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18 pages, 5710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Field-Scale Constructed Floating Wetland Applied for Revitalization of a Subtropical Urban Stream in Brazil

by Djesser Zechner Sergio and Alexandra Rodrigues Finotti

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014923 - 16 Oct 2023

Viewed by 856

Abstract

Constructed floating wetland (CFW) is an ecotechnology used to improve water quality using emergent macrophytes on a floating mat structure. The goals of this research were to design and evaluate a low-cost field-scale CFW for revitalization of a polluted lentic section of an [...] Read more.

Constructed floating wetland (CFW) is an ecotechnology used to improve water quality using emergent macrophytes on a floating mat structure. The goals of this research were to design and evaluate a low-cost field-scale CFW for revitalization of a polluted lentic section of an urban stream, located in the subtropical coastal region of South Brazil. To attain these goals (i), the design parameters were selected from field-scale applications in the literature, and (ii) the influence of the meteorologic and hydraulic data over the CFW performance to improve water quality were analyzed during five months. Macrophyte leaves grew 1 cm·day⁻¹. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (72%), total phosphorus (TP) (52%), turbidity (53%), total solids (TS) (60%), dissolved oxygen (DO) (39%) and water temperature (WT) (0.4 °C) showed statistically significant reductions. The HRT was sufficient to reduce dissolved carbonaceous organic matter. HRT and solid particles-related parameters showed reductions both on high and low HRT. The resulting loading rates can be used for the design purposes of similar CFW field applications. The CFW promoted water quality improvement, attractiveness of fauna, temperature regulation, carbon sequestration, and is a potential ecotechnology towards the depollution of river basins in urban areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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18 pages, 5319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Variations of Water Eutrophication and Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention and Control in the Main Stream of the Yellow River in Henan Province from 2012 to 2021

by Huaibin Wei, Yao Wang, Jing Liu, Yongxiao Cao and Xinyu Zhang

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14754; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014754 - 11 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 929

Abstract

Protecting the water quality of the Yellow River is of great significance to the ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin. The identification of spatiotemporal variations of the water environment and the implementation of measures to control non-point source (NPS) pollution are both [...] Read more.

Protecting the water quality of the Yellow River is of great significance to the ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin. The identification of spatiotemporal variations of the water environment and the implementation of measures to control non-point source (NPS) pollution are both key to improving the water quality. Between 2012 and 2021, we conducted assessments of eight indicators, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD_Mn), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), total phosphorus (TP), NO₃-N, and NH₃-N at six sites in the main stream of the Yellow River in Henan. We explored the causes of changes in water eutrophication using multivariate statistical analysis and formulated recommendations to improve NPS pollution through adjustments in land use patterns. The results showed that temporal water eutrophication markedly decreased and it was most spatially severe in the east. The most effective control of water eutrophication was observed between 2016 and 2018. As the transition from the flood season to the non-flood season took place, the main source of NPS pollution changed from being primarily influenced by precipitation, to being predominantly attributed to agricultural runoff. We recommend addressing the increased soil erosion in the west and controlling the discharge of agricultural effluent in the east. During the flood season, the ecological interception zones can effectively intercept NPS pollution outputs. These findings offer valuable insights for future scientific management strategies to prevent and control NPS pollution in the river. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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17 pages, 5096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Watershed Water Quality Management According to Flow Conditions through Factor Analysis and Naïve Bayes Classifier

by Woo Suk Jung and Young Do Kim

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10038; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310038 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1121

Abstract

Previous studies on water quality assessment for watershed management have predominantly focused on specific seasonal or annual average values, rather than considering water quality variations based on flow fluctuations. It is crucial to identify the water quality characteristics within a watershed by incorporating [...] Read more.

