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Water, Volume 14, Issue 22 (November-2 2022) – 203 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Hydropower is one of the branches belonging to renewable energy sources. At a time when we are moving away from fossil fuels to reduce the harmful impact on the environment and slow down climate change, companies are turning their attention to hydro energy. The development of hydropower may increase access to energy in countries with energy poverty. If there is unlimited access to water, hydropower can develop, and companies and countries can reap economic and climate benefits. Hydropower production is an opportunity for developing countries because investments contribute to the development of the economy, but at the same time, it is important to remember the impact of large investments on the environment and local communities. In developed countries, investments in the development of hydropower will allow for faster achievement of a low- or zero-emission economy. View this paper
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16 pages, 2484 KiB  
Article
Three-Dimensional Biofilm Electrode Reactors with Polyurethane Sponge Carrier for Highly Efficient Treatment of Pharmaceuticals Wastewater Containing Tetrahydrofuran
by Baoshan Wang, Xiaojie Chen, Yabing Xu, Zexi Zhang and Yang Zhang
Water 2022, 14(22), 3792; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223792 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1507
Abstract
Three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactors (3D-BERs) exhibit efficacy in the removal of refractory wastewater of pharmaceuticals due to the resistance of pharmaceutical wastewater to biodegradation. In this paper, a new 3D-BER with a polyurethane sponge carrier was applied to the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional biofilm electrode reactors (3D-BERs) exhibit efficacy in the removal of refractory wastewater of pharmaceuticals due to the resistance of pharmaceutical wastewater to biodegradation. In this paper, a new 3D-BER with a polyurethane sponge carrier was applied to the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing tetrahydrofuran (THF) with an objective of exploring the removal efficiency, degradation pathway and main functions of microorganisms of 3D-BERs for wastewater containing THF. The results indicate that when the voltage is 10 V, the highest CODCr removal efficiency is (95.9 ± 1.6)%. Compared to the control group, the removal rate was increased by 21.97 ± 4.69%. The main intermediates of THF, γ-butyrolactone and 4-hydroxybutyric acid, were detected, respectively, by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS), indicating that 3D-BERs contribute to the degradation of THF with electro-oxidation as well as microbial synergism. Microorganisms, such as Proteobacteria with extracellular electron transfer capacity, Bacteroidetes capable of degrading complex carbon sources and parthenogenic anaerobic bacteria Firmicutes, were found to be enriched by high-throughput sequencing analysis in 3D-BERs, which were conducive to the degradation of refractory pollutants. At the genus level, Chryseobacterium, Brevundimonas, Erysipelothrix, and Desulfovibrio were the main functional genera, whose degradation of THF intermediates was found by functional prediction, mainly through chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, etc. It is to be hoped that this study will provide a solution to the practical treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing THF via this new 3D-BER system with a polyurethane sponge carrier. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wastewater Treatment and Reuse)
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16 pages, 4004 KiB  
Article
Baseflow Persistence and Magnitude in Oil Palm, Logged and Primary Tropical Rainforest Catchments in Malaysian Borneo: Implications for Water Management under Climate Change
by Anand Nainar, Rory P. D. Walsh, Kawi Bidin, Nobuaki Tanaka, Kogila Vani Annammala, Umeswaran Letchumanan, Robert M. Ewers and Glen Reynolds
Water 2022, 14(22), 3791; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223791 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 2217
Abstract
While timber harvesting has plateaued, repeat-logging and conversion into plantations (especially oil palm) are still active in the tropics. The associated hydrological impacts especially pertaining to enhanced runoff, flood, and erosion have been well-studied, but little attention has been given to water resource [...] Read more.
While timber harvesting has plateaued, repeat-logging and conversion into plantations (especially oil palm) are still active in the tropics. The associated hydrological impacts especially pertaining to enhanced runoff, flood, and erosion have been well-studied, but little attention has been given to water resource availability in the humid tropics. In the light of the increasing climate extremes, this paper compared baseflow values and baseflow recession constants (K) between headwater catchments of five differing land-uses in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, namely primary forest (PF), old growth/virgin jungle reserve (VJR), twice-logged forest with 22 years regeneration (LF2), multiple-logged forest with 8 years regeneration (LF3), and oil palm plantation (OP). Hydrological and meteorological sensors and dataloggers were established in each catchment. Daily discharge was used for computing K via four estimation methods. Catchment ranks in terms of decreasing K were VJR (0.97841), LF3 (0.96692), LF2 (0.90347), PF (0.83886), and OP (0.86756). Catchment ranks in terms of decreasing annual baseflow were PF (1877 mm), LF3 (1265 mm), LF2 (812 mm), VJR (753 mm), and OP (367 mm), corresponding to 68%, 55%, 51%, 42%, and 38% of annual streamflow, respectively. Despite the low K, PF had the highest baseflow magnitude. OP had the fastest baseflow recession and lowest baseflow magnitude. Baseflow persistence decreased with increasing degree of disturbance. K showed strong association to catchment stem density instead of basal area. For dynamic catchments in this study, the Kb3 estimator is recommended based on its lowest combination of coefficient of variation (CoV) and root mean squared error (RMSE) of prediction. For wetter catchments with even shorter recession events, the Kb4 estimator may be considered. Regarding climate change, logging and oil palm agriculture should only be conducted after considering water resource availability. Forests (even degraded ones) should be conserved as much as possible in the headwaters for sustainable water resource. Full article
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14 pages, 2711 KiB  
Article
Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Atrazine and Diuron in Well and Surface Water of a Cornfield Rural Region
by Brenda Lagunas-Basave, Alhelí Brito-Hernández, Hugo Albeiro Saldarriaga-Noreña, Mariana Romero-Aguilar, Josefina Vergara-Sánchez, Gabriela Eleonora Moeller-Chávez, José de Jesús Díaz-Torres, Mauricio Rosales-Rivera and Mario Alfonso Murillo-Tovar
Water 2022, 14(22), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223790 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2474
Abstract
Herbicides have contributed to increased agricultural production. However, their residual amount can cause negative effects on environmental and public health. Therefore, this work aimed to determine the occurrence of both atrazine and diuron in surface and well water and investigate their link with [...] Read more.
Herbicides have contributed to increased agricultural production. However, their residual amount can cause negative effects on environmental and public health. Therefore, this work aimed to determine the occurrence of both atrazine and diuron in surface and well water and investigate their link with drinking use. The samples were collected during dry and rainy seasons in three wells and surface water from a river and a pond located in the low plains of the Ixcatepec catchment, at the Amacuáhuitl community of the municipality of Arcelia, Guerrero State, in the center south of México, which is a rural community where farming is the main activity. The compounds were obtained by solid phase extraction and determined by HPLC-MS quadrupole with positive electrospray ionization mode. A geomorphic analysis was conducted inside the Ixcatepec catchment using the digital elevation model of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, SRTM-v4. The human risk for drinking water was calculated according to the Hazard Quotient. The concentrations of atrazine and diuron were between 5.77 and 402 ng L−1. Atrazine was the most abundant and frequent pesticide found with an average concentration of 105.18 ng L−1, while that of diuron was 86.56 ng L−1. The highest levels were found in pond Ushe, likely being the result of the lowest flow and stagnation of water, and during the cold-dry season a consequence of mobilization by irrigation runoff. The morphological analysis indicated that the compounds mainly reached body water located in the lower surfaces from cultivated areas. Therefore, the occurrence is mainly linked to agriculture activity within the rural community. However, chemical properties of compounds, crop irrigation, and environmental conditions could be contributing to the dispersion of residual amounts of herbicides within the hydrological system. The estimation of risk showed that atrazine can mainly generate health problems for children using the Azul well as a source of drinking water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Water Quality and Contamination)
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16 pages, 3942 KiB  
Article
Feasibility of a Novel (SHEFROL) Technology in Pre-Treating Eatery Wastewater at Pilot Scale
by Tabassum Abbasi, Pratiksha Patnaik, S. A. Abbasi and Tasneem Abbasi
Water 2022, 14(22), 3789; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223789 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1903
Abstract
The wastewater ensuing from public eateries is higher in its chemical and biological oxygen demand (COD and BOD) as also its oil, grease, and protein content than sewage. For this reason such wastewater is much harder to treat; its content of fats, proteinaceous [...] Read more.
