Poor Water Quality Research Articles

Self Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System: A Comrhensive Review

SNEDDS is also important to create a wide interface for distributing the hydrophobic drug between the oil and aqueous phase, increasing the overall bioavailability of the drug.This process can be stabilized using emulsifiers that reduce interfacial tension.Self-nanoemulsified dosage forms can improve the oral bioavailability of biopharmaceutical class II and IV drugs, The potential mechanism by which SNEDDS increases oral bioavailability.Oral administration of peptides due to proteins is a very difficult task due to poor water quality, poor permeability and tolerance of intestinal environmental stability. Many strategies are being investigated to increase the oral absorption of protein. Recently, evaluated the ability of SNEDDS to improve the oral bioavailability of β-lactamase, a model protein. SNEDDS to the solid state can reduce chemical degradation, but in many cases does not eliminate it. Therefore, it is important to identify microenvironment modification strategies to improve the stability of pH-sensitive drugs.

Soil quality in the urban gardens of Barcelona (Spain)

PurposeUrban agriculture is expanding worldwide and is being promoted by the FAO as a strategic activity because of its environmental, socio-economic, and educational benefits for citizens. In Spain, it is estimated that there are more than 20,000 urban gardens. There are many variables to take into account when starting to cultivate an urban garden, among which the quality of the soil is crucial. Nevertheless, some studies have shown high levels of contamination in soils dedicated to urban horticulture. The sources of contamination can be various, such as previous unrecognized management and irrigation with poor quality water, or the addition of polluted compost and other soil improvers. Soil contamination can migrate to vegetables and fruits, thus entering the food chain.Materials and methodsIn this study, we analyzed the soils from ten urban gardens in the city of Barcelona, with a special focus on possible contaminants. Based on the possibility that irrigation water is a source of pollution, this was also analyzed in all investigated gardens.Results and discussionSome of the waters analyzed for irrigation have a high concentration of salts, and a few of them contain nitrites, which are listed as a pollutant. The dominant texture of the soils was sandy clay loam and loamy sand, the pH was generally high, between 7.87 and 8.41, clearly carbonated, with Ca generally being the dominant exchangeable cation, but without the risk of a high percentage of active carbonates that could make it difficult to grow vegetables. The content in organic matter was very variable, but in all cases it appeared to be potentially incrementable. The three tests used to check possible soil contamination from heavy metals, do not attest to significant pollution.ConclusionsThe soil quality overall is suitable for growing vegetables and allowing growers to work in these areas in complete safety. Although it would be necessary to analyze also other toxic elements, not considered in this study, some of the measured ones could come from the gases of road transport or even from the port of Barcelona.

One hundred priority questions for advancing seagrass conservation in Europe

Societal Impact StatementSeagrass ecosystems are of fundamental importance to our planet and wellbeing. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, which engineer ecosystems that provide a multitude of ecosystem services, for example, blue foods and carbon sequestration. Seagrass ecosystems have largely been degraded across much of their global range. There is now increasing interest in the conservation and restoration of these systems, particularly in the context of the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis. The collation of 100 questions from experts across Europe could, if answered, improve our ability to conserve and restore these systems by facilitating a fundamental shift in the success of such work.SummarySeagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services including biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. In Europe, seagrasses can be found in shallow sheltered waters along coastlines, in estuaries & lagoons, and around islands, but their distribution has declined. Factors such as poor water quality, coastal modification, mechanical damage, overfishing, land‐sea interactions, climate change and disease have reduced the coverage of Europe’s seagrasses necessitating their recovery. Research, monitoring and conservation efforts on seagrass ecosystems in Europe are mostly uncoordinated and biased towards certain species and regions, resulting in inadequate delivery of critical information for their management. Here, we aim to identify the 100 priority questions, that if addressed would strongly advance seagrass monitoring, research and conservation in Europe. Using a Delphi method, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with seagrass experience from across Europe and with diverse seagrass expertise participated in the process that involved the formulation of research questions, a voting process and an online workshop to identify the final list of the 100 questions. The final list of questions covers areas across nine themes: Biodiversity & Ecology; Ecosystem services; Blue carbon; Fishery support; Drivers, Threats, Resilience & Response; Monitoring & Assessment; Conservation & Restoration; Governance, Policy & Management; and Communication. Answering these questions will fill current knowledge gaps and place European seagrass onto a positive trajectory of recovery.