Previous studies on water quality assessment for watershed management have predominantly focused on specific seasonal or annual average values, rather than considering water quality variations based on flow fluctuations. It is crucial to identify the water quality characteristics within a watershed by incorporating flow conditions to establish a customized watershed management approach over different time periods. In this study, a vulnerability analysis was conducted to attain the target water quality (TWQ) in 22 watersheds within the Nakdong River system in South Korea. Additionally, factor analysis (FA) was employed to analyze the characteristics of water quality fluctuations in relation to flow conditions. The FA results categorized the pollution source characteristics of the 22 watersheds into various types, indicating the need for specific pollution source management strategies. These findings enabled an initial decision-making process regarding which water pollution sources to prioritize based on flow conditions. Moreover, detailed analyses of pollution sources were performed for watersheds, where achieving TWQ was challenging. Subsequently, a data-based prediction model was developed using the naïve Bayes classification model to determine the likelihood of achieving TWQ. As a result, this study proposes a technique for water quality management in watersheds by introducing a water quality excess probability model, which employs data-based analysis instead of traditional numerical modeling for watershed water quality assessment and proactive prediction. The study discusses the potential of various data-based tools to reduce development and analysis time, providing a powerful alternative to physical-based models that require extensive input data and are time-consuming. To advance future studies, the establishment of comprehensive water environment big data, improvement of real-time monitoring systems within watersheds, and advancements in spatial and temporal observation technologies are emphasized as essential for the development of an advanced watershed management system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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22 pages, 7106 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Sustainable Development of the Bistrita Ardeleana River in Order to Stop the Erosion of the Riverbanks and the Thalweg

by Aurelian Cosmin Moldovan, Tomi Alexandrel Hrăniciuc, Valer Micle and Nicolae Marcoie

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7431; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097431 - 30 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 898

Abstract

The impact of dams and reservoirs on the aquatic ecosystem of rivers is a very important topic for water resource management. These hydrotechnical facilities change the natural hydromorphological regime of the rivers. This paper analyzed the hydrodynamic characteristics of an undeveloped riverbed section [...] Read more.

The impact of dams and reservoirs on the aquatic ecosystem of rivers is a very important topic for water resource management. These hydrotechnical facilities change the natural hydromorphological regime of the rivers. This paper analyzed the hydrodynamic characteristics of an undeveloped riverbed section downstream of the Colibița reservoir, from the Bistrita Ardeleana River hydrographic basin. After processing the data obtained on the field, two hydraulic models were made using the MIKE 11 program, which aimed to identify the hydraulic parameters such as the wet section, the depth, and the water velocity. The first modeling was used for the flow rate of Q = 54.5 m³/s: the water depth was between 1.952 m and 2.559 m; and the water velocity varied between 1.148 m/s and 1.849 m/s. The second modeling was used for a flow rate of Q = 178 m³/s and showed that the water depth had values between 3.701 m and 4.427 m; and the water velocity varied between 1.316 m/s and 2.223 m/s. Following the granulometric analysis, the average diameter of the particle in the thalweg was D50 = 25.18 mm. The conclusion reached as a result of hydraulic modeling and granulometric analyses indicated that hydromorphological processes take place along the length of the analyzed sector, which have negative effects on water quality as well as on the instability of the riverbed. To make the riverbed safe along the entire studied length, we managed to identify some alternative solutions that have the role of stabilizing the banks, respectively, to stop the deepening of the thalweg. The alternative hydrotechnical constructions will increase the roughness of the riverbed, essentially reducing the water speed and increasing the favorable conditions for the retention of alluvium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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13 pages, 1555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thauera sp. in Hydrogen-Based Denitrification: Effects of Plentiful Bicarbonate Supplementation on Powerful Nitrite Reducer

by Suphatchai Rujakom, Tatsuru Kamei and Futaba Kazama

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010277 - 24 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1806

Abstract

Nitrite accumulation in hydrogen-based denitrification (HD) has been reported as a difficulty for achieving complete denitrification. Thauera sp. has been found as the dominant bacterial species in HD previously when using a plentiful amount of HCO₃⁻. This present study was [...] Read more.