The wastewater ensuing from public eateries is higher in its chemical and biological oxygen demand (COD and BOD) as also its oil, grease, and protein content than sewage. For this reason such wastewater is much harder to treat; its content of fats, proteinaceous material, and xenobiotics mounting major challenges. But in most of the developing world about 80% of such wastewater is discharged untreated and the remaining is mixed with sewage going to the treatment plants. This happens due to the prohibitively high cost of treatment that is entailed if these wastewaters are to be treated by conventional activated sludge processes (ASPs) or a combination of anaerobic digestion and ASPs. The practice of allowing eatery wastewater to join sewage en route sewage treatment plants increases the load on the latter, especially due to the high fat and protein content of the former. The present work describes attempts to use the recently developed and patented SHEFROL® technology in affecting treatment of wastewater coming from a typical eatery. After establishing feasibility at bench scale, the process was tested in a case study at pilot plant scale for treating 12,000 litres/day (LPD) of wastewater being generated by the eateries situated in the campus of Pondicherry University, India. The capacity of the pilot plant was then expanded to 30,000 LPD. Despite operating the units at a very low hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 ± 0.5 h, due to the limitations of land availability, which translates to a rate about three times faster than a typical ASP, over 50% removal of COD and BOD, and similarly substantial removal of other pollutants was consistently achieved. Given that the SHEFROL units can be set up at a negligible cost, the findings indicate that SHEFROL technology can be used to significantly yet inexpensively pre-treat eatery wastewaters before either sending them for further treatment to conventional sewage treatment plants, higher-end SHEFROL units, or discharging them directly if neither of the other two options is available. Full article
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17 pages, 4344 KiB  
Article
Variations of Free-Living Marine Nematode’s Taxonomic Structure and Functional Traits in Contrasting Sandy Beach Habitats
by Huili Song, Fanghong Mu, Yan Sun and Er Hua
Water 2022, 14(22), 3788; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223788 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1655
Abstract
In the present study, two temperate sandy beaches, which were located on the coast of different seas with different hydrological states, were selected to investigate the variations and drivers of the taxonomic structure and functional traits of the free-living marine nematode. According to [...] Read more.
In the present study, two temperate sandy beaches, which were located on the coast of different seas with different hydrological states, were selected to investigate the variations and drivers of the taxonomic structure and functional traits of the free-living marine nematode. According to the present study, Xyalidae and Chromadoridae were widely observed in both locations, but the species composition and functional traits were not completely the same. In fine sands, non-selective deposit feeders or colonizers (nematodes with c-p = 2) were far more quantitatively than other functional traits, suggesting a relatively restricted range of functional traits. The increased microhabitat heterogeneity in coarse sands can support species with more diverse functional traits. Chl-a was the most prominent variable that significantly related to nematode species composition and functional traits at XB sites. Nematode data were closely related to temperature or temperature-related environmental factors, such as DO and salinity, at GB sites. Full article
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16 pages, 854 KiB  
Article
Heavy Metals, Pesticide, Plasticizers Contamination and Risk Analysis of Drinking Water Quality in the Newly Developed Housing Societies of Gujranwala, Pakistan
by Habib ur Rehman, Masooma Munir, Kamran Ashraf, Komal Fatima, Sana Shahab, Baber Ali, Fatimah A. Al-Saeed, Ahmed M. Abbas and Qamar uz Zaman
Water 2022, 14(22), 3787; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223787 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3154
Abstract
The supply of clean drinking water is essential for a healthy life, but access to safe and healthy drinking water has become a key issue worldwide, especially in developing nations such as Pakistan. This research work focused on investigating the suitability of groundwater [...] Read more.
The supply of clean drinking water is essential for a healthy life, but access to safe and healthy drinking water has become a key issue worldwide, especially in developing nations such as Pakistan. This research work focused on investigating the suitability of groundwater by measuring quality parameters, identification of pesticide pollutants, and health risk analysis in adults and children due to the consumption of groundwater in recently developed housing societies of the Gujranwala district, Punjab, Pakistan. Drinking water samples (n = 200) were collected from electric water pumps and analyzed by in situ testings following the Standard American Public Health Association (APHA) methods. Pesticides and plasticizers detection was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results showed that the concentrations of dissolved Cr and Pb at more than 20% of sampling sites exceeded the allowable limit of the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the measured physico-chemical attributes and concentrations of Fe and Zn did not exceed their respective permissible limits. The most abundant pollutants detected were plasticizers (30); followed by herbicides (21); fungicides, acaricides, and insecticides (16); and various types of plant growth regulators (7). Differential patterns for the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard indices (HI) were observed, of which were above the WHO limits. The decreasing order of the hazard quotient was Cl > Zn > Mg > Cr > Pb for both adults and children. In crux, the quality of water is poor for drinking purposes and the safety and well-being of residents in the recently developed housing societies of the study area may be at risk. Hence, it is important to implement a plan for water quality management, and the regular monitoring (periodic testing of qualitative and quantitative attributes) of the water quality to overcome health-related issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Groundwater Quality and Human Health Risk)
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23 pages, 13097 KiB  
Article
Correlation between Ground Measurements and UAV Sensed Vegetation Indices for Yield Prediction of Common Bean Grown under Different Irrigation Treatments and Sowing Periods
by Aleksa Lipovac, Atila Bezdan, Djordje Moravčević, Nevenka Djurović, Marija Ćosić, Pavel Benka and Ružica Stričević
Water 2022, 14(22), 3786; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223786 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2307
Abstract
The objective of this study is to assess the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery for rapid monitoring, water stress detection and yield prediction under different sowing periods and irrigation treatments of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, L). The [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to assess the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery for rapid monitoring, water stress detection and yield prediction under different sowing periods and irrigation treatments of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, L). The study used a two-factorial split-plot design, divided into subplots. There were three sowing periods (plots; I—mid April, II—end of May/beginning of June, III—third decade of June/beginning of July) and three levels of irrigation (subplots; full irrigation (F)—providing 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), deficit irrigation (R)—providing 80% of ETc, and deficit irrigation (S) providing—60% of ETc). Canopy cover (CC), leaf area index (LAI), transpiration (T) and soil moisture (Sm) were monitored in all treatments during the growth period. A multispectral camera was mounted on a drone on seven occasions during two years of research which provided raw multispectral images. The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), MCARI1 (Modified Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index), NDRE (Normalized Difference Red Edge), GNDVI (Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and Optimized Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (OSAVI) were computed from the images. The results indicated that NDVI, MCARI1 and GNDVI derived from the UAV are sensitive to water stress in S treatments, while mild water stress among the R treatments could not be detected. The NDVI and MCARI1 of the II-S treatment predicted yields better (r2 = 0.65, y = 4.01 tha−1; r2 = 0.70, y = 4.28 tha−1) than of III-S (r2 = 0.012, y = 3.54 tha−1; r2 = 0.020, y = 3.7 tha−1). The use of NDVI and MCARI will be able to predict common bean yields under deficit irrigation conditions. However, remote sensing methods did not reveal pest invasion, so good yield predictions require observations in the field. Generally, a low-flying UAV proved to be useful for monitoring crop status and predicting yield and water stress in different irrigation regimes and sowing period. Full article
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15 pages, 4113 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Sediment of a Tropical Mangrove Wetland on Hainan Island, China
by Changping Mao, Suming Du, Gucheng Zhang, Yao Wang and Wenbo Rao
Water 2022, 14(22), 3785; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223785 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2290
Abstract
Mangroves have a high ecological service value and play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality. However, mangrove wetland soil quality is constantly being affected, and the ecological services provided are gradually declining due to the threat of various pollutants, especially heavy metal [...] Read more.