Determinants of Diarrhea Among Children Aged 1 to 6 Years in Flood-Affected Areas of Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Frequent floods can contribute to the spread of various diseases and complications, some of which may result in diarrhea, especially among children. The current study aimed to find the determinants of diarrhea among children aged 1-6 years in flood-affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted in flood-affected districts. Data regarding sociodemographic information related to diarrhea and anthropometric data were collected through a validated questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to find the determinants of diarrhea. In the presence of diarrhea, the prevalences found of stunting, wasting, and being underweight were 75.2%, 76.5%, and 74.1%, respectively, which is higher than those in children without diarrhea (stunting, 24.8%; wasting, 23.5%; and being underweight, 25.9%). In bivariate regression, children aged 2-4 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.65, P < 0.05), large family size (OR = 7.46, P < 0.01), low income (OR = 2.55, < 0.001), bathing in ponds (OR = 3.05, P < 0.05), drinking of untreated water (OR = 3, P < 0.05), flooding (OR = 1.8, P < 0.05), children living in mud houses (OR = 1.5, P < 0.05), and usage of utensils without lids (OR = 1.96, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with occurrence of diarrhea. In multivariate regression, the identified risk factors (P < 0.05) for diarrhea in flood-affected areas included illiterate mothers, flooding, large family size, households without livestock, poor water quality, untreated water, and lack of toilet facilities. In conclusion, addressing the determinants of diarrhea identified in this study is crucial for mitigating the impact of frequent floods on children in flood-affected areas. Moreover, the higher prevalence of malnutrition underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies and proper water, sanitation, and hygiene programs to reduce the occurrence and determinants of diarrhea.

Joint Optimization of Urban Water Quantity and Quality Allocation in the Plain River Network Area

Cities located in the plain river network area possess abundant water resources. However, due to urbanization and industrialization, there is a severe water shortage problem caused by poor water quality. To overcome this issue, a multi-objective optimal allocation model of water quantity and quality is proposed. The model considers regional water resources, economic, social, and environmental requirements and uses the NSGA-II genetic algorithm for model solution. Furthermore, to evaluate and analyze the degree of spatial equilibrium of regional water resources and how it relates to economic factors, the study uses the spatial equilibrium theory of water resources and the Gini coefficient of water resources. Jingjiang, a city in Jiangsu Province characterized by a typical plain river network area, was selected as the study area. The results of the optimal allocation of water resources in Jingjiang City show that: (1) total water consumption and chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions for the current planning period are within their respective limits. In addition, the implementation of the water conservation program has resulted in a 5% reduction in total water shortages and a reduction of COD emissions by 1276 tons, (2) the structure of the water supply in Jingjiang City has been optimized; more than 90% of Ⅳ~V surface water is used for agriculture, and the domestic water supply is mainly from transit water, which effectively ensures that high-quality water is used in the domestic water supply, (3) the spatial equilibrium coefficient of water resources per sub-area is between 0.33 and 0.74, indicating an unbalanced or almost unbalanced level. The application of a water conservation program has resulted in the improvement of the spatial equilibrium level of water resources in each sub-area, with an overall spatial equilibrium of 0.64, indicating a more balanced level; the degree of matching of water resources with population, GDP, and land area is at the matching level, (4) according to the Gini coefficient of the distribution of water resources, the plains river network area displays a better match between water resources and economic and social factors of each water receiving area, thanks to its unique geographical location and natural conditions. This study can serve as a decision-making reference for addressing the urban water quality water shortage problem in the plain river network area.

