bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of the impacts of climate changes and human activities on runoff in the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, China
Authors: Qiu Linghua , Peng Dingzhi , Xu Zongxue , Liu Wenfeng
Published: December 2015

Detecting the effects of climate changes and human activities on river regimes would help to identify the original driving forces of hydrological disturbances and highlight the mechanisms of such hydrological processes under changing conditions. Two non-parametric tests (Mann-Kendall and Pettitt) were applied to detect the change point of runoff (1964–2006) in the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River basin. The change point was determined to be 1980, which divided the period into two parts (the baseline period and the change period). Double mass curve and hydrological sensitivity-based methods were used to separate the impacts of climate changes and human activities on runoff variation. The results demonstrated that human activities were the dominant force affecting runoff variation in the upper and middle reaches of the basin. At the sub-basin level, climate changes played a more significant role in the upstream region, while human activities dominated in the midstream region. Therefore, different countermeasures should be taken in the upstream and midstream regions to ensure sustainable water resource development in the Heihe River basin.
Clustering analysis of regional reference evapotranspiration and its components based on climatic variables across northeast China, 1961–2010
Authors: Liu Yuan , Liu Buchun , Yang Xiaojuan , Bai Wei
Published: December 2015

Evapotranspiration integrates atmospheric demand and surface conditions. The Penman-Monteith equation was used to calculate annual and seasonal reference evapotranspiration (ET0) and thermodynamic and aerodynamic components (ETrad and ETaero) at 77 stations across northeast China, 1961–2010. The results were: (1) annual ETrad and ETaero had different regional distribution, annual ETrad values decreased from south to north, whereas the highest ETaero values were recorded in the eastern and western regions, the lowest in the central region; (2) seasonal ETaero distributions were similar to seasonal ET0, with a south–north longitudinal pattern, while seasonal ETrad distributions had a latitudinal east-west pattern; and (3) in the group for ET0 containing 69 sampling stations, effects of climatic variables on ET0 followed sunshine hours > relative humidity > maximum temperature > wind speed. Changes in sunshine hours had the greatest effect on ETrad, but wind speed and relative humidity were the most important variables to ETaero. The decline in sunshine duration, wind speed, or both over the study period appeared to be the major cause of reduced potential evapotranspiration in most of NEC. Wind speed had opposite effects on ETrad and ETaero, and therefore the effect of wind speed on ET0 was not significant.
A trialogue model for ecosystem governance
Authors: Hattingh J. , Maree G. A. , Ashton P. J. , Leaner J. J. , Turton A. R.
Published: December 2015

The International Symposium on Ecosystem Governance held in South Africa during 2005 enabled scientists from several disciplines to debate issues relating to governance. The symposium provided an opportunity to explore the concept of governance, particularly as it relates to ecosystem governance, by interrogating the concepts of a Trialogue Model; and helped to develop a set of pointers for research on ecosystem governance that could stimulate future cooperation.

The working hypothesis is that the Trialogue Model consists of six essential elements, and that successful governance—i.e. good governance—depends on the balance that is achieved between these elements.

The key issues relating to ecosystem governance are presented in this special edition of Water Policy. Each paper interrogates the Trialogue Model, while the pointers for research on ecosystem governance provide a useful way forward for the implementation of government tools. The Trialogue Model of governance provides a simple conceptual construct that directs discussion about current governance processes and structures at different scales. This introductory paper provides an overview of the papers in this special edition, and outlines the set of proposals for research on ecosystem governance.
The role of governance in countering corruption: an African case study
Authors: Earle A.
Published: December 2015

The Trialogue model of governance includes relationships between three main actor clusters—government, science and society—within which the quality of the relationships between the three actor-clusters “determines the extent to which government can generate the incentives needed to develop society by allowing science to inform the decision-making process”. Corruption, in the form of the bribery of a public official, diminishes the quality of the relationship between the society cluster, usually in the form of private-sector business interests, and government. The drop in quality in this relationship has a negative impact on the quality of the government—science interface, due to increased project costs, in turn dropping the quality of the science—society interface, due to a drop in quality or increase in the price of services. Far from being purely a morally detestable action, corruption has a direct impact on the level of development of both a society and a country, undermining efforts to promote growth, equity and access to services. The asymmetries in power between some of the large corporations and developing countries has led to a situation where corruption is taken as the norm and it is assumed that there is very little that can be done about it. The case study of how Lesotho confronted corruption on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, leading to the prosecution of the Chief Executive of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority as well as three multinational corporations, provides an example of what can be done by a developing country to promote good governance through tackling corruption. This paper investigates the impact of corruption, specifically on large-scale water infrastructure development projects, and what measures can be taken to combat it.
Community-based natural resource management: governing the commons
Authors: Fabricius C. , Collins S.
Published: December 2015

Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) focuses on the collective management of ecosystems to promote human well-being and aims to devolve authority for ecosystem management to the local (community) level. CBNRM therefore requires strong investments in capacity development of local institutions and governance structures. CBNRM has come under strong criticism for its failures to deliver real benefits to communities. In this paper we explore the reasons for the frequent failure of CBNRM. We postulate that good governance buffers CBNRM against unexpected change, notably conflicts, especially in the early stages when income generation, infrastructure development and capacity development have not yet taken place. We assess the key characteristics of CBNRM governance systems that could perform this buffering function, using case study examples from Macubeni, Nqabara, Makuleke and Richtersveld to support our propositions. In our case studies, 11 strategies have been used to increase the incidence of success of CBNRM: understand and describe the social-ecological system; establish and communicate a clear vision; build on local organizations; plan ahead; create rules for resource use and enforce them; communicate the vision, plan and rules; develop management capacity; finance the initial stages of the initiative; work within available legal frameworks; monitor and learn all the time; and create lasting incentives. Despite these strategies there are, however, a number of obstinate implementation challenges, related to governance shortcomings and external factors which management cannot control. We therefore propose seven additional strategies to promote good governance in CBNRM:

1. Develop knowledge networks that draw on the experience and wisdom of a wide range of key individuals.

2. Establish formalised decision-making structures (e.g. multi-level project steering committees) with clear constitutions and codes of conduct.

3. Clearly define and legitimise conflict resolution procedures.

4. Ensure acceptance of the governance structure by community members.

5. Obtain formal commitment to well-defined roles and responsibilities by key individuals.

6. Establish tangible incentives to key individuals for meeting their commitments.

7. Develop the capacity for facilitation to promote communication.

Local communities, government and scientists have important roles to play in maintaining these knowledge and governance networks through adaptive co-management.
Challenges for the relationship between science and society: developing capacity for ecosystem governance in an emerging democracy
Authors: Wyk E. van , Breen C. M. , Sherwill T. , Magadlela D.
Published: December 2015

This paper considers the challenges for the emergence of science/society partnerships in a young democracy in the context of access to, and use of, natural resources. As resource issues and related decision-making gain in complexity and urgency, science is increasingly expected to develop solutions in partnership with the public. Challenges to these partnerships are discussed and supported by observations from a South African case example in water resources management. Within the current governance system for natural resources, there are both an expectation and an opportunity to promote democracy via the civic science process. Key to achieving this is the process of collaborative knowledge generation in which science and the public are knowledge partners. The opportunity is supported by various factors: the resource “supply and demand” dialogue around access to, and use of, resources reinforces democratic processes through the explicit recognition of diverse knowledge systems; the research process makes provision for rigour in the co-creation of knowledge; and the overall expectation of democratic relationships in society creates a milieu favourable for promoting democracy through science. Within the context of a developing country, challenges include low levels of social capital such as trust, empowerment and connectedness. The case study also indicates that there are significant delays in attempts to address differentials in empowerment and trust in the science/society partnership, and that this is a significant barrier for the ability of civic science to be an effective vehicle for deepening democracy. In addition, the civic science endeavour is currently only weakly supported by policy. Unless the imperative for civic science to support democratic governance is institutionalised through policy and strategy, it is unlikely that there will be sufficient human and financial investment in civic science as a means to promote democratic governance. This is especially true for developing countries, whose policies and strategies should support the use of civic science as a means of bridging inequities and meeting urgent development goals together with more medium- and long-term imperatives through the co-creation of knowledge.
Profit change and its drivers in the English and Welsh water industry: is output quality important?
Authors: Maziotis Alexandros , Saal David S. , Thanassoulis Emmanuel , Molinos-Senante María
Published: December 2015

The assessment of profit change over time and its drivers is essential to analyse firms' financial performance. This paper investigates profit change and its components for the 10 English and Welsh water and sewerage water companies over the period 1991–2008 and for three regulatory sub-periods. Profit changes and their drivers are computed following two approaches, namely: without controlling for water and sewerage quality issues, and after decomposing the output effect into high quality and low quality output effect. In both cases, profit change is decomposed into various factors such as quantity and price effect, technical change, efficiency change, resource mix, product mix, and scale effect. Profit change over the whole period was negative, with the substantial negative price effect being the main driver, which outstripped the positive quantity effect. This negative profit change was significantly marked from 2000 to 2005 while in the sub-period 1994–2000, which covers the 1994 price review, the profit change was positive. A further decomposition illustrated the significant negative impact of the input price and scale effects on profit changes. The methodology and conclusions of this paper are of great interest for both regulators and water utilities managers to improve future performance.
Water management capacity building to support rapidly developing mining economies
Authors: McIntyre Neil , Woodley Alan , Danoucaras Anastasia , Coles Neil
Published: December 2015