Mangroves have a high ecological service value and play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality. However, mangrove wetland soil quality is constantly being affected, and the ecological services provided are gradually declining due to the threat of various pollutants, especially heavy metal pollution. Exploring the sources and ecological risks of heavy metals in mangrove sediments will be helpful in improving mangrove protection. In 2020, sediments were collected from terrestrial and aquatic areas of Dongzhai Harbor mangrove wetland in Hainan, China, and were analyzed for the concentrations of nine heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Ni, Zn, Co). The results showed that there were obvious spatial distributions of heavy metals in sediments. The high concentrations of heavy metals occurred largely in terrestrial areas and in 0–20 cm of the sediment surface layer. Correlation analysis and cluster analysis indicated that As mainly originated from ships and aquaculture in the harbor waters, Cd and Hg from agriculture, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Co from the weathering of parent rocks, and Pb from soot emitted from metal smelters and automobile exhaust. The individual potential ecological risk index (Eir) indicated that contaminating elements were mainly Cd and Hg. The potential ecological risk index (RI) and multiple probable effect concentrations quality (mPECQs) indicated that the areas with high heavy metal concentration and the 0–20 cm range of sediment surface layer were more susceptible to heavy metal contamination. Although there were no obvious ecological risks in the area, these results could facilitate the understanding of the distribution of heavy metal pollution in mangroves and provide information to achieve sustainable development of mangroves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Water Quality and Contamination)
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33 pages, 2956 KiB  
Review
Algal Consortiums: A Novel and Integrated Approach for Wastewater Treatment
by Prateek Gururani, Pooja Bhatnagar, Vinod Kumar, Mikhail S. Vlaskin and Anatoly V. Grigorenko
Water 2022, 14(22), 3784; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223784 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5890
Abstract
Urbanization, industrialization and other human-related activities discharge various inorganic and organic toxic compounds into the environment. Many physical, chemical and biological methods have been practiced, to treat contaminated wastewater: among these, the biological method of wastewater treatment by utilizing algae has been reviewed [...] Read more.
Urbanization, industrialization and other human-related activities discharge various inorganic and organic toxic compounds into the environment. Many physical, chemical and biological methods have been practiced, to treat contaminated wastewater: among these, the biological method of wastewater treatment by utilizing algae has been reviewed widely. However, the removal efficacy of algae monoculture is low, as compared to the algae consortium systems. The presence of microorganisms such as fungi or bacteria in wastewater can establish various relationships, such as mutualism or symbiosis with algae, which help in the removal of various organic and inorganic compounds from wastewater, thus acting as a wastewater treatment system. Heterotrophic microorganisms can segregate natural organic matter, which is released by algae in the form of dissolved organic carbon, and releases carbon dioxide, which is utilized by algae for photosynthesis. In accordance with existing studies, microalgal consortiums with bacteria or fungi occurring naturally or crafted artificially can be utilized for wastewater treatment; therefore, the present review provides an outline of the symbiotic relationships between algae and other microorganisms, and their applications in wastewater treatment. Various mechanisms—such as mutualism, commensalism and parasitism—for the removal of different pollutants from wastewater by consortium systems have been elucidated in this review; moreover, this review addresses the challenges that are restricting large-scale implementation of these consortiums, thus demanding more research to enable enhanced commercialization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wastewater Treatment and Reuse)
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14 pages, 1903 KiB  
Article
Effects of Aeration on Pollution Load and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agricultural Drainage Ditches
by Jingwei Wu, Qisen Zhang, Chenyao Guo, Qiangkun Li, Yawei Hu, Xinman Jiang, Yanchao Zhao, Jing Wang and Qiang Zhao
Water 2022, 14(22), 3783; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223783 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2287
Abstract
Human activities input a large amount of carbon and nitrogen nutrients into water, resulting in inland freshwater becoming an important source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Agricultural drainage ditches are the main transport route of non-point source pollution. Understanding the rules for how [...] Read more.
Human activities input a large amount of carbon and nitrogen nutrients into water, resulting in inland freshwater becoming an important source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Agricultural drainage ditches are the main transport route of non-point source pollution. Understanding the rules for how greenhouse gas emissions from drainage ditches impact the environment can help to accurately estimate the greenhouse effect of agricultural systems. However, current research mainly focuses on the effect of different measures on the migration and transformation process of pollutants in drainage ditches. The process of greenhouse gas emissions when the non-point source of pollution is transported by drainage ditches is still unclear. In this study, the influence of aeration on the pollution load and GHG emission process of a drainage ditch in a paddy field was explored. The following conclusions were drawn: Aeration reduced the content of nitrate nitrogen in the water but had no significant effect on the content of ammonium nitrogen and it reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of water by 24.9%. Aeration increased the potential of hydrogen (PH), dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) of water and reduced the total organic carbon content, microbial carbon content and soluble carbon content of the soil in the sediment. Aeration reduced the N2O and CH4 emission fluxes and increased the CO2 emission fluxes in the drainage ditch, but it reduced the greenhouse effect generated by the drainage ditch by 33.7%. This study shows that aeration can reduce both the pollution load and the greenhouse gas emission flux in drainage ditches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Water, Agriculture and Aquaculture)
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18 pages, 4893 KiB  
Article
Smooth Spatial Modeling of Extreme Mediterranean Precipitation
by Hela Hammami, Julie Carreau, Luc Neppel, Sadok Elasmi and Haifa Feki
Water 2022, 14(22), 3782; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223782 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1282
Abstract
Extreme precipitation events can lead to disastrous floods, which are the most significant natural hazards in the Mediterranean regions. Therefore, a proper characterization of these events is crucial. Extreme events defined as annual maxima can be modeled with the generalized extreme value (GEV) [...] Read more.
