bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmaceutical and Microplastic Pollution before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Surface Water, Wastewater, and Groundwater
Authors: Pashaei Reza , Dzingelevičienė Reda , Bradauskaitė Aida , Lajevardipour Alireza , Mlynska-Szultka Malgorzata , Dzingelevičius Nerijus , Raugelė Saulius , Razbadauskas Artūras , Abbasi Sajjad , Rees Robert M. , Buszewski Boguslaw
Published: October 2022

Pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and oil spills are the most hazardous contaminants in aquatic environments. The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced pharmaceutical and microplastic contamination in aquatic environments. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of pharmaceutical and microplastic pollution on a global scale. This study assessed the results of pharmaceutical contamination in 25 countries and microplastic pollution in 13 countries. The findings show that pharmaceutical residues were detected in surface water, groundwater, and wastewater influents and effluents. In total, 43 types of pharmaceutical products were detected in 25 countries. Caffeine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine were the most abundant. In total, 32 types of polymers were detected in 13 countries. In the case of microplastics, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate were the more abundant polymers. Particles with a size of 1–2.5 mm and 2.5–5 mm accounted for half of the microplastics present in 13 countries. This study provides new evidence of the importance of emerging pollutants in aquatic environments before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mobility of Landslides in Pumice: Insights from a Flume Experiment
Authors: Noviandi Rozaqqa , Gomi Takashi , Kharismalatri Hefryan S. , Sidle Roy C. , Ritonga Rasis P. , Shiraki Katsushige
Published: October 2022

Risk of landslide hazards strongly depends on how far landslide sediment travels, known as landslide mobility. Previous studies mentioned enhanced mobility of earthquake-induced landslides in volcanic deposits compared to those from other geologic/soil settings. A flume apparatus constructed at a 1:300 scale was used to examine the mobility of landslides with pumice. Four pumice samples were collected from landslides induced by the 2018 Eastern Iburi earthquake, Hokkaido, Japan. Laboratory tests confirmed the unique low specific gravity of the pumice (1.29–1.33), indicating numerous voids within pumice particles. These voids allowed pumice to absorb a substantial amount of water (95–143%), about 9–15 times higher than other coarse-grained soils. Our flume experiments using various saturation levels (0–1) confirmed the influence of this inner-particle water absorption on pumice mobility. Because a low value of specific gravity indicates a low strength of soil, grain crushing may occur on the pumice layer, causing water from the internal voids to discharge and fluidize the transported landslide mass. Our findings indicate that such earthquake-induced landslides can be as mobile as those induced by rainfall, depending on the initial water content of the pumice layers. These conditions might be associated with water accumulation from previous rainfall events and the water-holding capability on pumice layers.
A Simulation Study Using Machine Learning and Formula Methods to Assess the Soybean Groundwater Contribution in a Drought-Prone Region
Authors: Zhang Yuliang , Zhou Yuliang , Jiang Shangming , Ning Shaowei , Jin Juliang , Cui Yi , Wu Zhiyong , Feng Huihui
Published: October 2022

Groundwater contributes to the delivery of phreatic water to crop aeration zones via evapotranspiration, which is important for crop growth in drought-prone regions. Most studies on groundwater contribution have not considered the influence of crop growth stage or daily evapotranspiration. In this study, a neural network based on a genetic algorithm and the Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation algorithm, as well as formula methods based on an accelerated genetic algorithm, were built to assess soybean groundwater contribution; in addition, a performance comparison was conducted. The results indicated that machine learning had the best performance for fitting errors, with values for relative mean error (RME), root mean square percentage error (RMSPE), and correlation coefficient of 1.088, 2.165, and 0.762, respectively; in addition, for validation errors, it had values for RME, RMSPE, and correlation coefficient of 1.069, 2.136, and 0.735, respectively. The machine learning method is recommended for readers seeking to calculate groundwater contribution.
Global Water Initiatives Redux: A Fresh Look at the World of Water
Authors: Varady Robert G. , Albrecht Tamee R. , Gerlak Andrea K. , Haverland Arin C.
Published: October 2022

The complex and globally influential mosaic of institutional frameworks, organizations, events, declarations, professional societies, organizations, and networks that focus on water-resources governance collectively known as “global water initiatives” (GWIs) remains starkly understudied. We address this knowledge gap by means of a robust examination of key actors and institutions involved in global water governance and thereby affirm the dynamic and organic nature of the GWI landscape. Our investigation of the changing landscape of GWIs taps historical and current data and employs both text analysis and bibliometric review. We find that: (1) GWIs have diversified, expanded their constituencies, and gradually extended their influence over how water is perceived, governed, and managed; (2) the institutional landscape within which GWIs exist and operate is continuously shifting to accommodate and lubricate the spread of new ideas, ways of thinking, and available science and tools; (3) networks, megaconferences and their declarations, and water-themed journals likely will continue to be at the leading edge of global water governance and policy; and (4) the advent of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals has enhanced the relevance of UN-Water, the network of water-related United Nations (UN) agencies. Our findings indicate that as the number of GWIs grows, such proliferation has not necessarily led to duplication, but more likely to diversity and interconnectedness. On balance, GWI activity tends to increase awareness-raising, information-sharing, network-building, agenda-setting, and on-the-ground action. GWI behavior both mirrors and influences prevailing worldviews on water governance and management and taken together, GWI efforts continue to shape international water discourse.
Chlorine vs. Sodium Chloride Regeneration of Zeolite Column for Ammonium Removal from an Explosives Impacted Mining Wastewater
Authors: Zhang Tianguang , Narbaitz Roberto M. , Sartaj Majid , Downey Jason
Published: October 2022

