New perspectives on pollution control: Cross-media problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Although there is only one natural environment, many environmental institutions and policies attempt to control pollutants in air, water, and land separately, often by merely transferring the pollutants from one medium to another. Water pollutants may be volatilized into the air or collected and disposed of on land as sludge, thereby allowing the possibility for contamination of another medium. Present policies often fail to reduce levels of some pollutants in the overall environment. To examine this cross-media problem and what can be done about it, The conservation Foundation sponsored a conference in November 1984 on the new dimensions of pollutionmore » problems. The papers presented at that conference along with comments and additional discussion are compiled in this report. The perspectives included represent those of government officials, corporate executives, environmentalists, researchers, and others. The extent of the cross-media problem, priorities for future research, and the implications that cross-media problems have for environmental policy are considered.« less

Sensitivity Analysis for some Water Pollution Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Dimet, François-Xavier; Tran Thu, Ha; Hussaini, Yousuff

2014-05-01

Sensitivity Analysis for Some Water Pollution Problems Francois-Xavier Le Dimet1 & Tran Thu Ha2 & M. Yousuff Hussaini3 1Université de Grenoble, France, 2Vietnamese Academy of Sciences, 3 Florida State University Sensitivity analysis employs some response function and the variable with respect to which its sensitivity is evaluated. If the state of the system is retrieved through a variational data assimilation process, then the observation appears only in the Optimality System (OS). In many cases, observations have errors and it is important to estimate their impact. Therefore, sensitivity analysis has to be carried out on the OS, and in that sense sensitivity analysis is a second order property. The OS can be considered as a generalized model because it contains all the available information. This presentation proposes a method to carry out sensitivity analysis in general. The method is demonstrated with an application to water pollution problem. The model involves shallow waters equations and an equation for the pollutant concentration. These equations are discretized using a finite volume method. The response function depends on the pollutant source, and its sensitivity with respect to the source term of the pollutant is studied. Specifically, we consider: • Identification of unknown parameters, and • Identification of sources of pollution and sensitivity with respect to the sources. We also use a Singular Evolutive Interpolated Kalman Filter to study this problem. The presentation includes a comparison of the results from these two methods. .

Water Pollution, A Scientists' Institute for Public Information Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, George G.

Analyzed are the reasons why present mechanisms for the control of water purity are inadequate. The control of waterborne epidemics is discussed to illustrate a problem which has been solved, then degradation of the environment is presented as an unsolved problem. Case histories are given of pollution and attempts at control in rivers, lakes,…

Your Environment and What You Can Do About It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltonstall, Richard

This book is written for the action oriented citizen concerned about pollution problems involving our physical environment. The book explains what can be done concerning problems in air and water pollution, noise, chemical pollution of the land, urban sprawl, clogged highways, rural decay, waste disposal, and litter. The book also comments on what…

Water Quality Monitoring Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Fred J.; Houdart, Joseph F.

This manual is designed for students involved in environmental education programs dealing with water pollution problems. By establishing a network of Environmental Monitoring Stations within the educational system, four steps toward the prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution are proposed. (1) Train students to recognize, monitor,…

Manpower Requirements for Pollution Control and Water Resources in Indiana and a Related Pollution Control Technology Curriculum. Manpower Report 69-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN. Office of Manpower Studies.

The purpose of this study was to identify the trained manpower needed to cope with Indiana's mounting problems in air and water pollution control, liquid and solid waste disposal, and water supply and resources. This report contains data concerning the present employment, current job opportunities, and projected manpower needs for related…

Making Water Pollution a Problem in the Classroom Through Computer Assisted Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, John D.

Alternative means for dealing with water pollution control are presented for students and teachers. One computer oriented program is described in terms of teaching wastewater treatment and pollution concepts to middle and secondary school students. Suggestions are given to help teachers use a computer simulation program in their classrooms.…

Residuals Management and Water Pollution Control Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Public Affairs.

This pamphlet addresses the problems associated with residuals and water quality especially as it relates to the National Water Pollution Control Program. The types of residuals and appropriate management systems are discussed. Additionally, one section is devoted to the role of citizen participation in developing management programs. (CS)

[Watershed water environment pollution models and their applications: a review].

PubMed

Zhu, Yao; Liang, Zhi-Wei; Li, Wei; Yang, Yi; Yang, Mu-Yi; Mao, Wei; Xu, Han-Li; Wu, Wei-Xiang

2013-10-01

Watershed water environment pollution model is the important tool for studying watershed environmental problems. Through the quantitative description of the complicated pollution processes of whole watershed system and its parts, the model can identify the main sources and migration pathways of pollutants, estimate the pollutant loadings, and evaluate their impacts on water environment, providing a basis for watershed planning and management. This paper reviewed the watershed water environment models widely applied at home and abroad, with the focuses on the models of pollutants loading (GWLF and PLOAD), water quality of received water bodies (QUAL2E and WASP), and the watershed models integrated pollutant loadings and water quality (HSPF, SWAT, AGNPS, AnnAGNPS, and SWMM), and introduced the structures, principles, and main characteristics as well as the limitations in practical applications of these models. The other models of water quality (CE-QUAL-W2, EFDC, and AQUATOX) and watershed models (GLEAMS and MIKE SHE) were also briefly introduced. Through the case analysis on the applications of single model and integrated models, the development trend and application prospect of the watershed water environment pollution models were discussed.

Attitude Change as a Result of a Short Course on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milson, James L.

This study was conducted to determine what attitude changes take place in a group of secondary school teachers as a result of participation in a short course on the environmental problems of air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, population problems and the use of natural resources. A secondary purpose was to determine if the teachers…

Modeling the risk of water pollution by pesticides from imbalanced data.

PubMed

Trajanov, Aneta; Kuzmanovski, Vladimir; Real, Benoit; Perreau, Jonathan Marks; Džeroski, Sašo; Debeljak, Marko

2018-04-30

The pollution of ground and surface waters with pesticides is a serious ecological issue that requires adequate treatment. Most of the existing water pollution models are mechanistic mathematical models. While they have made a significant contribution to understanding the transfer processes, they face the problem of validation because of their complexity, the user subjectivity in their parameterization, and the lack of empirical data for validation. In addition, the data describing water pollution with pesticides are, in most cases, very imbalanced. This is due to strict regulations for pesticide applications, which lead to only a few pollution events. In this study, we propose the use of data mining to build models for assessing the risk of water pollution by pesticides in field-drained outflow water. Unlike the mechanistic models, the models generated by data mining are based on easily obtainable empirical data, while the parameterization of the models is not influenced by the subjectivity of ecological modelers. We used empirical data from field trials at the La Jaillière experimental site in France and applied the random forests algorithm to build predictive models that predict "risky" and "not-risky" pesticide application events. To address the problems of the imbalanced classes in the data, cost-sensitive learning and different measures of predictive performance were used. Despite the high imbalance between risky and not-risky application events, we managed to build predictive models that make reliable predictions. The proposed modeling approach can be easily applied to other ecological modeling problems where we encounter empirical data with highly imbalanced classes.

Identification and Control of Pollution from Salt Water Intrusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Water Programs.

This document contains informational guidelines for identifying and evaluating the nature and extent of pollution from salt water intrusion. The intent of these guidelines is to provide a basic framework for assessing salt water intrusion problems and their relationship to the total hydrologic system, and to provide assistance in developing…

[Water problems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region].

PubMed

Zeribl, T

2005-01-01

The Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization is confronted with formidable water problems due to: increased water demand both for consumption and for irrigation in agriculture that is becoming more productive and more polluting; scarce water resources; drought, erosion and pollution; inappropriate management; inadequate policies; and institutional and legal considerations. Added to these problems are the risks of regional conflicts because of the lack of "shared" management of cross-border waters which are an object of contention between neighbouring countries. This report analyses the issues relating to water availability, health and development on the basis of the distribution of water resources, and their use by industry and the huge proportion for agricultural use. It raises the question whether countries in the Region are ready to review their strategies on water priorities, particularly in the areas of health, agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

Geology and water resources of Winnebago County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olcott, Perry C.

1966-01-01

Sources or water in Winnebago County include surface water from the Fox and Wolf Rivers and their associated lakes, and ground water from sandstone, dolomite, and sand and gravel deposits. Surface water is hard and generally requires treatment, but is then suitable for municipal and most industrial uses. Pollution is only a local problem in the lakes and rivers, but algae are present in most of the lakes. Ground water in Winnebago County is hard to very hard, and dissolved iron is a problem in a large area of the county. A saline-water zone borders the eastern edge of the county and underlies the areas of concentrated pumpage at Neenah-Menasha and Oshkosh. A thick, southeastward-dipping sandstone aquifer, yielding as much as 1,000 gallons per minute to municipal and industrial wells, underlies Winnebago County. A dolomite aquifer in the eastern and southern part of the county yields as much as 50 gallons per minute to wells. Sand and gravel layers and lenses in preglacial bedrock channels, in northwestern Winnebago County and in the upper Fox River valley, yield as much as 50 gallons per minute to wells. Present water problems in the county include algae and local pollution in the Lake Winnebago Pool, iron in water from the sandstone aquifer, and saline ground Water in the eastern part of the county. Potential problems include rapid decline of water levels because of interference between closely spaced wells, migration of saline ground water toward areas of pumping, surface-water pollution from inadequate sewage and industrial-waste process plants, and ground-water pollution in dolomite formations. Development of the water resources of the county should follow a comprehensive plan which takes into consideration all aspects of water use. Dispersal of wells, especially extending toward the west from the heavily pumped Neenah-Menasha and Oshkosh areas, is recommended to reduce water-level declines and to avoid saline water. Supplemental use of ground water is recmmended for municipal expansion of water facilities and to reduce the algae treatment problem of water from the Lake Winnebago Pool.

URBAN RUNOFF POLLUTION CONTROL - STATE-OF-THE-ART

EPA Science Inventory

Combined sewer overflows are major sources of water pollution problems, but even discharges of stormwater alone can seriously affect water quality. Current approaches involve control of overflows, treatment, and combinations of the two. Control may involve maximizing treatment wi...

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will ...

Water Pollution Control Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1974

1974-01-01

A special report on the state of the water pollution control industry reveals that due to forthcoming federal requirements, sales and the backlogs should increase; problems may ensue because of shortages of materials and inflation. Included are reports from various individual companies. (MLB)

The use of GIS and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) to identify agricultural land management practices which cause surface water pollution in drinking water supply catchments.

PubMed

Grayson, Richard; Kay, Paul; Foulger, Miles

2008-01-01

Diffuse pollution poses a threat to water quality and results in the need for treatment for potable water supplies which can prove costly. Within the Yorkshire region, UK, nitrates, pesticides and water colour present particular treatment problems. Catchment management techniques offer an alternative to 'end of pipe' solutions and allow resources to be targeted to the most polluting areas. This project has attempted to identify such areas using GIS based modelling approaches in catchments where water quality data were available. As no model exists to predict water colour a model was created using an MCE method which is capable of predicting colour concentrations at the catchment scale. CatchIS was used to predict pesticide and nitrate N concentrations and was found to be generally capable of reliably predicting nitrate N loads at the catchment scale. The pesticides results did not match the historic data possibly due to problems with the historic pesticide data and temporal and spatially variability in pesticide usage. The use of these models can be extended to predict water quality problems in catchments where water quality data are unavailable and highlight areas of concern. IWA Publishing 2008.

Environmental-Toxicological Characteristics of Waters and Their Sources at Magnitogorsk With the Its Iron and Steel Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshkina, V. S.; Serova, A. A.; Timofeev, V. Yu

2016-08-01

This study summarizes the information necessary to characterize and assess the quality of drinking and industrial water supply in industrial centers with metallurgical engineering and provides information about the pollution impact on the natural environment. The study shows the influence of air pollution, of the soil pollution on the environment of water objects; it also demonstrates the role of the quality of water supply for establishing a higher risk of health problems for children.

The quality of rivers: From pristine stage to global pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meybeck, Michel; Helmer, Richard

1989-12-01

River water quality is highly variable by nature due to environmental conditions such as basin lithology, vegetation and climate. In small watersheds spatial variations extend over orders of magnitude for most major elements and nutrients, while this variability is an order of magnitude lower for major basins. A standard river water for use as reference is therefore not applicable. As a consequence natural waters can possibly be unfit for various human uses, even including drinking. The Water Quality (WQ) concept has greatly evolved since the beginning of the century in accordance with expanding water uses and analytical developments. Even in well developed countries the dissolved heavy metal measurements in rivers are not very reliable while dissolved organic micro-pollutants are even rarely analysed routinely. Major WQ problems have been identified according to river basin size, including organic pollution, salinity, total suspended solids, heavy metals, eutrophication, nitrate, organic micro-pollutants, acidification. They generally occurred in this order over a period of about 100 years in the industrialized countries. Historical records of WQ are rare but can be established indirectly through studies of lake sediments. When proper control action is taken at an early stage, numerous examples of WQ recovery have been found in rivers for most of the common pollution problems. Future WQ problems will mostly derive from mine tailings and toxic waste disposal in both developed and developing countries, industrial accidents and organic micropollutants which emerge faster than our analytical capacities. The newly industrializing countries will face all the above-mentioned problems within a very short time period without having the means to cope with them one at a time. River studies point out the global alteration of the biogeochemical cycles of many major elements and nutrients (S, Na, K, N, P). For heavy metals such as lead, present estimates of global river loads emphasize the role of interim storage on land, thus delaying downstream pollution problems.