Extreme precipitation events can lead to disastrous floods, which are the most significant natural hazards in the Mediterranean regions. Therefore, a proper characterization of these events is crucial. Extreme events defined as annual maxima can be modeled with the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. Owing to spatial heterogeneity, the distribution of extremes is non-stationary in space. To take non-stationarity into account, the parameters of the GEV distribution can be viewed as functions of covariates that convey spatial information. Such functions may be implemented as a generalized linear model (GLM) or with a more flexible non-parametric non-linear model such as an artificial neural network (ANN). In this work, we evaluate several statistical models that combine the GEV distribution with a GLM or with an ANN for a spatial interpolation of the GEV parameters. Key issues are the proper selection of the complexity level of the ANN (i.e., the number of hidden units) and the proper selection of spatial covariates. Three sites are included in our study: a region in the French Mediterranean, the Cap Bon area in northeast Tunisia, and the Merguellil catchment in central Tunisia. The comparative analysis aim at assessing the genericity of state-of-the-art approaches to interpolate the distribution of extreme precipitation events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Hydrology)
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18 pages, 3355 KiB  
Article
Selective Consumption of Pelagic Cladocerans by Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) Contributes to Dominance of Epiphytic Cladocerans
by Seong-Ki Kim and Jong-Yun Choi
Water 2022, 14(22), 3781; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223781 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1324
Abstract
Fish predation is restricted in areas with high aquatic macrophyte coverage; however, bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), an exotic fish species, can consume prey even in such spaces. Here, we hypothesized that the cladoceran community structures in three wetlands (Upo, Jangcheok, and [...] Read more.
Fish predation is restricted in areas with high aquatic macrophyte coverage; however, bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), an exotic fish species, can consume prey even in such spaces. Here, we hypothesized that the cladoceran community structures in three wetlands (Upo, Jangcheok, and Beongae) with abundant macrophytes within the Nakdong River basin, South Korea, were influenced by high abundance and foraging activities of L. macrochirus. The study areas were dominated by L. macrochirus with body sizes < 10 cm, and their cladoceran consumption was higher than that of larger size classes. Most of the cladoceran species that were highly consumed by L. macrochirus were pelagic (i.e., Daphnia obtusa and Daphnia pulex); epiphytic species were consumed less (i.e., Chydorus shpaericus, Alona retangula, and Pleroxus laevis). We hypothesize that epiphytic cladoceran species are not easily explored by L. macrochirus. Selective consumption of pelagic species by L. macrochirus was reflected in the seasonal cladoceran distribution. Epiphytic species were the most abundant, whereas pelagic species abundance was relatively low. The low density of pelagic cladoceran species further increased the epiphytic species abundance. We conclude that the dominance of L. macrochirus introduced into Korean wetlands has been sufficient to change the cladoceran community structure; therefore, the abundance of epiphytes cladocerans in other countries or regions needs to be provided priority to the dominance and consumption pattern of L. macrochirus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 2740 KiB  
Article
The Rain-Induced Urban Waterlogging Risk and Its Evaluation: A Case Study in the Central City of Shanghai
by Lanjun Zou, Zhi Wang, Qinjing Lu, Shenglan Wu, Lei Chen and Zhengkun Qin
Water 2022, 14(22), 3780; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223780 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2545
Abstract
Waterlogging induced by rain in urban areas has a potential risk impact on property and safety. This paper focuses on the impact of rain on waterlogging and evaluates the waterlogging risk in the central city of Shanghai. A simplified waterlogging depth model is [...] Read more.
Waterlogging induced by rain in urban areas has a potential risk impact on property and safety. This paper focuses on the impact of rain on waterlogging and evaluates the waterlogging risk in the central city of Shanghai. A simplified waterlogging depth model is developed in different areas with different drainage capacity and rainfall in consumption of simplifying the effect of complex terrain characteristics and hydrological situation. Based on urban waterlogging depth and its classification collection, a Rain-induced Urban Waterlogging Risk Model (RUWRM) is further established to evaluate waterlogging risk in the central city. The results show that waterlogging depth is closely linked with rainfall and drainage, with a linear relationship between them. More rainfall leads to higher waterlogging risk, especially in the central city with imperfect drainage facilities. Rain-induced urban waterlogging risk model can rapidly gives the waterlogging rank caused by rainfall with a clear classification collection. The results of waterlogging risk prediction indicate that it is confident to get the urban waterlogging risk rank well and truly in advance with more accurate rainfall prediction. This general study is a contribution that allows the public, policy makers and relevant departments of urban operation to assess the appropriate management to reduce traffic intensity and personal safety or strategy to lead to less waterlogging risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Vegetation on Rainfall)
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19 pages, 5619 KiB  
Article
Flood Analysis Using HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS: A Case Study of Khazir River (Middle East—Northern Iraq)
by Asaad A. M. AL-Hussein, Shuhab Khan, Kaouther Ncibi, Noureddine Hamdi and Younes Hamed
Water 2022, 14(22), 3779; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223779 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 13540
Abstract
Floods frequently threaten villages near the Khazir River’s floodplains, causing crop losses and threatening residential areas. We used flood-related hydrological software, including WMS and HEC-HMS, to study this issue and determine how to reduce the recurrence of flooding. The software can be used [...] Read more.
Floods frequently threaten villages near the Khazir River’s floodplains, causing crop losses and threatening residential areas. We used flood-related hydrological software, including WMS and HEC-HMS, to study this issue and determine how to reduce the recurrence of flooding. The software can be used to calculate a hydrograph of torrential flows in a river drainage basin and estimate the volume of torrential water and its flow rates on the Earth’s surface. The depth of rain has been evaluated and calculated in the SCS Unit Hydrograph for different return periods of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 years. According to our study’s findings, the volume of the river’s drainage basin floods ranged between 29,680 and 2,229,200 m3, and the maximum flow value ranged between 10.4 and 66.4 m3/sec during various reference periods. To analyze and model the flood risks of the Khazir River, the HEC-RAS model was combined with the HEC-GeoRAS extension in ArcGIS. The floods were the focus of two study periods, 2013 and 2018, and were based on the digital elevation model and river discharge during the floods. According to the classification map of the flood depths, the areas of flood risk varied from low to very low (80.31%), medium (16.03%), and high to very high (3.8%). The analysis of the results revealed that the villages closest to the river’s mouth were more affected by the floods than other villages further downstream. HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS have been shown to have a strong correlation in evaluating flood risks and reliably forecasting future floods in the study area. Full article
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18 pages, 714 KiB  
Review
Comparison between Conventional Treatment Processes and Advanced Oxidation Processes in Treating Slaughterhouse Wastewater: A Review
by Jen Xen Yeoh, Siti Nurul Ain Md. Jamil, Fadhil Syukri, Mitsuhiko Koyama and Mohsen Nourouzi Mobarekeh
Water 2022, 14(22), 3778; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223778 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4549
Abstract
The blooming of the world’s human population and the transition of the human diet into a more westernized, high-protein diet has accelerated the production of slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) as the number of meat processing plants (MPP) has increased in the past few decades. [...] Read more.
