. However, hydrodynamic stress was the factor that most negatively affected the morphometry of this species. The chronic effect of poor water quality over time resulted in more small sized colonies of E. flexuosa at the polluted site, probably due to higher mortality. The size distribution of P. kükenthali also showed the same trend but at the sites with greater hydrodynamic stress. These results show that the morphometric response of octocorals along a water quality gradient is species-specific. This study suggests that poor water quality decreases the size and thus availability of habitat provided by octocorals sensitive to that factor (e.g., E. flexuosa) while other tolerant species (e.g., P. kükenthali) could provide the habitat of several organisms in a scenario of increasing anthropogenic pollution.

Internet of Things untuk Sistem Pemantauan Kualitas Air pada Kolam Ikan Lele pada Pembudidaya TDR Sultan Adam Banjarmasin

TDR Catfish Farmer Sultan Adam Banjarmasin is a home industry (IRT) engaged in the business of catfish farming located on Jl. Sultan Adam No.17 RT.22, Surgi Mufti, North Banjarmasin. In the management of catfish farming, water quality is an important factor in the success of cultivation where poor water quality can cause fish to be more susceptible to disease. Apart from these needs, the TDR of Sultan Adam Catfish Farmers actually has problems in the process of monitoring pond water quality conditions which are currently carried out manually and periodically by breeders. This process is considered ineffective because it is difficult to determine water quality from the physical condition of the water which changes rapidly due to weather or fish feed residue. The solution offered to solve this problem is to develop a tool that can monitor temperature conditions and the acidity of catfish pond water automatically and in real time. This innovation was developed by utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) through the use of the DS18B20 temperature sensor and SS15 pH sensor on the ESP32 WROOM-32D microcontroller. The results of system testing from fuzzy logic calculations at the output of the microcontroller and Matlab and the suitability of expert information in determining pool water quality obtained an average error value of 0.46%. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the IoT-based water quality monitoring system in determining water quality is suitable for direct use.