Many developing countries are experiencing rapid expansion in mining with associated water impacts. In most cases mining expansion is outpacing the building of national capacity to ensure that sustainable water management practices are implemented. Since 2011, Australia's International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) has funded capacity building in such countries including a program of water projects. Five projects in particular (principally covering experiences from Peru, Colombia, Ghana, Zambia, Indonesia, Philippines and Mongolia) have provided insight into water capacity building priorities and opportunities. This paper reviews the challenges faced by water stakeholders, and proposes the associated capacity needs. The paper uses the evidence derived from the IM4DC projects to develop a set of specific capacity-building recommendations. Recommendations include: the incorporation of mine water management in engineering and environmental undergraduate courses; secondments of staff to suitable partner organisations; training to allow site staff to effectively monitor water including community impacts; leadership training to support a water stewardship culture; training of officials to support implementation of catchment management approaches; and the empowerment of communities to recognise and negotiate solutions to mine-related risks. New initiatives to fund the transfer of multi-disciplinary knowledge from nations with well-developed water management practices are called for.
Knowledge, participation and transparency in groundwater management
Authors: Sanz David , Calera Alfonso , Castaño Santiago , Gómez-Alday Juan José
Published: December 2015

Water in sufficient amounts and quality is essential for meeting both human and ecological needs. Most water used by mankind is destined for agriculture, and demand is steadily growing. Under this pressure, water management faces significant environmental problems. In the case of groundwater, these difficulties are exacerbated by intensive, unregulated exploitation, and the spatial distribution of wells. Challenges to current water management therefore encompass multiple levels (environmental, technological, social, economic, and political), and their solution requires focus and a range of spatial and temporal scales to ensure integrated water resource management. Knowledge, participation and transparency are all crucial to help in conflict prevention and resolution. New challenges require new technologies that can help to resolve them. This paper analyses how the coordinated use of new technologies provides important results to support decision-making in planning and water management in irrigated agriculture. This case study is especially applicable to groundwater management in large areas where conventional planning, monitoring and control methods are extremely expensive and imprecise. The specific case of the Mancha Oriental Aquifer (SE Spain) is examined as it is an area where such conventional methods have proven to be inadequate.
Rainfall and surface water resources of Rajasthan State, India
Authors: Gupta Naveen Kumar , Jethoo A. S. , Gupta S. K.
Published: December 2015

The water resources in Rajasthan State are facing a crucial stage even after average/good rainfall. Temporal distributions as well as the spatial variability of rainfall within the state were investigated by applying an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. The effect of change in catchment characteristics and anthropogenic activities on overland flow are also investigated in this paper by applying a regression technique. Inflow to the surface water resources of the state is regularly decreasing. Time series analysis and sequential cluster analysis reveals that 1994 was the critical year, which divides the two consecutive non-overlapping epochs viz. pre-disturbance and post-disturbance. Due to increasing population and the subsequent increase in agriculture (specifically using groundwater sources) having increased catchment interceptions, there is a regular decreasing trend of surface runoff and surface water availability. The study highlights that, in spite of an increasing trend of rainfall witnessed during the last 100 years, inflow to the surface water resources of the state is decreasing at a fast pace owing to a decrease in the percentage area contributing to surface runoff.
A decision tool for sustainable agricultural policies: the case of water saving scenarios for Apulia Region (Southern Italy)
Authors: Daccache André , D'Agostino Daniela , Lamaddalena Nicola , El Chami Daniel
Published: December 2015

The economy of Apulia Region largely depends on agriculture but the scarce water resources are the main factor threatening the sustainable production of this sector. This paper describes a geographical information system (GIS) based water balance tool that integrates maps of crops, climate and soil parameters with various scenarios of cropping pattern and farming practice changes. The aim is to assess the implication of these scenarios on the spatial and volumetric water needs of the region's irrigated agriculture. The total net volumetric irrigation needs, under current land use and full irrigation practices, were estimated on an average year to be 973 million m3. The deficit irrigation practices currently used in Capitanata water districts can save a volume of 302 million m3 if they are extrapolated over the entire region. Based on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a replacement of 30% of the actual tomato areas in Foggia Province with sunflowers (energy crop) or durum wheat (rainfed crop) has potential water saving of 9 million m3 and 67 million m3, respectively. An additional 103 million m3 of water saving may be obtained through modernisation of the vineyards' growing practices. Findings of this paper could be used to address the agricultural policies towards a sustainable use of the scarce fresh water.
Assessing the regional food insecurity in Bangladesh due to irrigation water shortage in the Teesta catchment area
Authors: Arfanuzzaman Md. , Ahmad Qazi Kholiquzzaman
Published: December 2015