The blooming of the world’s human population and the transition of the human diet into a more westernized, high-protein diet has accelerated the production of slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) as the number of meat processing plants (MPP) has increased in the past few decades. Conventional treatment processes (CTP) used in treating SWW, such as anaerobic processes, membrane processes, and electrocoagulation, have significant limitations, such as low treatment efficiency, tendency to foul, and high energy consumption, respectively. While advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) appear promising in replacing the former, they lack economic feasibility when used as a single process. In this paper, the limitations and disadvantages of the CTPs used in treating SWW influents are evaluated. The idea of utilising AOPs as a “complementary” step rather than a single process is also discussed. The review paper further explores the variability of different AOPs, such as Fenton, Electro-Fenton, Sono-Fenton, etc., and their respective strengths and weaknesses in counteracting the limitations of CTPs. The idea of incorporating resource recovery into wastewater treatment is also discussed towards the end of the paper as a means of generating additional revenue for the industry players to compensate for the high operation and maintenance costs of SWW treatment. The integration of a new-generation treatment process such as AOP into CTP while being able to carry out resource recovery is a future hurdle that must be overcome by scientists in order to produce a versatile, powerful, sustainable, yet financially feasible and operationally pragmatic treatment system. Full article
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20 pages, 16339 KiB  
Article
Phytoplankton Community Diversity and Its Environmental Driving Factors in the Northern South China Sea
by Wenqing Chen, Jie Gao, Zongjun Xu, Yantao Yan and Shimin Yang
Water 2022, 14(22), 3777; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223777 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 2155
Abstract
The South China Sea (SCS) plays an important role in global marine ecology. Studies of phytoplankton diversity promote the sustainable utilization of resources in the SCS. From July to August 2020, the phytoplankton community structure at 47 stations in the northern SCS was [...] Read more.
The South China Sea (SCS) plays an important role in global marine ecology. Studies of phytoplankton diversity promote the sustainable utilization of resources in the SCS. From July to August 2020, the phytoplankton community structure at 47 stations in the northern SCS was investigated. Species composition and distribution of phytoplankton, water quality, diversity index, main influencing factors, and succession characteristics of the community structure were analyzed in combination with the survey results from previous years. A total of 332 separate taxa from 83 genera and three phyla were identified, including 142 species and 45 genera of Bacillariophyta, 188 species and 36 genera of Dinophyta, and two species and two genera of Chrysophyta. Average phytoplankton cell abundance was 649.97 cells/L. Nitzschia spp., Thalassionema nitzschioides, and Scrippsiella spp. were the dominant species. Scrippsiella spp. was found for the first time as a dominant species in the northern SCS. Meanwhile, Nitzschia spp. was associated with organic-polluted water. The high-value areas of Nitzschia spp. also indicated eutrophication, and water was slightly polluted. The Shannon–Weiner diversity index of the surface layer was 0.99–4.56 (with a mean of 3.57), and the evenness index was 0.23–0.96 (with a mean of 0.83). The phytoplankton community structure in the northern SCS was deemed to be stable. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the sum of nitrate and nitrite was significantly negatively correlated with the abundance of dinoflagellate, which indicated restrictions as a result of the sum of nitrate and nitrite, with no significant correlation between ammonium salt and various groups. Small- and medium-sized phytoplankton are usually dominant in the SCS, where nitrogen is limited. Full article
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18 pages, 3981 KiB  
Article
The Sensitivity of Meteorological Dynamics to the Variability in Catchment Characteristics
by Shimelash Molla Kassaye, Tsegaye Tadesse, Getachew Tegegne and Kindie Engdaw Tadesse
Water 2022, 14(22), 3776; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223776 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2503
Abstract
Evaluating meteorological dynamics is a challenging task due to the variability in hydro-climatic settings. This study is designed to assess the sensitivity of precipitation and temperature dynamics to catchment variability. The effects of catchment size, land use/cover change, and elevation differences on precipitation [...] Read more.
Evaluating meteorological dynamics is a challenging task due to the variability in hydro-climatic settings. This study is designed to assess the sensitivity of precipitation and temperature dynamics to catchment variability. The effects of catchment size, land use/cover change, and elevation differences on precipitation and temperature variability were considered to achieve the study objective. The variability in meteorological parameters to the catchment characteristics was determined using the coefficient of variation on the climate data tool (CDT). A land use/cover change and terrain analysis was performed on Google Earth Engine (GEE) and ArcGIS. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed to identify the relative influence of each catchment characteristic on the meteorological dynamics. The results of this study showed that the precipitation dynamics were found to be dominantly influenced by the land use/cover change with a correlation of 0.65, followed by the elevation difference with a correlation of −0.47. The maximum and minimum temperature variations, on the other hand, were found to be most affected by the elevation difference, with Pearson correlation coefficients of −0.53 and −0.57, respectively. However, no significant relationship between catchment size and precipitation variability was observed. In general, it is of great importance to understand the relative and combined effects of catchment characteristics on local meteorological dynamics for sustainable water resource management. Full article
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15 pages, 4936 KiB  
Article
Effect of Medium Pressure Ultraviolet/Chlorine Advanced Oxidation on the Production of Disinfection by-Products from Seven Model Benzene Precursors
by Wanting Li, Shihu Shu, Yanping Zhu, Linjing Wu, Qiongfang Wang and Naiyun Gao
Water 2022, 14(22), 3775; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223775 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1662
Abstract
UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process (AOP), as a potential alternative to UV/H2O2 in water treatment, may pose a potential risk of increased disinfection by-product (DBP) formation and is of great concern. In this paper, seven benzene derivatives, containing two chlorine-inert and [...] Read more.
UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process (AOP), as a potential alternative to UV/H2O2 in water treatment, may pose a potential risk of increased disinfection by-product (DBP) formation and is of great concern. In this paper, seven benzene derivatives, containing two chlorine-inert and five chlorine-active compounds, were selected as typical model DBP precursors, and the effects of medium pressure UV/chlorine (MPUV/chlorine) on their chlorine demand and DBP formation potential (DBPFP) were evaluated. The results showed that MPUV/chlorine could significantly increase the chlorine demand and DBPFP of the two inert precursors. For the four slow but active DBP precursors, MPUV/chlorine may accelerate their short-term DBP formation, whereas it showed an insignificant effect or even reduced their chlorine demand and DBPFP. For the only fast and active DBP precursor, MPUV/chlorine showed an insignificant effect on its short-term DBP formation or DBPFP. The overall effect of MPUV/chlorine was more significant at pH 6 than at pH 8. In the presence of Br, MPUV/chlorine significantly increased the bromine substitution factors of THMs. In addition, linear fitting results indicated that the UV/chlorine-induced change in overall chlorine demand may be considered as a potential indicator for the prediction of DBPFP alteration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Oxidation Processes for Emerging Contaminant Removal)
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15 pages, 3282 KiB  
Article
Biogas Production from Palm Oil Mill Effluent Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Integrated with the Aerated Condition
by Reni Desmiarti, Maulana Yusup Rosadi, Ariadi Hazmi, Muhammad Miftahur Rahman, Nofri Naldi and Joni Aldilla Fajri
Water 2022, 14(22), 3774; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223774 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2153
Abstract
In this study, the performance of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with the aerated condition at discharge voltages of 15, 20, and 25 kV on the production of biogas; CH4, H2, CO, and CO2 and the removal of COD [...] Read more.