An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river

Although intermittent and ephemeral rivers lack surface flow for part of the year, they provide vital refuges for biota in otherwise dry semi-arid and arid landscapes. The hydrology of many such rivers has been altered due to river regulation and climate change. Environmental flows can be delivered to address the negative impacts of regulated flows, however there is limited knowledge of how dry ephemeral ecosystems respond following environmental flows. This study examined changes in water quality of the ephemeral Thule Creek in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, Australia, following delivery of environmental water from an irrigation canal. We also examined how the environmental flow influenced water quality of Wakool River that receives inflows from Thule Creek. Six sites in Thule Creek, three in Wakool River, and one in Yarraman irrigation channel (source water) were monitored for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nutrients and dissolved oxygen (DO) once per week over 15 weeks from October 2019 to January 2020. The environmental flow resulted in high DOC concentrations (4.4–76 mg/L). Although low DO levels at sites in Thule Creek were recorded on some dates below the threshold for fish stress (&amp;lt; 4 mg/L) there were no fish kills observed during the environmental flow. The carbon-rich and nutrient-rich water (DOC &amp;gt;10 mg/L, total phosphorus up to 94 μg/L, total nitrogen up to 1,125 μg/L) was detected in the Wakool River downstream of Thule Creek confluence compared to the Wakool River upstream of Thule Creek confluence (DOC 6.6 mg/L, total phosphorus up to 64 μg/L, total nitrogen up to 805 μg/L) during the period when the environmental flow in Thule Creek was connected with the Wakool River. This research provides an example of how irrigation canal networks can be used to deliver environmental water to an ephemeral river to maintain refuges and contribute to the productivity of a receiving river further downstream. Careful management of the timing, volume and duration of environmental flows in arid or semi-arid landscapes is needed to avoid the development of poor water quality during, or following, the delivery of environmental water.

Flowing Through Change: Investigating the Impacts of Human Activities on Urban River Water Quality in the Kumba River, South West Region of Cameroon

This study seeks to examine the relationship between the different urban land use activities in the Kumba metropolis and the related implications on the Kumba river water quality. This involved collection of water samples from the Kumba river as well as performing laboratory tests to determine variations in the river&amp;apos;s Physical, chemical and bacteriological properties. The parameters analyzed were temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, Electrical Conductivity, odour, colour, turbidity, nitrite, nitrate, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, phosphorus, chlorine, nitrates, nitrites and some heavy metals like copper, phosphate, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and Faecal Coliform. Water samples were collected from five sampling points in the month of February 2023(peak dry season) and in the month of April 2023(for the rainy season). The data from the analysis of the water samples were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, on both Microsoft Excel and SPSS. The study found that the p values were less than 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%, which suggests that the Kumba River is polluted due to the effects of different urban land use activities in the city. The water quality parameters of the collected samples showed that areas with high dependence on the river for urban activities registered significantly poor water quality, compared to samples with limited dependence on the river for urban land uses. Based on these findings, it is recommended that anthropogenic activities within the area be closely monitored as urbanization continues to rapidly occur and its effects continue to pollute the river, making it harmful not only to ecosystems but also rendering it unfit for river channel crop cultivation. Additionally, the study concluded that changes in Land Use Land Cover (LULC) between 2007 and 2023 have statistically significant effects on the physicochemical and microbial water quality of the Kumba River. Therefore, it is vital to address the rate at which forests are being converted to agricultural lands and the intense use of agrochemicals on these farms and plantations.

WITHDRAWN: Effects of hydraulic retention time and cultivation on nutrients removal and biomass production in wastewater by membrane photobioreactor: modeling and optimization by machine learning and response surface methodology

Discharge of excess nutrients in wastewater can potentially cause eutrophication and poor water quality in the aquatic environment. A new approach of nutrients removal in wastewater is by utilizing microalgae which grow by absorbing CO2 from air. Furthermore, the use of membrane photo-bioreactor (MPBR) that combines membranes and photo-bioreactor has emerged as a novel wastewater treatment method. This research sought to model, forecast, and optimize the behavior of dry biomass, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in MPBR by response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms, which saved time and resources of experimental work. The independent variables that have been used for modeling were hydraulic retention time (HRT) and cultivation. For this purpose, the dry biomass of algal production, DIN and DIP behavior were modeled by RSM and ANN algorithms, to identify the optimum mode of processing. RSM modeling has shown good agreement with experimental data. According to RSM optimization, the optimum mode for DIN and DIP occurred at 1.15 days of HRT and 1.92 days of cultivation. The ANN showed better performance than the RSM model, with the margin of deviation being less than 10%. Furthermore, the ANN algorithm showed higher accuracy than RSM method in predicting the dry biomass, DIN and DIP behavior in MPBR.