Bangladesh is losing huge food production from the Teesta catchment area due to a lack of availability of irrigation water in the dry and lean period because of unilateral water withdrawal in the upstream country, India. The area, which is directly dependent on the irrigation water of the Teesta river, is the study area for this paper. The study reveals that rice production in Dalia, Nilphamari, Sayedpur and Rangpur regions is badly affected by the irrigation water scarcity. It appears that production is particularly severely affected in Rangpur, making it a relatively more food insecure area in the Teesta basin. The major finding of this study is that more than 4.45 million metric tons of rice production have been missed from the Teesta catchment area since 2006–07, triggered by the massive irrigation failure of the Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project (TBIP) due to reduced water flow in the Teesta river. The total rice production missed in the north-western region since 2006–07 is more than the country's total rice import during 2008/09–2013/14 fiscal years and nearly one quarter of the total boro production in the 2012/13 fiscal year. This reduced food production renders the north-western part of the country a food insecure region from its own production.
Assessing driving factors of regional water use in production sectors using a structural decomposition method: a case study in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Zhang Lingling , Wang Zongzhi , Li Xiaohui , Cai Ximing
Published: December 2015

A key issue in water resources management in China is the adoption of a total volume control framework of water supply at a regional level corresponding to socioeconomic development. This requires more efficient water demand management in order to achieve a balance between water supply and demand. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a thorough analysis of the water use structure of production sectors in order to identify the major impact factors and thus provide insights for demand management policy design. Taking Jiangsu Province as a case study, we compile a series of extended input-output (I-O) tables at a constant price and establish an I-O structural decomposition model. The major factors leading to change in water use by production sectors (primary, secondary and tertiary) in the Jiangsu Province during five time periods from 1997–2010 are categorized into structure effect, water use efficiency effect, and demand effect for each of three levels: (1) aggregated sectors, (2) sub-aggregated sectors, and (3) individual sectors. Within the study period, the demand effect consistently leads to an increase in water utilization and the increase effect becomes weaker over time, while the other two factors consistently lead to a decrease in water utilization and their dampening effect becomes stronger.
Comparative advantage for the areas irrigated with underground blue water in North China Plain
Authors: Zhao Lixi , Li Yunkai , Jiang Fang , Wang Hui , Ren Shumei , Liu Yaoze , Ouyang Zhiyun
Published: December 2015

North China Plain is one of the most important grain-producing areas in China. Because of unevenly distributed precipitation in this semi-arid area, crop production largely relies on underground blue water (UBW) to irrigate, overexploitation of which causes a lot of environmental problems. In this paper, we first defined the representative division of winter wheat irrigation water production efficiency with a support vector machine and genetic algorithm coupling algorithm, then established a model for evaluating the comparative advantage of UBW production efficiency by combining the effective precipitation with the UBW depth, calculated its value in each city, and further proposed the reasonable irrigation water requirement and its distribution under different grain reserves at the targeting year. The result showed that when the typical precipitation (P) is 25% in a targeting year, there is no need to irrigate with UBW; when P = 50%, supplying 5% of total winter wheat production (TWP) could save 15% of UBW; when P = 75%, supplying 5% of TWP could save 11% of UBW; and when P = 75%, supplying 10% of TWP could save up to 28% of UBW.
Transboundary impact assessment of Indian dams: a case study of Chenab River Basin in perspective of Indus Water Treaty
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Iqbal Javed
Published: December 2015

Several transboundary rivers are being shared in South Asia by neighbouring states within a certain framework. A comparative analysis of the Indus Water Treaty has been carried out with other South Asian water treaties while suggesting measures to enhance mutual cooperation over shared rivers between India and Pakistan. With a specific focus on Chenab River, transboundary impact assessments of Indian dams have been carried out keeping in view the aspects of quantity, quality and temporal change in river course. A decreasing trend and significant fluctuation in river discharge was observed with an average decrease of 0.5 billion (109) cubic metres per year in annual inflow. In terms of water quality, pH (7.90 to 8.06), nitrates and other parameters were found within permissible limits. Total coliform (34 to 280 no/100 ml) and faecal coliform (21 to 193 no/100 ml) values were higher than permissible limits in three streams, whereas Escherichia coli was found +ve in only the Jummu Tawi River. Water was found unsuitable for drinking while suitable for agriculture and aquatic life. Temporal analysis shows significant change in river course over a span of 40 years. As a result of impact assessment evolving threats and their remedial measures have been suggested.
Reevaluating onsite wastewater systems: expert recommendations and municipal decision-making
Authors: Vedachalam Sridhar , Vanka Veeravenkata S. , Riha Susan J.
Published: December 2015