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors - journal

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will a...

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors - paper

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will a...

Hotspots within the Transboundary Selenga River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasimov, Nikolay; Lychagin, Mikhail; Chalov, Sergey

2013-04-01

Gathering the efficient information on water pollution of transboundary river systems remains the crucial task in international water management, environmental pollution control and prevention health problems. Countries, located in the low parts of the river basins, depend on the water strategy and water use in the adjacent countries, located upstream. Surface water pollution is considered to be the most serious problem, facing the above-mentioned countries. Large efforts in terms of field measurement campaigns and (numerical) transport modeling are then typically needed for relevant pollution prediction and prevention. Russian rivers take inflow from 8 neighboring countries. Among them there are 2 developing economies - People Republic of China and Mongolia, which are located in water-scarce areas and thus solve their water-related problems through the consumption of international water. Negative change of water runoff and water quality in the foreign part of transboundary river is appeared inside Russian territory with more or less delay. The transboundary river system of Selenga is particularly challenging, being the biggest tributary of Lake Baikal which is the largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Selenga River contributes about 50 % of the total inflow into Baikal. It originates in the mountainous part of Mongolia and then drains into Russia. There are numerous industries and agricultural activities within the Selenga drainage basin that affect the water quality of the river system. Absence of the single monitoring system and predictive tools for pollutants transport in river system requires large efforts in understanding sources of water pollution and implemented data on the relevant numerical systems for the pollution prediction and prevention. Special investigations in the Selenga river basin (Mongolia and Russia) were done to assess hot spots and understand state-of-the art in sediment load, water chemistry and hydrobiology of transboundary systems. Hot spot assessment included 100 gauge stations in the river basin with discharge measurement by ADCP, turbidity (T) and suspended sediment concentration (SSC), bed load by bed load traps, composition of salt, biochemical oxidation, nitrogen and phosphorous content in water, pH, redox and conductivity values, and also content of heavy metals in water, suspended matter and sediments. The study revealed rather high levels of dissolved Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Mo in the Selenga River water which often are higher than MPC for water fishery. Most contrast distribution is characteristic for W and Mo, which is caused by mineral deposits in the Selenga basin. The most severe pollution of aquatic systems in the basin caused by mining activities is characteristic for a small river Modonkul, which flows into Dzhida River (left tributary of Selenga).

Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) Section 6217

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (Section 6217) addresses nonpoint pollution problems in coastal waters.In its program, a state or territory describes how it will implement nonpoint source pollution controls, known as management measures.

75 FR 75761 - Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-06

... widespread, persistent, and growing problem. Nitrogen/phosphorus pollution in fresh water systems can... Florida's regulated drinking water systems and a 10 mg/L criteria for nitrate in Class I waters. FDEP..., kidney, and central nervous system problems. 44 45 \\44\\ USEPA. 2009. National Primary Drinking Water...

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Agriculture, Forestry, and Mining. Instructor Guide. Working for Clean Water: An Information Program for Advisory Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buskirk, E. Drannon, Jr.

Nonpoint sources of pollution have diffuse origins and are major contributors to water quality problems in both urban and rural areas. Addressed in this instructor's manual are the identification, assessment, and management of nonpoint source pollutants resulting from mining, agriculture, and forestry. The unit, part of the Working for Clean Water…

Understanding enabling capacities for managing the 'wicked problem' of nonpoint source water pollution in catchments: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Patterson, James J; Smith, Carl; Bellamy, Jennifer

2013-10-15

Nonpoint source (NPS) water pollution in catchments is a 'wicked' problem that threatens water quality, water security, ecosystem health and biodiversity, and thus the provision of ecosystem services that support human livelihoods and wellbeing from local to global scales. However, it is a difficult problem to manage because water catchments are linked human and natural systems that are complex, dynamic, multi-actor, and multi-scalar in nature. This in turn raises questions about understanding and influencing change across multiple levels of planning, decision-making and action. A key challenge in practice is enabling implementation of local management action, which can be influenced by a range of factors across multiple levels. This paper reviews and synthesises important 'enabling' capacities that can influence implementation of local management action, and develops a conceptual framework for understanding and analysing these in practice. Important enabling capacities identified include: history and contingency; institutional arrangements; collaboration; engagement; vision and strategy; knowledge building and brokerage; resourcing; entrepreneurship and leadership; and reflection and adaptation. Furthermore, local action is embedded within multi-scalar contexts and therefore, is highly contextual. The findings highlight the need for: (1) a systemic and integrative perspective for understanding and influencing change for managing the wicked problem of NPS water pollution; and (2) 'enabling' social and institutional arenas that support emergent and adaptive management structures, processes and innovations for addressing NPS water pollution in practice. These findings also have wider relevance to other 'wicked' natural resource management issues facing similar implementation challenges. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water pollution and the public trust doctrine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, R.W.

The prior appropriation system has served well in the Western US for 125 years, providing a legal regime that permits and encourages enormous economic growth of agriculture, industry and municipalities. This system, however, both in its inception and current application, fails to address or protect public interests in fisheries, recreation, environmental quality, and clean water. As a result, serious nonpoint water pollution problems are occurring throughout the West. Such pollution can be regulated either by the courts or the legislatures under the public trust doctrine, which antedates the prior appropriation system, and which protects fisheries and water quality. No onemore » - including irrigators, industries or cities with appropriative rights - has a vested, constitutionally protected property right to degrade the quality of public waters. Some states are adopting police power regulations to control nonpoint pollution. Others are approaching the problem through the prior appropriation system itself, taking the position that beneficial use means use that does not harm the public through pollution. The public trust doctrine is not a panacea that will instantly solve all the conflicts that now surround the prior appropriation system. It should be considered, however, as a basis for setting standards as best practicable technology or best management practice.« less

Innovative Approaches to Environmental Health Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mock, Bruce H.

1974-01-01

The results of a NSF-supported student project to determine certain environmental problems in Indiana are reported. The project sought to relate the quality of the local environment to human life and concentrated on problems of air pollution, water pollution, solid waste disposal, and environmental attitudes. (LS)

78 FR 16465 - Energy and Environment Trade Mission to Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... experienced problems with the discharge of untreated sewage, particularly along the west coast. Malaysia's water pollution problem also extends to its rivers, of which 40 percent are polluted. The nation has 580... sources is still a problem. In the mid-1990s, Malaysia ranked among 50 nations with the world's highest...

Pollution of surface water in Europe

PubMed Central

Key, A.

1956-01-01

This paper discusses pollution of surface water in 18 European countries. For each an account is given of its physical character, population, industries, and present condition of water supplies; the legal, administrative, and technical means of controlling pollution are then described, and an outline is given of current research on the difficulties peculiar to each country. A general discussion of various aspects common to the European problem of water pollution follows; standards of quality are suggested; some difficulties likely to arise in the near future are indicated, and international collaboration, primarily by the exchange of information, is recommended to check or forestall these trends. PMID:13374532

Sanitary survey of the drinking water supply of Kombinati suburb-Tirana, Albania.

PubMed

Angjeli, V; Reme, B; Leno, L; Bukli, R; Bushati, G

2000-01-01

Microbiological pollution of drinking water is a major health problem in the suburbs of the Albanian capital. Intermittent supply and contamination, resulting in several gastrointestinal manifestations, are the main concerns for the population and health workers. The risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases is high. Pollution originates from contamination of drinking water with domestic sewage. This research investigated the drinking water cycle from its natural source to the consumer, analysing samples and verifying pollution levels in the microbiological and chemical setting. The most important pollution sources were found in the distribution network, due to cross-contamination with sewers and illegal connections. The second pollution source was found around the extraction wells. This is related to abusive constructions within the sanitary zone around the wells and maybe the highly sewage-contaminated river water which feeds the aquifer.

Modeling Nitrogen Fate and Transport at the Sediment-Water ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Diffusive mass transfer at media interfaces exerts control on the fate and transport of pollutants originating from agricultural and urban landscapes and affects the con-ditions of water bodies. Diffusion is essentially a physical process affecting the distribution and fate of various environmental pollutants such as nutrients, pesticides, metals, PCBs, PAHs, etc. Environmental problems caused by excessive use of agricultural chemicals (e.g., pesticides and fertilizers) and improper discharge of industrial waste and fuel leaks are all influenced by the diffusive nature of pollutants in the environment. Eutrophication is one such environmental problem where the sediment-water interface exerts a significant physical and geochemical control on the eutrophic condition of the stressed water body. Exposure of streams and lakes to contaminated sediment is another common environmental problem whereby transport of the contaminant (PCBs, PAHs, and other organic contaminants) across the sediment water can increase the risk for exposure to the chemicals and pose a significant health hazard to aquatic life and human beings. This chapter presents analytical and numerical models describing fate and transport phenomena at the sediment-water interface in freshwater ecosystems, with the primary focus on nitrogen cycling and the applicability of the models to real-world environmental problems and challenges faced in their applications. The first model deals with nitrogen cycling

Remote Sensing of Environmental Pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, G. W.

1971-01-01

Environmental pollution is a problem of international scope and concern. It can be subdivided into problems relating to water, air, or land pollution. Many of the problems in these three categories lend themselves to study and possible solution by remote sensing. Through the use of remote sensing systems and techniques, it is possible to detect and monitor, and in some cases, identify, measure, and study the effects of various environmental pollutants. As a guide for making decisions regarding the use of remote sensors for pollution studies, a special five-dimensional sensor/applications matrix has been designed. The matrix defines an environmental goal, ranks the various remote sensing objectives in terms of their ability to assist in solving environmental problems, lists the environmental problems, ranks the sensors that can be used for collecting data on each problem, and finally ranks the sensor platform options that are currently available.

Exploring Water Pollution. Part II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillo, Thomas J.

1975-01-01

This is part two of a three part article related to the science activity of exploring environmental problems. Part one dealt with background information for the classroom teacher. Presented here is a suggested lesson plan on water pollution. Objectives, important concepts and instructional procedures are suggested. (EB)

Water Pollution Control Across the Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1973

1973-01-01

Reviewed are accomplishments, problems, and frustrations faced by individual states in meeting requirements of P.L. 92-500, Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. State Environmental officials complain the new law may be a hindrance to established cleanup programs. Statistics and charts are given. (BL)

Multisensor satellite data for water quality analysis and water pollution risk assessment: decision making under deep uncertainty with fuzzy algorithm in framework of multimodel approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostyuchenko, Yuriy V.; Sztoyka, Yulia; Kopachevsky, Ivan; Artemenko, Igor; Yuschenko, Maxim

2017-10-01

Multi-model approach for remote sensing data processing and interpretation is described. The problem of satellite data utilization in multi-modeling approach for socio-ecological risks assessment is formally defined. Observation, measurement and modeling data utilization method in the framework of multi-model approach is described. Methodology and models of risk assessment in framework of decision support approach are defined and described. Method of water quality assessment using satellite observation data is described. Method is based on analysis of spectral reflectance of aquifers. Spectral signatures of freshwater bodies and offshores are analyzed. Correlations between spectral reflectance, pollutions and selected water quality parameters are analyzed and quantified. Data of MODIS, MISR, AIRS and Landsat sensors received in 2002-2014 have been utilized verified by in-field spectrometry and lab measurements. Fuzzy logic based approach for decision support in field of water quality degradation risk is discussed. Decision on water quality category is making based on fuzzy algorithm using limited set of uncertain parameters. Data from satellite observations, field measurements and modeling is utilizing in the framework of the approach proposed. It is shown that this algorithm allows estimate water quality degradation rate and pollution risks. Problems of construction of spatial and temporal distribution of calculated parameters, as well as a problem of data regularization are discussed. Using proposed approach, maps of surface water pollution risk from point and diffuse sources are calculated and discussed.

Controlling flooding and water pollution with upland and streamside vegetation systems

Treesearch

Michael Dosskey

2003-01-01

Substantial research and development effort in the U.S. is being spent on developing strategies that address flooding and water pollution problems in agricultural areas. Concerns have been raised about the costs of flood damage, degradation of productive farm land, and declining water quality that are now recognized as unintended consequences of intensive, high-yield...