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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &lt;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.

Commercial Cultivation of Edible Halophytes: The Issue of Oxalates and Potential Mitigation Options

Saline agriculture, including the commercial cultivation of edible halophytes, is expanding rapidly to address the increase in salinised soil due to natural and man-made causes, the decline in availability of fresh water, the increased use of poor-quality water, and increasing food insecurity. Halophytes, as food crops, offer an innovative new opportunity in agriculture, many being highly nutritious and containing bioactive compounds. However, the commercial production of edible halophytes to meet emerging consumer demands faces several challenges. This review examines the market potential for the expansion of edible halophyte crops and the challenges of consumer acceptance and production capacity beyond wild harvest. In addition to beneficial compounds, halophytes are known to contain several anti-nutrient compounds, which can have negative health consequences. In edible halophytes, oxalates are of particular concern. However, research has shown that there are ways to mitigate the accumulation of oxalate through processing, agronomic practice, and genetic engineering. These approaches are presented as potential strategies that can be used in commercial farming systems to reduce the levels of this compound.

Current state of zooplankton and zoobenthos in the lower stream of the Chulym river (Obi river basin)

A comparison was made of the numerical indicators of zooplankton and zoobenthos of the Chulym River in comparison with those obtained in 1972–1973 in order to assess the transformation of the ecosystem that has occurred over 50 years. It is shown that the zooplankton of the Chulym River has undergone dramatic changes, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The number of zooplankton increased 4–5 times due to small rotifers. At the same time, the zooplankton biomass, and therefore the feed value, decreased by more than half due to a reduction in the number of large crustaceans. The species composition of structure-forming zooplankton species has changed. The number of rotifer species in the riverbed decreased from 55 rotifers to 34. The species of Trichocerca family dropped out of the dominant composition and representatives of the river began to dominate Brachionus family. There is a significant change in the structure of zoobenthos: the number of organisms in the Chulym River bed is 5 times lower than in the 1970s. The species composition in benthic communities has remained almost unchanged over 50 years, while the proportion of some heterotopic insects (caddis flies, mayflies, stoneflies) has increased, and the proportion of oligochaetes, mollusks and chironomids in the biomass has decreased by 4–5 times. In the accessory reservoirs of Chulym, the abundance and biomass of zooplankton and zoobenthos over the past 50 years have remained more or less stable, which may indicate the presence of chronic pollution that affects the ecosystem of the main river channel and does not have time to have a negative impact on the accessory reservoirs during floods. The water quality indicators of the Chulym River and its subsidiary reservoirs, according to biotic indices, are low and correspond to a low or poor water quality class. Such conditions are unfavorable for the further development of zoobenthos and, accordingly, ichthyofauna, for which bottom invertebrates are the food supply.

Hydrogeochemical and isotopic assessment of the origin of NO3− and N–NH3 contents in the aquifer located in a closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin in the metropolitan area of Mexico City

To explain the presence and spatial distribution of NO3− and N–NH3 in the Aquifer of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (AMAMC), a hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis using 13CDIC (as well as the stable isotopes 18O and 2H) in groundwater was conducted. This aquifer is located in an old closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin; some wells hosted in the semi-confined zone contain high N–NH3 concentrations, while others present NO3− contents in the recharge zones (hosted in an oxidizing environment). In this study, a change in the isotopic signature (primarily in 18O and 2H) was observed from the recharge zones to the basin center in some of the wells with high NO3− concentrations, this behavior can be attributed to evaporation during the incorporation of recently infiltrated water. In addition, the results for 13C (along with 2H) in wells with the highest N–NH3 concentrations exhibited an atypically broad range of values. Results indicated the occurrence of hydrogeochemical and/or biochemical processes in the aquifer (in an oxidizing or reducing environment), such as organic degradation, bacterial decomposition (primarily in the ancient Lake Texcoco and which acts as a natural sink for carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus), besides rock weathering and dissolution, which may be responsible for a very marked isotopic modification of the 13C (and, to a lesser extent, 2H). Methanotrophic bacterial activity and methanogenic activity may be related to N–NH3 removal processes by oxidation and residual water incorporation respectively, whereas the increase in the NO3− content in some wells is due to the recent contribution of poor-quality water due to contamination.