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) serve 20–25% of the households in the USA, and large parts of rural Canada, Australia, and Europe. Urbanization and newer environmental standards are leading many communities that currently rely on OWTS to think of alternatives. We study this decision-making in 19 municipalities across the USA through the unique lens of feasibility reports commissioned by the respective municipalities and authored by engineering/design consulting firms. The reports omitted certain essential information relevant to the decision-making process, and were not of high quality due to a lack of specificity on various parameters. However, the reports evaluated a balanced mix of decentralized and centralized treatment options, and the final recommendations were not biased in any particular direction. Most municipalities failed to take any follow-up action on the report recommendations, calling into question the motive behind commissioning these reports. Although not representative of the entire USA, the small sample of feasibility reports evaluated here is indicative in nature and provided significant insights about the inputs that help municipalities make decisions on complex issues.
Implementation strategies and a cost/benefit comparison for compliance with an environmental flow regime in a Mediterranean river affected by hydropower
Authors: Bardina Mònica , Honey-Rosés Jordi , Munné Antoni
Published: December 2015

Compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union requires water managers to establish environmental flow regimes (EFR) in rivers across the continent. Few water agencies have examined the economic and social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow requirements. We present the approach used by the Catalan Water Agency to calculate an EFR and estimate the economic implications of its implementation in the Ter River (Catalonia, NE Spain), altered by weirs for hydro-electric production. We analyze various implementation strategies and their associated economic costs and benefits, concluding that the restoration of environmental flows in the Ter River has reasonable costs and is likely to be a socially desirable policy with economic benefits exceeding costs. This paper provides an example of how a water agency can generate policy-relevant information on the social welfare impacts of implementing environmental flow policies as mandated by the WFD.
The dynamics of the European water research network: a diversifying community with a stable core
Authors: Heringa Pieter W. , Hessels Laurens K. , van der Zouwen Mariëlle
Published: December 2015

Both in water management and in research policy there is a call for more integrative approaches to tackle large societal challenges. This requires collaboration in networks of actors with different institutional and geographical backgrounds. However, our understanding of the European water research network is limited. Applying social network analysis to data from projects in Framework Programmes 1 to 7, we identify central actors in the network and explore their institutional and geographical characteristics. Compared to the generic research network arising from all projects in the Framework Programmes, the water research network turns out to consist of organisations that are geographically more diverse and more equally distributed across different organisation types. Although the diversity of the network has increased over time, the traditional knowledge producers, higher education organisations and publicly-funded research organisations from the EU15, have kept their position in the network centre over time, resulting in a stable core since the 1980s.
A review of literature on the factors affecting wastewater treatment and recycling across a broad spectrum of economic stages of development
Authors: Mekala Gayathri Devi , Davidson Brian
Published: December 2015

Wastewater recycling has emerged as a prominent option among the various alternative sources of water in both developing and developed countries. However, the questions that need to be answered in this context are: how do communities determine which option is best for them, and what are the factors that make one water alternative more appealing than another? The aim in this paper is to understand the factors that affect wastewater management across communities that are at varying stages of economic development. From an in-depth literature review of 329 studies, the factors that determine wastewater management have been grouped together into four categories: physical, economic, institutional and environmental factors. Finally, drawing on the Environmental Kuznets Curve, a framework has been developed that combines these factors that constrain or facilitate wastewater treatment and recycling over a broad spectrum of economic settings and stages of development. The factors, their components and the methods through which relevant empirical evidence can be collected to assess them, are presented and discussed in detail. In doing this, the aim is to highlight the changing nature of the four factors which will influence long-term investments in wastewater infrastructure.
An expert outlook on water security and water for energy trends to 2030–2050
Authors: Mayor Beatriz , Casado R. Rodríguez , Landeta J. , López-Gunn E. , Villarroya F.
Published: December 2015

The water-energy nexus has increasingly been recognized as one of the key factors underlying the sustainability and security of future water and energy supply. An improved understanding of this issue is required to guide political decision-making on the choice of technologies that can better lead towards water-energy efficient scenarios. One of the biggest challenges relies on the reduction of uncertainties over selected variables, and the analysis of trends and interrelations that may have an impact on the future of water and energy security. This paper presents the results of a Delphi study on prospective and future trends of the water-energy nexus and energy technologies. Based on the opinion and contributions of experts on the topic from different backgrounds, institutions and disciplines, the results indicate the importance of technology innovation and transfer as the main conditioning factors to achieve energy and water security. In terms of energy, biofuels and shale gas are perceived to have the highest potential impacts on water quantity and especially on water quality. Thus their evolution will be influential for future water and environmental security. Biofuels in particular, together with the rising demands for food, have the highest prospects for an increase in agricultural water withdrawals.
Evaluations of conventional, ozone and UV/H2O2 for removal of emerging contaminants and THM-FPs
Authors: Borikar Devendra , Mohseni Madjid , Jasim Saad
Published: December 2015