In this study, the performance of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with the aerated condition at discharge voltages of 15, 20, and 25 kV on the production of biogas; CH4, H2, CO, and CO2 and the removal of COD and BOD from POME were investigated. The experimental results showed that the aerated condition with a rate of 2.5 L/min at a high voltage (25 kV) produced CH4, CO, and CO2 that was 9.4, 21.5, and 19.6 times higher than the non-aerated one, respectively. The maximum cumulative volume of CH4, H2, CO, and CO2 was 95.4 ± 8.92, 0.94 ± 0.71, 3.06 ± 0.73, and 2.45 ± 0.35 mL/mg COD, respectively, under the aerated condition at 25 kV and the experimental data fit well with the polynomial regression (R2 > 95) for the initial biogas production. The decrease in COD and BOD was greatly affected by the high discharge voltage under the aerated condition, resulting in a high removal rate. These findings suggest that good performance was observed when the DBD was integrated with the aerated condition under the optimum discharge voltage. The study can give information on the optimum condition in a laboratory scale to produce CH4, H2, CO, and CO2, as well as the reduction of organic pollutants from POME. Full article
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13 pages, 5006 KiB  
Article
Protecting Salt Vulnerable Areas Using an Enhanced Roadside Drainage System (ERDS)
by Sepideh E. Tabrizi, Jessica Pringle, Zahra Moosavi, Arman Amouzadeh, Hani Farghaly, William R. Trenouth and Bahram Gharabaghi
Water 2022, 14(22), 3773; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223773 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2273
Abstract
De-icing road salt application as a part of winter road maintenance is a standard practice with over 60 billion kilograms applied to roads worldwide each winter to ensure traffic safety. However, high concentrations of chlorides in melted ice and snow runoff from roads [...] Read more.
De-icing road salt application as a part of winter road maintenance is a standard practice with over 60 billion kilograms applied to roads worldwide each winter to ensure traffic safety. However, high concentrations of chlorides in melted ice and snow runoff from roads and parking lots can have adverse effects on both surface and ground water, especially in salt vulnerable areas. A salt vulnerable area is a sensitive area to road salts where additional salt management measures may be required to mitigate potential adverse environmental effects. The main objectives of this paper were to present a new design method for sizing Enhanced Roadside Drainage Systems (ERDS), demonstrate the findings of a 3 year field monitoring and to assess the long term performance of the ERDS design using PCSWMM. A new conceptual design of ERDS was also modelled to demonstrate its effectiveness in protecting salt vulnerable areas. To showcase the new design method, we completed two case studies, one for a relatively pristine headwater stream and one for a moderately impacted urban stream. Stormwater management models were developed for the two scenarios—with and without the ERDS—to assess the benefits of the new system and its effectiveness in protecting salt vulnerable areas at each site. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality for Sustainable Development)
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20 pages, 5191 KiB  
Review
The Baltic Sea under Anthropopressure—The Sea of Paradoxes
by Aldona Dobrzycka-Krahel and Magdalena Bogalecka
Water 2022, 14(22), 3772; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223772 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6629
Abstract
The Baltic Sea is a unique ecosystem that is especially sensitive to anthropogenic pressure. We analysed human pressure in this sea, which may be considered as paradoxes. One of these, is paradox of “marine” pollution. The Baltic Sea is almost totally surrounded by [...] Read more.
The Baltic Sea is a unique ecosystem that is especially sensitive to anthropogenic pressure. We analysed human pressure in this sea, which may be considered as paradoxes. One of these, is paradox of “marine” pollution. The Baltic Sea is almost totally surrounded by land and therefore sources of marine pollution are located mainly on the land. Another paradox is connected with shipping traffic intensity and maritime accidents. The Baltic Sea is characterised by the large shipping traffic, but the last decades’ data show only more than 100, usually insignificant and minor, accidents and incidents at the Baltic Sea every year. Although the Baltic Sea is characterised by a relatively low native species number compared to most marine systems, it is home to alien species. Moreover, despite the common opinion that a sea is a source of living marine resources, available riches in the Baltic Sea under anthropopressure are limited and the sea does not give expected benefits—it is the next paradox. The fact that the Baltic Sea is warming rapidly due to climate change and more suitable for bathing when the weather is favourable, massive algae growth often prevents it. Therefore, strong human impact on the Baltic Sea should be limited and sustainable use of this sea should be prioritised. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seas under Anthropopressure)
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18 pages, 3704 KiB  
Article
A GIS-Based Comparative Analysis of Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index Models for Flood Susceptibility Mapping in the Upper Krishna Basin, India
by Uttam Pawar, Worawit Suppawimut, Nitin Muttil and Upaka Rathnayake
Water 2022, 14(22), 3771; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223771 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3677
Abstract
The Upper Krishna Basin in Maharashtra (India) is highly vulnerable to floods. This study aimed to generate a flood susceptibility map for the basin using Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index models of flood analysis. The flood hazard inventory map was created by 370 [...] Read more.
The Upper Krishna Basin in Maharashtra (India) is highly vulnerable to floods. This study aimed to generate a flood susceptibility map for the basin using Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index models of flood analysis. The flood hazard inventory map was created by 370 flood locations in the Upper Krishna Basin and plotted using ArcGIS 10.1 software. The 259 flood locations (70%) were selected randomly as training samples for analysis of the flood models, and for validation purposes, the remaining 111 flood locations (30%) were used. Flood susceptibility analyses were performed based on 12 flood conditioning factors. These were elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, Topographic Wetness Index, Stream Power Index, rainfall, distance from the river, stream density, soil types, land use, and distance from the road. The Statistical Index model revealed that 38% of the area of the Upper Krishna Basin is in the high- to very-high-flood-susceptibility class. The precision of the flood susceptibility map was confirmed using the receiver operating characteristic and the area under the curve value method. The area under the curve showed a 66.89% success rate and a 68% prediction rate for the Frequency Ratio model. However, the Statistical Index model provided an 82.85% success rate and 83.23% prediction rate. The comparative analysis of the Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index models revealed that the Statistical Index model was the most suitable for flood susceptibility analysis and mapping flood-prone areas in the Upper Krishna Basin. The results obtained from this research can be helpful in flood disaster mitigation and hazard preparedness in the Upper Krishna Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Hydrology)
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12 pages, 234 KiB  
Article
Purification of Sewage Wastewater though Sand Column Filter for Lessening of Heavy Metals Accumulation in Lettuce, Carrot, and Cauliflower
by Safina Naz, Muhammad Akbar Anjum, Bushra Sadiq, Riaz Ahmad, Muhammad Ahsan Altaf, Mohamed A. El-Sheikh and Awais Shakoor
Water 2022, 14(22), 3770; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223770 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1957
Abstract
Sewage wastewater is one of the richest sources of mineral nutrients contributing toward plant growth and yield. However, the accumulation of heavy metals in the edible parts of vegetables and fruits can be dangerous to life. The current research aimed to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Sewage wastewater is one of the richest sources of mineral nutrients contributing toward plant growth and yield. However, the accumulation of heavy metals in the edible parts of vegetables and fruits can be dangerous to life. The current research aimed to evaluate the performance of a sand column filter for the elimination of heavy metals from sewage wastewater applied to selected vegetables. The contents of heavy metals, i.e., Pb+2, Ni+2, Cu+2, and Fe+2, were estimated to be higher in untreated sewage wastewater than in treated water. The number of leaves, fresh and dry weights of leaves, roots, and total biomass of lettuce, carrot, and cauliflower were improved due to the irrigation of unfiltered sewage wastewater compared to sewage wastewater. The curd diameter, fresh and dry weights of curd, stem fresh weight of cauliflower, and the root length and diameter of carrot increased after irrigation with the unfiltered sewage wastewater in comparison to the treated sewage wastewater. The accumulation of heavy metals, i.e., Pb+2, Ni+2, Cu+2, and Fe+2, was higher in the roots, leaves, and edible parts of the selected vegetables. In the present study, the Cd+2 and Cr+2 concentrations were not affected by the filtration process through a sand column filter. Conclusively, filtration through a sand column filter is effective for the removal of heavy metals from sewage wastewater used to irrigate agricultural land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Crops)
13 pages, 2804 KiB  
Article
Hydrophilic Antimicrobial Polyethersulfone Membrane for Removal of Turbidity of Well-Water
by Nasrul Arahman, Jakfar Jakfar, Wafiq Alni Dzulhijjah, Nur Halimah, Silmina Silmina, Muhammad Prayogie Aulia, Afrillia Fahrina and Muhammad Roil Bilad
Water 2022, 14(22), 3769; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223769 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2211
Abstract
Membrane-based technologies have been widely used for surface water treatment. Yet, many aspects of this technology can still be improved. This study aims to develop polyethersulfone (PES)-based phase-inverted membranes to improve the morphological structure, antimicrobial properties, and performance by incorporating Poloxamer 188 and [...] Read more.