Water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Bandara, N J G J

2003-01-01

The primary problems concerning water resources in Sri Lanka are the depletion and degradation of the resource caused by various anthropogenic activities. Surface inland waters in urban areas are polluted heavily with domestic sewage and industrial effluents, and in rural areas with agricultural runoff. With regard to ground water in certain areas of the dry zone, there is a high fluoride content and in hard, rocky, alluvial areas, there is a high concentration of iron. In urban over-crowded cities, there is biological contamination of ground water. Over-utilization, particularly through tube wells, is another major problem affecting ground water resources in Sri Lanka. Oil spills, dumping of waste from ships, coral and sand mining, and activities are the main causes of marine pollution in the country. Except for pipe-borne water supply, irrigation and hydropower schemes, in general water resources in Sri Lanka are managed very poorly. Regulations are available to control most water related problems but enforcement of these regulations is lacking. The ultimate result of degradation and depletion of water resources is the increasing health hazards. Water-borne and vector-borne diseases are prevalent, particularly amongst urban low-income communities with poor sanitary facilities and drainage. Despite government initiatives and legislation, very slow progress has been made towards combating water pollution. This paper examines the most significant water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka and their controlling mechanisms.

Optimizing basin-scale coupled water quantity and water quality man-agement with stochastic dynamic programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidsen, Claus; Liu, Suxia; Mo, Xingguo; Engelund Holm, Peter; Trapp, Stefan; Rosbjerg, Dan; Bauer-Gottwein, Peter

2015-04-01

Few studies address water quality in hydro-economic models, which often focus primarily on optimal allocation of water quantities. Water quality and water quantity are closely coupled, and optimal management with focus solely on either quantity or quality may cause large costs in terms of the oth-er component. In this study, we couple water quality and water quantity in a joint hydro-economic catchment-scale optimization problem. Stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) is used to minimize the basin-wide total costs arising from water allocation, water curtailment and water treatment. The simple water quality module can handle conservative pollutants, first order depletion and non-linear reactions. For demonstration purposes, we model pollutant releases as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and use the Streeter-Phelps equation for oxygen deficit to compute the resulting min-imum dissolved oxygen concentrations. Inelastic water demands, fixed water allocation curtailment costs and fixed wastewater treatment costs (before and after use) are estimated for the water users (agriculture, industry and domestic). If the BOD concentration exceeds a given user pollution thresh-old, the user will need to pay for pre-treatment of the water before use. Similarly, treatment of the return flow can reduce the BOD load to the river. A traditional SDP approach is used to solve one-step-ahead sub-problems for all combinations of discrete reservoir storage, Markov Chain inflow clas-ses and monthly time steps. Pollution concentration nodes are introduced for each user group and untreated return flow from the users contribute to increased BOD concentrations in the river. The pollutant concentrations in each node depend on multiple decision variables (allocation and wastewater treatment) rendering the objective function non-linear. Therefore, the pollution concen-tration decisions are outsourced to a genetic algorithm, which calls a linear program to determine the remainder of the decision variables. This hybrid formulation keeps the optimization problem computationally feasible and represents a flexible and customizable method. The method has been applied to the Ziya River basin, an economic hotspot located on the North China Plain in Northern China. The basin is subject to severe water scarcity, and the rivers are heavily polluted with wastewater and nutrients from diffuse sources. The coupled hydro-economic optimiza-tion model can be used to assess costs of meeting additional constraints such as minimum water qual-ity or to economically prioritize investments in waste water treatment facilities based on economic criteria.

Water quality modeling using geographic information system (GIS) data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engel, Bernard A

1992-01-01

Protection of the environment and natural resources at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is of great concern. The potential for surface and ground water quality problems resulting from non-point sources of pollution was examined using models. Since spatial variation of parameters required was important, geographic information systems (GIS) and their data were used. The potential for groundwater contamination was examined using the SEEPAGE (System for Early Evaluation of the Pollution Potential of Agricultural Groundwater Environments) model. A watershed near the VAB was selected to examine potential for surface water pollution and erosion using the AGNPS (Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution) model.

Alizarin red S dye removal from contaminated water on calcined [Mg/Al, Zn/Al and MgZn/Al]-LDH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aissat, Miloud; Hamouda, Sara; Benhadria, Naceur; Chellali, Rachid; Bettahar, Noureddine

2018-05-01

The waste water rejected by the textile industries is loaded with organic dyes, responsible for the high color present in the effluents. Some dyes and / or their degradation products could be carcinogenic and may have mutagenic properties. The rapid growth of the global economy has caused many environmental problems with a huge pollution problem. The abuse use of chemicals product is an environmental toxicological problem. The consequences can be serious for water resources. In this perspective, our study comes to participate with new means of depollution using new materials with interesting properties in the treatment of pollution. Among these materials, LDHs whose synthesis is easy and inexpensive can be a tool in the treatment of water Polluted [1]. Our contribution consists in using HDL as a means of sorption of dyes which are considered as polluting agents of waters especially for the industry textile. This study considers the removal of the Alizarine Red S (AR) from water on calcined MgAl,ZnAL and MgZnAL-layered double hydroxides. The different LDH was prepared by copreprecipation method. The materials was obtained for molar ratios R =2 for the different LDH. The carbonated layered Calcination of these solids leads to the formation of mixed oxides which have the property of being able to be regenerated by adsorbing new anionic entities. Adsorbents and adsorption products were characterized by physicochemical techniques. The structural characterization of the material was carried out by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Dosages of the polluted solutions were monitored by UV-Visible spectrometry.

Comments on Congress International Association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR) (21st) Held in Melbourne, Australia on 19-23 August 1985.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

Congress theme was "Hydraulic Research for Water Management in the Eighties." Actual subjects selected for discussion were: a. Subsurface Flow, Pollutant ...problems experienced by this country. Water availability and water management are troublesome, particu- larly in the interior. Pollution and the environment...34Applied Study On Pollutant and Heat Diffusion Around Underground Cavern." Technical Session 6B - 1600-1730 Tuesday 20th August 1985 Sub-theme B.(c

Showdown Shapes Up Over Pollution Laws

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1974

1974-01-01

Discusses technological, legislative, and administrative problems facing the implementation of the 1972 air and water pollution control acts. Indicates that a congressional reworking on the pollution laws appears to be in the offing which could lead to a softening of environmental deadlines and a change in spending for pollution controls. (CC)

Needed: Clean Water. Problems of Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

This pamphlet utilizes illustrations and captions to indicate the demands currently made on our water resources and the problems associated with that demand. Current and future solutions are described with suggestions for personal conservation efforts to help provide enough clean water for everyone in the future. (CS)

7 CFR 634.12 - Eligible project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... agricultural portion of a 208 water quality management plan, or revised portions thereof, and have identified agricultural nonpoint source water quality problems are eligible for authorization under RCWP. Those critical areas or sources of pollutants significantly contributing to the water quality problems are eligible for...

The latent causal chain of industrial water pollution in China.

PubMed

Miao, Xin; Tang, Yanhong; Wong, Christina W Y; Zang, Hongyu

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discover the latent causal chain of industrial water pollution in China and find ways to cure the want on discharge of toxic waste from industries. It draws evidences from the past pollution incidents in China. Through further digging the back interests and relations by analyzing representative cases, extended theory about loophole derivations and causal chain effect is drawn. This theoretical breakthrough reflects deeper causality. Institutional defect instead of human error is confirmed as the deeper reason of frequent outbreaks of water pollution incidents in China. Ways for collaborative environmental governance are proposed. This paper contributes to a better understanding about the deep inducements of industrial water pollution in China, and, is meaningful for ensuring future prevention and mitigation of environmental pollution. It illuminates multiple dimensions for collaborative environmental governance to cure the stubborn problem.

Travel of pollution, and purification en route, in sandy soils

PubMed Central

Baars, J. K.

1957-01-01

The travel of pollution in sandy soils, and the extent to which purification takes place en route, are discussed, with special reference to the possible contamination of ground water—a problem which is of particular importance in the Netherlands, where the water-supply for many of the large towns is drawn from the water underneath the dunes. Specifically, two types of soil pollution are considered: (a) severe pollution of the surface layers with matter concentrated in a small volume of water (e.g., faecal matter from pit privies at camping-sites); and (b) moderate pollution of the surface layers with matter contained in large quantities of water (e.g., organic matter and bacteria in river water used for the artificial recharge of ground water). It is shown that in both these types of pollution the self-purification is sufficient to prevent contamination of the ground water, provided that the soil is very fine and—in the case of the first type—dry and well aerated, and provided that the ground-water level is not too high or the rate of infiltration too great. PMID:13472428

Workshop 5 (synthesis): water pollution abatement as related to ecosystem protection.

PubMed

Hagebro, C

2004-01-01

Water pollution exerts major stress on water systems and the challenge is to ensure security in river basins for both water-dependent activities and for the aquatic ecosystems. The workshop focused on protection of good ecological status, quality criteria, priorities for action, and on achievement of sustainable improvements. The three keynote speakers presented the concept applied in the EU Water Framework Directive, the need for a multi-stakeholder collaboration in order to reach a good ecological status of waters and a concrete example of interactive planning of water protection measures in a transboundary lake. The additional paper presentations addressed specific pollution problems in catchments, the effect of environmental user fees and ecosystem indicators.

The U.S. and Environmental Pollution Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newill, Vaun A.

1974-01-01

Background concerning legislation and development of environmental programs is detailed in the areas of air pollution, water pollution, pesticides, and multimedia toxic substances. Each section contains a discussion of scientific knowledge, health effects, costs, proposed standards, and possible approaches to the problems. (LS)

Study on the quantitative relationship between Agricultural water and fertilization process and non-point source pollution based on field experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Chen, K.; Wu, Z.; Guan, X.

2017-12-01

In recent years, with the prominent of water environment problem and the relative increase of point source pollution governance, especially the agricultural non-point source pollution problem caused by the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides has become increasingly aroused people's concern and attention. In order to reveal the quantitative relationship between agriculture water and fertilizer and non-point source pollution, on the basis of elm field experiment and combined with agricultural drainage irrigation model, the agricultural irrigation water and the relationship between fertilizer and fertilization scheme and non-point source pollution were analyzed and calculated by field emission intensity index. The results show that the variation of displacement varies greatly under different irrigation conditions. When the irrigation water increased from 22cm to 42cm, the irrigation water increased by 20 cm while the field displacement increased by 11.92 cm, about 66.22% of the added value of irrigation water. Then the irrigation water increased from 42 to 68, irrigation water increased 26 cm, and the field displacement increased by 22.48 cm, accounting for 86.46% of irrigation water. So there is an "inflection point" between the irrigation water amount and field displacement amount. The load intensity increases with the increase of irrigation water and shows a significant power correlation. Under the different irrigation condition, the increase amplitude of load intensity with the increase of irrigation water is different. When the irrigation water is smaller, the load intensity increase relatively less, and when the irrigation water increased to about 42 cm, the load intensity will increase considerably. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the fertilization and load intensity. The load intensity had obvious difference in different fertilization modes even with same fertilization level, in which the fertilizer field unit load intensity increased the most in July. The results provide some basis for the field control and management of agricultural non-point source pollution.

Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howarth, Robert; Anderson, Donald; Cloern, James; Elfring, Chris; Hopkinson, Charles; Lapointe, Brian; Malone, Tom; Marcus, Nancy; McGlathery, Karen; Sharpley , Andrew; Walker, Dan

2000-01-01

Over the past 40 years, antipollution laws have greatly reduced discharges of toxic substances into our coastal waters. This effort, however, has focused largely on point-source pollution of industrial and municipal effluent. No comparable effort has been made to restrict the input of nitrogen (N) from municipal effluent, nor to control the flows of N and phosphorus (P) that enter waterways from dispersed or nonpoint sources such as agricultural and urban runoff or as airborne pollutants. As a result, inputs of nonpoint pollutants, particularly N, have increased dramatically. Nonpoint pollution from N and P now represents the largest pollution problem facing the vital coastal waters of the United States.

Environmental Activities, Junior High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, William C.; Larson, Robert J.

This guide, for use at the junior high level, is aimed at helping our youth become more knowledgeable concerning the environment and associated problems, thus making them aware of how to solve these problems and motivating them to work toward their solution. Among the subjects discussed are art in nature, erosion, body pollution, water pollution,…

Pollution, An Environmental Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Richard B.

This document, written for teachers, outlines the causes and extent of environmental problems relating to air pollution, water pollution, the use of fertilizers and pesticides, land use, and population density. A short bibliography includes references to periodicals and books dealing with teaching methods as well as references for background…

Industrial growth in the U. S. border communities and associated water and air problems: an economic perspective. [U. S. -Mexican border

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayer, H.W.; Hoyt, P.G.