Although potential risk of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and trihalomethanes to humans is small or unconfirmed, it is advisable to remove these wastewater-related contaminants to increase public confidence and acceptance as a precautionary principle and consequently their elimination or reduction during drinking water treatment is warranted. Experiments were conducted using the dual train pilot-scale conventional treatment plant with ozone and ultraviolet/hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2) with three different raw water sources. Reductions of trihalomethanes-formation potentials (THM-FPs) were 8–52%. Ozone was found to decrease THM-FPs while UV/H2O2 was found to increase THM-FPs in most of the experiments under experimental conditions. Conventional treatment poorly removed the selected PPCPs and EDCs while ozone + conventional treatment provided excellent removal. Conventional + UV/H2O2 treatment also demonstrated effective removal. However, removal of PPCPs and EDCs by conventional + UV/H2O2 treatment provided lower efficacy for Sites B and C, likely due to the presence of scavengers such as organics, bicarbonates, carbonates and particles.
Evaluation of effect of sediment on aquatic ecosystems using decision tree forest and group method of data handling
Authors: Khakzad Hamid , Elfimov Valery
Published: December 2015

In this study, the performances of the decision tree forest and group method of data handling for evaluation scale of the severity (SEV) of ill effect for fishes were investigated. The independent variables were concentration of suspended sediment (SS), species, life stage, and duration of exposure. This study is based on 198 data of aquatic ecosystem quality over a wide range of sediment concentrations (1–500,000 mg SS/L) and durations of exposure (1–35,000 h). Results showed that exposure duration is the most important factor on SEV, and based on the results, this alternative approach is better than traditional regression models with a higher recognition rate, forecast accuracy, and strong practical value.
Assessing the contribution of multiple stressors affecting small-bodied fish populations through a gradient of agricultural inputs in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada
Authors: Brasfield Sandra M. , Hewitt L. Mark , Chow Lien , Batchelor Suzanne , Rees Herb , Xing Zisheng , Munkittrick Kelly R.
Published: December 2015

Non-point source discharges, such as agricultural runoff, are often complex mixtures of chemical and non-chemical stressors. The complexity of runoff is compounded by its sporadic releases and few studies have attempted to assess the impacts of runoff on aquatic biota. In this study, an effects based approach was used to examine survival and reproduction of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) in the intensive potato-farming areas of northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Using non-lethal methods, fish were collected during the ice-free months through a gradient of agricultural intensity. These data were correlated with waterborne levels of pesticides, water temperatures and precipitation data. Results indicate that both adult and young-of-the-year (YOY) fish are longer and heavier in the downstream sites draining areas of higher agricultural intensity. Precipitation has a significant negative relationship with %YOY in the agricultural areas but not in the upstream forested area, indicating that contaminants are present in runoff caused by intensive rainfall events. Our results indicate that YOY sculpin may be at higher risk in the agricultural areas in years of heavier summer rains where peaks in pesticide levels occur. This study expands the existing knowledge base and development of non-lethal methods to define cause–effect relationships.
Optimization of biosorption of nickel(II) and cadmium(II) by indigenous seaweed Enteromorpha using response surface methodology
Authors: Tolian Gholamreza , Jafari Seyed Ali , Zarei Saeid
Published: December 2015

In the present paper, the biosorption capacity of an indigenous seaweed Enteromorpha sp. was assessed and compared for nickel(II) and cadmium(II) removal from aqueous solution. Response surface methodology based on Box–Behnken design was employed to achieve the optimum removal conditions as well as investigating the effects of some independent variables on the process performance. It was found that the maximum nickel(II) removal achieved was 87.16% under optimum conditions of pH 4.79, biomass concentration of 1,000 mg/L, contact time 70 min and temperature of 25 °C. For cadmium the optimum conditions were defined as pH 4.88, biomass concentration of 1,000 mg/L, contact time 50 min and temperature fixed at 65 °C which resulted in a maximum 75.16% removal. Equilibrium isotherm studies revealed that Freundlich and Langmuir models were more successful for describing nickel(II) and cadmium(II) biosorption data, respectively. The maximum sorption capacities of biomass, qmax, for nickel(II) and cadmium(II) were predicted as 250 and 167 mg/g, respectively, by the Langmuir model. The results suggest Enteromorpha seaweed as an eco-friendly and suitable biosorbent for nickel(II) and cadmium(II) removal from aqueous solutions.
Optimizing water quality sampling through application of real time ionic concentration regression models
Authors: Rahman Shibly , Paterson Renee
Published: December 2015

The Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation performs routine water sampling to measure the physical and chemical parameters of select water bodies in Newfoundland and Labrador. Ionic concentration parameter measurement is performed during routine water sampling to complement some of the key indicator parameters measured in real time at these select water bodies. The collection, laboratory analysis and measurement of water samples is a time consuming process. Some of the common conducting ions measured during routine sampling are sodium, calcium, chloride and sulphate. These conducting ions can be estimated using continuously measured specific conductance after observing the effect of flow. The estimated measurement will help identify whether any local stressors are affecting the quality of water at a given point in time and hence save time and resources in performing routine sampling. This can also be applied in remote locations where routine sampling is not feasible. This paper compares four water bodies on the island part of Newfoundland and Labrador and estimates the ionic concentration using continuously measured specific conductance.
A GIS-based spatiotemporal study of the variability of water quality in the Dubai Creek, UAE
Authors: Ali Tarig A. , Mortula Maruf , Atabay Serter , Navadeh Ehsan
Published: December 2015

This paper presents the outcomes of a study on the water quality of Dubai Creek which aimed to assess its eutrophication status. Field water quality data from stations along the creek collected in 2012 and 2013 were used. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used as part of geographic information system (GIS)-based exploratory regression analysis to study the relationship between chlorophyll-a and nutrients, specifically total nitrogen and phosphate. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to study the vulnerability of the creek to eutrophication. Results showed unique trends of spatiotemporal variability of chlorophyll-a and nutrients. OLS modeling showed high correlation between field and modeled chlorophyll-a values between Al Garhoud Bridge and Sanctuary stations, located about 2 km upstream and downstream of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Outfall station. Furthermore, results showed the lower half of the creek was more vulnerable to eutrophication than the upper, which was believed to be due to the location of the STP station, poor flushing, shallow water depth, and irregular circulation patterns in the creek. Accordingly, this study recommends development of a mitigation plan in order to control the levels of nutrients in the creek.
Biological treatment of ammonium perchlorate-contaminated wastewater: a review
Authors: Ma Hongzhi , Bonnie Nyandwaro A. , Yu Miao , Che Shun , Wang Qunhui
Published: December 2015

Absolute reduction of perchlorate has proven complex owing to the diverse characteristics of the perchlorate ion. Technologies such as chemical reduction, ozone/peroxide, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis have had limited success, high costs and are not environmentally friendly. A great deal of research and reviews on ion exchange and biodegradation have been carried out, but conditions for optimal biodegradation are not yet well understood. The acceptability of biological treatment of perchlorate has been limited due to challenges such as electron donor availability, which impacts on the environmental sustainability of perchlorate biodegradation, the biomass inventory, secondary contamination of treated water due to contact with micro-organisms between the treatment unit and the final effluent, and the presence of other energetic compounds such as Royal Demolition Explosives and 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) in army PAX 21 production water and other competing electron acceptors such as nitrate and sulfate. Therefore, the current research concern is about optimization of the biodegradation of perchlorate for large-scale applicability. In addition to summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of developed and emerging perchlorate treatment technologies, this review focuses on research developments in biological treatment of ammonium perchlorate, perchlorate reducing bacteria, factors affecting biodegradation of NH4 ClO4− and previous research recommendations on efficient, effective, and stable biological treatment of perchlorate-contaminated wastewater.
Two phase partitioning bioreactor applied to produced water treatment
Authors: Piemonte Vincenzo , Di Paola Luisa , Prisciandaro Marina
Published: December 2015

Produced waters are the largest waste associated with the production of oil and gas; they contain dissolved salts, oil (dissolved and scattered organic compounds), chemicals and additives involved in the oil well operations, suspended particles, sand and other compounds, making their treatment very complex. In this paper, we propose the use of a TPPB (two phase partitioning bioreactor) for the biological treatment of produced waters. We model the application of the TPPB on the stream after classical pre-treatment stages: the reactor behaviour is based on the controlled release of substrate by means of an organic solvent. This study aims at developing a mathematical model for a TPPB adopting oleic alcohol (Adol 85 NF) as a solvent: we test model reliability by means of a sensitivity analysis in order to evaluate the reactor efficiency for chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in a produced water stream, aimed at water reuse.
Valorization of granulated slag of Arcelor-Mittal (Algeria) in cationic dye adsorption from aqueous solution: column studies
Authors: Mazouz Radia , Filali Naima , Hattab Zhour , Guerfi Kamel
Published: December 2015

