The “memory of water” experiments suggested the existence of molecular-like effects without molecules. Although no convincing evidence of modifications of water – specific of biologically-active molecules – has been reported up to now, consistent changes of biological systems were nevertheless recorded. We propose an alternate explanation based on classical conditioning of the experimenter. Using a probabilistic model, we describe not only the biological system, but also the experimenter engaged in an elementary dose-response experiment. We assume that during conventional experiments involving genuine biologically-active molecules, the experimenter is involuntarily conditioned to expect a pattern, namely a relationship between descriptions (or “labels”) of experimental conditions and corresponding biological system states. The model predicts that the conditioned experimenter could continue to record the learned pattern even in the absence of the initial cause, namely the biologically-active molecules. The phenomenon is self-sustained because the observation of the expected pattern reinforces the initial conditioning. A necessary requirement is the use of a system submitted to random fluctuations with autocorrelated successive states (no forced return to the initial position). The relationship recorded by the conditioned experimenter is, however, not causal in this model because blind experiments with an “outside” supervisor lead to a loss of correlations (i.e., system states randomly associated to “labels”). In conclusion, this psychophysical model allows explaining the results of “memory of water” experiments without referring to water or another local cause. It could be extended to other scientific fields in biology, medicine and psychology when suspecting an experimenter effect.

The megacities´ sewage creates socioeconomic dependence related to water availability in the nearby zones, especially in countries with hydric stress. The present paper studies the water balance progression of realistic scenarios from 2005 to 2050 in the Mezquital Valley, the receptor of Mexico City untreated sewage since 1886, allowing agriculture irrigation in unsustainable conditions. WEAP model calculated the water demand and supply. Validation was performed with outflows data of the Tula River and simulated three scenarios: 1st) Steady-state based on inertial growth rates, 2nd) Transient scenario concerned climate change outcomes, with minor influence in surface water and hydric stress in 2050; 3rd) Transient scenario perturbed with a planned reduction of 36% in the imported wastewater and the start-up of a massive Water Treatment Plant, allowing drip and sprinkler irrigation since 2030. In the 2005-2017 period, 59% of the agriculture depended on the flood irrigation with megacity sewage. The water balance scenarios evaluated the sectorial supply of the ground and superficial water. Drip irrigation would reduce 42% of agriculture demands, but still does not grant the downflow hydroelectric requirements, aggravated by the lack of wastewater supply since 2030. This research alerts about how present policies compromise future Valley demands.

The water and wastewater sectors are energy-intensive, and so a growing number of utility companies are seeking to identify opportunities to reduce energy use. Though England’s water sector is of international interest, in particular due to the early experience with privatisation, for the time being very little published data on energy usage exists. We analyse telemetry data from Thames Water Utilities Ltd. (TWUL), which is the largest water and wastewater company in the UK and serves one of the largest mega-cities in the world, London. In our analysis, we (1) break down sectoral energy use into their components, (2) present a statistical method to analyse the long-term trends in use, as well as the seasonality and irregular effects in the data, (3) derive energy-intensity (kWh m³) figures for the system, and (4) compare the energy-intensity of the network against other regions in the world. Our results show that electricity use grew during the period 2009 to 2014 due to capacity expansions to deal with growing water demand and storm water flooding. The energy-intensity of the system is within the range of reported figures for systems in other OECD countries. Plans to improve the efficiency of the system could yield benefits in lower the energy-intensity, but the overall energy saving would be temporary as external pressures from population and climate change are driving up water and energy use.

Caribbean SIDS are among the most vulnerable to climate change which will have a disproportionate impact on local environments and economies. Whilst there is a growing literature on how Caribbean SIDS can adapt to become more resilient a question that has received little attention is with regard to migration as an unplanned response. It is recognised that events such as hurricanes and flooding can lead to internal relocation in the short term but societal responses to droughts through migration have not generally been investigated. This paper seeks to address this by considering the case of the island of Carriacou, part of the state of Grenada. Carriacou with its small population, limited land area and local economy, historically based on agriculture has had a high degree of migration. This is in part a response to limited economic opportunities. Environmental stress manifest through limited water availability, inappropriate land management and social conditions is likely to be exacerbated by climate change and variability. Resultant increases in the frequency and intensity of droughts, in the absence of proactive interventions, are likely to result in non-linear migration, both to Grenada itself and beyond.

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 require community water systems in the United States to send consumers Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs). CCRs contain information on detected contaminants and required educational information about drinking water. The authors of this study developed a survey to evaluate how utilities track consumer feedback, understanding, and the role of the CCR in shaping consumer perceptions about water quality. Responses from this survey indicate it is common for utilities to indirectly track the effectiveness of their CCRs, but few utilities indicated directly evaluating consumer understanding or the effect of CCRs on consumer perceptions.

The emission of mercury (II) from coal combustion and other industrial processes continues to be a concern and have local impact on water resources. The detection of these ions in water with sensitive but rapid testing methods is desirable for environmental screening and fieldwork. Nanoparticles of various chemistries have shown promise for this purpose, as they can be used in simple colorimetric analyses. Silver nanoprisms were chemically synthesized resulting in a blue reagent solution, that transitioned towards yellow and colorless solutions when exposed to Hg²⁺ ions at various concentrations. A rapid galvanic reduction of Hg²⁺ onto the nanoprism surfaces is apparently responsible for a change in shape towards spherical nanoparticles, leading to the change in color. There were no interferences by other metal ions in solution, and pH had minimal effect in the range of 6.5 to 9.8. The silver nanoprism reagent provided a detection limit of approximately 0.5 µM (100 µg/L) for mercury (II), which compares favorably with other nanoparticle-based techniques. Further optimization may reduce this detection limit.

The increasing occurrence of widespread drought phenomena is a global environmental emergency, especially for the effects of ongoing climate change on groundwater availability. Dry years and extreme temperatures are common drivers of current climate impacts all over the world, including, for example, freshwater supply for drinking and agriculture purposes, ecosystems, forestry, health, etc.. In this frame, to ensure temporal water availability in water-stressed areas, a sustainable groundwater management is an increasing challenge. Most of groundwater in the South-East Latium Region, Central Italy, as in the whole Apennine Mountains chain, is stored in karst aquifers. In this area important water resources are present, but even here in the last decades they are affected by groundwater depletion as a consequence of occurring drought events, the upward trend in the globally average temperature and the increasing of anthropogenic activities. Due to the lack of flow rates data of springs in many areas of Italy, the spring response modeling could be a useful tool for supporting a proper water resource management. Several research studies proposed methods based on relationships between spring discharges and rainfall data. The goal of this paper is to propose a model, based on rainfall-discharges cross correlations, in order to assess the spring flow rate patterns of Capodacqua di Spigno Spring, which is the main one in the study area. The results obtained using the developed model has been compared to an existing method that uses the SPI index for the estimation of the minimum annual spring discharge.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are commonly used to control pollution in the river basins. Prioritization of BMPs helps improve the efficiency and effectiveness of pollution reduction, especially in Critical Source Areas (CSAs) that produce the highest pollution loads. Recently, the Dez River in Khuzestan, Iran, has become highly eutrophic from the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. In this basin, dry and irrigated farming produce 77.34% and 6.3% of the Total Nitrogen (TN) load, and 83.56% and 4.3% of the Total Phosphorus (TP) load, respectively. In addition, residential, pasture, and forest land uses together account for 16.36% of the TN and 12.14% of the TP load in this area. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was implemented to model the Dez River basin and evaluate the applicability of several BMPs, including point source elimination, filter strips, livestock grazing, and river channel management, in reducing the entry of pollution loads to the river. Sensitivity analysis and calibration/validation of the model was performed using the SUFI-2 algorithm in the SWAT Calibration Uncertainties Program (SWAT-CUP). The CSAs were identified using individual (sediment, TN, TP) and combined indices, based on the amount of pollution produced. Among the BMPs implemented, the 10 m filter strip was most effective in reducing TN load (42.61%), and TP load (39.57%).

Humans may be exposed to microbial pathogens at recreational beaches via environmental sources, such as water, sand, and aerosols. Although infectious disease risk from exposure to waterborne pathogens has been an active area of research for decades, sand is a relatively unexplored reservoir of pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB). Beach sand and water habitats provide unique advantages and challenges to pathogen introduction, growth, and persistence, as well as continuous exchange between habitats. Models of FIB and pathogen fate and transport in sandy beach habitats can help predict the risk of infectious disease from recreational water use, but filling knowledge gaps such as decay rates and potential for microbial growth in beach habitats is necessary for accurate modeling. Climatic variability, whether natural or anthropogenically-induced, adds complexity to predictive modeling, but may increase human exposure to waterborne pathogens via extreme weather events, warming of water bodies and sea level rise in many regions. The popularity of human recreational beach activities, combined with predicted climate change scenarios, could amplify the risk of human exposure to pathogens and related illnesses. Other global change trends such as increased population growth and urbanization are expected to exacerbate contamination events and the predicted impacts of increasing levels of waterborne pathogens on human health. Such changes will alter microbial population dynamics in beach habitats, and will consequently affect the assumptions and relationships used in population models and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). Here, we discuss the literature on microbial population and transport dynamics in sand-water continuum habitats at beaches, how these dynamics can be modeled, and how climate change and other anthropogenic influences (e.g., land use, urbanization) should be considered when using and developing more holistic, beachshed-based models.

In many regions where drinking water supply is intermittent and unreliable, households adapt by storing water in cisterns or rooftop tanks. Both intermittent supply and stored water can be vulnerable to contamination by microorganisms with deleterious health effects. The Guadalajara Metropolitan Area is a rapidly growing urban center with over five million residents where household storage is nearly ubiquitous. This pilot study was conducted in July 2018 to examine the microbiological quality of drinking water in Guadalajara. Samples were tested for free available chlorine residual, total coliform bacteria, and E. coli. A survey on access to water and public perspectives was also conducted. Water exiting rooftop tanks exceeded regulatory limits for total coliform levels in half of the homes studied. Piped water arriving at two homes had total coliform levels that far exceeded regulatory limits. No E. coli were detected in any of the samples. Only 35% of homes had a chlorine residual between the recommended 0.2 and 1.5 mg/L. Many homes reported unpleasant odors and colors. Only 7% of residents drank the piped water. Future studies are needed, especially during April and May when many homes reported a higher disruption to water service.

This paper analyses six major transitions in watershed management in the Lower Mississippi River from the early 19th century till present. A conceptual framework is developed for analysing the role of visions, agency and niches in water management transitions and applied to a historical case on water management in the Lower Mississippi River. It is shown that water management regimes change over time and that major transitions were preceded by niches, in which new visions were developed and empowered. The case shows that: (i) emerging visions play an important role in guiding transitions; (ii) agency enables the further diffusion of visions and niches; (iii) vision champions play an important role in transitions, but are not decisive; (iv) each transition has led to an extension of the number of societal functions provided, which has led to more complex water management regimes in which functions are combined and integrated; and (v) external landscape factors are important, as they can lead to awareness and urgency in important decision making processes.

Development of carbon nanomaterials for adsorption thus removal of organic pollutants from water is a progressive research subject. In this regard, carbon nanomaterials with bifunctionality towards polar and non-polar or even amphiphilic undesired materials is indeed attractive for further study and implementation. Here, we created carbon buckypaper adsorbents comprising amphiphilic (oxygenated amorphous carbon (a-COx)/graphite (G)) nanofilaments that can dynamically adsorb organic biomolecules (i.e. urease enzyme) and thus purify the wastewaters of relevant industries. Given the dynamic conditions of the test, the adsorbent was highly efficient in adsorption of the enzyme (88%) while permeable to water (2382 L.h-1.m-2), thus holds a great promise for further development and upscaling. A subsequent citric acid functionalization declined selectivity of the membrane to urease, implying the biomolecules adsorb mostly via graphitic domains rather than oxidized, polar amorphous carbon ones. The devised platform i.e. the urease functionalized buckypaper is optimally conductive (13 S.cm-1) and can be further employed as a biosensor. Accordingly, water treatment can be linked to biosensing via a nanostructured membrane.

Pollution of sub-surface water reservoirs mainly rivers and streams through contaminated water point sources (CWPS) was studied. The objective was to formulate a discrete time delay mathematical model which describes the dynamics of reservoir pollution using mixing-problem processes that involve single species contaminants such as nitrates, phosphorous and detergents. The concentration of pollutants was expressed as a function of the inflow and outflow rates using the principle for the conservation of mass. Systems of ODEs generated from principles of mixing problems were refined into a system of DDEs so that the concentration of pollutant leaving the reservoir at time would be determined at some earlier instant, for the delay. The formulated model is a mathematical discrete time delay model which would be used to describe the dynamics of sub-surface water reservoir pollution. The results from the validation of the model were analyzed to determine how time delays in the mixing processes affect the rate of particle movement in water reservoirs.