Membrane-based technologies have been widely used for surface water treatment. Yet, many aspects of this technology can still be improved. This study aims to develop polyethersulfone (PES)-based phase-inverted membranes to improve the morphological structure, antimicrobial properties, and performance by incorporating Poloxamer 188 and patchouli oil as the dope solution additives. The performance of the membrane was assessed for filtration of well water and by evaluating the turbidity rejection. This study used a phase inversion technique in the membrane manufacturing process with PES, PES + P188 + 1 wt% PO, PES + P188 + 3 wt% PO, and PES + P188 + 7 wt% PO. The characteristics of the obtained membranes were studied in terms of structure and morphology, microbial growth prevention, hydrophilicity, filtration flux, and ability to reduce the turbidity of well water samples. Results show that the addition of Poloxamer 188 and patchouli oil in the dope solution turned the membrane more porous (up to 73.24% increase in porosity) and more hydrophilic (the water contact angle (WCA) was lowered from 70 to 37°). The additives also increased the antibacterial properties of the membrane, as shown by up to 97.5% reducing Escherichia coli colonies on the membrane surface. Overall, the results demonstrate significant improvements in the characteristics and performance of PES membranes by incorporating Poloxamer 188 co-polymer and patchouli oil as additives in the dope solution. The modified membrane was successfully applied to remove turbidity from a water sample. The turbidity parameters in well water samples could be fully reduced in nine out of ten samples by the membrane containing 7 wt% PO additives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Filtration for Water Reuse)
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15 pages, 3897 KiB  
Article
Tidal Sediment Supply Maintains Marsh Accretion on the Yangtze Delta despite Rising Sea Levels and Falling Fluvial Sediment Input
by Peng Li, Benwei Shi, Guoxiang Wu, Wenxiang Zhang, Sijian Wang, Long Li, Linghao Kong and Jin Hu
Water 2022, 14(22), 3768; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223768 - 20 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1540
Abstract
Tidal marshes are among the world’s most valuable ecosystems; however, they are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and a decline in fluvial sediment supply. The survival of a tidal marsh under these twin threats depends upon the net input of tidal sediments, [...] Read more.
Tidal marshes are among the world’s most valuable ecosystems; however, they are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and a decline in fluvial sediment supply. The survival of a tidal marsh under these twin threats depends upon the net input of tidal sediments, because this will determine the deposition rate. The rate of relative sea level rise currently affecting the Yangtze Delta is rapid (~4 mm/a), and the sediment discharge from the Yangtze River has decreased by >70% over recent decades. In order to improve our understanding of the response of the marshes in the turbid zone of the Yangtze Estuary to these changing environmental conditions, we measured sediment transport in and out of a tidal basin and calculated the deposition rate over eight tidal cycles covering different tidal ranges during the summer and winter seasons. The suspended sediment concentration (SSC) during the flood phase of the tidal cycle (average = 0.395 kg/m3) was markedly higher than that during the ebb (average = 0.164 kg/m3), although water transport during the flood tide was almost equivalent to that during the ebb. As a result, ~40% of the sediment inflow during the flood phase was retained within the marsh. This reason is mainly attributable to the dense marsh vegetation, which attenuates waves and currents and to which the sediments adhere. The annual deposition rate in the marsh was approximately 6.7 mm/a. These findings indicate that under the combined influence of sea level rise and river sediment supply reduction, the sediment transport through the turbidity maximum zone of the Yangtze River estuary could maintain the relative stability of the marsh area to a certain extent. Full article
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27 pages, 7419 KiB  
Article
Simulation of Land Use Change and Habitat Quality in the Yellow River Basin under Multiple Scenarios
by Chun Fu, Yezhong Liu, Yudi Chen, Fan Li, Jinyan Huang and Huimin Huang
Water 2022, 14(22), 3767; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223767 - 19 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1865
Abstract
Habitat quality is the key to regional ecological restoration and green development, and land use change is an essential factor affecting habitat quality. Studying the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of land use change and habitat quality under multiple scenarios is significant for [...] Read more.
Habitat quality is the key to regional ecological restoration and green development, and land use change is an essential factor affecting habitat quality. Studying the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of land use change and habitat quality under multiple scenarios is significant for regional ecological restoration and management, and for preventing future ecological and environmental risks. We used the improved Logistic-CA-Markov (Logistic-Cellular Automata-Markov) and InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) models to establish the spatial patterns of habitat quality in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2040 and analyzed the characteristics of land use and habitat quality changes under scenarios of natural development (S1), ecological protection (S2), and urban expansion (S3). The results showed that in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, the main land use types in the watershed were dryland and grassland, accounting for more than 72%. Paddy land, dryland, woodland, middle-coverage grassland, and unused land all showed decreasing trends, whereas all other land types showed increasing trends. Influenced by human activities and the environment, the watershed habitat quality was low, with 80% of the areas with middle to low grades, but the overall trend was rising. The spatial variability in habitat quality of the watershed was significant, with habitat quality improvements in the central and northern regions and continued deterioration around the cities in the southern and western parts. The spatial autocorrelation and aggregation of habitat quality in the watershed were strong, and future land use patterns in the study area had a significant relationship with human activities. Simulation of future scenarios revealed ecological conservation catalytic effects on habitat quality in the study area, whereas urban expansion deteriorated watershed habitat quality. This study could provide support for future ecological conservation decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Hydrology)
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24 pages, 7422 KiB  
Article
Deep Learning Methods for Predicting Tap-Water Quality Time Series in South Korea
by Yunjeong Im, Gyuwon Song, Junghyun Lee and Minsang Cho
Water 2022, 14(22), 3766; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223766 - 19 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2585
Abstract
South Korea currently lacks a real-time monitoring and anomaly detection system for detecting continuous tap water quality changes from the water source to faucet and pre-diagnosing hazards that threaten tap water safety. In this study, we constructed an accurate water quality prediction model [...] Read more.