Microbial water quality investigation through flow cytometry fingerprinting: from source to tap

Abstract Ensuring the quality of treated drinking water is crucial for preventing potential health impacts, regulatory fines, and reputation damage. Traditional culture-based microbiological methods often fail to capture the heterogeneity of the bacterial communities in drinking water. This study employed daily interstage monitoring and flow cytometry (FCM) analysis over a period of one year to investigate the dynamics of water treatment processes and service reservoirs. The objective of this study was to test the utility of FCM fingerprints for aiding in microbial event detection. We found that the chlorine concentration contact time was pivotal for microbial log reduction across the treatment works. FCM fingerprints exhibited significant deviations during operational events, such as process interruptions, but did not correlate with the presence of bacterial indicator organisms in the distributed and tap water. Furthermore, the diversity of bacterial fingerprints, quantified by the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index, served as an indicator for identifying potentially poor microbial water quality. In chlorinated waters with low cell counts, the background signal shows potential as a metric to differentiate between different water sources, thereby offering the possibility to characterize breakthrough events in these circumstances that challenge most other microbial analytical methods. Interestingly, groundwater from simpler treatment works showed a higher occurrence of bacterial indicators, whereas surface water works had a lower incidence. These findings underpin the importance of appropriate disinfection even for “low-risk” source waters and the added value that the statistical interpretation of FCM data can offer objective decision making.

Evaluation of the toxicological effects of uranium on human health in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, with reference to the water quality index

Groundwater is an important resource and approximate 80% of the world’s population depends solely on it to satisfy their needs. In the present investigation groundwater quality was assessed using WQI. For the same parameters viz, temperature, pH, conductivity, DO, alkalinity, TDS, sulphate, fluoride, bicarbonate, chloride, uranium, total hardness, calcium and magnesium hardness were assessed during post monsoon period in November 2021 in the Chandrapur region. For conducting this research total 116 groundwater samples were collected from different hydrological stations for the assessment of WQI. WQI is an important tool to assess quality of water for drinking and is classified as excellent to unsafe, i.e., 0-100 score. In this investigation WQI was found to be in the range between 27.63-674.56 exceeding both minimum and maximum score. The results of the present investigation showed that only 5.17% of water is safe for drinking,18% of water indicated poor water quality, 15% of water has very poor water quality and 77% of water is unsuitable for drinking purpose and proper treatment is required before use. During this investigation uranium in groundwater was also assessed considering its chemotoxical and radiological effects on human health. The chemotoxical and radiological effects were analyzed adopting standard equations given by USEPA. The radiological risk of mortality and morbidity was found to be 1.37E-05-1.47E-05, respectively. Thus, presence of uranium was noted and radiological risk was found to be below the permissible limit of AERB standard. The chemical toxicity of average value of Lifetime Average Daily Dose (LADD) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) was observed 0.315 and 0.00571, respectively and chemical toxicity of LADD was found to be in 8.62% sample population and above the permissible limits which can affect human health and can have kidney toxicity, bone and lung toxicity.

Effect of salinity and drip fertigation on maize (&lt;i&gt;Zea mays&lt;/i&gt;) and water use efficiency

Climatic variability is immensely pressurised on freshwater availability in arid and semi-arid ecosystems, leading to poor quality water for crop production not becoming uncommon, especially in coastal ecosystems. A field experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season of 2022–23 at the Saline Water Scheme at Agricultural College Farm, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh to assess the impact of saline water on maize growth, yield and water use efficiency under drip fertigation. The experiment consisted 8 treatments laid in randomized block design (RBD) with 4 replications. The utilization of the BAW irrigation method, together with the application of a prescribed quantity of fertilizer, resulted in the highest plant height and dry matter accumulation during all phases of crop growth. These outcomes were comparable to those achieved by using a combination of fresh water and saline water with an electrical conductivity of 2 dS/m. The maximum values for the number of kernels per cob (451), cob length (17.2 cm), cob weight (164.4 g), kernel yield (7.38 t/ha), stover yield (9.61 t/ha) and water use efficiency (18.5 kg/ha mm) of maize were observed under the irrigation treatment T4. The parameters exhibited their minimum values when irrigation was conducted using water with a salt level of 4 dS/m and no fertilizers were used. However, there was no statistically significant difference observed in the number of cobs per plant and harvest index of maize when saline water was used in conjunction with drip fertigation. In the context of maize cultivation, employing a cyclic irrigation technique that alternates between salty (EC 2–4 dS/m) and freshwater sources, in conjunction with recommended dose of fertiliser (RDF) has the potential to deliver comparable crop development, productivity, and economic benefits when compared to the use of freshwater sources alone.