1977-10-01

The impact of rapid growth along the U.S.-Mexican border on air and water quality is studied to determine the problem's significance and the cost of alternative solutions. The study analyzes supply and demand factors for water as a material input for industry and evaluates how the cost of water affects industries along the border from San Diego to Brownsville. Four research needs are identified: (1) a focus on San Diego and El Paso and on the problem of air pollution, (2) more accurate data, (3) more theoretical and empirical economic data on the concept of air markets in the areasmore » of San Diego-Tijuana and El Paso-Juarez, and (4) analysis of the extent and distribution of various costs and benefits of proposals to relieve air or water pollution.« less

USDA Forest Service national protocols for sampling air pollution-sensitive waters

Treesearch

T. J. Sullivan

2012-01-01

The first step in designing a surface water sampling program is identifying one or more problems or questions that require information on water quality. Common water quality problems include nutrient enrichment (from a variety of causes), effects of atmospheric deposition (acidification, eutrophication, toxicity), and effects of major disturbances such as fire or pest...

Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, Romy

2014-02-01

Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

Principles and problems of environmental pollution of groundwater resources with case examples from developing countries.

PubMed Central

Egboka, B C; Nwankwor, G I; Orajaka, I P; Ejiofor, A O

1989-01-01

The principles and problems of environmental pollution and contamination are outlined. Emphasis is given to case examples from developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America with a comparative analysis to developed countries. The problems of pollution/contamination are widespread in developed countries but are gradually spreading from the urban to rural areas in the developing countries. Great efforts in research and control programs to check pollution-loading into the environment have been made in the industrialized countries, but only negligible actions have been taken in developing countries. Pollutants emanate from both point and distributed sources and have adversely affected both surface water and groundwaters. The influences of the geologic and hydrologic cycles that exacerbate the incidences of pollution/contamination have not been well understood by environmental planners and managers. Professionals in the different areas of pollution control projects, particularly in developing countries, lack the integrated multiobjective approaches and techniques in problem solving. Such countries as Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, and India are now menaced by pollution hazards. Appropriate methods of control are hereby suggested. PMID:2695325

Water pollution in the USSR and other Eastern European countries*

PubMed Central

Litvinov, N.

1962-01-01

The condition of water bodies and measures taken to prevent their pollution in the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania are the main subjects of this paper. For each of these countries information is given on population and area, physical features, rain-fall and rivers, the distribution of population and industry, water supply and sewerage, the condition of surface and ground waters, the authorities and legislation concerned with the protection of water resources, and research on pollution. The author draws attention to the experience gained in these countries in the setting up of special State bodies to take charge of water resources and in classifying rivers according to the uses to which they are put, a factor which determines the regulations governing the discharge of effluent into them. A plea is also made for the convening of specialized international conferences on problems connected with the protection of European water resources from pollution. PMID:14465925

China: A sleeping giant awakens to environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ni Shaoxiang

1995-07-01

This article discusses the approach the Chinese government is taking to environmental issues. Included are the following topics: pollution abatement; improved rural environment by curbing the production and use of highly toxic pesticides; limiting erosion; natural reserves. Problems awaiting solutions are also discussed: air pollution (particularly coal combustion); water pollution; solid-waste pollution; rural pollution; soil erosion; desertification; soil salinization; deforestation; grassland deterioration; natural disasters.

Implications of salinity pollution hotspots on agricultural production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floerke, Martina; Fink, Julia; Malsy, Marcus; Voelker, Jeanette; Alcamo, Joseph

2016-04-01

Salinity pollution can have many negative impacts on water resources used for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes. Elevated concentrations of salinity in irrigation water can lead to decreased crop production or crop death and, thus, causing an economic problem. Overall, salinity pollution is a global problem but tends to be more severe in arid and semi-arid regions where the dilution capacity of rivers and lakes is lower and the use of irrigation higher. Particularly in these regions agricultural production is exposed to high salinity of irrigation water as insufficient water quality further reduces the available freshwater resources. According to the FAO, irrigated agriculture contributes about 40 percent of the total food production globally, and therefore, high salinity pollution poses a major concern for food production and food security. We use the WaterGAP3 modeling framework to simulate hydrological, water use, and water quality conditions on a global scale for the time period 1990 to 2010. The modeling framework is applied to simulate total dissolved solids (TDS) loadings and in-stream concentrations from different point and diffuse sources to get an insight on potential environmental impacts as well as risks to agricultural food production. The model was tested and calibrated against observed data from GEMStat and literature sources. Although global in scope, the focus of this study is on developing countries, i.e., in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as these are most threatened by salinity pollution. Furthermore, insufficient water quality for irrigation and therefore restrictions in irrigation water use are examined, indicating limitations to crop production. Our results show that elevated salinity concentrations in surface waters mainly occur in peak irrigation regions as irrigated agriculture is not only the most relevant water use sector contributing to water abstractions, but also the dominant source of salinity pollution. Additionally, large metropolitan regions are initially loading hotspots and pollution, too, and prevention becomes important as point sources are dependent on sewer connection rates and treatment levels. In conclusion, this study provides a detailed picture of the spatial and temporal distribution of salinity pollution and identifies hotspot areas as well as the dominant sources. Furthermore, impacts of water quality degradation on agricultural production and food security are quantified, which aim for a better understanding of the risks for food security caused by water quality impairment.

Strategy of Water Pollution Control Base On Social Economic Activitiy, in Karang Mumus River, Samarinda East Kalimantan, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pramaningsih, Vita; Suprayogi, Slamet; Purnama, Setyawan

2018-02-01

Water Pollution in Karang Mumus River caused society behavior along the river. Daily activity such as bath, washing and defecate at the river. Garbage, sediment, domestic waste and flood are river problems should be solved. Purpose this research is make strategy of water pollution control in the Karang Mumus River. Method used observation in the field, interview to the society, industry, public activity along the river and government of environment department. Further create data using tool of Analysis Hierarchy Process (AHP) to get the strategy to control water pollution in the river. Actors have contribute pollution control are government, industry and society. Criteria to pollution control are society participation, low, human resources and sustainable. Alternative of pollution control are unit garbage storage; license loyalty for industry and waste; communal waste water installation; monitoring of water quality. Result for actor priority are government (0.4); Industry (0.4); Society (0.2). Result for priority criteria are society participation (0.338), low (0.288), human resources (0.205) and sustainable (0.169). Result for priority alternative are unit garbage storage (0.433); license loyalty for industry and waste (0.238); communal waste water installation (0.169); monitoring of water quality (0.161).

Water Quality and Pollution. Environmental Studies. 4 Color Transparencies, Reproducibles & Teaching Guide. Grade 3, 4, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortleb, Edward P.; And Others

The world is faced with a variety of environmental problems. No country has escaped pollution and resource depletion. Basic ecological principles are often ignored and sometimes this contributes to ecological disasters. This volume is designed to provide basic information about the quality of the earth's water resources. The visual aids,…

Removal of Organic Pollutants from Water Using Superwetting Materials.

PubMed

Li, Lingxiao; Zhang, Junping; Wang, Aiqin

2018-02-01

The frequent occurrence of water pollution accidents and the leakage of organic pollutants have caused severe environmental and ecological crisis. It is thus highly imperative to find efficient materials to solve the problem. Inspired by the lotus leaf, superwetting materials are receiving increasing attention in the field of removal of organic pollutants from water. Various superwetting materials have been successfully generated and integrated into devices for removal of organic pollutants from water. On the basis of our previous work in the field, we summarized in this account the progress of removal of (1) floating and underwater insoluble, (2) emulsified insoluble, and (3) both insoluble and soluble organic pollutants from water using superwetting materials including superhydrophobic & superoleophilic materials, superhydrophilic & underwater superoleophobic materials, and materials with controllable wettability. The superwetting materials are in the forms of 2D porous materials, 3D porous materials and particles, etc. Finally, the current state and future challenges in this field are discussed. We hope this account could shed light on the design of novel superwetting materials for efficient removal of organic pollutants from water. © 2018 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving Multi-Objective Management of Water Quality Tipping Points: Revisiting the Classical Shallow Lake Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, J. D.; Reed, P. M.; Keller, K.

2015-12-01

Recent multi-objective extensions of the classical shallow lake problem are useful for exploring the conceptual and computational challenges that emerge when managing irreversible water quality tipping points. Building on this work, we explore a four objective version of the lake problem where a hypothetical town derives economic benefits from polluting a nearby lake, but at the risk of irreversibly tipping the lake into a permanently polluted state. The trophic state of the lake exhibits non-linear threshold dynamics; below some critical phosphorus (P) threshold it is healthy and oligotrophic, but above this threshold it is irreversibly eutrophic. The town must decide how much P to discharge each year, a decision complicated by uncertainty in the natural P inflow to the lake. The shallow lake problem provides a conceptually rich set of dynamics, low computational demands, and a high level of mathematical difficulty. These properties maximize its value for benchmarking the relative merits and limitations of emerging decision support frameworks, such as Direct Policy Search (DPS). Here, we explore the use of DPS as a formal means of developing robust environmental pollution control rules that effectively account for deeply uncertain system states and conflicting objectives. The DPS reformulation of the shallow lake problem shows promise in formalizing pollution control triggers and signposts, while dramatically reducing the computational complexity of the multi-objective pollution control problem. More broadly, the insights from the DPS variant of the shallow lake problem formulated in this study bridge emerging work related to socio-ecological systems management, tipping points, robust decision making, and robust control.

Calculation of intercepted runoff depth based on stormwater quality and environmental capacity of receiving waters for initial stormwater pollution management.

PubMed

Peng, Hai-Qin; Liu, Yan; Gao, Xue-Long; Wang, Hong-Wu; Chen, Yi; Cai, Hui-Yi

2017-11-01

While point source pollutions have gradually been controlled in recent years, the non-point source pollution problem has become increasingly prominent. The receiving waters are frequently polluted by the initial stormwater from the separate stormwater system and the wastewater from sewage pipes through stormwater pipes. Consequently, calculating the intercepted runoff depth has become a problem that must be resolved immediately for initial stormwater pollution management. The accurate calculation of intercepted runoff depth provides a solid foundation for selecting the appropriate size of intercepting facilities in drainage and interception projects. This study establishes a separate stormwater system for the Yishan Building watershed of Fuzhou City using the InfoWorks Integrated Catchment Management (InfoWorks ICM), which can predict the stormwater flow velocity and the flow of discharge outlet after each rainfall. The intercepted runoff depth is calculated from the stormwater quality and environmental capacity of the receiving waters. The average intercepted runoff depth from six rainfall events is calculated as 4.1 mm based on stormwater quality. The average intercepted runoff depth from six rainfall events is calculated as 4.4 mm based on the environmental capacity of the receiving waters. The intercepted runoff depth differs when calculated from various aspects. The selection of the intercepted runoff depth depends on the goal of water quality control, the self-purification capacity of the water bodies, and other factors of the region.

Restoring water quality in the polluted Turag-Tongi-Balu river system, Dhaka: Modelling nutrient and total coliform intervention strategies.

PubMed

Whitehead, Paul; Bussi, Gianbattista; Hossain, Mohammed Abed; Dolk, Michaela; Das, Partho; Comber, Sean; Peters, Rebecca; Charles, Katrina J; Hope, Rob; Hossain, Md Sarwar

2018-08-01

River water quality in rapidly urbanising Asian cities threatens to damage the resource base on which human health, economic growth and poverty reduction all depend. Dhaka reflects the challenges and opportunities for balancing these dynamic and complex trade-offs which goals can be achieved through effective policy interventions. There is a serious problem of water pollution in central Dhaka, in the Turag-Tongi-Balu River system in Bangladesh with the river system being one of the most polluted in the world at the moment. A baseline survey of water chemistry and total coliforms has been undertaken and shows dissolved oxygen close to zero in the dry season, high organic loading together with extreme levels of Ammonium-N and total coliform in the water. Models have been applied to assess hydrochemical processes in the river and evaluate alternative strategies for policy and the management of the pollution issues. In particular models of flow, Nitrate-N, Ammonium-N and indicator bacteria (total coliforms) are applied to simulate water quality in the river system. Various scenarios are explored to clean up the river system, including flow augmentation and improved effluent treatment. The model results indicate that improved effluent treatment is likely to have a more significant impact on reducing Ammonium-N and total coliforms than flow augmentation, but a combined strategy would greatly reduce the pollution problems in the Turag-Tongi-Balu River System. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of Diffused Sourcers of Water Pollution In The Basin of Volga River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilchenco, O.