Elastic bodies entering the water might experience Fluid-Structure Interaction phenomena introduced by the mutual interaction between the structural deformation and the fluid motion. Cavity formation, often misleadingly named cavitation, is one of these. This work presents the results of an experimental investigation on the water entry of deformable wedges impacting a quiescent water surface with pure vertical velocity in free fall. The experimental campaign is conducted on flexible wedges parametrically varying the flexural stiffness, deadrise angle, and drop height. It is found that under given experimental conditions cavity pockets forms beneath the wedge. Their generation mechanism is found to be ruled by a differential between structural and fluid velocities, which is introduced by the structural vibrations. Results show that the impact force during water entry of stiff bodies is always opposing gravity, while in case of flexible bodies might temporarily reverse its direction, with the body that is being sucked into the water within the time frame between the cavity formation and its collapse. Severe impacts might also generate a series of cavity generation and collapses.

Water and sanitation facilities in sub-Saharan Africa and Africa in general are appalling and for the most part absent. Progress continues with respect to the development of plant materials as potent adsorbents, disinfectants, coagulants, flocculants, wetland species and lots more as substitutes for the dangerous chemical disinfectants. This research presents the potential of phyto-active components of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides and Gongronema latifolium as effective biocides against water microbial contaminants. Dry powder of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides and Gongronema latifolium were extracted and prepared into different concentrations with ethyl acetate and chloroform, ranging from 25 to 500 mg/ml. These fractions were then examined for antimicrobial activities against inherent bacterial and fungal water contaminants using disc diffusion assay. Fractions were afterwards screened for phytochemical active compounds using standard methods. Crude extracts of the different plant examined selectively comprise saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, anthraquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, phlobatanins and alkaloids. All plant extracts showed broad spectrum antibiosis against selected gram positive and gram negative bacteria including E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp, S. pneumoniae and B. cereus, as well as tested fungi, including A. niger, A. flavus, Trichoderma sp and Candida sp. While all extracts exhibited maximum antibiosis at 500 mg/ml, the chloroform extracts compared well than ethyl acetate extracts. The overall results revealed that antimicrobial activities of the plant extracts are dose dependent with comparative activity greater than that of commercial antibiotics at the concentration of extracts tested. E.coli was the most susceptible microbial isolate tested and represents the potential of the extract against a group of coliform which are important indicators of microbial pollution in water. Other microbial isolates also recorded sensitivity to extracts tested at varying degrees. The findings indicate that microbes tested were mostly susceptible to chloroform extract of Z. zanthoxyloides and G. latifolium except for the activity of ethyl acetate extract of Z. zanthoxyloide against E.coli. Results of phytochemical screening of the extract also showed the varied presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids and anthraquinones The results indicated that plant materials investigated can be developed as effective biocides against water microbial contaminants

Degussa P25 is a benchmark form of TiO₂ used worldwide in photocatalysis studies. Currently no such benchmark exists for co-catalysts, which are essential for many photocatalytic reactions. Here, we present the preparation of Pt nanocluster co-catalysts on TiO₂ using an unmodified commercial source and equipment that is commonly available. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the procedure produces TiO₂ decorated with Pt atom and nanoclusters (1-5 atoms). Optical reflectance and X-ray diffraction measurements show that the procedure does not affect the TiO₂ polymorph or UV-Vis absorbance. Gas phase photocatalytic splitting of heavy water (D₂O) shows that the Pt nanocluster decorated TiO₂ outperforms Pt nanoparticle (produced by photodeposition) decorated TiO₂ in D₂ production. Pt nanoclusters, produced directly from a commercial source, with high co-catalyst activity are prime candidates to be used in benchmark photocatalytic reactions.

The management of existing water distribution system (WDS) is challenged by ageing of infrastructure, population growth, increasing of urbanization, climate change impacts and environmental pollution. Therefore, there is a need for integrated solutions that support decision makers to plan today, while taking into account the effect of these factors in the mid and long term. The paper is part of a more comprehensive project, where advanced hydraulic analysis for WDS is coupled with a dynamic resources input-output analysis model. The proposed modeling solution can be used to optimize the performance of a water supply system while considering also the energy consumption and consequently the environmental impacts. Therefore, as a support tool in the management of a water supply system also in the intervention planning. Here a possible application is presented for rehabilitation/replacement planning while maximizing the network mechanical reliability and minimizing risk of unsupplied demand and pressure deficit, under given economic constraints.

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by the city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proved to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the rural-urban gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient are of a great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby, was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy.

The German wine sector has encountered new challenges in water management recently. To manage water resources responsibly, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the input of water and the output of wine, in terms of quantity and quality. The objectives of this study are to examine water use at the farm scale at three German wineries, and to develop and apply, for the first time, a quality-based indicator. Water use is analyzed in terms of wine production and wine-making over three years. After the spatial and temporal boundaries of the wineries and the water flows are defined, the farm water productivity indicator is calculated to assess water use at the winery scale. Farm water productivity is calculated using the AgroHyd Farmmodel modeling software. Average productivity on a quantity basis is 3.91 L wine per m3 of water. Productivity on a quality basis is 329.24 °Oechsle per m3 of water. Water input from transpiration for wine production accounts for 99.4–99.7% of total water input in the wineries, and, because irrigation is not used, precipitation is the sole source of transpired water. Future studies should use both quality-based and mass-based indicators of productivity.

Transition-metal-free synthesis of 4-pyrones via TfOH-promoted nucleophilic addition/cyclization of diynones and water has been developed. This transformation is simple, atom economical and environmentally benign, providing rapid and efficient access to substituted 4-pyrones.

Using both GRACE satellite data and statistical records, we apply the advanced Super-SBM model in this study to evaluate the efficiency of water resource utilization in 34 prefecture-level cities across three provinces in Northeast China from 2003 to 2020. Furthermore, we employ the Tobit model to examine the factors influencing efficiency. Our findings suggest that while spatial clustering is moderately low, the efficiency of water resource utilization in the Northeast Region is praiseworthy and significantly correlates with the level of technological advancement. Four distinct categories can be identified among the prefecture-level cities based on the scale and technological efficiency of water resource utilization. To promote enhanced utilization of water resources, different regions should implement measures that are specifically tailored to their unique circumstances.

In air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (Air PEM FCs), high rate of water evaporation from the cathode might influence the resistance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is highly dependent on the water content of the Nafion membrane. We propose a dead-end hydrogen anode as a means of intermediate storage of water/humidity for self-humidification of the membrane. Such inflatable bag integrated with the PEM FC has a potential in blimp applications for anode self-humidification. A dynamic numerical water balance model, validated by experimental measurements, is derived to predict the effect of MEA configuration, membrane’s hydration state, and water transfer rate at the anode on MEA resistance and performance. The experimental setup included humidity measurements, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests to quantify the effect of membrane hydration on its resistance in a lightweight MEA integrated with an inflatable dead-end hydrogen storage bag. Varying current density (20 mA, 40 mA and 60 mA) and cathode humidity (20, 50 and 80%) were examined and compared with the numerical results. The validated model predicts that the hydration state of the membrane and water transfer rate at the anode can be increased by using a thin membrane and thicker gas diffusion layer.

A quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) modelling approach is introduced to mimic transverse mixing of an inflow into a river from one of its banks, either an industrial outfall or a tributary. The concentrations of determinands in the inflow vary greatly from those in the river, leading to very long mixing lengths in the river downstream of the inflow location. Ideally, a two-dimensional (2D) model would be used on a small scale to capture the mixing of the two flow streams. However, for large-scale applications of several hundreds of kilometres of river length, such an approach demands too many computational resources and too much computational time, especially if the application will at some point require ensemble input from climate-change scenario data. However, a one-dimensional (1D) model with variables varying in the longitudinal flow direction but averaged across the cross-sections is too simple of an approach to capture the lateral mixing between different flow streams within the river. Hence, a quasi-2D method is proposed in which a simplified 1D solver is still applied but the discretisation of the model setup can be carried out in such a way as to enable a 2D representation of the model domain. The quasi-2D model setup also allows secondary channels and side lakes in floodplains to be incorporated into the discretisation. To show proof-of-concept, the approach has been tested on a stretch of the lower Athabasca River in Canada flowing through the oil sands region between Fort McMurray and Fort MacKay. A dye tracer and suspended sediments are the constituents modelled in this test case.

Hydrochemical and geophysical data collected during a hydrological survey in September 2017, reveal patterns of small-scale hydrological connectivity in a small water track catchment, north-European Arctic. Elevated tundra patches underlain by sands were disconnected from the stream and stored precipitation water from previous months. At the catchment surface and in the water track thalweg, some circular hollows, from 0.2 to 0.4 m in diameter, acted as evaporative basins with low d-excess values, from 2 to 4‰. Other hollows were connected to shallow subsurface runoff, yielding d-excess values between 12 and 14‰. ‘Connected’ hollows yielded a 50% higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, 17.5±5.3 mg/L, than the ‘disconnected hollows, 11.8±1.7 mg/L. Permafrost distribution across the landscape is continuous, but highly variable. Open taliks exist under fens and small hummocky depressions, as revealed by electric resistivity tomography surveys. Isotopic evidence supports upward subpermafrost groundwater migration through open taliks under water tracks and fens/bogs/depressions, and its supply to streams via shallow sub-surface compartment. Temporal variability of isotopic composition and DOC in water track and a major river system, the Vorkuta R., evidence the widespread occurrence of the described processes in the large river basin. Water tracks effectively drain the tundra terrain and maintain xeric veg-etation over the elevated inter-track tundra patches.

Nanoporous membranes promise energy-efficient water desalination. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), like graphene, exhibits outstanding physical and chemical properties, making it a promising candidate for water treatment. We employed Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations to establish accurate modeling of Na+ and Cl- permeation through hydrogen passivated nanopores in graphene and h-BN membranes. In these complex systems the classical potentials cannot properly account for the physics at play. We demonstrate that ion separation works well for the h-BN by imposing a barrier of 0.13 eV and 0.24 eV for Na+ and Cl- permeation respectively, compared to the graphene where the Cl- ion faces a negative barrier of 0.68 eV and is prone toward blockade and Na+ permeation is associated with a slightly negative barrier of 0.03 eV. From the change in the solvation shell, we get the following trend: Na/h-BN > Na/G > Cl/G > Cl/h-BN. We argue that the trend in the permeation barrier changes to Cl-h-BN > Na-h-BN > Na-G > Cl-G due to a combination of several interactions, including the distortion of the water network induced by the ions, the ion-water interaction, and the ion-nanopore interaction. Overall, the desalination performance of h-BN surpasses that of their graphene counterparts.

Based on the engineering background of Daliuta mining area, the fracture distribution and water movement within the weakly cemented overlay strata are studied through liquid-solid coupling physical simulation and COMSOL numerical simulation test. 3D fracture network of overburden strata in mining is plotted based on the result of the physical simulation test. The results showed that the ‘fractured zone’ of the weakly cemented overburden strata in the western area develops more evidently than that in the eastern area ---- wide-opened fractures form at both ends of the working area and this leads to a wide distribution of fractures in the overlying strata.After the initial caving of the roof, height of the penetrating fractures increases rapidly and the separated strata space becomes the main channel for water flow. Under the action of water flow and rock strata movement, mining-induced fractures in overlying rock display cyclic change of expansion, penetration and closure. When the working face is fully mined, the penetrating fractures in the overlying strata and mining-induced fractures up in the working face become the main passages for water flow. The experimental result provides a reference for underground reservoirs layout and maintenance and water-conserved mining in western China.

The western Sulige gas field is a new and key reserve area for the rolling development of the Sulige gas field in China. However, due to the complex gas–water relationship and the difficulty in identifying gas and water formation, the scale and benefit deployment of the gas field are seriously restricted. In particular, almost all of the wells in the area produce water and no water measurement has been carried out for any single well, which leads to an unclear understanding of the dynamic characteristics of the production wells, thus affecting the productivity calculations of the gas wells and the overall regional productivity evaluation. Based on the testing data for a gas well, the impacts of the reservoir property parameters on the gas and water production were analyzed by combining the production performance and static geological characteristics. It was determined that the physical parameters K, Kh, and φSg had good positive correlations with gas production but not with water production; thus, effective prediction cannot be obtained for water production in gas well testing. After the analysis of the liquid loading law, the gas wells were classified into three types: continuous liquid carrying production, slight liquid loading, and liquid loading wells. In general, up to 96% of the gas wells were liquid loaded. According to the different production performances exhibited in the different stages of the gas wells, five types of methods for diagnosing water production wells were proposed (gas testing, pilot production, gas–liquid two-phase measurement testing, liquid level detection, and production performance analysis), as well as the diagnostic criteria and corresponding solutions. To obtain real-time water production data for each well and investigate the change of water-gas ratio (WGR) during the whole production process, a water production splitting method for gas wells based on three-dimensional geological modeling and numerical simulation combined with the constraints of the total water production of gas gathering stations was explored and established. The splitting results can be used to evaluate the water and gas productivity of gas wells and determine the best deliquification period. The gas well productivity when water production was considered was about 10% lower than that when water production was not considered. The best deliquification period was determined to be 125 days for wells with small water production, 20 days for wells with moderate water production, and 3 days for wells with serious water production. The results of this study could provide technical support for the scientific evaluation of gas well production indicators, reduction of development costs, and improvement of oil recovery.