Tidal asymmetry and mud transport in Oualidia Lagoon: Actual conditions in 2012 and rehabilitation scenarios

Oyster aquaculture in Oualidia Lagoon, Morocco, has suffered from poor water quality and water confinement in its upstream region. Tidal asymmetry (TA) has been suggested as a possible cause, and a sediment trap was dredged in 2011 to mitigate this condition. This study addresses TA in the lagoon using field measurements and numerical modeling in the presence of the sediment trap. Results indicate that the lagoon is flood-dominated mostly in its upstream end, where frictional forces exceed inertia accelerations during the tidal cycle and fine sediments settle on the tidal flats and inside the sediment trap. However, this study shows that a large mass of suspended sediments is exported to the ocean, which is contrary to expectations in flood-dominated lagoons. Defining the sediment trap as the rehabilitation scenario S1, the impacts of three additional scenarios on TA are examined. These are scenario S2 (dredging the upstream section of the main channel), scenario S3 (dredging the channels surrounding the flood delta near the inlets), and scenario S4 (raising the ocean level by 0.5 m following climate change predictions). Results show that none of these scenarios modify the tidal flood dominance in the lagoon, although scenarios S2 and S4 decrease its intensity in the upstream region. Nevertheless, all scenarios still contribute to a significant export of sediments to the ocean. This suggests that lagoon management activities should not rely on tidal asymmetry analyses that normally predict upstream sediment transport in flood-dominated lagoons.

Groundwater Assessment in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques, WQI, and HPI

We conducted a study to assess the variations in groundwater quality and metal pollution and identify the sources in the U S Nagar district of Uttarakhand state of India using multivariate statistical techniques. The two essential indicators of any developed society are Safe drinking water and decontamination. This research aims to undertake drinking water quality analyses of the groundwater and the sources of contamination in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. We produced results of 250 samples collected from hand pumps (Govt. and Private) and artesian wells. We measured 19 parameters which nine physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, oxidation and reduction potential, salinity, fluoride, chloride, nitrate), 7 Heavy metals (Lead, nickel, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc) along with three metals (potassium, magnesium, sodium). Water quality index, Heavy metal pollution index, PCA (Principal component analysis)/FA (factor analysis), and CA (Cluster analysis) methods were applied. WQI index shows five samples (2 %) comes under the excellent, 211 samples (84.4 %) fall under good quality, and 34 samples (13.6 %) have poor water quality wqi status as per Yadav index. Further, referring to the Ramakrishnaiah index, 216 samples (86.4 %) fall under excellent quality and only 13 samples (13.6 %) come under good water quality. For HPI, as per Indian Standard, nearly 40.4% of samples show a low degree of pollution, 33.2% of samples show a medium degree of pollution, and 26.4% show a High degree of pollution. According to the International HPI standard, 46% of samples show a low degree of pollution, 38% have a medium degree, and 16% show a high-grade degree of pollution. The results of PCA show that groundwater has mainly geogenic (geochemical alteration and weathering of source rock like carbonate, dolomite, quartzite, etc.) followed by anthropogenic sources (agrogenic, domestic sewage and industrial wastes etc.). The results obtained through the PCA are also moderately supported by Cluster analysis. The cations which were over the limit in groundwater samples are presented in chronological order Fe &gt; Pb &gt; Ni &gt; Mg &gt; Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Cu, and significant anions were over the limit F¯ &gt; Cl¯, and the rest was under the limit. The highly heavy metal-contaminated drinking groundwater sample, being used for drinking purpose, is deteriorating and need a proper treatment strategy before domestic water supply.