There has only been limited research on ammonium removal by zeolites followed by chlorine regeneration; these studies used batch tests and, in many cases, only dealt with single solute solutions as opposed to multi-component ones. To better simulate full-scale applications, this study used a continuous-flow ion exchange (IE) column system to assess the feasibility of chlorine regeneration of a zeolite IE column used for the removal of ammonium from synthetic explosives impacted mining wastewater (EIMWW). Multi-cycle column loading-regeneration tests were used to evaluate and compare the performance of a NaOCl (1000 ppm as free Cl2) solution with that of a standard salt regeneration solution (5% NaCl). In addition, the impact of two loading cycle durations was evaluated. After three operational cycles with 6 h loading phases, the TAN (total ammonia nitrogen) uptake after NaOCl regeneration was almost the same as that obtained with salt regeneration (0.21 meq/g vs. 0.21 meq/g). The zeolite with NaOCl regeneration showed a higher preference for TAN than with NaCl regeneration (Ca:TAN:K = 2.8:2.3:1 vs. 2.5:1.9:1 for the 6 h loading phase); however, the NaOCl regeneration took longer to complete. It was also found that effluent pH, total chlorine level, and free chlorine level during the chlorine regeneration were positively related, seemingly confirming that the ammonium is oxidized to nitrogen gas and producing hydrogen ions. Regardless of the regeneration solution, if one uses a two-column system, with one column online and the other offline, the shorter loading cycles (6 h) yield a substantially higher daily TAN removal rate.
Implications of Watershed Management Practices on Water Availability Using Hydrus-1D Model in the Aba Gerima Watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Fikadu Tekuamework , Teferi Ermias , Dubale Berihun , Gusha Bukho , Mantel Sukhmani K. , Tanner Jane , Palmer Carolyn G. (Tally) , Woldu Zerihun , Alamirew Tena , Zeleke Gete
Published: October 2022

The main objective of this study was to examine the implications of watershed management (WSM) on hydrological parameters in the Aba Gerima watershed in the Upper Blue Nile Basin. The Hydrus 1D model simulations were conducted in control sites and sites under WSM to estimate various components of the hydrologic cycle, using different soil physical & hydrological data under each category of experimental sites. Results were calibrated with measured soil moisture data through inverse solutions. Thus, Hydrus 1D model was found to be effective in predicting results, with R2 values of 0.73 to 0.853 and RMSE values ranging from 0.015 to 0.04. The cumulative evaporation estimated for 365 days for control sites was 37.6% higher than that of sites under WSM. Surface and bottom fluxes in the sites under WSM were 4.6% and 12.5%, respectively, higher than the control sites. This could be attributed to the increased soil water availability resulting from the implemented WSM practices in Aba Gerima, and the results of this study can be used as empirical evidence of the positive implications of WSM on water availability. Finally, WSM should be strengthened by concerned bodies and development partners in all watersheds, especially where water availability is affected by severe land degradation.
Prediction of the Amount of Sediment Deposition in Tarbela Reservoir Using Machine Learning Approaches
Authors: Hassan Shahzal , Shaukat Nadeem , Ahmad Ammar , Abid Muhammad , Hashmi Abrar , Shahid Muhammad Laiq Ur Rahman , Rajabi Zohreh , Tariq Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman
Published: October 2022

Tarbela is the largest earth-filled dam in Pakistan, used for both irrigation and power production. Tarbela has already lost around 41.2% of its water storage capacity through 2019, and WAPDA predicts that it will continue to lose storage capacity. If this issue is ignored for an extended period of time, which is not far away, a huge disaster will occur. Sedimentation is one of the significant elements that impact the Tarbela reservoir’s storage capacity. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately predict the sedimentation inside the Tarbela reservoir. In this paper, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) architecture and multivariate regression technique are proposed to validate and predict the amount of sediment deposition inside the Tarbela reservoir. Four input parameters on yearly basis including rainfall (Ra), water inflow (Iw), minimum water reservoir level (Lr), and storage capacity of the reservoir (Cr) are used to evaluate the proposed machine learning models. Multivariate regression analysis is performed to undertake a parametric study for various combinations of influencing parameters. It was concluded that the proposed neural network model estimated the amount of sediment deposited inside the Tarbela reservoir more accurately as compared to the multivariate regression model because the maximum error in the case of the proposed neural network model was observed to be 4.01% whereas in the case of the multivariate regression model was observed to be 60.7%. Then, the validated neural network model was used for the prediction of the amount of sediment deposition inside the Tarbela reservoir for the next 20 years based on the time series univariate forecasting model ETS forecasted values of Ra, Iw, Lr, and Cr. It was also observed that the storage capacity of the Tarbela reservoir is the most influencing parameter in predicting the amount of sediment.
Silver Nanoparticles (Ag NPs) Boost Mitigation Powers of Chenopodium Quinoa (Q6 Line) Grown under In Vitro Salt-Stressing Conditions
Authors: Shibli Rida , Mohusaien Ruba , Abu-Zurayk Rund , Qudah Tamara , Tahtamouni Reham
Published: October 2022