The utilization for water resource has been of great concern to human life. To assess the natural water system in Kangding County, the integrated methods of hydrochemcial analysis, multivariate statistics and geochemical modelling were conducted on surface water, groundwater and thermal water samples. Surface water and groundwater were dominated by Ca-HCO₃ type, while thermal water belonged to Ca-HCO₃ and Na-Cl type. The analyzing results concluded the driving factors that affect hydrochemical components. Following the results of the combined assessments, hydrochemcial process was controlled by the dissolution of carbonate and silicate minerals with slight influence from anthropogenic activity. The mixing model of groundwater and thermal water was calculated using silica-enthalpy method, yielding cold-water fraction of 0.56-0.79 and estimated reservoir temperature of 130-199 ^oC, respectively. δD and δ¹⁸O isotopes suggested surface water, groundwater and thermal springs were of meteoric origin. Thermal water should have deep circulation through the Xianshuihe fault zone, while groundwater flows through secondary fractures where it recharges with thermal water. Those analytical results were used to construct a hydrological conceptual model, providing a better understanding of the natural water system in Kangding County.

Photocatalytic water splitting offers a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production, but its efficiency remains limited by complex interactions between material properties, operating conditions, and reaction mechanisms. This study presents a data-driven approach to optimize photocatalytic water splitting for enhanced hydrogen evolution. By integrating experimental data, density functional theory calculations, and machine learning algorithms, we identified key descriptors governing photocatalyst performance. A predictive model was developed to screen optimal catalyst compositions, morphologies, and operating conditions, leading to a significant increase in hydrogen production rates. The results demonstrate the potential of data-driven optimization to accelerate the discovery of high-performance photocatalysts, paving the way for scalable and efficient solar-driven hydrogen production.

Rivers are crucial hydrological cycle components, supporting ecosystems and human activities. Managing and protecting river water quality is essential. Diatoms, microscopic algae, are widespread and sensitive to changes in water quality, making them effective bioindicators. This study focused on the Kuils River in the Western Cape, South Africa, where diatom sampling was conducted at four sites. Their communities are affected by different physicochemical parameters, such as changes in pH, salinisation, eutrophication, and organic enrichment. A total of 98 diatom species were identified. The Omnidia software was used to calculate the Generic Diatom Index, Specific Pollution Index, and Trophic Diatom Index. Historical physicochemical data from the Department of Water and Sanitation provided a reference for comparing diatom communities. The results showed clear signs of pollution, as shifts in diatom species composition were observed. Pollu-tion-tolerant species like the Nitzchia palea, Navicula viridula, Eunotia bilunaris, and Fragilaria ulna dominated, while less pollution-tolerant species like Gomphonema parvulum and Cyclotella meneghiniana were less abundant. Both diatom indices and physicochemical data indicated poor water quality in the Kuils River. The study concludes that diatoms are a valuable tool for biomonitoring river water quality and recommends their use alongside traditional physicochemical methods for future assessments of river sys-tems.

Developed within the scope of a collaborative R&DT project, a 1 kW pilot unit aimed to perform the recovery of previously liquefied biomass from lignocellulosic forest resi-dues, later used as a carbon source in a co-electrolysis process, intended for the pro-duction of synthesis gas (H2, CO, CO2), also known as syngas. The syngas will be trans-formed into other value-added products, namely synthetic biofuels such as methane, methanol or biodiesel. This paper presents the results of the research currently being carried out at ISEL with the objective of further advancing development on the pilot unit by the execution of optimization tests with and without the addition of two dif-ferent biomass types.

In an attempt to replace corroding mild steel components in aggressive mine water environ-ments, nickel-chromium-iron (Hastelloy® G30), copper-nickel-tin (ToughMet® 3), and co-balt-chromium-tungsten (Stellite® 6B) hard alloys were selected due to their excellent corrosion resistance, but they remain challenged in many acidic environments. The corrosion behaviours of these alloys were compared and investigated in synthetic mine water with varying pH levels (6, 3, 1) using potentiodynamic polarisation. Microstructural, hardness, and XRD analyses were conducted. Stellite® 6B exhibited superior corrosion resistance across all pH values, outperform-ing both Hastelloy® G30 and ToughMet® 3. With the lowest corrosion rates and comparable high hardness, Stellite® 6B emerges as a promising choice for replacing mild steel pump components in aggressive mine water environments.

This study explores the hydrogen generation potential via water-splitting reactions under UV-vis radiation, by using a synergistic assembly of ZnO nanoparticles integrated with MoS2, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) to create the MoS2-SiNWs-SWNTs@ZnONPs nanocomposites. A comparative analysis of MoS2 synthesized through chemical and physical exfoliation methods revealed that the chemically exfoliated MoS2 exhibited superior performance, thereby being selected for all subsequent measurements. The nanostructured materials demonstrated exceptional surface characteristics, with specific surface areas exceeding 300 m²g⁻¹. Notably, the hydrogen production rate achieved by a composite comprising 5% MoS2, 1.7% SiNWs, and 13.3% SWNTs at an 80% ZnONPs base was approximately 3909 µmol h⁻¹g⁻¹ under 500 nm wavelength radiation, marking a significant improvement of over 40-fold relative to pristine ZnONPs. This enhancement underscores the remarkable photocatalytic efficiency of the composites, maintaining high hydrogen production rates above 1500 µmol h⁻¹g⁻¹ even under radiation wavelengths exceeding 600 nm. Furthermore, the potential of these composites for energy storage and conversion applications, specifically within rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, was investigated. Composites, similar to those utilized for hydrogen production but excluding ZnONPs to address its limited theoretical capacity and electrical conductivity, were developed. The focus was on utilizing MoS2, and SiNWs, and SWNTs, as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. This strategic combination significantly improved the electronic conductivity and mechanical stability of the composite. Specifically, the composite with 56% MoS2, 24% SiNWs and 20% SWNTs offered remarkable cyclic performance with high specific capacitance values, achieving a complete stability of 1000 mA h⁻¹g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹. These results illuminate the dual utility of the composites, not only as innovative catalysts for hydrogen production but also as advanced materials for energy storage technologies, showcasing their potential in contributing to sustainable energy solutions.

This study examines the degradation of agglomerate particles in treated produced water used for hydraulic fracturing in the Bakken Formation. By analyzing d90 values and pump speeds from different manufacturers, the research quantifies particle size reduction rates, revealing how degradation contributes to pore throat blocking in tight formations. The study found that agglomerate particles in hydraulic fracturing fluids ranged from 9 to 85 microns in size, with degradation occurring most rapidly within the first five minutes of pump action. As time progresses, degradation slows, indicating that pore clogging is most likely at the beginning of the fracturing process. The research emphasizes that pump speed is a critical factor in determining the rate of particle degradation. To minimize formation damage, it is recommended to scale up particle size and use coarser particles in suspension. However, both large and small particles pose risks: larger particles can reduce porosity, while smaller particles may penetrate pore throats and form internal filter cakes. The study highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate pump speed and particle size distribution to optimize fracturing fluid design, maintain formation permeability, and reduce the risk of formation damage. Lower pump speeds and fewer coarse particles are advised to avoid pore clogging during the fracturing process.

Energy generation now heavily relies on the field of photocatalysis. Many conventional research topics have been superseded by the conversion of solar energy into chemical or thermal energy for a variety of energy-related applications. The urgent necessity of moving away from non-renewable energy sources is a result of the problem of global warming. In an effort to create the best photocatalysts for effective solar conversion, scientists are investigating a variety of material systems and material combinations. By examining the influence of morphology changes on the photoelectrochemical activity of zinc oxide nanostructures, here electrodeposition was used to create the nanostructures. By using the proper capping agents, it is possible to control the growth rates of different ZnO facets and get well-defined nanostructures and orientation. In order to generate distinct ZnO morphologies, we report here the electrodeposition of ZnO nanostructured thin films in the presence of different capping agents. A zinc nitrate (Zn (NO₃)₂) bath was used to electrodeposit ZnO nanostructures on indium tin oxide glass (ITO) substrate at 70 °C with an applied potential of -1.0 V. Capping agents such as ethylenediamine (EDA) or ammonium fluoride (NH₄F) were added to this zinc nitrate bath. The photoelectrochemical capabilities of the morphology-controlled zinc oxide nanostructures were extensively evaluated and characterised. Thus various ZnO morphologies had an impact on the PEC properties.

China has enacted a range of policies to improve its water ecosystem since the middle of the 20th Century. Some of these measures include the creation of Seven River Conservancy Commissions, the development (combination and recombination) of series of ministries and departments to address environmental pollution and degradation, and recently the implementation of the river chief system. To understand if the river chief system can transfer to other political jurisdictions the authors gathered data using key word searches of the Web of Science and Google Scholar, official government sites, media sites and key international organizations. Based on this the authors review the development of the river chief system in the context of broader ecological reforms, place the rise of the river chief in the context of potential lessons for future improvement, and speculate on the possibility that China could transfer the river chief to countries facing similar challenges in their water governance regimes.

Accurate assessment of shale gas reserves hinges on a detailed characterization of gas and water distribution within shale reservoirs. Despite its importance, the nanoscale behavior of water and methane in deep shale formations, especially under elevated temperatures and pressures, remains poorly understood. This study proposes a novel molecular modeling approach to represent the complex nanocomposite porous media found in deep shale matrices. Leveraging quantitative data from experimental analyses of shale pore composition, we developed a molecular model that accurately reflects the intricate pore-slit structure within a composite of kerogen and illite, common constituents of shale. Employing a hybrid grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation technique, we investigated the micro-scale distribution and preferential adsorption sites of water and methane within the shale matrix. Our research further elucidates the impact of water on the pore structure of shale and delineates the co-occurrence patterns of water and methane. The simulations reveal that water and methane share similar adsorption preferences on kerogen surfaces, while methane does not exhibit specific adsorption preferences on water-bearing illite. We also find that the presence of water significantly alters the illite pore space, leading to a reduction in larger pore volumes and a concomitant increase in smaller pores. The decrease in methane content with increasing water content is more pronounced in the shrinkage cracks compared to the kerogen matrix pores and is particularly notable in the macropores of illite. The findings underscore the differential sensitivity of methane content to water levels across various shale pore types. These insights contribute to a deeper theoretical understanding of gas and water distribution mechanisms in deep shale reservoirs, offering valuable support for the evaluation of deep shale gas resource potential.

Shrimp is the most important aquaculture industry. Therefore, we determined the effect of nitrifying-probiotic bacteria on water quality, growth, survival, immune response and intestinal microbiota of Litopenaeus vannamei cultured without water exchange. In vitro, only B. licheniformis used TAN, nitrites and nitrates since nitrogen bubbles were produced. TAN decreased significantly in the treatments with bacilli and LAB, but no differences were observed in nitrites. Nitrates were significantly higher in the treatments with bacteria. The final weight and survival of shrimp in the bacterial treatments increased significantly and superoxide anion increased significantly only in LAB treatment. The activity of phenoloxidase decreased significantly in the treatment with LAB and with the mixture of bacilli and LAB. Shrimp treated with bacilli in the water showed lower species richness. The gut bacterial community after treatments was significantly different from that of the control. Linoleic acid metabolism was positively correlated with final weight and superoxide anion, whereas quorum sensing was correlated with survival. Thus, bacilli and LAB in the water of hyperintensive culture systems act as nitrifers, modulate the intestinal microbiota and immune response, and improve the growth and survival of shrimp. This is the first report on Pediococcus pentosaceus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides as nitrifying bacteria.