The intensive development of industry and agriculture, great growth of cities in the last decades result in an increase of the nature water consumption and deterioration. Different anthropogenic load change characteristics of water objects regime and de- pletion and qualitative degradation of water resources. Sources of pollution are divided on two classes: controlled and uncontrolled. The first includes industrial and domestic wastewater disposal. Their discharge and concentration of pollutants are quite stable. These sources of pollution are identified as "point". Surface run-off from of cities, industrial platforms, agricultural object, navigation, recreation are not controlled have dispersed nature and are identification as diffuse. Pollution from such sources is es- timates by computation. Quantitative assumption of pollution amounts reaches water objects is complicated and independent problem. The significant amount of full-scale observations and information processes of concerning dissolved and fluidized frag- ments movement are required. According to available guidelines the part of the pollu- tant entering water objects, is about 1-10For estimation of pollution mass and transport are mathematical modeling. Preliminary calculations of contaminants transport for different territories under an- thropogenic impact of river-Volga basin were made either for point sources of pol- lution or for non-point. Received data made it possible to analyze the correlation of contaminant volumes, coming from different sources pollution.

Society and Water

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qutub, Musa Y.

1972-01-01

At a national symposium on Societal Problems of Water Resources at Western Illinois University, scientists discussed dams, canals, water pollution control and management programs, federal-state relations in resource planning, and their effects on how we live. (BL)

The environmental problems in urban communities and the protection of the environment in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, I K

1994-07-01

Korea's urban environmental problems, specifically air and water pollution, government environmental policies, and the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in protecting the environment are described and discussed. Korea's rapid industrialization and urbanization between 1961 and 1985 led to an increased volume of waste and air pollution. Automobiles increased in number from 29,234 in 1961 to 1,113,430 in 1985. In the same period, the number of factories with at least five employees rose from 15,204 to 44,037. The volume of chemical materials and agricultural chemicals dramatically increased. Household wastes in urban areas increased from 26,831 tons per day in 1978 to 61,072 tons per day in 1985. Industrial waste rose from 13,130 to 33,349 tons per day in 1985. Respiratory diseases are precipitated by exposure to sulphur dioxide, which is produced during cooking and heating with coal briquets; to nitrogen dioxide from automobile exhaust; and to carbon monoxide from coal briquets. Indoor air pollution from particles such as radon, asbestos, cigarette smoke, fungus, and bacteria also impacts on health. Tolerance limits have been reached or surpassed in many cities, particularly in Seoul. Air pollution is worse during the winter. The poor are particularly affected because of the continued use of coal briquets for heating. Industry contributes to water pollution. The volume of industrial waste water quadrupled between 1980 and 1990. In Seoul, however, population size directly contributes to 64.3% of water pollution, and the remaining 35.2% is from factories. Although livestock contributes to only 0.5% of water pollution, livestock drainage contributes to 36.3% of chemical materials in polluted water. Biological oxygen demand has also exceeded tolerance limits. Water reservoirs contain toxic chemicals such as lead, copper, mercury, arsenic, phenol, phosphorus, and nitrogen, which take a longer time to affect health. The Anti-Pollution Law of 1963 and the Environmental Protection Law of 1977 were adopted, but public participation was problematic, and funding for assessment was limited. NGOs have been active in environmental programs since democratization in 1987.

[Research advances in identifying nitrate pollution sources of water environment by using nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes].

PubMed

Mao, Wei; Liang, Zhi-wei; Li, Wei; Zhu, Yao; Yanng, Mu-yi; Jia, Chao-jie

2013-04-01

Water body' s nitrate pollution has become a common and severe environmental problem. In order to ensure human health and water environment benign evolution, it is of great importance to effectively identify the nitrate pollution sources of water body. Because of the discrepant composition of nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes in different sources of nitrate in water body, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes can be used to identify the nitrate pollution sources of water environment. This paper introduced the fractionation factors of nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes in the main processes of nitrogen cycling and the composition of these stable isotopes in main nitrate sources, compared the advantages and disadvantages of five pre-treatment methods for analyzing the nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in nitrate, and summarized the research advances in this aspect into three stages, i. e. , using nitrogen stable isotope alone, using nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes simultaneously, and combining with mathematical models. The future research directions regarding the nitrate pollution sources identification of water environment were also discussed.

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Darby Duck, the Aquatic Crusader

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Understanding the characteristics of water, that precious resource we are trying to protect. And understanding how it interacts with other elements in the environment, some of which pollute it and cause problems for people and animals.

[Empirical study on non-point sources pollution based on landscape pattern & ecological processes theory: a case of soil water loss on the Loess Plateau in China].

PubMed

Suo, An-ning; Wang, Tian-ming; Wang, Hui; Yu, Bo; Ge, Jian-ping

2006-12-01

Non-point sources pollution is one of main pollution modes which pollutes the earth surface environment. Aimed at soil water loss (a typical non-point sources pollution problem) on the Losses Plateau in China, the paper applied a landscape patternevaluation method to twelve watersheds of Jinghe River Basin on the Loess Plateau by means of location-weighted landscape contrast index(LCI) and landscape slope index(LSI). The result showed that LSI of farm land, low density grass land, forest land and LCI responded significantly to soil erosion modulus and responded to depth of runoff, while the relationship between these landscape index and runoff variation index and erosion variation index were not statistically significant. This tell us LSI and LWLCI are good indicators of soil water loss and thus have big potential in non-point source pollution risk evaluation.

Soil erosion following forest operations in the Southern Piedmont of central Alabama

Treesearch

Johnny M. Grace

2004-01-01

In recent years, nonpoint source pollution (NPS) has been recognized as one of the major threats to the nation's water quality. Clearly, forest operations such as harvesting and site preparation have the potential to have degrading impacts on forest water quality. However, there exists a gap in the understanding of the nature and extent of NPS pollution problems...

Soak Up the Rain: What's the Problem?

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Why citizens and communities should soak up the rain with green infrastructure: to prevent water pollution, reduce flooding, protect water resources, beautify neighborhoods and other community benefits

Eutrophication of Water Bodies: Insights for an Age-Old Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, G. Fred; And Others

1978-01-01

Reviews the current state of information on the significance of phosphate as a water pollutant and the relationship between phosphorus loads and water quality. Areas that need additional research are discussed. (Author/BB)

A geographic information system screening tool to tackle diffuse pollution through the use of sustainable drainage systems.

PubMed

Todorovic, Zorica; Breton, Neil P

2014-01-01

Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) offer many benefits that traditional solutions do not. Traditional approaches are unable to offer a solution to problems of flood management and water quality. Holistic consideration of the wide range of benefits from SUDS can result in advantages such as improved flood resilience and water quality enhancement through consideration of diffuse pollution sources. Using a geographical information system (GIS) approach, diffuse pollutant sources and opportunities for SUDS are easily identified. Consideration of potential SUDS locations results in source, site and regional controls, leading to improved water quality (to meet Water Framework Directive targets). The paper will discuss two different applications of the tool, the first of which is where the pollutant of interest is known. In this case the outputs of the tool highlight and isolate the areas contributing the pollutants and suggest the adequate SUDS measures to meet the required criteria. The second application is where the tool identifies likely pollutants at a receiving location, and SUDS measures are proposed to reduce pollution with assessed efficiencies.

River water pollution condition in upper part of Brantas River and Bengawan Solo River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roosmini, D.; Septiono, M. A.; Putri, N. E.; Shabrina, H. M.; Salami, I. R. S.; Ariesyady, H. D.

2018-01-01

Wastewater and solid waste from both domestic and industry have been known to give burden on river water quality. Most of river water quality problem in Indonesia has start in the upper part of river due to anthropogenic activities, due to inappropriate land use management including the poor wastewater infrastructure. Base on Upper Citarum River Water pollution problem, it is interesting to study the other main river in Java Island. Bengawan Solo River and Brantas River were chosen as the sample in this study. Parameters assessed in this study are as follows: TSS, TDS, pH, DO, and hexavalent chromium. The status of river water quality are assess using STORET method. Based on (five) parameters, STORET value showed that in Brantas River, Pagerluyung monitoring point had the worst quality relatively compared to other monitoring point in Brantas River with exceeding copper, lead and tin compared to the stream standard in East Java Provincial Regulation No. 2 in 2008. Brantas River was categorized as lightly polluted river based on monitoring period 2011-2015 in 5 monitoring points, namely Pendem, Sengguruh, Kademangan, Meritjan and Kertosono.

Contribution of Man – Made Activities to the Pollution of the Tigris within Mosul Area/IRAQ

PubMed Central

Al-Rawi, S. M.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overall view of major sources that may lead to the pollution of the Tigris within Mosul city. A stretch exceeding 20kms in length is selected that represents the “sick” path of the river. Many sites along the studied stretch are likely to affect the river quality in some way or another. Samples from 40 sources sites are taken for quality analyses These sources – as huge as 400000 m3 a day – are characterized as (medium – strong) in composition. Such wastewaters with the pollutants they carry alter the river water quality rendering it unsuitable for beneficial uses. Such alterations – do leave –many negative consequences concerning human beings and aquatic life. It is found that domestic discharges are among the most important sources of pollution. Sanitary wastes are often discharged – untreated -into the Tigris. Other illegal practices such as in-house slaughtering add to the pollution as well. Industrial, tourist and institutional wastes put an additional burden on pollution of the river water quality. These wastes contain lead, chrome, and other heavy metals that may pose health risks. Wastewater treatment plants that exist in some sectors do not perform as they are expected. They need proper evaluation and rehabilitation. Eutrophication - a characteristic problem in lakes - finds an access to occur into the Tigris. This problem results from intensive use of detergents rich in nutrients (P&N compounds). In general, pollutants of different sources heavily affect the river water. Recovery and self purification of the river is estimated to occur at 40 km far from reference point. The paper concludes with the necessity of construction of a central treatment plant(s) or tackling the pollutants at their origin. The paper also stresses on importance of environmental education and awareness in order to combat pollution problems. PMID:16705824

Tackling a Local Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Martin

1995-01-01

Students studying water as a class project were concerned by levels of pollution at a nearby river and the local beach. They identified three environmental problems for research including sewage discharge, beach litter, and quality of swimming water. Research consisted of field trips which allowed for opportunities to improve skills in collecting…

THE FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATER.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SCHOONOVER, ROBERT A.

THIS PUBLICATION DISCUSSES IN DEPTH THE PROBLEM OF WATER POLLUTION AS SEEN BY THE FLORIDA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. DOMESTIC SEWAGE, INDUSTRIAL WASTES, AND ALLEVIATION ACTIVITIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH AND COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE DESCRIBED. SIX APPENDIXES PRESENT CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF…

BROAD SPECTRUM ANALYSIS FOR TRACE ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN LARGE VOLUMES OF WATER BY XAD RESINS-COLUMN DESIGN-FACTS AND MYTHS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibs, J.; Wicklund, A.; Suffet, I.H.

1986-01-01

The 'rule of thumb' that large volumes of water can be sampled for trace organic pollutants by XAD resin columns which are designed by small column laboratory studies or pure compounds is examined and shown to be a problem. A theory of multicomponent breakthrough is presented as a frame of reference to help solve the problem and develop useable criteria to aid the design of resin columns. An important part of the theory is the effect of humic substances on the breakthrough character of multicomponent chemical systems.

Water availability and quality in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: implications for public health.

PubMed

Sherif, Mohsen

2010-07-01

Environmental problems and their potential impacts on public health vary in scale and time depending on the level and nature of pollutants. Although water is regarded as the source of all kinds of life on earth, it also acts as an efficient carrier of pollutants. Contamination of drinking water, agricultural water, or recreational water by infectious pathogens, chemical pollutants, or others can have significant impacts on public health. During the past few decades, waterborne diseases continued to spread and the health risks continued to increase. The correlation between water resources and public health is more evident in arid regions. This article discusses the availability of water resources in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and elaborates on the possible impacts of water resources on public health. It emphasizes the importance of preservation of water quality and prevention of waterborne diseases, which could be achieved through a coordinated effort from diverse groups and disciplines.

Promoting Sustainable Development Through Engagement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-30

address development problems. In June 1992, the United Nations convened an international conference in Rio de Janeiro , commonly called the Earth... River or polluted air and water in the Central and Eastern European countries, nations are failing to provide their population potable water...situation in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) provide us some examples. First, there is the health impact. Air pollution appears to be the cause of

Public health applications of remote sensing of the environment, an evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The available techniques were examined in the field of remote sensing (including aerial photography, infrared detection, radar, etc.) and applications to a number of problems in the wide field of public health determined. The specific areas of public health examined included: air pollution, water pollution, communicable disease, and the combined problems of urban growth and the effect of disasters on human communities. The assessment of the possible applications of remote sensing to these problems was made primarily by examination of the available literature in each field, and by interviews with health authorities, physicists, biologists, and other interested workers. Three types of programs employing remote sensors were outlined in the air pollution field: (1) proving ability of sensors to monitor pollutants at three levels of interest - point source, ambient levels in cities, and global patterns; (2) detection of effects of pollutants on the environment at local and global levels; and (3) routine monitoring.