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is of great economic importance and constitutes one of the model plants for salinity and drought tolerance in the Mediterranean climate. This study aimed to study the physiological responses of Q6 (a quinoa line developed by International Center for Bio-saline Agriculture (ICBA) in cooperation with the National Center for Agricultural Research (NARC), Jordan) grown under in vitro salt-stressing conditions (MS Media plus either 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, or 200 mM of NaCl) and to determine the highest salt level that Q6 plantlets can tolerate. After this, different levels of chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) (25, 50, and 75 mg/L) were added to the growth MS media to examine if they can boost the mitigation powers of Q6 plantlets against the highest salt level that the Q6 plantlets could tolerate. Data showed that all tested growth parameters were negatively affected by adding NaCl to the media at all levels. Shoot length, proliferation, and fresh and dry weights declined to reach minimum values at 200 mM NaCl when compared to the other NaCl levels. Similarly, chlorophyll, protein, and ion content were negatively affected when exposed to NaCl at all levels, while proline increased significantly with increasing NaCl in the growth media. The addition of Ag NPs resulted in improving the mitigation powers of Q6 plantlets, especially when 75 mg/L Ag NPs were added, as this resulted in a significant improvement in microshoot growth under 200 mM NaCl when compared to the control. Adding 75 mg/L of Ag NPs to 200 mM NaCl improved shoot growth (3.56 cm) when compared to (1.04 cm) obtained plantlets that were grown in 200 mM NaCl alone. Further, other growth parameters were almost doubled by adding 75 mg/L of Ag NPs to 200 mM NaCl when compared to 200 mM NaCl alone. Additionally, adding Ag NPs (especially at the 75 mg/L level) to the media improved total chlorophyll, protein, and ion content while also reducing proline when compared to the control, which indicated an improvement in microshoot tolerance to salt-stressing conditions. These results indicate that adding specific concentrations of Ag NPs improves the growth performance and stress tolerance of Q6 grown under salt-stressing conditions.
Smooth and Stepped Converging Spillway Modeling Using the SPH Method
Authors: Nóbrega Juliana D. , Matos Jorge , Schulz Harry E. , Canelas Ricardo B.
Published: October 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) simulations using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method were performed for smooth and stepped spillways with converging walls, in order to evaluate the influence of the wall deflection and the step macro-roughness on the main non-aerated flow properties. The simulations encompassed a 1V:2H sloping spillway, wall convergence angles of 9.9° and 19.3°, and discharges corresponding to skimming flow regime, in the stepped chute. The overall development of the experimental data on flow depths, velocity profiles, and standing wave widths was generally well predicted by the numerical simulations. However, larger deviations in flow depths and velocities were observed close to the upstream end of the chute and close to the pseudo-bottom of the stepped invert, respectively. The results showed that the height and width of the standing waves were significantly influenced by the wall convergence angle and by the macro-roughness of the invert, increasing with a larger wall deflection, and attenuated on the stepped chute. The numerical velocity and vorticity fields, along with the 3D recirculating vortices on the stepped invert, were in line with recent findings on constant width chutes.
The Effect of Particle Concentration on Bed Particle Diffusion in Dilute Flows
Authors: Moreno-Casas Patricio A. , Toro Juan Pablo , Sepúlveda Sebastián , Abell José Antonio , González Eduardo , Paik Joongcheol
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we present the simulation results of a Lagrangian particle tracking model that computes the motion of saltating sediment particles, which is considered the most important mode of bedload transport in rivers and channels. The model is one-way coupled to a validated turbulent LES-WALE (Large Eddy Simulation – Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity) channel flow, i.e., the particles do not affect the computation of the flow velocities and pressures, as suggested for dilute flows. The model addresses the particle trajectories, the collision of the particles with the bottom wall, and collision among particles. The focus of this work is placed on the effect of different particle concentrations and flow intensities (different flow shear stresses) on jump statistics and particle diffusion. Numerical results are validated with experimental laboratory data obtained from the literature for particle diameters in the range of sands. The present results indicate that, at particle concentrations up to 2%, the diffusion coefficients in the streamwise and spanwise directions, γx and γz, for the local range are nearly constants with a value close to one, corresponding to the ballistic regime. At a concentration of 4%, the largest concentration studied herein, values of γx and γz for the local range are slightly smaller, with a representative value of 0.9 regardless of flow intensities. For the intermediate regime, it was found that, on average, γx~1.2γz with γx ranging from 0.6 to 0.85 and γz within the range 0.45–0.70. For a fixed flow intensity, both diffusion coefficients increase with the particle concentration, which is an indication of the contribution of the collision among particles to particle diffusion. For highly controlled simulation conditions, the differences in particle velocity at a given concentration may change drastically, which should translate to important fluctuations in the computation of sediment transport rates. Finally, the employed computational resources are described as a function of particle concentration. Although the number of total collisions increases linearly with the number of particles, the number of collisions per particle reaches a plateau, thus indicating that there exists an upper limiting value for the number of collisions per particle.
Climate and Land Use Driven Ecosystem Homogenization in the Prairie Pothole Region
Authors: McLean Kyle , Mushet David , Sweetman Jon
Published: October 2022