South Korea currently lacks a real-time monitoring and anomaly detection system for detecting continuous tap water quality changes from the water source to faucet and pre-diagnosing hazards that threaten tap water safety. In this study, we constructed an accurate water quality prediction model that could comprehensively cover all water treatment facilities supplying tap water nationwide and verified the model using an integrated approach. To address the uncertainty of continuously changing water quality, we collected five years (2017–2021) of hourly water quality data from 33 large water purification plants and applied various deep learning techniques to construct an optimal prediction model. We repeated water quality prediction and evaluation over the following 24 h through a time series cross-validation of an untrained dataset of the previous five months. The optimized deep learning model achieved average and maximum prediction accuracy of 98.78 and 99.98%, respectively, and showed excellent performance in terms of the root mean squared error (0.0006), mean absolute error (0.0003), and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (0.9894). Thus, deep learning technology greatly improved the accuracy and efficiency of water quality prediction. The proposed model could provide prompt and accurate water quality information for large-scale water supply facilities nationwide and improve public health through the early diagnosis of water quality anomalies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Urban Water Management)
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10 pages, 4090 KiB  
Article
Removal of Phosphorus by Ferric Ion-Rich Solutions Prepared Using Various Fe(III)-Containing Minerals
by Jueun Jung, Minhee Choi, Anil Kumar Reddy Police, Jungho Lee and Sungjun Bae
Water 2022, 14(22), 3765; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223765 - 19 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Various biological, chemical, and physical technologies have been studied to effectively remove total phosphorus (T-P) from wastewater. Among them, some mineral suspensions and cations in the aqueous phase have shown great potential for promoting phosphorus removal via chemical precipitation. Herein, we investigated the [...] Read more.
Various biological, chemical, and physical technologies have been studied to effectively remove total phosphorus (T-P) from wastewater. Among them, some mineral suspensions and cations in the aqueous phase have shown great potential for promoting phosphorus removal via chemical precipitation. Herein, we investigated the efficiency of T-P removal using various chemical-based cations (Fe2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, and Al3+); ferric ions (Fe3+) showed the highest T-P-removal efficiency (33.1%), regardless of the type of anion (Cl, NO3, and SO42−). To prepare natural Fe3+-rich solutions, three different Fe(III)-rich minerals (hematite, lepidocrocite, and magnetite) were treated with various HCl concentrations to maximize the dissolved Fe3+ amounts. Lepidocrocite in 2 N HCl showed the most effective Fe3+-leaching ability (L-Fe dissolved solution). Almost no significant difference in Fe3+ leaching was observed between HCl and H2SO4, whereas lepidocrocite-2 N H2SO4 showed the highest T-P-removal ability (91.5%), with the formation of amorphous Fe(III)-P precipitates. The L-Fe dissolved solution exhibited a higher T-P-removal efficiency than polyammonium chloride under real wastewater conditions. Our results can provide fundamental knowledge about the effect of cations on T-P removal in wastewater treatment and the feasibility of using the Fe3+ leaching solution prepared from Fe(III)-containing minerals for efficient T-P removal via chemical precipitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Environment and Water Technology)
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15 pages, 3191 KiB  
Article
Path Analysis of the Main Control Factors of Transpiration in Greenhouse, Drip-Irrigated Grapes in Cold Areas of Northeast China
by Dongjie Pei, Xinguang Wei, Yikui Bai, Cong Wang, Ying Liu and Senyan Jiang
Water 2022, 14(22), 3764; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223764 - 19 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
To investigate the characteristics of grape transpiration water consumption and its environmental coupling mechanism in a greenhouse growing environment in cold areas of Northeast China, the dynamic monitoring of greenhouse grape sap flow and microenvironmental factors in a greenhouse was carried out for [...] Read more.
To investigate the characteristics of grape transpiration water consumption and its environmental coupling mechanism in a greenhouse growing environment in cold areas of Northeast China, the dynamic monitoring of greenhouse grape sap flow and microenvironmental factors in a greenhouse was carried out for two years. Correlation analysis and path analysis were used to study the characteristics of grape transpiration environmental factors at different temporal scales (instantaneous, daily, and growth period) and the influence mechanisms on greenhouse grape transpiration. The results of correlation analysis by growth period showed that, on the instantaneous scale, the correlation between each meteorological factor and grape transpiration reached a significant level (coefficient of determination R2 ranged from 0.25 to 0.84). On the daily scale, the correlation of solar radiation (Rs) was the best except for the new growth period (R2 ranged from 0.49 to 0.89). The results of the split-fertility path analysis showed that the total effects of Rs on instantaneous transpiration were the largest at all stages of fertility, with decision coefficients (R) ranging from 0.69 to 0.90. On the daily scale, the total and direct effects of Rs on daily transpiration were the largest (R ranged from 0.70 to 0.94), except for the new growth period. The results of the whole growth period path analysis showed that Rs had the greatest effect on instantaneous transpiration, with R of 0.86. On the daily scale, Rs was also the most influential factor in grape transpiration, with R of 0.81. On the growth period scale, only air temperature (Ta) and leaf area index (LAI) were significantly correlated with transpiration (p < 0.05), and Rs had the largest total effect on transpiration with R of 0.68. To sum up, on each time scale, Rs was always the most important factor influencing grape transpiration. However, as the time scale increased, the effects of LAI and soil water content (SW) on transpiration increased while the effects of Rs, Ta, RH, and VPD on transpiration gradually decreased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Soil and Water)
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13 pages, 1340 KiB  
Article
Organic Matter and Heavy Metal Ions Removal from Surface Water in Processes of Oxidation with Ozone, UV Irradiation, Coagulation and Adsorption
by Beata Karwowska and Elżbieta Sperczyńska
Water 2022, 14(22), 3763; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223763 - 19 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2068
Abstract
Organic matter present in natural water is a serious problem during water treatment in terms of the possibility of creating disinfection by-products (DBP). The new materials and processes are still analyzed in order to improve the efficient removal of organic matter as well [...] Read more.
Organic matter present in natural water is a serious problem during water treatment in terms of the possibility of creating disinfection by-products (DBP). The new materials and processes are still analyzed in order to improve the efficient removal of organic matter as well as other pollutants from water intended for human consumption. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the efficiency of using various combined processes: (a) coagulation and adsorption, (b) oxidation with ozone and coagulation, (c) oxidation with ozone, coagulation and adsorption, and (d) oxidation with ozone, UV irradiation, coagulation and adsorption for treatment of the modified surface water. In the presented study, the changes in pH, turbidity, color, organic matter content (evaluated as oxidizability, total and dissolved organic carbon content, UV 254 and 272 absorbances), and Ni2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ ions content were determined during modified surface water purification. Supporting the coagulation process by adsorption with additional ozonation and UV irradiation of the water sample improved the treatment processes of modified surface water. Processes associated with coagulation increased the efficiency of removing color by 4–16% and reduced the value of UV254 and UV272 absorbance by 10–20%. Using ozonation did not significantly change the content of total organic matter. Heavy metal ions were mostly removed by coagulation and adsorption processes (40–60%). Including ozone, oxidation resulted in insignificant changes in the concentration of metal ions in the purified water (less than 5%). During the treatment of the tested, modified surface water, the best efficiency was observed after the use of coagulation and adsorption processes enhanced with ozone oxidation. The additional involvement of UV irradiation did not have a significant effect on the removal of the analyzed pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wastewater Treatment and Reuse)
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