This study investigates the anthropogenic activities, water quality, and ichthyofaunal diversity of the Navotas Riverine Ecosystem. It examines the anthropogenic influences, analyzes the physicochemical and microbiological properties of water, identifies fish species, evaluates the water quality index, and determines ichthyofaunal diversity using various indices. Water samples and fish collections were conducted from January to April 2024 at three sites. Key findings indicate that water quality parameters such as temperature (23.20-37.5°C), dissolved oxygen (6.22-7.84 mg/L), phosphate concentration (0.55-3.72 mg/L), and fecal coliform (350-160,000 MPN/100 mL) failed to meet DENR standards for Class C water. The TDS (1153.33-10700 ppm) and conductivity (17653.33-21333.33 µS/cm) were also elevated, indicating significant pollution. The study identified low ichthyofaunal diversity, with six native and one invasive fish species. A total of 269 fish were collected: 161 from Site 1, 46 from Site 2, and 62 from Site 3. The most abundant species was Scatophagus argus (19% occurrence), while the invasive Sarotherodon melanotheron ranked third (17% occurrence). Notably, pH (r = 0.753) correlated highly with nitrate concentration. S. melanotheron significantly correlated with pH (r = 0.602, p = 0.019) and nitrates (r = 0.555, p = 0.031). Lutjanus argentimaculatus also had significant correlations with pH (r = 0.527, p = 0.039) and nitrates (r = 0.651, p = 0.011). Conversely, S. argus had a negative moderate correlation with temperature (r = -0.529, p = 0.039) and conductivity (r = -0.536, p = 0.036). These correlations suggest that the water parameters significantly influence the diversity and abundance of fish in the river. The study concludes that the river's water quality is heavily influenced by anthropogenic activities which negatively affect ichthyofaunal diversity. Recommendations include continuous monitoring, gut and heavy metal analysis of fish, assessment of avifauna diversity, and strict implementation of conservation regulations.

Green hydrogen is a fuel that in the coming years will play a very important role in the energy transition process in developed countries, especially those seeking to reach a level of zero emis-sions, for which reason its demand is expected to increase significantly. This article analyzes the fundamentals to produce hydrogen, with a focus on the oxidation reaction of a thermochemical solar cycle for the dissociation of water vapor. Solar thermochemical cycles have been extensively investigated, but it is still in the development stage by groups of researchers who have focused on finding the right materials and conditions to improve the efficiency of the process, especially at high temperatures. The theoretical foundations are analyzed, compiled from exhaustive scientific investigations related to the oxidation of iron in water vapor, the relationship with the activation energy of the corrosive process, thermodynamic aspects and the kinetic model according to a heterogeneous reaction. In addition, some high temperature oxidation mechanisms, pH effects, reactors and materials (fluidized beds) used are presented. The scientific review indicates that the production of hydrogen through a thermochemical cycle is more efficient than electrochemical processes (electrolysis), if the limitations of the reduction stage of the cycle are overcome.

The porosity of freshwater and sea ice is one of the main parameters that determine its strength. The strength of ice varies over a wide range of values, and the differ-ences in the intensity of the mechanisms of ice porosity formation in different water areas can be one of the possible reasons for these variations. The water mass contains gases in two forms: gases dissolved in the water mass, as well as gas bubbles that are formed when wind waves break up, and bubbles that float up from the seabed. The article presents the results of the analysis of the role of each of these forms in the formation of gas inclusions (pores) into the crystal structure of ice. The estimates showed that the main source of gas pores in ice crystals is the gas bubbles coming to the surface from the bottom, formed during the decomposition of bottom sediments or during gas leaks from near-bottom oil and gas fields. The possibility of gas bubbles occurring and rising to the ice-water boundary depends on the presence of bottom sources of the gases, the intensity of dissolution of the bubbles and the depth of the water area. Therefore, the variation in the porosity and the strength of ice over the space of the water areas can be associated with the changes in their depths, and the presence and location of the natural gas sources.

Organic electrophoretic coatings have gained significant attention due to their ability to provide a uniform and controlled coating thickness, high coating adhesion, and excellent corrosion protection properties. In this work, to investigate the aging behaviors of an organic electrophoretic coating for magnesium alloys, water absorption kinetics curves of the coatings after immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl at 20℃ and 40℃ were measured, and parameters such as the saturated water absorption and saturation time of the free film coatings were fitted to determine the densification evolution of the organic coatings. A tensile test was used to test the tensile strength of the organic coating during service to determine the evolution of the strength and toughness of the organic coating. The evolution of wet adhesion of organic coatings with service time was tested by ASTM D4541-02. The impedance spectra of the organic coatings under the above conditions were detected by EIS, and finally, the failure behavior of the organic coatings under immersion was analyzed.

Metocean data of a certain region can assist in determining the design criteria of offshore or nearshore infrastructures which can prevent structural failure and even overdesigning. The common method of using met ocean data to forecast the wave and climatic conditions of a coastal region is by utilizing the hindcast approach. In collaboration with a project that plans to design a nearshore structure for seaweed cultivation, this study focuses on the collection and analysis of met ocean data of potential sites in Malaysia to prevent under-designing and over-designing of the structure. The study and analysis of met ocean data are essential in predicting future environmental conditions. The study investigates the met ocean environment for the spatial design and monitoring of a seaweed aquaculture farm at the following potential sites; Western Coast near Langsuir Cave, Pulau Langkawi, Eastern Coast near Bachok, Kelantan, Eastern Coast near Setiu Wetland or River, Terengganu, Western Coast near Bidong Island, Terengganu.

The movement of liquid droplets on the energy gradient surface has attracted extensive attention. Inspired by biological features in nature, such as the periodic spindle-shaped nodes in spider silks and conical-like barbs of cacti, the structure-property-function relationship of multifunctional gradient surfaces. In this study, a series of specific patterns are fabricated by 3D printing technology, followed by modification via the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment and liquid phase chemical deposition, resulting in enhancing the ability of water droplets of 5μL to travel 18.47mm on a horizontal plane and 22.75mm against gravity up to 20° tilting angle. Additionally, analysis techniques have been employed including contact angle analyzer, ESCA and laser confocal microscope to evaluate the sample performance. This work could further be applied to many applications related to microfluidic devices, drug delivery and water/fog collection.

The rural population in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka is largely affected by Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology (CKDu). According to the multidisciplinary research carried out so far, quality of groundwater was considered one of the possible causative factors for CKDu. Therefore, the assessment of water quality variations and evolution mechanism of water quality parameters of drinking water sources is important for identifying any relationships between CKDu and the drinking water quality. The current study aimed to perform a detailed hydrogeochemical investigation using isotopic and chemical methods on selected groundwater sources in the CKDu-endemic, non-endemic and control areas. TDS, hardness, Mg2+, Na+ and F- are the main parameters that cause water quality deterioration but, their derived mechanism in these three regions are completely different. The excess concentrations of F- and Mg2+ in the CKDu endemic area, low F- and high Mg2+in the CKDu non-endemic sedimentary formation, and either combinations of low F- and low Mg2+, high F- and low Mg2+ or low F- with high Mg2+ in the control area are the distinct features. The primary processes that regulate the evolution of groundwater types in CKDu endemic and control area is the weathering of silicates. Similarly, in the CKDu endemic area, carbonate dissolution and reverse ion exchange are prominent. Cation exchange and evaporite dissolution are more pronounced in the control area. Shallow groundwaters are evapo-concentrated hence it further deteriorates quality when compared to the deep groundwater with non-mixed, non-evaporated, and higher elevation recharge effect (from 100 m altitude) in the CKDu endemic area. Dilution decreases the ion content in the CKDu endemic area while evaporite dissolution further increase it in the control area after the rainy season. Evaporation, and seawater mixing affected the quality of groundwater in the non-endemic sedimentary formation. A statistically significant difference of F- ionic ratio with Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+ in the endemic and control areas. Intense rock weathering combined with the desorption added excess F- to the groundwater in the CKDu endemic area while the cation exchange and fluorite dissolution is contributing factor in CKDu control area. All the groundwater samples analyzed have exceeded the moderate hardness threshold. However, prominent Mg hardness proportion together with excess F- in the CKDu endemic area may produce nephrotoxic MgF2 complexes that may trigger renal damage. In contrast, produced NaF complexes in the CKDu control area leads to reduction of F- toxicity in the human body. Therefore, increased levels of magnesium, fluoride and TDS in the shallow groundwater, along with geochemical, hydrogeological and climatic factors, may contribute to the CKDu in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka.

Abstract: Severe land degradation is the principal environmental problem in Ethiopian highlands in the form of soil erosion, and soil fertility loss, which is caused by human intervention for food, shelter, and energy demands. Soil erosion contributes to the loss of precious soil and water resources which are the basis of agricultural production and provide numerous other eco-system services. The Ethiopian highlands are one of the most degraded regions in the world. To combat such problems, the government of Ethiopia has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. Mount Yewel is one of the highlands in Northeastern Ethiopia where intensive soil and water conserva-tion has been implemented. Despite the massive investment in soil and water conservation measures, most of the rivers in the highlands of Ethiopia carry huge amounts of sediment with high flood risks in the wet season and streams are dried up in the dry period. Nonetheless, the impact of soil and water conservation measures on flood reduction and dry season flow en-hancement has not yet been quantified and evaluated. This research was then conducted on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were col-lected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel at their outlets and centers respectively. Base flow separation was done from the stream hydrograph using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software were employed for data analysis. Flow duration curves (FDC) for both watersheds were developed to compare the stream flow patterns between treated and untreated micro-catchments of Mount Yewel. The FDC indi-cated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment is higher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and unsustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant (P

Soil moisture can be an important indicator of climate change in humid and semi-arid areas. This indicator can more efficiently propose different public policies related to climate change than just using precipitation and temperature data. Given the above, the objective of this study is to evaluate changes in soil moisture in the state of Pernambuco during the period 1961-2021, using the System of Hydrological Response Units for Pernambuco. In this study, two river basins in the state of Pernambuco that represent the different climatic conditions of the state will be chosen. The results show that in the coastal region, there is a tendency towards more saturated soils, and in the semi-arid region, there is a tendency towards drier soils. With these results, it is possible to conclude that public policy decisions for the economy, environment, and society must consider this vital water balance variable.

In contrast to “frank” pathogens, like Salmonella entrocolitica, Shigella dysenteriae, and Vibrio cholerae, that always have a probability of disease, “opportunistic” pathogens are organisms that cause an infectious disease in a host with a weakened immune system and rarely in a healthy host. Historically, drinking water treatment has focused on control of frank pathogens, particularly those from human or animal sources (like Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, or Hepatitis A virus), but in recent years outbreaks from drinking water have increasingly been due to opportunistic pathogens. Characteristics of opportunistic pathogens that make them problematic for water treatment include: 1) they are normally present in aquatic environments, 2) they grow in biofilms that protect the bacteria from disinfectants, and 3) under appropriate conditions in drinking water systems (e.g., warm water, stagnation, low disinfectant levels, etc.) these bacteria can amplify to levels that can pose a public health risk. The three most common opportunistic pathogens in drinking water systems include Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This report focuses on these organisms to provide information on their public health risk, occurrence in drinking water systems, susceptibility to various disinfectants and other operational practices (like flushing and cleaning of pipes and storage tanks). In addition, information is provided on a group of nine other opportunistic pathogens that are less commonly found in drinking water systems, including Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Arcobacter butzleri, and several free-living amoebae including Naegleria fowleri and species of Acanthamoeba. The public health risk for these microbes in drinking water is still unclear, but in most cases, efforts to manage Legionella, mycobacteria, and Pseudomonas risks will also be effective for these other opportunistic pathogens. The approach to managing opportunistic pathogens in drinking water supplies focuses on controlling the growth of these organisms. Many of these microbes are normal inhabitants in biofilms in water, so the attention is less on eliminating these organisms from entering the system and more on managing their occurrence and concentrations in the pipe network. With anticipated warming trends associated with climate change, the factors that drive the growth of opportunistic pathogens in drinking water systems will likely increase. It is important, therefore, to evaluate treatment barriers and management activities for control of opportunistic pathogen risks. Controls for primary treatment, particularly for turbidity management and disinfection, should be reviewed to ensure adequacy for opportunistic pathogen control. However, the major focus for the utility’s opportunistic pathogen risk reduction plan is the management of biological activity and biofilms in the distribution system. Factors that influence the growth of microbes (primarily in biofilms) in the distribution system include, temperature, disinfectant type and concentration, nutrient levels (measured as AOC or BDOC), stagnation, flushing of pipes and cleaning of storage tank sediments, and corrosion control. Pressure management and distribution system integrity are also important to the microbial quality of water but are related more to the intrusion of contaminants into the distribution system – rather than directly related to microbial growth. Summarizing the identified risk from drinking water, the availability and quality of disinfection data for treatment, and guidelines or standards for control showed that adequate information is best available for management of L. pneumophila. For L. pneumophila the risk for this organism has been clearly established from drinking water, cases have increased worldwide, and it is one of the most identified causes of drinking water outbreaks. Water management best practices (e.g., maintenance of a disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system, flushing and cleaning of sediments in pipelines and storage tanks, among others) that have been shown to be effective for control of L. pneumophila in water supplies. In addition, there are well documented management guidelines available for the control of the organism in drinking water distribution systems. By comparison, management of risks for Mycobacteria from water are less clear than for L. pneumophila. Treatment of M. avium is difficult due to its resistance to disinfection, the tendency to form clumps and attachment to surfaces in biofilms. Additionally, there are no guidelines for management of M. avium in drinking water and one risk assessment study suggested a low risk of infection. The role of tap water in the transmission of the other opportunistic pathogens is less clear and in many cases actions to manage L. pneumophila (e.g., maintenance of a disinfectant residual, flushing, cleaning of storage tanks, etc.) will also be beneficial in helping to manage these organisms as well.