The homogenization of freshwater ecosystems and their biological communities has emerged as a prevalent and concerning phenomenon because of the loss of ecosystem multifunctionality. The millions of prairie-pothole wetlands scattered across the Prairie Pothole Region (hereafter PPR) provide critical ecosystem functions at local, regional, and continental scales. However, an estimated loss of 50% of historical wetlands and the widespread conversion of grasslands to cropland make the PPR a heavily modified landscape. Therefore, it is essential to understand the current and potential future stressors affecting prairie-pothole wetland ecosystems in order to conserve and restore their functions. Here, we describe a conceptual model that illustrates how (a) historical wetland losses, (b) anthropogenic landscape modifications, and (c) climate change interact and have altered the variability among remaining depressional wetland ecosystems (i.e., ecosystem homogenization) in the PPR. We reviewed the existing literature to provide examples of wetland ecosystem homogenization, provide implications for wetland management, and identify informational gaps that require further study. We found evidence for spatial, hydrological, chemical, and biological homogenization of prairie-pothole wetlands. Our findings indicate that the maintenance of wetland ecosystem multifunctionality is dependent on the preservation and restoration of heterogenous wetland complexes, especially the restoration of small wetland basins.
Water Hammer in Steel–Plastic Pipes Connected in Series
Authors: Kubrak Michał , Kodura Apoloniusz , Malesińska Agnieszka , Urbanowicz Kamil
Published: October 2022

This paper experimentally and numerically investigates the water hammer phenomenon in serially connected steel and HDPE pipes with different diameters. The aim of the laboratory tests was to obtain the time history of the pressure head at the downstream end of the pipeline system. Transient tests were conducted on seven different pipeline system configurations. The experimental results show that despite the significantly smaller diameter of the HDPE pipe compared to the steel pipe, introducing an HDPE section makes it possible to suppress the valve-induced pressure surge. By referring to the results of the experimental tests conducted, the comparative numerical calculations were performed using the fixed-grid method of characteristics. To reproduce pressure wave attenuation in a steel pipe, Brunone-Vitkovský instant acceleration-based model of unsteady friction was used. To include the viscoelastic behavior of the HDPE pipe wall, the one-element Kelvin–Voigt model was applied. By calibrating the unsteady friction coefficient and creep parameters, satisfactory agreement between the calculated and observed data was obtained. The calibrated values of parameters for a single experimental test were introduced in a numerical model to simulate the remaining water hammer runs. It was demonstrated that using the same unsteady friction coefficient and creep parameters in slightly different configurations of pipe lengths can be effective. However, this approach fails to reliably reproduce the pressure oscillations in pipeline systems with sections of significantly different lengths.
Studying a Multi-Stage Flash Brine Recirculation (MSF-BR) System Based on Energy, Exergy and Exergoeconomic Analysis
Authors: Farhadi Faezeh , Deymi-Dashtebayaz Mahdi , Tayyeban Edris
Published: October 2022

Due to the lack of natural water resources and high consumption of water in industries, desalination systems are good options to supply water demands, especially in regions with a water crisis. If these wastes are used in thermal desalination cycles, in addition to improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption, the production of environmental pollutants can also be reduced. In this paper, the multi-stage flash brine recirculation (MSF-BR) system of the Abadan refinery is investigated from energy-exergy-exergoeconomic viewpoints. In addition, the effects of top brine temperature (TBT), number of stages and ambient temperature on the performance of the system are evaluated. The results at maximum brine temperature show that with increasing the TBT, the exergy efficiency, gained output ratio (GOR) and distillate water production increase by 34%, 47% and 47%, respectively. It is also found that if the number of stages in the heat rejection section increases to more than six stages, GOR will decrease. The exergoeconomic analysis results reveal that the relative cost difference increases by 94% with an increase in the number of stages. Finally, it is concluded that by using the waste heat of a refinery complex for heating steam to run the desalination system, there is a 9103 $/year cost savings due to energy consumption reduction and 193 × 104 $/year cost savings due to CO2 emission reduction.
Numerical Modeling of COD Transportation in Liaodong Bay: Impact of COD Loads from Rivers Flowing into the Sea
Authors: Yu Hexin , Jin Ge , Jin Sheng , Chen Zhen , Fan Wei , Xiao Dan
Published: October 2022