A continuous adsorption study in a fixed-bed column was carried out using granulated slag (GS) as an adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The effects of various parameters, such as initial dye concentration, flow rate, bed depth, and pH were investigated. Obtained results confirmed that the breakthrough time and exhaustion time were dependent on these factors. The adsorption capacity of GS was calculated at the 50% breakthrough point for different conditions. The highest breakthrough capacity (q,exp = 0.296 mg.g–1) was obtained with a 15 cm bed height and a 2 mL.min–1 rate by using a 10 mg.L–1 initial MB concentration at pH 7.5. Bohart–Adams, Bed Depth Service Time (BDST), and Thomas models were applied to experimental data to determine the characteristic parameters of the column. The Thomas model was found suitable for the description of the whole breakthrough curve, while the Bohart–Adams model was only used to predict the initial part of the dynamic process. The data were in good agreement with the BDST model. Thus, the granulated slag can be used as an adsorbent in the treatment of wastewater. Desorption was carried out with a deionized water as the desorbing agent, and reuse study was investigated.
Separation of zinc oxide nanoparticles in water stream by membrane filtration
Authors: Mehta Neha , Basu Subhankar , Kumar Arun
Published: December 2015

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are used for the synthesis of various materials. The nanoparticles, when entering into the environment, affect aquatic life. Their antibacterial properties deter the biological treatment process of wastewater treatment plants. The study focuses on the effectiveness of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for the removal of ZnO nanoparticles. In this study, a commercial membrane was used for the separation of ZnO nanoparticles in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) and alkalinity. Membrane flux and retention were studied for different concentrations of ZnO (1 mg/L, 10 mg/L, and 100 mg/L). Bare and fouled membranes were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). At higher concentrations (>10 mg/L), ZnO nanoparticles tend to aggregate and increase in size, resulting in 95 to 98% retention. Further, the presence of NOM and alkalinity enhances particle–particle interactions and thereby promotes nanoparticle aggregation, which shows better retention even at lower concentrations (1–10 mg/L).
Review of fluoride removal from water by adsorption using soil adsorbents – an evaluation of the status
Authors: Wambu Enos W. , Ambusso Willis O. , Onindo Charles , Muthakia Gerald K.
Published: December 2015

The fate of excessive fluoride in water is cause for serious public health concerns worldwide. Water defluoridation using various technologies therefore continues to attract disproportionate research interest from around the world. Defluoridation studies using soil adsorbents, in particular, have remained the focus of intense research efforts since the last few decades. So as to assess the research status in this area, soil adsorbents commonly reported for water defluoridation over the last few decades were reviewed. This paper presents a compilation of defluoridation capacities and a summary of requisite parameters for water defluoridation using soil adsorbents. Comparison of defluoridation efficiencies of soil adsorbents is also presented, and the fluoride adsorption kinetics and adsorption equilibrium characteristics of adsorbents discussed. The results indicate that the soil adsorbents that have attracted highest research interest in this regard include hydroxyapatites, montmorillonites, hydrotalcite, zeolites, pumice and kaolinites. On average, however, the minerals that have shown the highest capacities for water defluoridation are: ferrihydrites, hydrotalcite, palygorskites, boehmite/bauxite, and pumice. Fluoride adsorption for most soil adsorbents is fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Most of the kinetic data, in contrast, were described by the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Water pH and temperature were the dominant solution factors that controlled fluoride adsorption onto soil adsorbents.
Optimization of resource and water recovery from urine
Authors: Lefebvre Olivier , Hu Jiangyong , Ong Say Leong , Ng How Yong
Published: December 2015

This study deals with the feasibility and practicality to recover water and nutrients from fresh urine by means of evaporation/condensation. The evaporation process generated two distinct fractions: a condensate and a concentrate. The optimal percentage of evaporation (in volume) was found to be 80%, resulting in optimal condensate quality. Higher percentages of evaporation resulted in a deterioration of water quality, as urea decomposed into ammonia, followed by volatilization of the ammonia which ended up in the condensate. Following evaporation, struvite was recovered from the concentrate at an optimal Mg/N ratio of 1/1. The condensate was purified by filtration into two layers of soil and sand, followed by zeolites. Complete removal of N-NH3 and 91% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) could be achieved throughout this process. Finally, the condensate was disinfected by sodium hypochlorite, achieving over 6-log inactivation of MS2 bacteriophage at a dose of 1,200 mg min/L. In conclusion, this study shows that there exist some potential benefits to the production of high-quality water and fertilizer from urine. The value of struvite recovered from the concentrate was found to be equivalent to that of the water from the condensate, showing that both streams deserve equal attention.