Study on leaching of pollutants from vegetable tanning residue.

PubMed

Mazumder, Debabrata; Biswas, Santosh; Bandyopadhyay, Pratip

2006-07-01

The processing of heavy leather employs the vegetable tanning method involving use of tan liquor. The solid residue of this vegetable tanning process aggravates the water pollution by means of leaching of tannin and other associatedpollutants. Tannin is a biologically resistant compound causing several problems in animal body. The present study dealt with the pollution hazard arising out of leaching of pollutants from the open dumped vegetable tanning residue by rainfall washing. The concerned pollutants were pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), tannin,sulfate and chloride concentration. To explore the possible extent of contamination of these pollutants in the leached water, two different masses (2 kg and 3 kg) of tanning residue were employed. The results of the study showed that there was a continuous release of pollutants from the vegetable tanning residue. Moreover, there was no regular variation in various pollutant concentrations in both the cases solely due to non-homogeneity of the residue.

Pollution Permanent Monitoring PANEL--2013 Annual Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Everett, Lorne G.

2014-07-01

The following sections are included: * POLLUTION PANEL ACTIVITIES 2013 * NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 2013 * MTBE NEW HAMPSHIRE LITIGATION--APRIL 12, 2013 * ALTERNATIVES FOR MANAGING THE NATION's COMPLEX CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER SITES--NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 2013 * HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE: KEY FINDINGS AND SCIENTIFIC ISSUES. MARCH 1, 2013 REVIEWS * BAROMETRIC PRESSURE DRIVES SOIL-GAS CONCENTRATIONS * WATER RESOURCES--TERRORISM TARGETS * WITH A LITTLE INGENUITY THE PROBLEM IS NOT INSOLUBLE * HIGH RISE BUILDINGS * TERRORIST MATERIAL MAY DESTROY WATER TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE * WATER THREAT CONCLUSIONS * MULTINATIONAL REPOSITORIES

WATERSHED CENTRAL: AN INTEGRATED WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT WEBSITE

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that States develop pollution reduction targets for impaired or threatened waters often referred to as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). These are waters that do not meet state water quality standards or will have impending problems meeting th...

Population density controls on microbial pollution across the Ganga catchment.

PubMed

Milledge, D G; Gurjar, S K; Bunce, J T; Tare, V; Sinha, R; Carbonneau, P E

2018-01-01

For millions of people worldwide, sewage-polluted surface waters threaten water security, food security and human health. Yet the extent of the problem and its causes are poorly understood. Given rapid widespread global urbanisation, the impact of urban versus rural populations is particularly important but unknown. Exploiting previously unpublished archival data for the Ganga (Ganges) catchment, we find a strong non-linear relationship between upstream population density and microbial pollution, and predict that these river systems would fail faecal coliform standards for irrigation waters available to 79% of the catchment's 500 million inhabitants. Overall, this work shows that microbial pollution is conditioned by the continental-scale network structure of rivers, compounded by the location of cities whose growing populations contribute c. 100 times more microbial pollutants per capita than their rural counterparts. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Proposing of an aerated water treatment plant for reducing water pollution problem in Losari Beach after reclamation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryani, Sri; Maharani, Hamzah, Muhammad Alimuddin

2017-01-01

Losari Beach is the most important site in Makassar. It lies at the west side of Makassar city. This place is known as the place where people are relaxed and gathering with friends or family after working, and now it becomes the icon of Makassar city. As the biggest city in eastern Indonesia, Makassar grows very fast. We can find constructions for building hospitals, shopping malls, bussines activities, and residences everywhere. The most important construction activities that will effect Losari Beach is the reclamation to build the Center Point of Indonesia that takes an area of 157 hectares and it is located at the west side of Losari Beach. In the last research presented in 9th International Conference on Marine Technology (October 2014) using surface-water modeling system (SMS) software showed that reclamation will significantly increase concentrations of BOD and COD (± 7 mg/L for BOD and 6.2 mg/L for COD). This condition will cause Losari Beach becomes very polluted. A probable solution to overcome this problem is to clean the wastewater before introducing to the sea. This paper will describe the type of the wastewater treatment plant that can be used to solve the water pollution problem in Losari Beach.

Public environmental awareness of water pollution from urban growth: The case of Zarjub and Goharrud rivers in Rasht, Iran.

PubMed

Noorhosseini, Seyyed Ali; Allahyari, Mohammad Sadegh; Damalas, Christos A; Moghaddam, Sina Siavash

2017-12-01

Rivers in urban areas have been associated with water quality problems because of the practice of discharging untreated domestic and industrial waste into the water bodies. However, to what extent the public can identify specific environmental problems and whether people are ready to cope with potential risks is to a great extent unknown. Public environmental awareness of factors underpinning the pollution of rivers and approaches for reducing it were studied in Rasht City of Guilan Province in northern Iran, with Zarjub and Goharrud rivers as a case study. Data were collected from residents on the banks of the studied rivers using a questionnaire. Industrial areas, hospitals, and poultry farms were perceived as the main factors deteriorating water pollution of Zarjub and Goharrud rivers in Guilan Province. The discharge of urban sewage into the rivers was the second most important polluting factor. Most residents on the banks of Zarjub and Goharrud rivers showed high interest in the conservation of the environment. Overall, 62.7% of the residents had moderate, 20% had high, and 4% had very high environmental awareness. Families and mass media (TV and radio) were perceived of being the most important sources of information of family members concerning environmental awareness. According to the residents, the main approach for alleviating the pollution of Zarjub and Goharrud rivers were creating green spaces, dredging the rivers, establishing a water purifying system, and establishing a waste incinerator with a separation system (based on municipal planning). The public in the study area appeared well prepared to cope with the risks of water pollution, but further improving environmental awareness of the community can be a first step for preventing environmental degradation. The positive attitudes of the residents towards environmental conservation, the use of proper information sources, and practical training in the context of extension services can be effective in conserving water resources in urban areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pinpointing Watershed Pollution on a Virtual Globe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Cheston; Taylor, Amy

2014-01-01

Pollution is not a problem we just read about anymore. It affects the air we breathe, the land we live on, and the water we consume. After noticing a lack of awareness in students, a lesson was developed that used Google Earth to pinpoint sources of pollution in the local area and in others across the country, and their effects on the surrounding…

Exploring Fifth-Grade Turkish Children's Solutions and Future Plans for Environmental Pollution through Their Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saglam, Murat

2016-01-01

The pollution of land, water, air, noise, light etc. threatens people, plants, animals and ecosystems. Environmental literacy is at the heart of environmental education, and environmentally literate people are expected to be aware of how to help solve environmental problems such as pollution. The purpose of the present study is to explore 5th…

Summary appraisals of the Nation's ground-water resources; Souris-Red-Rainy region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeder, Harold O.

1978-01-01

Many alternatives are available for managing water in the region. Some of these are operational and others are undergoing research. Adequate hydrologic information is needed to aid in solving problems of water supply, use, and pollution.

Summary appraisals of the Nation's ground-water resources; Souris-Red-Rainy region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reeder, Harold O.

1977-01-01

Many alternatives are available for managing water in the region. Some of these are operational and others are undergoing research. Adequate hydrologic information is needed to aid in solving problems of water supply, use and pollution.

GROUND-WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

An evaluation of principal sources of ground-water contamination has been carried out in seven southeastern States--Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Natural ground-water quality is good to excellent, except for the presence of ...

Arsenic in Drinking Water-A Global Environmental Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Joanna Shaofen; Wai, Chien M.

2004-01-01

Information on the worldwide occurrence of groundwater pollution by arsenic, the ensuing health hazards, and the debatable government regulations of arsenic in drinking water, is presented. Diagnostic identification of arsenic, and methods to eliminate it from water are also discussed.

Overview of transboundary pollution issues along the Mexico-US border

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Medina, E.J.

1996-12-31

This paper presents an overview of pollution issues affecting the Mexico-US border region, and briefly traces the development of the international legal framework which covers Mexico-US border relations on environmental issues. Examples from different border areas are used to illustrate surface water, groundwater, air pollution, and hazardous waste problems associated with the rapid growth and industrialization of areas along the border. Some of the specific issues presented include the Tijuana-San Diego sewage problem, the New River toxic discharges, Nogales Wash groundwater pollution, air pollution in Cd. Juarez-El Paso, and the Alco-Pacifico lead contamination case in Tijuana, B.C. Additional research tomore » characterize the extent of border area pollution and resultant ecological impacts is fundamental in the development of binational policies to deal with these problems. Another priority need is the application of risk assessment models, which will help policy makers on both sides of the border to coordinate efforts and allocate resources to solve this crisis. Immediate attention should be directed toward acquiring information necessary to evaluate the impacts of border-area pollution on natural ecosystems.« less

A Hybrid Interval-Robust Optimization Model for Water Quality Management.

PubMed

Xu, Jieyu; Li, Yongping; Huang, Guohe

2013-05-01

In water quality management problems, uncertainties may exist in many system components and pollution-related processes ( i.e. , random nature of hydrodynamic conditions, variability in physicochemical processes, dynamic interactions between pollutant loading and receiving water bodies, and indeterminacy of available water and treated wastewater). These complexities lead to difficulties in formulating and solving the resulting nonlinear optimization problems. In this study, a hybrid interval-robust optimization (HIRO) method was developed through coupling stochastic robust optimization and interval linear programming. HIRO can effectively reflect the complex system features under uncertainty, where implications of water quality/quantity restrictions for achieving regional economic development objectives are studied. By delimiting the uncertain decision space through dimensional enlargement of the original chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge constraints, HIRO enhances the robustness of the optimization processes and resulting solutions. This method was applied to planning of industry development in association with river-water pollution concern in New Binhai District of Tianjin, China. Results demonstrated that the proposed optimization model can effectively communicate uncertainties into the optimization process and generate a spectrum of potential inexact solutions supporting local decision makers in managing benefit-effective water quality management schemes. HIRO is helpful for analysis of policy scenarios related to different levels of economic penalties, while also providing insight into the tradeoff between system benefits and environmental requirements.

Understanding Wicked Problems: A Key to Advancing Environmental Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreuter, Marshall W.; De Rosa, Christopher; Howze, Elizabeth H.; Baldwin, Grant T.

2004-01-01

Complex environmental health problems--like air and water pollution, hazardous waste sites, and lead poisoning--are in reality a constellation of linked problems embedded in the fabric of the communities in which they occur. These kinds of complex problems have been characterized by some as "wicked problems" wherein stakeholders may have…

Outlook: Groundwater Pollution and Conservation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1972

1972-01-01

Characteristics of ground water and aquifers are explained to facilitate understanding of their importance in domestic water supplies. Problems of over usage, contamination, and regulation are enumerated and a national protection policy is advocated. (BL)

Water pollution and habitat degradation in the Gulf of Thailand.

PubMed

Cheevaporn, Voravit; Menasveta, Piamsak

2003-01-01

The Gulf of Thailand has been a major marine resource for Thai people for a long time. However, recent industrialization and community development have exerted considerable stress on the marine environments and provoked habitat degradation. The following pollution problems in the Gulf have been prioritized and are discussed in details: (1) Untreated municipal and industrial waste water are considered to be the most serious problems of the country due to limited waste water treatment facilities in the area. (2) Eutrophication is an emerging problem in the gulf of Thailand. Fortunately, the major species of phytoplankton that have been reported as the cause of red tide phenomena were non-toxic species such as Noctiluca sp. and Trichodesmium sp. (3) Few problems have been documented from trace metals contamination in the Gulf of Thailand and public health threat from seafood contamination does not appear to be significant yet. (4) Petroleum hydrocarbon residue contamination is not a problem, although a few spills from small oil tankers have been recorded. A rapid decrease in mangrove forest, coral reefs, and fisheries resources due to mismanagement is also discussed.

Watershed Central: An Integrated Watershed Assessment and Management Website - St. Louis

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that States develop pollution reduction targets for impaired or threatened waters often referred to as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). These are waters that do not meet state water quality standards or will have impending problems meeting th...

WATERSHED CENTRAL: AN INTEGRATED WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT WEBSITE (PRESENTATION)

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that States develop pollution reduction targets for impaired or threatened waters often referred to as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). These are waters that do not meet state water quality standards or will have impending problems meeting th...

WATERSHED CENTRAL: AN INTEGRATED WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT WEBSITE (2)

EPA Science Inventory

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that States develop pollution reduction targets for impaired or threatened waters often referred to as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). These are waters that do not meet state water quality standards or will have impending problems meeting th...

Cooperation control strategies for China's cross-region pollution in a lake basin based on green reduction cost.