Abstract: Due to sever land degradation throughout Ethiopia, the government has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. However, most of the rivers in Ethiopia carry huge amount of sediment in rainy season and streams dried up in the dry period. Planned research was conducted on two paired micro-catchments Mt.Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were collected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on both micro-catchments at their outlets and center respectively. Base flow separation was done using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software was employed for data analysis. Flow duration curve (FDC) for both watersheds were developed. The FDC indicated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment ishigher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and un-sustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant difference in base flow enhancement between the treated and untreated micro-catchment (P<0.001). Hence, catchment treatment contributed to improve groundwater recharge and sustain base flow in the dry season by reduce surface runoff during rainy season.

Composites, and especially carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs), are increasingly used in the automotive, aerospace, and aviation industries, and as a result, CFRP production has increased dramatically, leading to a corresponding increase of waste. Landfill and incineration of waste are likely to be restricted as a result of the legislation, thus highlighting the need for efficient recycling methods for CFRPs. However, the recycling of CFRP is very challenging, mainly due to the difficulty of removing the thermosetting matrix. This study reports a pre-screening of the solvolysis recycling process for CFRPs based on the mechanical properties of the recovered fibers. To this end, solvolysis tests were conducted on unidirectional CFRP samples under supercritical and subcritical conditions using acetone and water. The solvolysis tests were conducted for various conditions of temperature, pressure, and reaction time. The efficiency of the recycling processes has been evaluated through a morphological and a mechanical characterization of the recovered fibers. In most cases, the decomposition efficiency of the epoxy resin, measured in terms of mass, ranged between 90 and 100%. Moreover, the scanning electron microscopy images of the recovered fibers showed negligible traces of resin residues and no detectable signs of physical damage or any changes in morphology with regard to diameter. Finally, the single-fiber tension tests revealed that that the recovered fibers retained more than 61% of their initial Young's modulus and 70% of their tensile strength.

Sugarcane plays a crucial role in global sugar and ethanol production. Conventionally, sugar-cane propagation involves planting billets. However, Brazilian researchers have introduced the innovative pre-sprouted seedlings (PSS) method, widely used in the MEIOSI (Simultaneously Occurring Interrotational Method) system. Although MPB has several advantages over the con-ventional method, its sensitivity to water scarcity is a challenge. The study aimed to evaluate the survival and growth of PSS inoculated with Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis under differ-ent water regimes. The experiment was conducted in the field in a randomized block in strips (split-block) using a 2×4 factorial scheme consisting of two inoculation conditions (with and without bacteria) and four water regimes (0%, 33%, 66%, and 100% of the ideal irrigation). The bacteria increased the PSS's survival and water use efficiency in the field. In addition, inocula-tion increased root and shoot growth, as well as the nutrient uptake such as N, P, Mn, Zn, and Cu, which resulted in a higher number of stalks per meter and, therefore, a higher multiplica-tion rate in the MEIOSI system. Inoculation proved to be a promising alternative for establishing PSS under water restriction.

Melon pest management relies on the excessive application of pesticides. Reducing pesticide spraying has become a global issue for environmental sustainability and human health. Therefore, developing a new cropping system that is sustainable and eco-friendly is important. This study found that melon seedlings irrigated with ultrafine water containing H2 and O2 (UFW) produced more root hairs, increased shoot height, and produced more flowers than the control irrigated with reverse osmosis (RO) water. Surprisingly, we also discovered that UFW irrigation significantly reduced aphid infestation in melon. Based on cryo-scanning electron microscope (cryo-SEM) observations, UFW treatment enhanced trichome development and prevented aphid infestation. To investigate whether it was H2 or O2 that helped to deter insect infestation, we prepared UF water enrichment of H2 (UF+H2) and O2 (UF+O2) separately and irrigated melons. Cryo-SEM results indicated that both UF+H2 and UF+O2 can increase the density of trichomes in melon leaves and petioles. RT-qPCR showed that UF+H2 significantly increased the gene expression level of the trichome-related gene GLABRA2 (GL2). We planted melons in a plastic greenhouse and irrigated them with ultrafine water enrichment of hydrogen (UF+H2) and oxygen (UF+O2). The SPAD value, photosynthetic parameters, root weight, fruit weight, and fruit sweetness were all better than the control without ultrafine water irrigation. UFW significantly increased trichome development, enhanced insect resistance, and improved fruit traits. This system thus provides useful water management for pest control and sustainable agricultural production.

Natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K for liquid and solid samples collected from Sidi Salem dam (Tunisia) and Aïn Dalia dam (Algeria) were measured using TERRA detector of rays (gam-ma, beta, and alpha), Atomic adsorption and Gamma-ray spectrometry were used to analyze the levels of radionuclides and toxic heavy metals, respectively. Toxic heavy metals (Fe, Bb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr and Cd) and associated health risks in surface water and sediment of dams have been in-vestigated in this present study. The radioactivity mean rates in the water samples were 1.72±0.01, 0.068±0.01 and 94.6±1.04 Bql-1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively (Tunisia dam) and were 1.9± 0.24, 0.09±0.01 and 131.43±1.03 Bql-1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K respectively (Algeria dam). The 238U, 232Th and 40K radioactivity mean concentration measured in the sediment samples were 2.67±0.01, 0.18±0.012 and 197.87±2.01 Bqkg-1 respectively (Tunisian dam) and were 4.34±0.05, 0.27±0.05 and 287.61±3.34 Bqkg-1 respectively (Algeria dam). The activity concentration of 40K was higher than that of 238U and 232Th for the water and sediment samples. The mean activity concen-trations follow the order 40K > 238U > 232Th. The cumulative impact can be a serious immediate radiological health burden on the ecosystem, environment and people's health in this study area and can be transposable to any other similar region. The good knowledge of monitoring quality and quantity for the transboundary water resources and the international collaborations are es-sential to safeguard human health (women’s breasts cancer, thyroid cancer, neurological im-pact…), and avoid the conflicts, especially during these climatic upheavals of drought.

The widespread use of the herbicide glyphosate has resulted in the global presence of its degra-dation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in the global environment. AMPA is commonly found in water bodies, including freshwater systems. We investigated the effects of chronic and acute AMPA exposure on the survivorship, regenerative abilities, and locomotion of the brown planarian (Girardia tigrina), a water-dwelling flatworm commonly found in freshwa-ter ecosystems. We exposed planarians to two concentrations of AMPA, consistent with the high and low ranges of concentrations observed in US water systems. We measured endpoints includ-ing survivorship, regenerative abilities of head and tail segments, eyespot regeneration, and swimming speed. Compared to the control group, we found that planarians chronically exposed to AMPA exhibited (1) modestly reduced survivorship while regenerating and (2) slower regen-eration from the tail segment. No significant differences were observed in intact body growth during chronic exposure. Our findings highlight the potential ecological impacts of AMPA con-tamination on planarian populations. Understanding the effects of AMPA exposure on planarians contributes to our understanding of the ecological consequences of glyphosate use in freshwater ecosystems.

Modern lifestyle has increased our utilization of pollutants such as heavy metals, aromatic compounds, and contaminants of emerging concern including pharmaceutical and personal products and other materials that may have an important environmental impact. Especially, the ultimate results of intense use of highly stable materials, such as heavy metals and chemical restudies are that they turn into waste materials which, when discharged, accumulate in the environment water bodies. In this context, the present review presents application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in electrochemiluminescent (ECL) sensing for water pollutant detection. MOF composites applied as innovative luminophore or luminophore carriers, materials for electrode modification and enhancement of co-reaction in ECL sensors have enabled sensitive monitoring of some most common contaminants of emerging concern such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and cyanotoxins. Moreover, we provide future trends and prospects associated with ECL MOF-composites for environmental sensing.

The Cantareira Water Producer System (CWPS), which supplies water to the most populous Brazilian region, Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), faces significant challenges due to climate change, threatening its water security. Climate change affects the hydrological cycle affecting water availability. The CWPS is vulnerable to periods of scarcity and instability due to increased climatic variability and increasing water consumption. Current water resource management systems do not consider the impacts of climate change, making it difficult to ensure water security in the future. This study analyzes the impact of climate change on the availability of CWPS using hydrological modeling approach with forecast precipitation data by CMIP6 and assessment of existing systems. The finds will provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by CWPS in the context of climate change, as well as support strategies and adaptive measures to ensure water security for MRSP.

The increase in carbon dioxide emissions has a significant impact on human society and the global environment. As the most abundant and cheap C1 resource, the conversion and utilization of carbon dioxide has received extensive attention from researchers. In many methods of carbon dioxide conversion and utilization, the reverse water gas conversion reaction is considered to be one of the most effective ways. In this paper, the research progress of reverse water gas conversion reaction in recent years is introduced.

This paper presents an investigation of the oxidation of Alloy X-750 containing 5% Fe in a simulated boiling water reactor (BWR) environment. To mimic the conditions in which the bare metal is exposed to the reactor water the samples were not pre-oxidized. The specimens were exposed for durations ranging from 2 to 840 hours, and the development of the oxide microstructure was mainly studied using electron microscopy. The results showed that the oxide scale consisted of blocky crystals of trevorite on top of a porous inner layer rich in Ni and Cr. After the longest exposure time, the trevorite crystals completely covered the specimen surface. The study further revealed that the speed at which the oxide grew and the metal dissolved both decreased with time. Additionally, the metal thinning process was found to be sub-parabolic. Given the significant variation in iron content in the X-750 specification, the influence of this element on the material's corrosion performance in BWR was examined by comparing the results from this investigation with those from previous work on material containing 8 wt% Fe. The study demonstrated that the oxide growth, metal dissolution and metal thinning were slower in the material with higher Fe content, indicating the importance of this element in limiting the degradation of Alloy X-750 in BWR environments.

Water electrolysis is a compelling technology for the production of environmentally-friendly hydrogen, minimizing carbon emissions. The electrolysis process of water heavily relies on the effective and steady oxygen evolution reaction (OER) taking place at the anode. Herein, we in-troduce a highly promising catalyst for OER called CoSe2@NiFeOOH arrays, which are supported on a nickel foam. This catalyst, referred to as CoSe2@NiFeOOH/NF, is fabricated through a two-step process involving the selenidation of a Co-based porous metal organic framework and subsequent electrochemical deposition on a nickel foam. The CoSe2@NiFeOOH/NF catalyst demonstrates outstanding activity for the OER in an alkaline electrolyte. It exhibits a low over-potential (η) of 254 mV at 100 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 73 mV dec−1, and excellent high stability. The high performance of CoSe2@NiFeOOH/NF can be attributed to the combination of the high conductivity of the inner layer and the synergistic effect between CoSe2 and NiFeOOH. This study offers an effective method for the fabrication of highly efficient catalysts for the OER.

With the realization of the Grand Canal's full water supply and the strong pursuit of green and low-carbon transportation in contemporary society, the value of the Grand Canal's water transport has been further affirmed, and its coordinated development with other transportation modes has become inevitable and important. This paper analyzes and combs through the characteristics, development status and existing problems of Grand Canal water transport and other transport modes in depth, and takes Jiangsu as an example. A collaboration model of Grand Canal water transport and other transport modes was built and their collaboration degree has been calculated. It is believed that the coordinated development of Grand Canal water transport and other transport modes can be greatly promoted via four aspects: optimizing the construction and governance of Grand Canal water transport, building an integrated management platform of transport modes, improving the integrated transport network structure, and promoting the deep integration of integrated shipping and tourism.

An attempt has been made to explore the relative contributions of moisture feedback processes on tropical intraseasonal oscillation or Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO). We focused on moisture feedback processes, including evaporation wind feedback (EWF) and moisture convergence feedback (MCF), which integrates the mechanisms of convective interactions in the tropical atmosphere. The dynamical framework considered here is a moisture-coupled, single-layer linear shallow-water model on an equatorial beta-plane with zonal momentum damping. With this simple approach, we aimed to recognize the minimal physical mechanisms responsible for the existence of the essential dispersive characteristics of the MJO, including its eastward propagation(k>0), the planetary-scale (small zonal wavenumbers) instability, and the slow phase speed of about ≈ 5 m/sec. Further, we extended our study to determine each feedback mechanism’s influence on the simulated eastward dispersive mode. Our model emphasized that the MJO-like eastward mode is a possible outcome of the combined effect of moisture feedback processes without requiring additional complex mechanisms such as cloud radiative feedback and boundary layer dynamics. The results substantiate the importance of EWF as an energy source for developing eastward moisture mode with a planter-scale instability. Moreover, our model endorses that the MCF alone could not produce instability without surface fluxes, although it has a significant role in developing deep convection. It is found that the MCF exhibits a damping mechanism by regulating the frequency and growth rate of the eastward moisture mode at shorter wavelengths.