Nitrite accumulation in hydrogen-based denitrification (HD) has been reported as a difficulty for achieving complete denitrification. Thauera sp. has been found as the dominant bacterial species in HD previously when using a plentiful amount of HCO₃⁻. This present study was successful in isolating Pseudomonas sp., Dietzia sp., Pannonibacter sp., Halomonas sp., Bacillus sp., and Thauera sp. These isolated strains were selected for investigating the nitrogen removal performance under the plentiful HCO₃⁻ condition. Only Pseudomonas sp. and Thauera sp. were capable of removing NO₂⁻ where the specific NO₂⁻ removal rate of Thauera sp. (36.02 ± 5.66 mgN gVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹) was 9 times quicker than that of Pseudomonas sp. (3.94 ± 0.80 mgN gVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹). The Thauera sp. strain was then tested at different HCO₃⁻ amounts. As a result, Thauera sp. had no ability to function both NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻ removals under HCO₃⁻ deficit condition. This study provided evidence on the role of Thauera sp. and the necessity of bicarbonate in the hydrogen-based denitrification process to enhance its efficiency and to simultaneously reduce the operational cost especially for hydrogen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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16 pages, 4535 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Characteristics of Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen and Phosphorus Inputs (NANI/NAPI) and TN/TP Export Fluxes in the Guangdong Section of the Pearl River (Zhujiang) Basin

by Yang Bai, Chengqian Sun, Li Wang, Yang Wu, Jiaman Qin and Xi Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16166; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316166 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1394

Abstract

Human activities have greatly influenced the inputs and cycling pathways of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), causing dramatic environmental problems in the Pearl River Basin. In this study, the characteristics of net anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inputs (NANI/NAPI) were analyzed in the Guangdong [...] Read more.

Human activities have greatly influenced the inputs and cycling pathways of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), causing dramatic environmental problems in the Pearl River Basin. In this study, the characteristics of net anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inputs (NANI/NAPI) were analyzed in the Guangdong section of the Pearl River Basin from 2016 to 2020. NANI showed a very slight decrease trend from (1.51 ± 0.09) × 10⁴ to (1.36 ± 0.08) × 10⁴ kg·N·km⁻²·yr⁻¹, while the average intensity of NAPI was 3.8 × 10³ kg·P·km⁻²·yr⁻¹. Both NANI and NAPI intensities were at high levels, resulting in the serious deterioration of water quality in the Pearl River Basin. Fertilizer input was the most important component for the intensities of NANI and NAPI, accounting for 38–42% and 53–56%. However, in the Pearl River Delta, the major components of NANI and NAPI were the human and animal consumption (food/feed) inputs and non-food net phosphorus input. The input of NANI and NAPI should be controlled for different areas, based on the differing driving forces, to alleviate the deterioration of water quality. This study of NANI and NAPI in the Pearl River Basin is one of the important prerequisites for clarifying the input and water quality, providing support for further effective control of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Pearl River. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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21 pages, 6787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamics of Sediment Transport in the Teles Pires River Basin in the Cerrado-Amazon, Brazil

by Daniela Roberta Borella, Adilson Pacheco de Souza, Frederico Terra de Almeida, Daniel Carneiro de Abreu, Aaron Kinyu Hoshide, Glauber Altrão Carvalho, Rafaela Rocha Pereira and Apoliano Francisco da Silva

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16050; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316050 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1158

Abstract

The Teles Pires River basin is experiencing significant water challenges due to recent urban growth, expansion of irrigated agriculture, and the rise of hydroelectric power plants in Brazil’s forest and savanna regions, impacting water availability and sediment production. This study evaluated and estimated [...] Read more.

The Teles Pires River basin is experiencing significant water challenges due to recent urban growth, expansion of irrigated agriculture, and the rise of hydroelectric power plants in Brazil’s forest and savanna regions, impacting water availability and sediment production. This study evaluated and estimated the production of suspended sediment (Q_ss) and total sediment (Q_st) in rivers and streams of the Teles Pires River basin, using different sampling methods for suspended-solid discharge: vertical sampling (reference), composite sampling (section), sampling along the standard vertical, and sampling along three verticals, collected using the equal-width increment method. The Q_ss and Q_st values varied from 0.31 to 39.35 metric tons (t) per day (d⁻¹) and from 0.32 to 43.70 t d⁻¹, respectively. The average percentages of the entrained solid discharge varied from 3 to 5%, between the dry and rainy seasons, and across all hydrological sections. The different sampling methods of Q_ss resulted in similar Q_st in each of the monitoring sections. The statistical performance of the simple linear regression model was satisfactory with Willmott index of agreement greater than 0.8234 and 0.9455 for estimates of Q_ss and Q_st, respectively. The dynamics of sediment production and transport was influenced by land use and cover, drainage area, and the hydrological seasonality of the region. The different sampling methods of Q_ss are compatible with obtaining suspended and total solid discharge; however, the standard vertical sampling is the most simplified and can be applied in a hydrological section with uniform hydraulic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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11 pages, 1605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Human Activities on River Pollution and Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from Ghana

by Lulin Zhou, Ruth Appiah, Emmanuel Bosompem Boadi, Emmanuel Ceasar Ayamba, Ebenezer Larnyo and Henry Asante Antwi