Pollution loads pose a major threat to the health of the marine environment and the long-term viability of the coastal economy. The present study developed a coupling model to simulate the chemical oxygen demand (COD) transport in upper rivers (1D) and subsequent diffusion in the coastal zone (2D) in Liaodong Bay, based on the HydroInfo system. Three main seagoing rivers, including Daliao, Liao, and Daling Rivers, were selected and investigated for hydrodynamic and hydrochemical analyses. The mathematical model was evaluated by monitoring data from state-controlled cross-sections scattered along the three rivers, and the observation data showed good agreement with simulated values, confirming the model’s accuracy in terms of spatial and temporal distribution. The transport and propagation process of COD in inlet rivers, such as Daliao, Liao, and Daling, including the sea area of Liaodong Bay, were simulated and analyzed. Simulated results revealed that the pollution range of COD in Liaodong Bay was 258–391 km2 in different seasons. The pollutant leakage scenarios for the three rivers entering the sea were simulated utilizing the developed mathematical model. The study simulated and predicted that, in the event of a sudden water pollution accident (e.g., sneak discharge and leakage at various sections of sea-entering rivers, such as Daliao, Liao, and Daling), pollutants might take 2–11 days to reach the sea-entering mouth, and the sea area would take 8–32 days to reach the maximum pollution range. Our numerical modeling may be used to analyze and make decisions on pollution control in Liaodong Bay and major sea-entry rivers, and be useful to water environment management in sea-entry rivers and Liaodong Bay, and water pollution emergency responses.
A Study on the Possibility of Early Warning for Cochlodinium polykrikoides Blooms, Using Molecular Methods
Authors: Kang Hye-Eun , Yoon Tae-Ho , Park Jong-Woo , Lim Weol-Ae , Kang Chang-Keun , Kim Hyun-Woo
Published: October 2022

The occurrence of HABs is known to be affected by multiple environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, nutrients, light, water chemistry, and biological activity. This study aimed to study the possibility of early warning for Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms in southern Korean waters using qPCR and metabarcoding analysis. We were able to detect C. polykrikoides via a sensitive technique, and confirmed the early warning potential of C. polykrikoides by quantitative PCR. To identify the microbial organisms related to the bloom caused by C. polykrikoides, metabarcoding analysis was conducted using 18 water samples collected from bloom sites in southern Korean waters between 2018 and 2019. Although there was no single group that could explain the successive blooms of C. polykrikoides, four taxa, including Gamma proteobacteria (0.588, p < 0.01), Verrucomicrobia (0.874, p < 0.01), Cyanobacteria (0.975, p < 0.01), and Cryptophyta, were related to C. polykrikoides blooms. When the HABs that occurred were caused by C. polykrikoides, although there were sites where the cells of C. polykrikoides were not detected, similar functions of the microbial communities operated in all southern Korean coastal waters. We identified that the phytoplankton community structure was divided into three or four, using metabarcoding analysis by sampling years.
Conceptualizing the Fe0/H2O System: A Call for Collaboration to Mark the 30th Anniversary of the Fe0-Based Permeable Reactive Barrier Technology
Authors: Cao Viet , Bakari Omari , Kenmogne-Tchidjo Joseline Flore , Gatcha-Bandjun Nadège , Ndé-Tchoupé Arnaud Igor , Gwenzi Willis , Njau Karoli N. , Noubactep Chicgoua
Published: October 2022

Science denial relates to rejecting well-established views that are no longer questioned by scientists within a given community. This expression is frequently connected with climate change and evolution. In such cases, prevailing views are built on historical facts and consensus. For water remediation using metallic iron (Fe0), also known as the remediation Fe0/H2O system, a consensus on electro-chemical contaminant reduction was established during the 1990s and still prevails. Arguments against the reductive transformation concept have been regarded for more than a decade as ‘science denial’. However, is it the prevailing concept that denies the science of aqueous iron corrosion? This article retraces the path taken by our research group to question the reductive transformation concept. It is shown that the validity of the following has been questioned: (i) analytical applications of the arsenazo III method for the determination of uranium, (ii) molecular diffusion as sole relevant mass-transport process in the vicinity of the Fe0 surface in filtration systems, and (iii) the volumetric expansive nature of iron corrosion at pH > 4.5. Item (i) questions the capability of Fe0 to serve as an electron donor for UVI reduction under environmental conditions. Items (ii) and (iii) are inter-related, as the Fe0 surface is permanently shielded by a non-conductive oxide scale acting as a diffusion barrier to dissolved species and a barrier to electrons from Fe0. The net result is that no electron transfer from Fe0 to contaminants is possible under environmental conditions. This conclusion refutes the validity of the reductive transformation concept and calls for alternative theories.
Statistical Analysis for Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study of Al Wasit Nature Reserve
Authors: Mohammed Areej , Samara Fatin , Alzaatreh Ayman , Knuteson Sandra L.
Published: October 2022