Can citizen science inform science? Evaluating the results of the Bellingen Riverwatch citizen science program and a complimentary government monitoring program

In 2015, the sudden decline in the only known population of Myuchelys georgesi (the Bellinger River snapping turtle) triggered a strong community response, and a link between turtle mortality and poor water quality in the Bellinger River was suggested. A multi-agency investigation later attributed the mortalities of M. georgesi to a novel virus (the Bellinger River virus) and not a direct effect of poor water quality. However, a lack of consistent water quality or river health data in the catchment limited the research of factors that may have heightened susceptibility to the virus or exacerbated its symptoms. Community consultation identified strong connections with the riverine environment and highlighted the cultural, social, economic, and environmental values of the Bellinger River catchment. In 2017 OzGREEN, a not-for-profit environmental education charity based in Bellingen, built upon their existing citizen science water quality monitoring program in collaboration with the Saving our Species (SoS) team in the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), who provided funding and equipment and solicited the involvement of NSW Waterwatch, Western Sydney University and Taronga Zoo. Now known as Bellingen Riverwatch (Riverwatch), the program has become a long-term citizen science program that aims to assist the recovery of M. georgesi, now a critically endangered species, through the delivery of monthly water quality data covering the Bellinger River and its tributaries. SoS also engaged the DPE Estuaries and Catchments Team to commence the Bellinger River Health Program (BRHP), focusing on water quality and aquatic macroinvertebrates to assess river health, with the aim of providing scientifically rigorous data to support the management and recovery of M. georgesi. This case study compares and evaluates the Riverwatch citizen science and the BRHP professional science, examining methods and results to compare the accuracy of the citizen science data and assess its reliability for informing ongoing river management. The results demonstrate that Bellingen Riverwatch is a well-managed citizen science program and generally provides valid, accurate, and representative results that can be confidently used to enhance the spatial and temporal coverage of the professional science monitoring program.

A modified anaerobic-anoxic-oxic system for optimizing rural sewage treatment with fluctuating influent flows

Due to the challenges presented by rural environments, such as dispersion, fluctuation, and low efficiency, treating domestic sewage in rural areas requires a unique approach compared to urban areas. To address these challenges, this study proposes a modified AAO (anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic) system designed to effectively treat poor water quality caused by varying water quantity in rural sewage. After 127 days of operation with both single and multiple influent flows, the system consistently achieved effluent COD concentrations of 27.38 ± 19.13 mg/L, and TN concentrations below 15 mg/L. The removal rates of COD and TN reached 96 % and 80 %, respectively. Moreover, mass balance analysis showed that the multiple influent flow has higher pollutant removal efficiency than the single influent flow. Long-term operation increased the abundance of Rudaea, Luteococcus, Labrys, and Rhodoblastus in the system to become the dominant bacterial group compared with the inoculated sludge. The AAO-modified system is specifically designed to address the challenge of significant influent fluctuation coefficients by implementing structural modifications. It can systematically redistribute nutrients and enhance microbial activity, effectively adapting to fluctuating influent wastewater flows. Overall, this innovative system offers significant advantages for the treatment of domestic sewage in rural areas.

Aquaculture monitoring system using multi-layer perceptron neural network and adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system

&lt;span&gt;The water quality is the most important parameter for aquatic species health and growth. The condition is very critical and is essential to monitor continuously. Poor water quality will affect health, growth and ability of the animal to survive. These also affected their harvesting yields based on the amount and size of the animal. The main water parameters such dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, temperature, salinity and turbidity are monitored and control for good water quality. The data were acquired by the developed instrument and send wirelessly through GPRS/GSM module to cloud-based database. The data were retrieved and the water quality is predicted using fuzzy logic and multi-layer perceptron. MATLAB software was used for the model which is developed based on Mamdani fuzzy interface system. The membership functions of fuzzy were generated, as well as the simulation and analysis of the water quality system. Results show that the performance of fuzzy method can improve system performance in monitoring the water quality. This system also provides alert signals to farmers based on specific limit value for the water quality parameters. This will help the breeders to make certain adjustment to ensure suitable water quality for the aquaculture system.&lt;/span&gt;