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13120; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013120 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6758

Abstract

Due to rapid development and population growth in Ghana’s urban and peri-urban areas, most freshwater resources are degrading, directly affecting residents in these vicinities. This study, therefore, evaluates how human activities such as urbanization, farming and industrialization affect the Bonsa River and the [...] Read more.

Due to rapid development and population growth in Ghana’s urban and peri-urban areas, most freshwater resources are degrading, directly affecting residents in these vicinities. This study, therefore, evaluates how human activities such as urbanization, farming and industrialization affect the Bonsa River and the health-related quality of life of residents living downstream. The study adopted statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the data retrieved from the residents living in and around the Bonsa River in Tarkwa Nsuaem, Ghana. The study’s outcome reveals a positive and significant impact of land use change on freshwater resource degradation and poor health-related quality of life of the inhabitants in the catchment area. The study has numerous practical and policy implications for the government, environmental and healthcare industry, and policymakers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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22 pages, 19728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Altitude Remote Sensing Inversion of River Flow in Ungauged Basins

by Mingtong Zhou, Yuchuan Guo, Ning Wang, Xuan Wei, Yunbao Bai and Huijing Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912792 - 7 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1525

Abstract

Runoff is closely related to human production, the regional environment, and hydrological characteristics. It is also an important basis for water cycle research and regional water resource development and management. However, obtaining hydrological information for uninformed river sections is complicated by harsh environments, [...] Read more.

Runoff is closely related to human production, the regional environment, and hydrological characteristics. It is also an important basis for water cycle research and regional water resource development and management. However, obtaining hydrological information for uninformed river sections is complicated by harsh environments, limited transportation, sparse populations, and a low density of hydrological observation stations in the inland arid zone. Here, low-altitude remote sensing technology was introduced to combine riverbed characteristics through unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inversion with classical hydraulic equations for ungauged basins in the middle and lower reaches of the Keriya River, northwest China, and investigate the applicability of this method on wide and shallow riverbeds of inland rivers. The results indicated that the estimated average error of the low-altitude remote sensing flow was 8.49% (ranging 3.26–17.00%), with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.59 m³·s⁻¹ across the six selected river sections, suggesting that this method has some applicability in the study area. Simultaneously, a method for estimating river flow based on the water surface width– and water depth–flow relationship curves for each section was proposed whereas the precise relationships were selected based on actual section attributes to provide a new method for obtaining runoff data in small- and medium-scale river areas where information is lacking. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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Review

Jump to: Research

12 pages, 1921 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biopolymer-Based Hydrogels for Harvesting Water from Humid Air: A Review

by Simeng Li, Samuel Hernandez and Natalia Salazar

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010848 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3170

Abstract

Despite the shrinkage of water availability worldwide, the water demand has been climbing due to the rapidly increasing human population and the impacts of numerous hydroclimatic factors. To feed the growing population and meet with the exigent need for freshwater, new water sources [...] Read more.

Despite the shrinkage of water availability worldwide, the water demand has been climbing due to the rapidly increasing human population and the impacts of numerous hydroclimatic factors. To feed the growing population and meet with the exigent need for freshwater, new water sources must be identified and utilized. In recent years, biopolymer-based hydrogels have been explored as a sustainable and inexpensive solution to capture moisture from humid air for water supply. This review summarizes recent advances in the preparation of atmospheric water harvesting hydrogels that are synthesized based on cellulose, chitosan, and/or other biopolymers, as well as their agricultural applications. The properties and performance of different biopolymer-based hydrogels are discussed and compared. Since agriculture accounts for more than 70% of the water consumption, developing a cost-effective hydrogel-based atmospheric water harvesting/supply system could be a promising solution for relieving the elevating water stress in arid and semi-arid regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Sustainability: River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring)

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