This study presents a comprehensive data analysis using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques as a tool to establish a baseline for the assessment of water quality parameters in environmental compartments. The Al Wasit Nature Reserve is a hypersaline wetland in the UAE with a spatial fluctuation in water parameters as water flows above ground as well as ponds forming in deeper areas and over the year due to the arid climate and seasonality. Water samples were collected at fifteen sites along the hypersaline wetland over three periods during the months of February to March 2021 as temperatures started to rise with the oncoming summer. Water quality parameters, including the temperature, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chloride, ammonia, and nitrates, were measured. The results of the data analysis were used to group the sites, which were divided into three groups with similar water quality characteristics. Correlation assessments between all studied parameters revealed significant differences in the values of eight of the evaluated parameters between the three identified clusters, with only the nitrate concentrations and dissolved oxygen parameters not being significant. It was found that one of the three clusters (cluster 1) performed better than the other two for most of the studied parameters. The results of this study demonstrate the applicability and the potential time and cost savings of the usage of data analysis tools for long-term data monitoring in the wetland and other environmental systems worldwide.
Decadal Hydro-Morphodynamic Evolution of a Sandy Meander Bend Downstream of the Three Gorges Dam and Impact on Waterway Navigation
Authors: Ge Hua , Zhu Lingling , Deng Chunyan , Jiang Ling , Long Rui
Published: October 2022

The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in the Yangtze River profoundly regulates the downstream river discharge and sediment load, causing significant river morphodynamic changes since 2003. Understanding such changes is vital for managing the navigational waterway. Using the Wakouzi waterway 190 km downstream from TGD as an example, we examined its decadal hydro-morphodynamic evolution based on hydrological and topographical data collected from the 1990s onwards. The results showed that the suspended sediment load has reduced by 85.8% downstream of TGD, although the annual runoff has not changed. The suspended sediment has become coarser due to depletion of the fine sediment source. As a result, the river channel has been substantially eroded, particularly the deep-water parts of the channel. Erosion of the elongated sand bars has emerged as well, even in the presence of channel regulation works. Consequently, channel degradation has led to a lower river stage under the same river discharge compared with the pre-TGD condition, particularly in the dry season with a lower river discharge. These changes imply worsened navigability of the examined riverbend. The results of this study have implications for management of other river reaches in the middle Yangtze River and other rivers undergoing similar changes worldwide.
Methane Promotion of Waste Sludge Anaerobic Digestion: Effect of Typical Metal Meshes on Community Evolution and Electron Transfer
Authors: Wang Ling , Liu Chang , Fan Xing , Yang Chunxue , Zhou Xiaolin , Guo Zechong
Published: October 2022

Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) to produce methane is a promising pathway for biomass energy recovery. However, a slow organic biodegradation rate and weak microbial cooperation between fermentation bacteria and methanogens lead to low methane production from WAS. Considering the reuse of conductive materials for the regulation of microbial communities, this study chose three kinds of high-mesh metal materials (nickel, copper, and stainless steel) to promote the anaerobic digestion process. All three kinds of metal mesh could effectively increase methane production, and the highest methane production was increased by 61%, reaching 77.52 mL gVSS−1. The poor biocompatibility of the stainless steel mesh was the least effective in promoting methane production compared to the biocompatible copper mesh and nickel mesh. The microbiological analysis found that the metal mesh with good biocompatibility can effectively induce and promote the enrichment of key microorganisms in the process of synergistic methane production, and the direct electron transfer process (DIET) of microorganisms on the metal surface contributes to the further improvement of the methane production efficiency. Therefore, the application of metal conductive materials in sludge anaerobic fermentation is feasible to achieve the retention of syntrophic bacteria and methanogens in the system.
Evaluation of Water—Energy—Food—Economy Coupling Efficiency Based on Three-Dimensional Network Data Envelopment Analysis Model
Authors: Zhang Zhiyu , Xu Yejun
Published: October 2022

In the process of human survival and sustainable development, water security, energy security and food security have become the three most prominent issues, but they are interrelated and directly affect each other, that is, to form a Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus. Scientific understanding and correct response to the relationship between WEF is important to realize the sustainable development of natural resources. There are some deficiencies in the existing research on the input–output efficiency of WEF system. There are few articles that can study the efficiency relationship between internal and external factors (such as the economy and environment) of the WEF system at the same time, or the research is not perfect. In view of the shortcomings of the existing research, this paper establishes a three-dimensional network structure to describe the water–energy–food–economy (WEF-Eco) system and establishes the corresponding network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. We use the data of 19 provinces in Northeast, East, and central China to show the application results of this model.
Lake Changes in Inner Mongolia over the Past 30 Years and the Associated Factors
Authors: Guo Jiao , Shi Jiansheng , Zhang Yilong , Wang Zhongwu , Wang Wei
Published: October 2022