This study was investigate the possible hydrological impact of climate change in stream flow of Arba River based on the downscaled precipitation and temperature data at West Harerghe Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. The case study, Arba River is one of the tributaries of Awash River Basin and the catchment of the river at Bordode flow gauging station covers around 72 square kilometers. Dynamically downscaled Regional Climate Model (RCM) HIRHAM derived by ICHEC-EC-EARTH global climate model under two scenarios RCP 4.5 and 8.5 was used in this study. The future time periods are divided into two time horizons with equal length of time as the base line period 2021–2050 and 2051–2080. For both projected periods relatively the minimum average monthly percentage change in precipitation will be happened from May to October under RCP4.5 except August and from March to October under RCP8.5. The variation under RCP4.5 is relatively high when compared to RCP8.5. The average monthly per-centage of flow increment may vary from (7.6 to 81.8) for 2021-2050 and (22.3 to 107.8) for 2051-2080 under RCP4.5. Under RCP8.5 scenario, from July to January except the December for 2021-2050, simulated flow is expected to increase while from February to June decreases for both time horizons. Generally, the change of simulated flow under both scenarios and both near and far time period is follows the pattern of precipitation. However, the flow change will have less variation than the precipitation change.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is widely used as a plasticizer in the production of polymeric materials to give them flexibility, strength and extensibility. However, due to its negative impact on human health, in particular, reproductive function and fetal development, the content of DBP must be controlled in food and environmental objects. The present study aims to develop a sensitive, fast and simple polarization fluorescent immunoassay (FPIA) using monoclonal antibodies derived against DBP (MAb-DBP) for its detection in open waters. New conjugates of DBP with various fluorescein derivatives were obtained and characterized: 5-aminomethylfluorescein (AMF) and dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein (DTAF). The advantages of using the DBP-AMF conjugate in the FPIA method are shown, the kinetics of binding of this drug with antibodies is studied, the analysis is optimized, and the concentration of monoclonal antibodies is selected for sensitive analysis - 16 nM. The calibration dependence of the fluorescence polarization signal for the detection of DBP was obtained. The observed IC50 (40 ng/mL) and LOD (10 ng/mL) values were improved by a factor of 35 for the previously described FPIA using polyclonal antibodies. This technique was tested by the added/found method, the percentage of DBP discovery in water ranged from 85 to 110%. Using the developed method, real water samples from Lake Onega were tested, and a good correlation was shown between the results of the determination of DBP by the FPIA method and GC-MS/MS. Thus, the FPIA method developed in this work can be used to determine DBP in open water reservoirs.

Climate change is a threat to mining and other industries, especially those involving water supply and management by inducing or amplifying some climatic parameters such as changes in precipitation regimes and temperature extremes. Using the latest NASA NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 datasets, this study quantifies the level of climate change that may affect the development of two mine sites (Site1 and Site2) in northeast Kazakhstan. The study analyses the daily precipitation and maximum and minimum temperature a of a number of global circulation models (GCM) over three future time periods, 2040s, 2060s and 2080s, under two shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios, SSP245 and SSP585, against the baseline period 1981- 2014. The analyses revealed that: (1) Both maximum and minimum temperature will increase under both SSP in those time periods, with the rate of change for minimum temperature being higher than maximum temperature. (2) The mean annual precipitation will increase by an average rate of 7% and 10.5% in 2040s for SSP245 and 17.5% and 7.5% for SSP585 in 2080s at Site1 and Site2, respectively. It is also observed that summer months will experience drier condition whilst all other months will increase in precipitation. (3) The values of 24-hour precipitation with 10-year return period will also increase under both SSP scenarios and future time periods for most of the studied GCM and at both mine sites. These predicted changes should be considered as design criteria adjustments for project water supply and water management structures.

This paper evaluated the quality and suitability of surface water in the Vaalharts area, South Africa, for human consumption, drinking, and irrigation purposes. Water quality constituents include water pH, EC, TDS, HCO3-, Cl-, SO4, Mg, Ca, k, Na, NO3, F, Fe, PO4, As, Al, Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn, B, Cd, Hg, Pb, N, Sb, Se, and the biological parameter included E. coli along surface waters as well as canals and dams. Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Sodium Percentage, Permeability Index, Residual Sodium Carbonate, Kelley’s Ratio, Magnesium Hazard, and Potential salinity irrigation water parameters indicated that the majority of the water samples are suitable for irrigation. The water quality index values showed that the majority of the samples are unsuitable for drinking but suitable for irrigation and industrial uses. E. coli in the surface water samples in the study area show unsafe water quality with high and very high risk for human health. Based on the classifying criterion of the Heavy Metal Pollution Index and Heavy Metal Evaluation Index, all the water samples are above the critical limit, therefore, unsuitable for human consumption. The carcinogenic risk (CR) concentrations of As, Cr and Cd were above the target risk.

In this paper, applicability of the modified water-based yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) suspensions, including different dispersants, to produce plasma sprayed coatings with “columnar microstructure” is investigated. The effects of processing parameters like suspension liquid phase ethanol content, change of substrate roughness, and spray distance on the resulting coatings morphologies are investigated. The results showed that increasing ethanol concentration, substrate surface roughness, and the spray distance promote formation of coatings with columnar structure. Moreover, application of modified water-based suspensions including α-Terpineol dispersant has led to deposition of columnar coatings with comparable morphologies of coatings deposited from ethanol-based suspensions.

Pipe leakage is an inevitable phenomenon in water distribution networks (WDNs), leading to energy waste and economic damage. Leakage events can be reflected quickly by pressure values, and the deployment of pressure sensors is significant for minimizing the leakage ratio of WDNs. Concerning the restriction of realistic factors, including project budgets, available sensor installation locations, and sensor fault uncertainties, a practical methodology is proposed in this paper to optimize pressure sensor deployment for leak identification in terms of these realistic issues. Two indexes are identified to evaluate the leak identification ability, that is, detection coverage rate (DCR) and total detection sensitivity (TDS), and the principle is to determine priority to ensure an optimal DCR and retain the largest TDS with an identical DCR. Leakage events are generated by a model simulation and the essential sensors for maintaining the DCR are obtained by subtraction. In the event of a surplus budget, and if we suppose the partial sensors have failed, then we can determine the supplementary sensors that can best complement the lost leak identification ability. Moreover, a typical WDN Net3 is employed to show the specific progress, and the result shows that the methodology is largely appropriate for real projects.

Climate change is an issue that is the order of the day, and among the many consequences it has on the environment one is its influence on the amount and frequency of rainfall on our planet, since our water supply depends on them. Therefore, in order to quantify these effects, a rainfall analysis has been carried out using data collected in Bilbao over the last 150 years. Thanks to this, it has been possible to observe that, although the total annual amount seems to suffer a slight decrease, hardly quantifiable with certainty, it is true that the intra-annual patterns are more concentrated at certain times of the year, with greater imbalances between one month and another than in previous years. However, taking into account the capacity of the reservoirs that supply the Greater Bilbao area, it can be concluded that this does not pose any problem for Bilbao's supply, at least at present.

Recharge is a crucial section of water balance for both surface and subsurface models in water resource assessment. However, quantifying its spatiotemporal distribution at a regional scale poses a significant challenge. Empirical and numerical modeling are the most commonly used methods at the watershed scales. However, integrated model inherently contain a vast number of unknowns and uncertainties, which can limit their accuracy and reliability. In this work, we have proposed integrated SWAT-MODFLOW and Transient Water Table Fluctuation Method (TWTFM) to evaluate the spatiotemporal distribution of groundwater recharge in Anyang wa-tershed, South Korea. Since TWTFM also uses SWAT model percolation output data, calibration was performed for individual models and coupled model. The coupled model was calibrated using daily streamflow and hydraulic head. SWAT-MODFLOW model performed well during the simulation of streamflow compared SWAT model. The study output showed that the study watershed had significant groundwater recharge variations during the simulated period. A sig-nificant amount of recharge happens in the wet season. It contributes about 34% of the average annual precipitation of the region. The direct flow components (surface and lateral) showed sig-nificant contributions when the water balance components were evaluated in the region. TWTFM showed a glimpse to estimate recharge, which requires representative monitoring wells in the study region. Comprehensively, the SWAT-MODFLOW model estimated groundwater recharge with reasonable accuracy in the region.

The use of plant growth-promoting bacteria can be one option for mitigating the impact of abiotic constraints on different cropping systems in the tropical semi-arid region. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, leaf gas exchange and yield in maize inoculated with Bacillus aryabhattai, and subjected to water and salt stress. The experiment followed a randomised block design, in a split plot arrangement, with six repetitions. The plots comprised two levels of electrical conductivity for the irrigation water (ECw): 0.3 dS m-1 and 3.0 dS m-1; the subplots consisted of three irrigation depths (ID1: 50%, ID2: 75%, and ID3: 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc)); while the sub-subplots included the presence or absence of Bacillus aryabhattai inoculant. A water deficit of 50% of the ETc resulted in the principal negative effects on growth, reducing the leaf area and stem diameter. The use of Bacillus aryabhattai mitigated salt stress and promoted better leaf gas exchange by increasing the CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, and internal CO2 concentration. However, irrigation with brackish water (3.0 dS m-1) reduced the instantaneous water use efficiency of the maize. Inoculation partially reduced the effects of abiotic stress due to morpho-physiological traits, and increased yield potential under water deficit with no salt stress.

Circular Economy (CE) is noted as an emerging tool or framework to support sustainable production and consumption agenda. In addition, CE is aiming to be a trigger for redefining economic growth pathways to be sustainable, inclusive, and sensitive to ecological and environmental agendas and to focus its operational standards on co-creating societal benefits. Concerning the guiding principles and the standards of practice applied to implement and scale circular economy, this study will provide an overview of the water sector-specific circularity roadmaps and strategies in the Latin American Region. By using a semi-systematic review, document analysis, and qualitative assessment approach, we highlight framings and operational pathways, gaps, and needs within existing practices of circularity in the water sector. The results provide an overview of CE pathways at the national level of selected countries in LAR iterating those nations reflect various levels of advancement (low to high) with CE-focused innovations and policy support structures specific to the water and wastewater sectors. Towards the closing, the study is pointing to the ‘call for action’ to integrate outstanding advances and innovations in the circular economy within sectoral mandates for water and wastewater management, making an argument that circularity in the water sector could serve as an accelerator toward implementing the agenda outlined in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular for SDG 6 (water security for all).

Drought stress on soybean is a research-demanding matter for negative influence that agricultural drought brings about. This study was designated to evaluate the effect of drought stress on some gene expression in flowering and pod elongation stages in soybean. This experiment was carried out in split-plot format with RCBD design with four replicates. Drought stress as the main factor included three levels (irrigation after 50, 100, and 150 millimeters evaporation from the A-class evaporation pot) of which 50 millimeters evaporation is considered as control. The sub-factor included a factorial combination of 3 varieties (DPX, Sari and WE6) and two sampling stages (flowering and pod elongation). The gene expression analysis was carried out by using the QRT-PCR technique. According to our results, all genes have shown overexpression in drought stress despite this result was not the same for all genotypes and stress levels. Some genes have up-regulated in mediate stress (treatment 100) level (like as Gmdreb 2, Gmdreb 5, GmRD20A, GmaxACD2) and other genes up-regulated in serve stress (treatment 150) level. Between genotypes, DPX cultivar and WE6 line were better than of the sari cultivar for all genes up-regulated.

Sediment thickness increases can cause floodplains and the water level increases. This has the potential to generate a flood. Using electromagnetic waves, Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) detected resistivity or conductivity contrast of lithology in the subsurface. It is measured in the time domain. TDEM method has been developing for decades. Here we tried to develop a 1-D forward modelling program for central loop configuration in the water environment using the Adaptive Born Forward Mapping (ABFM) method. We simulated this program in several water environment conditions (such as freshwater, brackish water and saline water) to know its response. Preventing natural hazards, especially flood hazards which are caused by the floodplain increases is our motivation in this research. Our simulation shows that Central-Loop Configuration Time-Domain Electromagnetic Method is able for imaging the sediment thickness clearly. The response of this method is extremely sensitive in saline water to depth changing than in other water environments.

Situbondo is one of the best mango producer city with a distinctive mango taste compared to other regions in East Java. Mango production in Situbondo in 2015 reached 222,471 quintals. One of the damage to post-harvest mango products is due to anthracnose disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hot water treatment in inhibiting anthracnose disease and maintaining the quality of mangoes. The study was conducted at the Plant Clinical Laboratory in January 2019 at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jember. The study design used was a completely randomized design with two factors, namely washing temperature (59 ± 1 ° C, 53 ± 1 °C, normal water temperature) and storage temperature (15.1 ± 1 ° C and 18.1 ± 1 ° C). Washing with a temperature of 53 ± 1 ° C can be used to clean fruit. Treatment with low temperature (15.1 ± 1 ° C and 18.1 ± 1 ° C) resulted in inhibiting changes in weight loss, fruit hardness, acid content (total titrated acid), and total dissolved solids while another treatment, 53 ± 1 ° C washing temperature with storage temperature 15.1 ± 1 ° C gives a good appearance that suppress the development of anthracnose, and inhibit fruit discoloration.