PubMed

Li, Changmin; Sun, Dong; Xie, Xiaoqiang; Xue, Jian

2016-05-01

The cross-region water pollution issue has always been the widespread concern around the world. It becomes especially critical for China due to the imbalance relates to environmental costs that have accompanied rapid growth of economy. Though the government makes great efforts to improve it, the potential for water pollution conflict is still great. We consider the problem of determining combined control strategies for China's cross-region lake pollution based on the environmental green costs. The problem is first formulated as a generalized bilevel mathematical program where the upper level consists in each region that reduces environmental green costs including three parts: the reduction cost, pollution permit trade cost and cost of environment damage, while the lower level is represented by pollution permit equilibrium market. Finally, we take an empirical analysis in Taihu lake. The numerical study shows that the minimum costs of both total and regional are obviously superior to the current processing costs, which provides theoretical basis for the price of emission permits. Today, China's rapid gross domestic product (GDP) growth has come at a very high cost, as real estate prices have skyrocketed, the wealth gap has widened, and environmental pollution has worsened. China's central government is urged to correct the GDP-oriented performance evaluation system that is used to judge administrative region leaders. The cross-region water pollution issue has become a troubling issue that urgently needs to be resolved in China. This paper will not only actively aid efforts to govern Lake Taihu and other cross-region valleys, but it will also provide a supplement for theoretical research on cross-region pollution issues.

Eucalyptus as a pollution - controlling energy source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

This article describes the possibility of using Eucalyptus as a biomass crop in Florida. It is not only a good fuel for energy production, but it can help alleviate the water pollution problem because of its substantial uptake of excess nutrients and tolerance of flooding.

Analysis of non-point and point source pollution in China: case study in Shima Watershed in Guangdong Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Huaiyang; Lu, Qingshui; Gao, Zhiqiang; Shi, Runhe; Gao, Wei

2013-09-01

China economy has been rapidly increased since 1978. Rapid economic growth led to fast growth of fertilizer and pesticide consumption. A significant portion of fertilizers and pesticides entered the water and caused water quality degradation. At the same time, rapid economic growth also caused more and more point source pollution discharge into the water. Eutrophication has become a major threat to the water bodies. Worsening environment problems forced governments to take measures to control water pollution. We extracted land cover from Landsat TM images; calculated point source pollution with export coefficient method; then SWAT model was run to simulate non-point source pollution. We found that the annual TP loads from industry pollution into rivers are 115.0 t in the entire watershed. Average annual TP loads from each sub-basin ranged from 0 to 189.4 ton. Higher TP loads of each basin from livestock and human living mainly occurs in the areas where they are far from large towns or cities and the TP loads from industry are relatively low. Mean annual TP loads that delivered to the streams was 246.4 tons and the highest TP loads occurred in north part of this area, and the lowest TP loads is mainly distributed in middle part. Therefore, point source pollution has much high proportion in this area and governments should take measures to control point source pollution.

The most serious problem facing mankind on Pb pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Dongfang; Miao, Zhenqing; Li, Haixia; Zhang, Xiaolong; Wang, Qi

2017-12-01

Pb pollution is one of the most critical environmental issues in the world. This paper analyzed the content, pollution level and pollution source of Pb in Jiaozhou Bay based on investigation data in surface waters in 1987. Results showed that Pb contents in surface waters in May, July and November 1987 were 1.95-7.96 μg L-1, 5.02-61.61 μg L-1 and 3.98-24.64 μg L-1, respectively, and the pollution levels were moderate, heavy and relative heavy, respectively. The major Pb sources in this bay were river flow and marine current, whose source strengths could be as high as 61.61 μg L-1and 24.64 μg L-1, respectively. The pollution level of Pb in Jiaozhou Bay was serious enough in 1987, and the pollution control and environmental remediation were necessary.

An early warning system for groundwater pollution based on the assessment of groundwater pollution risks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weihong.; Zhao, Yongsheng; Hong, Mei; Guo, Xiaodong

2009-04-01

Groundwater pollution usually is complex and concealed, remediation of which is difficult, high cost, time-consuming, and ineffective. An early warning system for groundwater pollution is needed that detects groundwater quality problems and gets the information necessary to make sound decisions before massive groundwater quality degradation occurs. Groundwater pollution early warning were performed by considering comprehensively the current groundwater quality, groundwater quality varying trend and groundwater pollution risk . The map of the basic quality of the groundwater was obtained by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation or BP neural network evaluation. Based on multi-annual groundwater monitoring datasets, Water quality state in sometime of the future was forecasted using time-sequenced analyzing methods. Water quality varying trend was analyzed by Spearman's rank correlative coefficient.The relative risk map of groundwater pollution was estimated through a procedure that identifies, cell by cell,the values of three factors, that is inherent vulnerability, load risk of pollution source and contamination hazard. DRASTIC method was used to assess inherent vulnerability of aquifer. Load risk of pollution source was analyzed based on the potential of contamination and pollution degree. Assessment index of load risk of pollution source which involves the variety of pollution source, quantity of contaminants, releasing potential of pollutants, and distance were determined. The load risks of all sources considered by GIS overlay technology. Early warning model of groundwater pollution combined with ComGIS technology organically, the regional groundwater pollution early-warning information system was developed, and applied it into Qiqiha'er groundwater early warning. It can be used to evaluate current water quality, to forecast water quality changing trend, and to analyze space-time influencing range of groundwater quality by natural process and human activities. Keywords: groundwater pollution, early warning, aquifer vulnerability, pollution load, pollution risk, ComGIS

Water Quality Pollution, Treatment and Control in Contemporary and Future Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoller, Uri

1988-01-01

Deals with the issue of water education, including problems, what should be done, what can be done, and what to do. Presents two curricular units on water and two interdisciplinary, environmentally oriented courses for use in Israel. (YP)

Global pediatric environmental health.

PubMed

Guidotti, Tee L; Gitterman, Benjamin A

2007-04-01

Children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental health problems. Developed countries report as the most common problems ambient (outdoor) air pollution and lead. Developing countries have a wider range of common problems, including childhood injuries, indoor air pollution, infectious disease, and poor sanitation with unsafe water. Globally, the agencies of the United Nations act to protect children and perform essential reporting and standards-setting functions. Conditions vary greatly among countries and are not always better in developing countries. Protecting the health of children requires strengthening the public health and medical systems in every country, rather than a single global agenda.

Evolving policies to regulate pollution from animal feeding operations.

PubMed

Centner, T J

2001-11-01

Due to concentrations of animals at large facilities, animal feeding operations (AFOs) have emerged as a major potential source of water pollution. The federal government regulates concentrated animal feeding operations under its point-source pollution permitting regulations. A major determinant of whether an operation must apply for a permit is the number of animals at an individual lot or facility. This paper examines federal mandatory controls and voluntary guidelines that seek to reduce contaminant pollution from AFOs. Land treatment practices are delineated due to their importance in reducing the injurious by-products of agricultural production. An evaluation of proposed revisions to federal regulations on confined animal feeding operations suggests they diverge from their goal of controlling water pollution. Federal regulations focus on the size of operation and amount of manure governed by the permitting process to the exclusion of other criteria related to the impairment of water quality. Given the uncertainties about the amount of pollution from AFOs, lack of enforcement of existing regulations, localization of problems, and possible alternatives for addressing the pollution, more demanding federal regulations may not form an appropriate response.

Biofilm as a bioindicator of Cr VI pollution in the Lotic Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawan, A.; Sukandar; Satriya, C.; Guntur

2018-04-01

Biofilm is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems such as river. Biofilm have been reported to have high sorption capacities that promote the accumulation of nutrient ions inside biofilm matrix. The ion that can be accumulated inside the biofilm is not only nutrient ions but also other ions such as heavy metal ions. The pollution of heavy metal ions emerge as one of the biggest aquatic ecosystem problems. Thus, the effort to monitor the heavy metal pollution in the aquatic ecosystem in the aquatic ecosystems is needed. The difficulty to monitor the water pollution particularly in the lotic ecosystems is mainly related to the water flow. Therefore, the utilization of indicator of pollution in such ecosystem is fundamentally important. The present study investigated the accumulation of Cr VI inside biofilm matrices in the river ecosystems in order to develop biofilm as a bioindicator for pollution in the lotic ecosystems. The result indicates that biofilm can accumulate Cr VI from the surrounding water and reserve the ion. According to the result of this study, biofilm is a promising bioindicator to monitor the Cr VI pollution in the lotic ecosystems.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: Using the Local Environment to Explore Global Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Deborah

1994-01-01

Asserts that water pollution is a global problem and presents statistics indicating how much of the world's water is threatened. Presents three elementary school classroom activities on water quality and local water resources. Includes a figure describing the work of the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network. (CFR)

Biological and Chemical Significance of Surface Microlayers in Aquatic Ecosystems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, B.; Barsom, G.

1970-01-01

Reviews methods of study, chemical composition, physical properties and ecology of surface microlayers in marine and fresh water habitats. Relates to problems of air and water pollution. Suggests areas for further research. (EB)

Pollutant impacts to Cape Hatteras National Seashore from urban runoff and septic leachate.

PubMed

Mallin, Michael A; McIver, Matthew R

2012-07-01

The sandy barrier islands of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, USA, attract large seasonal influxes of tourists, and are host to numerous motels, rentals and second homes. To investigate the impacts of nearby urbanization on public trust waters, sampling was conducted in nine brackish water bodies within this coastal national park. A large tidal urban ditch delivered runoff-driven fecal-contaminated water directly into public beach waters. At all sites except the control, ammonium, phosphorus and fecal bacteria concentrations were high, strongly seasonal and significantly correlated with community water usage, indicating that increased septic tank usage led to increased pollutant concentrations in area waterways. Nutrients from septic systems caused ecosystem-level problems from algal blooms, BOD, and hypoxia while fecal microbes created potential human health problems. Septic system usage is widespread in sensitive coastal areas with high water tables and sandy soils and alternatives to standard septic systems must be required to protect human health and the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effect analysis on the two total load control methods for poisonous heavy metals].

PubMed

Fu, Guo-Wei

2012-12-01

Firstly it should be made clear that implementation of source total load control for the first type of pollutants is necessary for environmental pollution control legislation and economic structure regulation. This kind of surveillance method has been more practical to be implemented since the Manual of the Industry Discharge Coefficient of First National Pollution Sources Investigation was published. The source total load control and water environment total load control are independent of each other and none of them is redundant, on the other side they can be complementary to each other. In the present, some local planning managers are blurring and confusing the contents and styles of the two surveillance methods. They just use the water total load control to manage all the pollutants, and source total load control is discarded, which results in the loss of control for the first type of pollutants especially for the drinking water source surveillance. There is a big difference between the water quality standards and the water environmental background concentration values for the first type of pollutants in the Environmental quality standard for surface water (GB 3838-88), which means that there are problems such as "relaxing the pollutant discharge permit" and "risk induced by valence state change". Taking an enterprise with 10t electrolytic lead production capacity as an example, there is a big difference between the allowable lead discharged loads by the two total load surveillance methods. In summary, it will bring a lot of harmful effects if the water total load control is implemented for the two types of pollutants, so the source total load control and water environmental total load control should be implemented strictly at the same time.

The economic impact of remote sensing data as the source of nonpoint pollution monitoring and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, W. L.

1974-01-01

Nonpoint pollution of streams with sediment as a result of runoff from alternative uses of land has become a socially unacceptable product of economic activity. This report describes a research approach to economically achieve correction of the nonpoint pollution problem. The research approach integrates the economic model with those data which may be obtainable from remotely sensed sources. The economic problem involves measurement of the direct benefits and costs associated with the changes in land management activities necessary to reduce the level of nonpoint pollution. Remotely sensed data from ERTS-1 may provide some of the information required for the economic model which indicates efficient solutions to the nonpoint pollution problem. Three classes of data (i.e., soil categories, vegetative cover, and water turbidity) have the potential to be measured by ERTS-1 systems. There is substantial research which indicates the ability of ERTS-1 to measure these classes of data under selected conditions.

Application of oil spill model to marine pollution and risk control problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aseev, Nikita; Agoshkov, Valery; Sheloput, Tatyana

2017-04-01

Oil transportation by sea induces challenging problems of environmental control. Millions of tonnes of oil are yearly released during routine ship operations, not to mention vast spills due to different accidents (e.g. tanker collisions, grounding, etc.). Oil pollution is dangerous to marine organisms such as plants, fish and mammals, leading to widespread damage to our planet. In turn, fishery and travel agencies can lose money and clients, and ship operators are obliged to pay huge penalties for environmental pollution. In this work we present the method of accessing oil pollution of marine environment using recently developed oil spill model. The model describes basic processes of the oil slick evolution: oil transport due to currents, drift under the action of wind, spreading on the surface, evaporation, emulsification and dispersion. Such parameters as slick location, mass, density of oil, water content, viscosity and density of "water-in-oil" emulsion can be calculated. We demonstrate how to apply the model to damage calculation problems using a concept of average damage to particular marine area. We also formulate the problem of oil spill risk control, when some accident parameters are not known, but their probability distribution is given. We propose a new algorithm to solve such problems and show results of our model simulations. The work can be interesting to broad environmental, physics and mathematics community. The work is supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant 16-31-00510.