Lakes are important water resources in Inner Mongolia and play essential roles in flood storage, water source maintenance, aquaculture, water volume regulation, and the regional ecological balance. However, most lakes in Inner Mongolia have undergone significant shrinkage over the past few decades. In order to quantify the lake changes in Inner Mongolia and analyze the factors associated with these changes, information about 546 lakes in seven years (1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2018) was retrieved using 30 m resolution Landsat images taken of the entire region over 29 years (1989–2018). In addition, water census data from 2010 and 1:250,000 geological maps were used as references. The analysis revealed that the lakes in Inner Mongolia exhibited rapidly decreasing trends during the past three decades, with both the area and the number of lakes decreasing to a minimum by 2010. The number of lakes with areas of >1 km2 decreased from 384 in 1990 to 301 in 2018; the total area of lakes with individual areas of >1 km2 decreased from 4905.74 km2 in 1990 to 4187.45 km2 in 2018. With respect to the lake distribution among different geomorphological units, the analysis revealed that the lake shrinkage was most pronounced on the West Liaohe Plain, followed by the northern Inner Mongolian Plateau. Furthermore, in relation to different climatic zones, lake shrinkage primarily occurred in the mid-temperate semi-arid zone, wherein the lake area decreased by 776.6 km2. We hypothesize that the changes in the lake number and area in Inner Mongolia resulted from the combined effects of natural conditions and anthropogenic disturbances; possibly, lake shrinkage was mainly driven by the rising temperature and decreasing precipitation, along with water regulation projects, agricultural irrigation, mining development, and population growth that also had non-negligible effects on the lakes.
Monitoring the Dynamics of Ephemeral Rivers from Space: An Example of the Kuiseb River in Namibia
Authors: Normandin Cassandra , Paillou Philippe , Lopez Sylvia , Marais Eugene , Scipal Klaus
Published: October 2022

Ephemeral rivers are characterized by brief episodic flood events, which recharge subterraean alluvial aquifers that sustain humans, riparian vegetation, and wildlife in the hyper-arid Namib Desert. Yet we only have a poor understanding of the dynamics and feedback mechanisms in these hydrological systems as arid and semi-arid zones are typically poorly equipped with reliable in situ monitoring stations to provide necessary information. The main objective of our study is to show the potential of satellite data to monitor the dynamics of ephemeral rivers, such as the Kuiseb located in Namibia, since remotesensing offers the advantage of adapted spatial and temporal resolutions. For this study, multi-spectral imagery (Sentinel-2), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR, Sentinel-1), and SAR interferometry (Sentinel-1) data were used to produce Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps, backscattering maps (as σ0), and interferograms, respectively. These parameters provide information on the hydrologic and vegetation dynamics of the river. Strong variations in NDVI, σ0, and interferograms are observed during March–April 2017 and June–July 2018 in a tributary of the Kuiseb in the central Namib Desert. In those years, rain events caused the reactivation of the tributary. However, during a major flood in 2021, when no rain occured, no variations in NDVI were detected in this tributary, unlike the σ0 and interferogram anomalies after the flood. Thus, these variations cannot be explained by rains, which were non-existent during this period, but seem to be linked to the dynamics of the aquifer of the Kuiseb River, wherein floods recharge the alluvial aquifers and the rising water table levels produce a signal that is measurable by satellite radar sensors. All these results present a preliminary work that might be used by water resource managers to automate the processing and methods used to create an ephemeral river monitoring tool.
Comparison of Methods for Filling Daily and Monthly Rainfall Missing Data: Statistical Models or Imputation of Satellite Retrievals?
Authors: Duarte Luíza Virgínia , Formiga Klebber Teodomiro Martins , Costa Veber Afonso Figueiredo
Published: October 2022

Accurate estimation of precipitation patterns is essential for the modeling of hydrological systems and for the planning and management of water resources. However, rainfall time series, as obtained from traditional rain gauges, are frequently corrupted by missing values that might hinder frequency analysis, hydrological and environmental modeling, and meteorological drought monitoring. In this paper, we evaluated three techniques for filling missing values at daily and monthly time scales, namely, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, and the direct imputation of satellite retrievals from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, in rainfall gauging stations located in the Brazilian midwestern region. Our results indicated that, despite the relatively low predictive skills of the models at the daily scale, the satellite retrievals provided moderately more accurate estimates, with better representations of the temporal dynamics of the dry and wet states and of the largest observed rainfall events in most testing sites in comparison to the statistical models. At the monthly scale, the performance of the three methods was similar, but the regression-based models were unable to reproduce the seasonal characteristics of the precipitation records, which, at least to some extent, were circumvented by the satellite products. As such, the satellite retrievals might comprise a useful alternative for dealing with missing values in rainfall time series, especially in those regions with complex spatial precipitation patterns.
Assessing the Role of Water Resources Protection Practice for Sustainable Water Resources Management: A Review
Authors: Makanda Koleka , Nzama Stanley , Kanyerere Thokozani
Published: October 2022