With the influences of climate change and human activities, the resources and environment of “One Belt and One Road” are facing severe problems and challenges. This study aims to analyze the temporal and spatial dynamics of the drought environment and the response of vegetation cover to the drought by using drought indicators. Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) drought severity index (GRACE-DSI) and GRACE water storage deficit index (GRACE-WSDI), were calculated to present hydrological drought. Moreover, based on GRACE, Water-Global Assessment and Prognosis (WaterGAP) model, and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) data, the groundwater in Central Asia was retrieved to calculate the groundwater drought index called the GRACE Standardized Groundwater Level Index (GRACE-SGI). The results show that the annual precipitation in Central Asia increased slightly at a rate of 0.39 mm/year (p = 0.82) since 2000, while the temperature increased slightly at a rate of 0.05 ℃/year (p = 0.10). The water storage decreased significantly at -0.59 mm/year (p &lt;0.01) and experienced a decrease-increase-decrease process. During the study period, the arid situation in Central Asia deteriorated, especially in the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea basin. From 2007 to 2015, the Central Asian environment was generally arid and suffered from different du-rations and degrees of hydrological and groundwater droughts. The drought indicators (i.e., GRACE-DSI, GRACE-WSDI) and the NDVI showed a significantly positive correlation during the growing season. However, the NDVI of cultivated land and grassland distribution areas in Central Asia showed a strong negative correlation with GRACE-SGI. It is concluded that the drought environment in Central Asia affected the growth of vegetation. The continued deterioration of the arid situation may further stress the ecological system in Central Asia.

The present paper investigates numerically the resistance at full-scale of a zero-emission, high-speed catamaran in both deep and shallow water, with the Froude number ranging from 0.2 to 0.8. The numerical methods are validated by two means: a) comparison with available model tests; b) a blind validation using two different flow solvers. The resistance, sinkage and trim of the catamaran, as well as the wave pattern, longitudinal wave cuts and cross-flow fields, are examined. The total resistance curve in deep water shows a continuous increase with the Froude number while in shallow water, a hump is witnessed near the critical speed. This difference is mainly caused by the pressure component of total resistance, which is significantly affected by the interaction between the wave systems created by the demihulls. The pressure resistance in deep water is maximised at a Froude number around 0.58, whereas the peak in shallow water is achieved near the critical speed (Froude number ≈ 0.3). Insight into the underlying physics is obtained by analysing the wave creation between the demihulls. Profoundly different wave patterns within the inner region are observed in deep and shallow water. Specifically, in deep water, both crests and troughs are generated and moved astern as the increase of the Froude number. The maximum pressure resistance is accomplished when the secondary trough is created at the stern, leading to the largest trim angle. In contrast, the catamaran generates a critical wave normal to the advance direction in shallow water, which significantly elevates the bow and creates the highest trim angle as well as pressure resistance. Moreover, significant wave elevations are observed between the demihulls at supercritical speeds in shallow water which may affect the decision for the location of the wet deck.

Cyanides, though naturally occurring, are environmental pollutants when not treated properly. Some methods used to attenuate cyanides in waste waters from industrial processes are based simply on changing the physico-chemical properties of the waste water such as the pH and temperature. The effectiveness of these methods are based on hydrolysis of the cyanide and volatilization of the hydrogen cyanide formed. Another reaction which takes place simultaneously is ultraviolet-catalysed oxidation which converts the cyanide to bicarbonates and carbonates.The changes in the cyanide degradation rate approaches a minimum faster if the cyanide solution is maintained at a higher than ambient constant temperature.

Objective: To study the changes in urine metabolism in female water polo players before and after high-intensity training by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and to explore the biometabolic characteristics of urine after training and competition. Methods: Twelve young female water polo players (except goalkeepers) from Shanxi Province were selected. A 4-week formal training was started after one week of acclimatization according to experimental requirements. Urine samples (5 ml) were collected before formal training, early morning after 4 weeks of training, and immediately after 4 weeks of training matches, and labeled as T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The samples were tested by LC-MS after pre-treatment. XCMS, SIMCA-P 14.1, and SPSS16.0 were used to process the data and identify differential metabolites. Results: On comparing the immediate post-competition period with the pre-training period (T3 vs T1), 24 differential metabolites involved in 16 metabolic pathways were identified, among which niacin and niacinamide metabolism and purine metabolism were potential post-competition urinary metabolic pathways in the untrained state of the athletes. On comparing the immediate post-competition period with the post-training period (T3 vs T2), 10 metabolites involved in 3 metabolic pathways were identified, among which niacin and niacinamide metabolism was a potential target urinary metabolic pathway for the athletes after training. Niacinamide, 1-methylnicotinamide, 2-pyridone, L-Gln, AMP, and Hx were involved in two metabolic pathways before and after the training. Conclusion: Differential changes in urine after water polo games are due changes in the metabolic pathways of niacin and niacinamide.

Lake Chapala is a natural ecosystem of Mexico, declared Ramsar site, currently, is an area with importance in the agricultural sector, tourism, and important source of drinking water in the Metropolitan area of Guadalajara, considered as a thermo regulatory body. This study used tools such as Rhtest, as well as analyzing extreme climate indices using RClimdex. In addition, the relationship with the change in water surface of Lake Chapala was assessed through the NDWI index, using Landsat images, between 1985 and 2018. According to the obtained results, the signs of climatic variability are detected in the study region, which, directly affects the basin runoff and water levels in the lake, as well as, the factor of water overexploitation in the basin, so it is considered that the lake conditions mostly depend on the type of management that is given to the resource. Finally, the results will help the understanding of climate variability and its water resources influence of the Lerma Chapala basin, which will assist in future research.

The Umbulan Water Supply Project is categorized by the Shipping Infrastructure Acceleration Committee in the list of Accelerated National Strategic Projects through Presidential Regulation Number 3 of 2016 concerning the Acceleration of the Implementation of National Strategic Projects, targeted to operate in mid-2019. This is what will be the focus of the stakeholders of the Umbulan Water Supply Project. This study was to identifying and analyzing networks among stakeholders. Method: This study used a qualitative approach with exploratory methods combined with meta-analysis identification design Identification of stakeholder mapping in the context of early detection of stakeholder involvement in the implementation of the Umbulan Water Supply Project at various levels starting from the National, Provincial (East Java), District/City (Pasuruan, Sidoarjo, Surabaya, to Gresik), Sub-District (Winongan, Gondang Wetan, and Pohtjentrek). The conclusion of this study was based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions in describing the determination of stakeholders which were divided into two, namely primary stakeholder and secondary stakeholder, and outline the result of the indicators analysis on the stakeholder network of Umbulan Water Supply Project.

The great importance of estimating dissolved oxygen (DO) dictates utilizing proper evaluative models. In this work, a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) network is trained by three capable metaheuristic algorithms, namely multi-verse optimizer (MVO), black hole algorithm (BHA), and shuffled complex evolution (SCE) for predicting the DO using the data of the Klamath River Station, Oregon, US. The records (DO, water temperature, pH, and specific conductance) belonging to the water years 2015 - 2018 (USGS) are used for pattern analysis. The results of this process showed that all three hybrid models could properly infer the DO behavior. However, the BHA and SCE accomplished this task by simpler configurations. Next, the generalization ability of the developed patterns is tested using the data of the 2019 water year. Referring to the calculated mean absolute errors of 1.0161, 1.1997, and 1.0122, as well as Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.8741, 0.8453, and 0.8775, the MLPs trained by the MVO and SCE perform better than the BHA. Therefore, these two hybrids (i.e., the MLP-MVO and MLP-SCE) can be satisfactorily used for future applications.

Water and water habitats are essential to life and to the wellness of the communities that rely on them, as the Danube river is subject to human impact and vice versa, periodic surveys are required to determine the status of its pollution levels. In this work we used known microbiological indicators as well as physico-chemical ones to assess the ecotoxicological status of the Danube river from eleven locations partially forming the “Romanian–Bulgarian Danube Sector”. Most of the microbial communities found, and their densities, could be explained by point and diffuse sources scattered along the sector such as discharged household and farm wastewater, as well as nearby agricultural areas where fertilizers have been used and then leaked in the water stream during rainfalls. However, microbial data on non-point sources that lead to diffuse pollution of surface waters could be linked to such parameters and furthermore shown a slight correlation with the current status of fish communities.

In this article we report the first investigation over time of the atmospheric conditions around TGFs occurrence, using GPS sensors in combination with geostationary satellite observations and ERA5 reanalyses data. The goal is to understand which characteristics are favourable to the development of these events and to investigate if any precursor signals can be expected. A total of 9 TGFs, occurred at a distance lower than 45 km from a GPS sensor, were analysed and two of them are shown here as an example analysis. Moreover, the lightning activity, collected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) was used in order to identify any links and correlations with TGF occurrence and PWV trends. The combined use of GPS and the stroke rate trends identified, for all cases, a recurred pattern in which an increase of PWV is observed on a timescale of about two hours before the TGF occurrence that can be placed within the lightning peak. The temporal relation between the PWV trend and TGF occurrence is strictly related to the position of GPS sensors in relation to TGF coordinates. The life cycle of these storms observed by geostationary sensors, described TGFs producing clouds as intense with a wide range of extensions and, in all cases, the TGF is located at the edge of the convective cell. Furthermore, the satellite data give an added value in associating the GPS water vapor trend to the convective cell generating the TGF. The investigation with ERA5 reanalyses data showed that TGFs mainly occur in convective environment with not exceptional values with respect to the monthly average value of parameters measured in the same location. Moreover the analysis showed the strong potential of the use of GPS data for the troposphere characterization in areas with complex territorial morphology. This study provided indications on the dynamics of convective systems linked to TGFs and will certainly help refine our understanding on their production highlights a potential approach through the use of GPS data to explore the lightning activity trend and the TGFs occurrence.

Carbohydrate and menthol mouth-swilling have been used to enhance exercise performance in the heat. However, these strategies differ in mechanism and subjective experience. Participants (n=12) sat for 60 min in hot conditions (35°C; 15±2%), following a 15 min control period, participants undertook three 15 min testing blocks. A randomised swill (Carbohydrate; Menthol; Water) was administered per testing block (one swill every three minutes within each block). Heart rate, tympanic temperature, thermal comfort, thermal sensation and thirst were recorded every three minutes. Data were analysed by ANOVA, with carbohydrate intake controlled for via ANCOVA. Small elevations in heart rate were observed after carbohydrate (ES: 0.22 ± 90% CI: -0.09 to 0.52) and water swilling (0.26; -0.04 to 0.54). Menthol showed small improvements in thermal comfort relative to carbohydrate (-0.33; -0.63 to 0.03) and water (-0.40; -0.70 to -0.10), and induced moderate reductions in thermal sensation (-0.71; -1.01 to -0.40 and -0.66; -0.97 to -0.35, respectively). Menthol reduced thirst by a small to moderate extent. These effects persisted when controlling for dietary carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate and water may elevate heart rate, whereas menthol elicits small improvements in thermal comfort, moderately improves thermal sensation and may mitigate thirst; these effects persist when dietary carbohydrate intake is controlled for.

Cyanobacterial species (blue-green algae) constitute the major part of the phytoplanktonic biomass during the summer in freshwater ponds. The aim of the research work was to study the biodiversity of cyanobacteria among 20 different freshwater ponds of the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu, India. The morphological identification of cyanobacterial species was carried out using a trinocular microscope. The results showed that the maximum number of cyanobacterial species belonged to Oscillatoriaceae, Nostocaceae, Microcystaceae, Scenedesmaceae, and Desmidiaceae families. Among 25 different families of Cyanobacteria about 42 distinct species were identified. These results showed that the freshwater ponds of the Pudukkottai district have an abundance of cyanobacteria species.

In deep geological analysis of data, these are input data that are few and include a small set of data. In a small set of case data, it is necessary to obtain reliable data of individual geological variables from this type of data. The paper analyzes the possibility of applying the bootstrap method on variables that are important in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. The variables analyzed were the following: porosity and total costs of disposal formation water. The case study was made on the data of reservoir "K", field "B" located in the western part of the Sava Depression. The analysis of the results showed the possibility of applying the bootstrap method in the analysis of deep geological data with the application of three different sizes of resampling dataset.

Based on NCEP FNL 1°*1° analysis data and Xinjiang meteorological bureau area numerical operation prediction, a local precipitation event in southern Xinjiang on June 26 was analyzed, and the results showed that the water vapor involved in this process originated from the northwestern Gangetic Plain and was transported along the Indus River plain and over the northwestern end of the mountains. Driven by the Iranian low-pressure trough, water vapor at 500 hPa was transported across the northwestern end of the Gangdise Mountains, past Georgoli Peak, and northwest over the Kunlun Mountains to arrive in southern Xinjiang.

This study investigated the physical properties of section-restoration mortar with calcium nitrite and carbon dioxide (CO2) nanobubble mixing water to develop materials and methods for the repair and reinforcement of cracks in reinforced concrete (RC) structures. As the calcium nitrite content increased, the generation rate and generated amount of nitrite-based hydration products increased, owing to the rapid reaction between NO2- ions in calcium nitrite and C3A(Al2O3). Further, the reaction with C3S and C2S was accelerated, thereby increasing the generation rates of Ca(OH)2 and C-S-H. Further, the large amount of Ca2+ ions in these hydration products reacted with CO32- ions in CO2 nanobubble water, thereby increasing the generation of calcite-based CaCO3 in the cement matrix. This appears to have affected the strength development and durability improvement via the densification of the structure. These results suggest that the performance of polymer cement mortar for repairing concrete structures can be improved if calcium nitrite and CO2 nanobubble water are properly combined and applied.

Drinking water supplies in the developing world often serve as a biosphere for various organisms. Viral gastroenteritis is a neglected area of research in Pakistan, there is no data for the prevalence of enteric viruses in drinking water of the largest city of Karachi. The present study aimed to provide a survey of the existence of enteric viruses: human adenovirus (HAdV), human enteroviruses (hEV), and genotype A rotavirus (GARV) in tap water. Using a simple PCR approach, we detected 20%, 43%, and 23% of HAdV, hEV, and GARV in tap water respectively. We have also shown an overall quality of tap water at the pumping station and consumer tap. Moreover, we assessed the efficiency of small-scale water treatment methods for the removal of viruses.

A delayed crosslinked polymer gel was developed for indepth water control in mature oilfields. The thermal gelation behavior of nonionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) and PEI was investigated, and sodium citrate (NaCit) was selected as a new retarder to prolong the gelation time. The gelation performance of NPAM/PEI gel system can be adjusted by the variation of NPAM or PEI concentration, and a quadratic model was developed by statistical analysis, which predict the gelation time of NPAM/PEI gel system. The obtained model showed high significance and good reliability as suggested by the F-ratio of 175.16 and high adjusted R-square value (0.9732). The decrease of the initial pH value of gelling solution leads to the weaker gel viscosity and longer gelation time due to the protonation of amine groups on the PEI chains. Increasing temperature resulted in higher gel viscosity but shorter gelation time. The addition of NaCit showed a good delayed gelation effect on the NPAM/PEI gel system, and the gel system in the presence of NaCit exhibited a good compatibility with injected and formation water. A dense three-dimensional structure was observed in matured NPAM/PEI/NaCit gel, and it could keep stable below 150℃. The gel system could effectively reduce the permeability (>95%) and restricted the flow of water after matured in natural cores.

For some decades, the scientific community has been looking for alternatives to the use of fossil fuels that allow the planet's sustainable and environmentally friendly development. To do this, attempts have been made to mimic some processes that occur in nature, among which the photosystem-II stands out, which allows water splitting operating with different steps to generate oxygen and hydrogen. This research presents promising results using synthetic catalysts, which try to simulate some natural processes, and which are based on Au@ZnO-graphene compounds. These catalysts were prepared by incorporating different amounts of gold nanoparticles (1 wt.%, 3 wt.%, 5 wt.%, 10 wt.%) and graphene (1 wt.%) on the surface of synthesized zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs), and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), along with a commercial form (commercial ZnO) for comparison purposes. The highest amount of hydrogen (1,127 µmol/hg) was reported by ZnO NWs with a gold and graphene loadings of 10 wt.% and 1 wt.%, respectively, under irradiation at 400 nm. Quantities of 759 µmol / hg and 709 µmol / hg were obtained with catalysts based on ZnO NPs and commercial ZnO, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of all composites increased with respect to the bare semiconductors, being 2.5 times higher in ZnO NWs, 8.8 times for ZnO NPs and 7.5 times for commercial ZnO. The high photocatalytic activity of the catalysts is attributed, mainly, to the synergism between the different amount of gold and graphene incorporated, and the surface area of the composites.

Results are presented concerning the influence on the water splitting process of enantiopure tartaric acid present in bulk solution. Stainless steel and electrodeposited nickel are used as working electrode (WE) surface. The latter is obtained by electrodeposition on the two poles of a magnet. The influence and role played by the chiral compound in solution has been assessed by comparing the current values, in cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments, recorded in the potential range at which oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs. In the case of tartaric acid and nickel WE a spin polarization of about 4 % is found. The use of the chiral environment (bulk solution) and ferromagnetic chiral Ni electrode allows for observing the OER at a more favourable potential: about 50 mV (i.e. a cathodic, less positive, shift of the potential at which the oxygen evolution is observed).

There are abundant coal, oil and natural gas resources in "Golden Triangle" energy region. Energy resources development, coal chemical industry, coal power and other industries play an important role in promoting regional economic growth, but facing the insufficient water supply. Under the condition of marginal equilibrium of water resources, the paper firstly analyzes the water utilization, and calculates the potential water-saving amount. Then, the paper constructs a cooperative game model and allocates the newly increased GDP by using the weight distribution method. Finally, the paper puts forward some policy suggestions to reduce the efficiency gap of water utilization among regions.

Water quality forecasting is increasingly significant for agricultural management and environmental protection. Enormous amounts of water quality data are increasingly being collected by advanced sensors, which leads to an interest in using data-driven models for predicting trends in water quality. However, the unpredictable background noises introduced during water quality monitoring seriously degrade the performance of those models. Meanwhile, artificial neural networks (ANN) with feed-forward architecture lack the capability of maintaining and utilizing the accumulated temporal information, which leads to biased predictions in processing time series data. Hence, we propose a water quality predictive model based on a combination of Kernal Principal Component Analysis (kPCA) and Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) to forecast the trend of dissolved oxygen. Water quality variables are reconstructed based on kPCA method, which aims to reduce the noise from the raw sensory data and preserve actionable information. With the RNN's recurrent connections, our model can make use of the previous information in predicting the trend in the future. Data collected from Burnett River, Australia was applied to evaluate our kPCA-RNN model. The kPCA-RNN model achieved R2 scores up to 0.908, 0.823 and 0.671 for predicting the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the upcoming 1, 2 and 3 hours, respectively. Compared to current data-driven methods like ANN and SVR, the predictive accuracy of the kPCA-RNN model was at least 8 %, 17 % and 21 % better than the comparative models in these 3 cases. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the kPAC-RNN modeling technique in predicting water quality variables with noisy sensory data.

China is not only short of fresh water resources per capita, but also faces a serious problem of water pollution in recent years, with 190 million people suffering from excessive levels of harmful substances in their drinking water. Such as arsenic poisoning and fluorosis and other endemic water diseases high incidence. As a series of water pollution prevention plan of action by the Chinese government announced that, this paper uses the modified Undesirable Dynamic Network model empirical analysis of China's 31 provincial administrative region economic growth, wastewater treatment, and water disease control efficiency between 2013 and 2017. The results show that the efficiency of water pollution disease in all four regions of China and the total efficiency in the three regions of east, west and central China all show a decreasing trend, and the efficiency scores and rankings of all provinces and cities within the region fluctuate greatly. The eastern region with the most developed economy has the best overall performance, with higher efficiency in Water consumption and Water disease control. However, the efficiency of wastewater treatment in northeast China is stable and better. Given the high level of economic development in China and the results of the above mentioned efficiency in water pollution and water diseases, improving the efficiency and quality of wastewater treatment in China is regarded as an important factor in achieving the strategic goal of green growth.

Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems currently monitor and collect a huge among of data from all kind of processes. In practice, due to sensor failures or to communication errors, in the long-time running, some data may be lost. When it happens, given the nature of these failures, information is lost in bursts, that is, sets of consecutive samples, which besides can be very long. Data completion is a critical step, which must be done with the utmost rigour in order to not propagate errors in the rest of the processing chain stages. Some Big Data techniques do not work if the data series are incomplete, due to the loss of some data. When this occurs it is necessary to fill out the gaps of the historical data with a reliable data completion method. This paper presents an ad-hoc method to replenish the data lost by a SCADA system in case of long bursts. The data correspond to levels of drinking water tanks of a Water Network company that present patterns on a daily and a weekly scale. A method based on tensors is used to take advantage of the data structure. A specially designed \textit{tensorization} is employed to deal with bursts of missed data, applying a twice tensor decomposition and a signal continuity correction. Statistical tests are realized, which consist of apply the data reconstruction algorithms, by deliberately removing bursts of data in verified historical database servers, to be able to evaluate the real effectiveness of the tested methods. For this application, the presented approach outperforms the other techniques found in the literature.

The existence of the exclusion zone (EZ), a layer of water in which plastic microspheres are repelled from hydrophilic surfaces, has now been independently demonstrated by several groups. A better understanding of the mechanisms which generate EZs would help with understanding the possible importance of EZs in biology and in engineering applications such as filtration and microfluidics. Pollack theorizes that EZ water exists in a new phase which has a layered structure. We note several problems with Pollack's proposed structure, some of which were noted in the 1960's when a similar structure was proposed for ``polywater''. We argue that Schurr's diffusiophoresis based theory presents a compelling alternative explanation for the core EZ phenomena, although there remain other findings from Pollack's lab it does not explain. Among other things, Schurr's theory makes predictions about the growth of the EZ with time which have been confirmed by Florea et al.\ and others. In this work we also introduce and explore a novel hypothesis - that some aspects of EZ phenomena may be attributable to repulsive van der Waals forces. Finally, we touch on several possible confounding factors that make experimentation on EZs difficult, such as charged surface groups, dissolved solutes, and adsorbed nanobubbles.

The study of the distribution and health risk assessment is meaningful to provide basic data for environmental management．To investigate the pollution of potential toxic organics and their health risk to human beings, water samples were collected at 7 sites of main surface water of Beijing during wet and dry seasons respectively. The targeted 92 organics were detected, including phthalates (PAEs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenols. The results showed that: there were 56 organics detected out, and the number ratios of detected compounds to the total compounds of the same kind increased as the following: VOCs, phthalates, phenols, PAHs. 8 VOCs were detected in wet season, and 3 in dry season. The concentration of 2,2-Dichloropropane was highest as 10.62ug/L, while the concentrations of other VOCs were below 5ug/L; There were 11 phthalates detected during dry season. The content of Bis(2-methoxyethyl) phthalate was highest as 188.47ng/L; 17 phenols were found in samples during wet season, and the highest concentration was 1244.73ng/L for 4-nitrophenol; PAHs could be detected in all samples, and the detected compounds and the corresponding average concentrations were higher in wet seasons than those in dry seasons, which indicated that non-point pollution was possibly the main pollution source. The health risk assessment of the detected 56 pollutants by using a model from US EPA showed that, the risk caused by the four kinds of toxic organics in this study was in the acceptable ranges.

The current study focused on reviewing the rapid growing of using magnetic water in different fields of science and measure the influence of several intensities of magnetization on the chemical and electrical properties of tap water treated by reverse osmosis. The work includes circulation of water for 24 h. in magnetic fields of intensity 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 G. The magnetization of water causes increasing some positive and negative ions in water such as (Mg, K, Na, Cl¯, Alkaline and SiO₂) and decreasing some positive and negative ions (Ca and SO₃). In the near future, the application of concepts of sustainability development in civil engineering have the to produce structures in harmony with these concepts through using of high-performance materials with less impacts on the environmental and have low cost. The main application of using magnetic water is improvement the geotechnical properties of soil through precipitation of calcite which increases the bond between soil particles and then strength of soil.

This paper investigates an alternative use of sterile aggregate materials which may arise from various construction applications in conjunction with other low-cost mineral raw materials to remediate the acid mine drainage phenomenon. This study is based on the combination of unprocessed mineral raw materials as well as on the basic concept of the cyclic economy where the conversion of a waste into a raw material for another application can be achieved. In this way, the value of mineral raw materials can be prolonged for as long as possible, waste generation and exploitation of natural resources are minimized and resources are kept as far as possible within the existing economy. In this study, an electrically continuous flow driven forced device proposed and demonstrated for the remediation of waste water in lab-scale by using certain mixes of mineral raw materials (serpentinite, andesite, magnesite, peat and biochar). Our results focus on the impact of the studied mineral raw materials and especially on their synergy on the water purification potential under continuous water flow operation. Using the proposed 7-day experimental electrically continuous flow driven forced device with the certain mixes of mineral raw materials, the increase of pH values from 3.00 to 6.82 as well as significant removal of Fe, Cu and Zn was achieved.