Water resource protection is central to sustainable water supply management for human wellbeing and for the ecological ecosystem to flourish. This review paper focuses on highlighting the role of groundwater and surface water protection practice to improve their sustainable utilization in South Africa. Using an integrative approach, this paper initially reflects on the history of water resources utilization, and it examines what is understood by the term “water resources protection”. This review paper then continues by providing an analysis of the current practice at global and local levels. The study found evidence of water resource utilization in the ancient times with limited challenges despite unavailability of regulation mechanisms. However, in recent times water resource availability challenges linked to water availability and water quality deterioration are evident globally despite having policies and regulation in place. Based on the findings of the study, a novel conceptual results-oriented policy monitoring framework is proposed, and it was distinctively designed to address challenges identified in practice in the South African context. The framework is configured on (1) the vision of the catchment protection and sustainable use, (2) water resources protection practices, (3) the state of water resources, and (4) policy evaluation and review processes as the key elements to drive success in policy implementation and monitoring practice. Therefore, this paper provides a foundation for results-oriented policy monitoring for water resources protection to improve sustainable water resources utilization in the country. The proposed framework can be considered as a reference guide that can be used to monitor policy practice for water resources protection by following a result-oriented monitoring approach
Feeding Ecology of Common Squid Todarodes pacificus in the South Sea of Korea Determined through Stable Isotope and Stomach Content Analyses
Authors: Shin Donghoon , Park Tae Hee , Lee Chung-Il , Jo Jun Hyung , Choi Chang Geun , Kang Sukyung , Park Hyun Je
Published: October 2022

The common squid Todarodes pacificus is a dominant species within epipelagic communities and an important commercial species in the South and East seas of Korea and in the East China Sea. In this study, to examine the dietary composition, trophic position, and ontogenetic dietary shifts of the common squid, we analyzed stomach contents and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) in muscle tissue across different body sizes (mantle length, ML) and seasons (winter, spring, and summer 2021) in the South Sea of Korea. Regardless of the season, the diet of the common squid predominantly comprised Pisces (37.9–94.0%) and Cephalopoda (6.0–61.0%). However, in the smallest individuals (ML < 10 cm), the stomach contents in August primarily comprised Crustacea (95.5%), thereby indicating a seasonal difference in dietary composition and ontogenetic dietary shifts only during summer. Similarly, our isotope results revealed seasonal isotopic variation among sampling periods and significant positive correlations between ML and both δ13C and δ15N values during the summer. These results reveal a seasonal variability in major diet components among the common squid of different size classes and that their feeding strategies are probably adjusted in response to the temporal availability of prey. Collectively, the findings of this study enhance our understanding of the feeding ecology of T. pacificus and thereby provide valuable information that will contribute to the ecological fishery management of this commercially important species.
A Recent and Systemic Approach Towards Microbial Biodegradation of Dyes from Textile Industries
Authors: Patel Heli , Yadav Virendra Kumar , Yadav Krishna Kumar , Choudhary Nisha , Kalasariya Haresh , Alam M. Mujahid , Gacem Amel , Amanullah Mohammed , Ibrahium Hala A. , Park Jae-Woo , Park Sungmin , Jeon Byong-Hun
Published: October 2022

The textile industry generated a series of synthetic dyestuffs that threatened environmental protection. Azo dyes, widely utilized in textile, paper, fruit, leathers, cosmeceuticals and pharmaceutical fields, account for most of the dyestuffs made. Since they have colour fastness properties, stability, and susceptibility to oxidation, existing effluent treatment methods cannot entirely strip different dyes from effluents. Under certain environmental factors, bacteria decolourize and degrade dyes. The treatment process is cheap, environmentally safe, and can be used on various dyes. However, textile plant wastewater can produce many polluting chemicals and dyes. Environmental legislation is increasingly being enacted to regulate mainly azo-based dyes in the environment. The potential of the microbes for the decolourization of dyes and metabolizing them is long-known knowledge. The toxic components of dyes challenge a potential threat to all the living forms of life. Though both natural and synthetic dyes are used for the colourization of textiles, only synthetic ones are challenging to decolourize. Microbial-based bioremediation of dyes has been studied and reviewed primarily to accelerate dye degradation. The various piece of the literature revealed that the majority of these dye removal microbes belong to mainly white-rot fungi, a consortium of anaerobic bacteria. In addition to this, there are several (genetically engineered microorganisms) GEMs that remediate dyes efficiently. Here in the current review, the authors have tried to bridge the existing gap in the bioremediation of dyestuff. Moreover, the authors have also tried to provide the latest trend in this field. This study will surely benefit the industries and researchers related to dyestuffs by maintaining eco-friendly approaches.