Can radiation chemistry supply a highly efficient AO(R)P process for organics removal from drinking and waste water? A review.

PubMed

Trojanowicz, Marek; Bojanowska-Czajka, Anna; Capodaglio, Andrea G

2017-09-01

The increasing role of chemistry in industrial production and its direct and indirect impacts in everyday life create the need for continuous search and efficiency improvement of new methods for decomposition/removal of different classes of waterborne anthropogenic pollutants. This review paper addresses a highly promising class of water treatment solutions, aimed at tackling the pressing problem of emerging contaminants in natural and drinking waters and wastewater discharges. Radiation processing, a technology originating from radiation chemistry studies, has shown encouraging results in the treatment of (mainly) organic water pollution. Radiation ("high energy") processing is an additive-free technology using short-lived reactive species formed by the radiolysis of water, both oxidative and reducing, to carry out decomposition of organic pollutants. The paper illustrates the basic principles of radiolytic treatment of organic pollutants in water and wastewaters and specifically of one of its most practical implementations (electron beam processing). Application examples, highlighting the technology's strong points and operational conditions are described, and a discussion on the possible future of this technology follows.

This Land Is Our Land: Promoting Ecological Awareness in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Stewart; Trostle, Susan L.

1990-01-01

The ecological issues of pollution, overpopulation, and conservation can be explained in the classroom through the use of creative play, problem solving, and discovery methods among groups of young children. Activities for teaching the topics of air, water, land, and noise pollution; overpopulation; and conservation are suggested. (DG)

Phenols, flame retardants and phthalates in water and wastewater - a global problem.

PubMed

Ayanda, Olushola Sunday; Olutona, Godwin Oladele; Olumayede, Emmanuel G; Akintayo, Cecilia O; Ximba, Bhekumusa J

Organic pollutants in water and wastewater have been causing serious environmental problems. The arbitrary discharge of wastewater by industries, and handling, use, and disposal constitute a means by which phenols, flame retardants (FRs), phthalates (PAEs) and other toxic organic pollutants enter the ecosystem. Moreover, these organic pollutants are not completely removed during treatment processes and might be degraded into highly toxic derivatives, which has led to their occurrence in the environment. Phenols, FRs and PAEs are thus highly toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic, and are capable of disrupting the endocrine system. Therefore, investigation to understand the sources, pathways, behavior, toxicity and exposure to phenols, FRs and PAEs in the environment is necessary. Formation of different by-products makes it difficult to compare the efficacy of the treatment processes, most especially when other organic matters are present. Hence, high levels of phenols, FRs and PAEs removal could be attained with in-line combined treatment processes.

Buried aquifers in the Brooten-Belgrade and Lake Emily areas, west-central Minnesota--Factors related to developing water for irrigation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, R.J.

1976-01-01

Potential water problems include slow rate of recharge to buried aquifers, and head loss caused by screening of the surficial and buried aquifers in the same well, and by allowing well to flow unabated. Another potential problem is possible pollution of the buried aquifers through the boreholes of multiaquifer wells.

[Analysis of heavy-metal-mediated disease and development of a novel remediation system based on fieldwork and experimental research].

PubMed

Yajima, Ichiro; Zou, Cunchao; Li, Xiang; Nakano, Chizuru; Omata, Yasuhiro; Kumasaka, Mayuko Y

2015-01-01

Heavy-metal pollution occurs in various environments, including water, air and soil, and has serious effects on human health. Since heavy-metal pollution in drinking water causes various diseases including skin cancer, it has become a global problem worldwide. However, there is limited information on the mechanism of development of heavy-metal-mediated disease. We performed both fieldwork and experimental studies to elucidate the levels of heavy-metal pollution and mechanisms of development of heavy-metal-related disease and to develop a novel remediation system. Our fieldwork in Bangladesh, Vietnam and Malaysia demonstrated that drinking well water in these countries was polluted with high concentrations of several heavy metals including arsenic, barium, iron and manganese. Our experimental studies based on the data from our fieldwork demonstrated that these heavy metals caused skin cancer and hearing loss. Further experimental studies resulted in the development of a novel remediation system with which toxic heavy metals were absorbed from polluted drinking water. Implementation of both fieldwork and experimental studies is important for prediction, prevention and therapy of heavy-metal-mediated diseases.

Plants and their microbial assistants: Nature's answer to Earth's environmental pollution problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolverton, B. C.

1990-01-01

The utilization of higher plants and their associated microorganisms to solve environmental pollution problems on Earth and in future space applications is briefly reviewed. If man is sealed inside closed facilities, he becomes a polluter of the environment. It is also common knowledge to most people that man cannot survive on Earth without green photosynthesizing plants and microorganisms. Therefore, it is vitally important to have a better understanding of the interactions of man with plants and microorganisms. Biosphere 2 and other related studies presently being conducted or planned, hopefully, will supply data that will help save planet Earth from impending environmental disaster. The development of means to utilize both air and water pollution as a nutrient source for growing green plants is examined.

Energy at Stony Brook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visich, Marian, Jr.

1984-01-01

Discusses strategies used in a course for nonengineering students which consists of case studies of such sociotechnological problems as automobile safety, water pollution, and energy. Solutions to the problems are classified according to three approaches: education, government regulation, and technological fix. (BC)

Monitoring water quality in Northwest Atlantic coastal waters using dinoflagellate cysts

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrient pollution is a major environmental problem in many coastal waters around the US. Determining the total input of nutrients to estuaries is a challenge. One method to evaluate nutrient input is through nutrient loading models. Another method relies upon using indicators as...

[Hygienic evaluation of transboundary pollution of the Ural River basin].

PubMed

Iskakov, A Zh; Lestsova, N A; Zasorin, B V; Boev, M V

2009-01-01

The anthropogenic pollution of the Ural River and its tributaries is the most important problem of the Ural-Caspian basin. Transboundary inflow from Kazakhstan to Russian is 30.9 km3/year. The border Ilek river pollution was hygienically evaluated and the contribution of pollution sources was ascertained, with the seasonal variations and hydrochemical background being kept in mind, from 2002 to 2007. The monitoring data on the content of priority pollutants of the surface waters of the basin of the Ilek River, a tributary of the Ural River, which come from the Republic of Kazakhstan, are given. Semiquantitative spectral estimation and the atomic absorption method were used to study the chemical composition of bottom sediments in the Ilek River and its tributaries. The magnitude and sources of influence of man-caused pollution on the quality of the river water were established.

The Problems of Human Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations, New York, NY.

Presented is a summary of considerations Specialized Agencies within the United Nations have given to the problems of the human environment. Uppermost are the problems of pollution--air, water, noise, marine, radiation, food, pesticide--as well as those of economic and social concern, environmental health, and misuse of the environment. Agencies…

[Modern problems of maintenance of hygienic safety of drinking water consumption at the regional level].

PubMed

Tulakin, A V; Tsyplakova, G V; Ampleeva, G P; Kozyreva, O N; Pivneva, O S; Trukhina, G M

Problems of hygienic reliability of the drinking water use in regions of the Russian Federation are observed in the article. The optimization of the water use was shown must be based on the bearing in mind of regional peculiarities of the shaping of water quality of groundwater and surface sources of the water use, taking into account of the effectiveness of regional water protection programs, programs for water treatment, coordination of the activity of economic entities and oversight bodies in the management of water quality on the basis of socio-hygienic monitoring. Regional problems requiring hygienic justification and accounting, include such issues as complex hydrological, hydrogeological, climatic and geographical conditions, pronouncement of the severity of anthropogenic pollution of sources of water supply, natural conditions of the shaping of water quality, efficiency of the water treatment. There is need in the improvement of the problems of the water quality monitoring, including with the use of computer technology, which allows to realize regional hygienic monitoring and spatial-temporal analysis of the water quality, to model the water quality management, to predict conditions of the water use by population in regions taking into account peculiarities of the current health situation. In the article there is shown the practicability of the so-called complex concept of multiple barriers suggesting the combined use of chemical oxidation and physical methods of the preparation of drinking water. It is required the further development of legislation for the protection of water bodies from pollution with the bigging up the status of sanitary protection zones; timely revision of the regulatory framework, establishing sanitary-epidemiological requirements to potable water and drinking water supply. The problem of the provision of the population with safe drinking water requires complex solution within the framework of the implementation of target programs adopted at the Federal and regional levels.

A Hybrid Interval–Robust Optimization Model for Water Quality Management

PubMed Central

Xu, Jieyu; Li, Yongping; Huang, Guohe

2013-01-01

Abstract In water quality management problems, uncertainties may exist in many system components and pollution-related processes (i.e., random nature of hydrodynamic conditions, variability in physicochemical processes, dynamic interactions between pollutant loading and receiving water bodies, and indeterminacy of available water and treated wastewater). These complexities lead to difficulties in formulating and solving the resulting nonlinear optimization problems. In this study, a hybrid interval–robust optimization (HIRO) method was developed through coupling stochastic robust optimization and interval linear programming. HIRO can effectively reflect the complex system features under uncertainty, where implications of water quality/quantity restrictions for achieving regional economic development objectives are studied. By delimiting the uncertain decision space through dimensional enlargement of the original chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge constraints, HIRO enhances the robustness of the optimization processes and resulting solutions. This method was applied to planning of industry development in association with river-water pollution concern in New Binhai District of Tianjin, China. Results demonstrated that the proposed optimization model can effectively communicate uncertainties into the optimization process and generate a spectrum of potential inexact solutions supporting local decision makers in managing benefit-effective water quality management schemes. HIRO is helpful for analysis of policy scenarios related to different levels of economic penalties, while also providing insight into the tradeoff between system benefits and environmental requirements. PMID:23922495

Industrial Development and Challenges of Water Pollution in Coastal Areas: The Case of Surat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Neeru

2018-03-01

Industrialisation plays an important role in the economic development of a country, however, pollution is the inevitable price paid for this development. Surat, a major industrial hub in western India, is located on the bank of the river Tapi and extends up to the Arabian Sea. The city is characterised by the presence of a number of creeks (known as ‘khadis’ in local language). This paper focusses on the industrial development in Surat and the challenges faced by the city due to water pollution. A constant deterioration in the quality of surface water resources has been observed due to discharge of treated or partially treated effluents from the industries. The problem of water pollution becomes critical due to increase in frequency of flooding, risks faced by the city due to climate change and the ineffective environmental governance. The paper provides insights into the challenges faced by the city and the learnings can lead to adoption of policy initiatives and other measures which can effectively address these challenges.

Game Analysis of Water Pollution Control in China’s Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shu Wen

2018-05-01

Water pollution in the river basin is an important environmental management problem in China. At present, China’s environmental governance has entered the policy game stage centered on related interests. There are two main focus areas. First, it aims to resolve the conflict between the central government, local governments, and enterprises in terms of the utilization of basin resources and the environment. Second, it is responsible for the implementation of environmental policy. By analyzing the relationships between the central government, local governments, and enterprises in the process of water pollution control in the river basin, this study examines the environmental regulation of the central government and the collusion between local governments and enterprises to pollute the environment. To achieve this, game theory is applied from the perspective of information economics. Lastly, the study proposes corresponding policy recommendations in order to get out of the “prisoner’s dilemma”.

Health impairments arising from drinking water polluted with domestic sewage and excreta in China.

PubMed

Ling, B

2000-01-01

Raw water of poor quality still causes many drinking-water associated health problems all over China, largely because of poor sanitation, inadequate disposal of sewage and excreta. Eutrophication due to excess of total nitrogen and phosphorous in some sources for drinking-water has led to massive proliferation of cyanobacteria. The dominant species of cyanophyta can produce microcystins, a potent liver cancer promotor. As in previous studies, high incidence of liver cancer coincided with high microcystin concentration in the source water, especially in pond water. A frequent consequence of heavy pollution of source water is further the high incidence of infectious intestinal diseases, which are more than 10-100 times as frequent in China than in developed countries.

Hydrogeochemical analyses of groundwater from Ameca, Jalisco Mexico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tostado, M.; Rosas-Elguera, J.; Gomez Hermosillo, C.

2008-05-01

The accelerated demographic and industrial growth of settlements in mid cities and surrounding urbane areas, requires larger water volumes for its support, including public use. Usually, these requirements are not met by superficial waters consequently underground water is required to fulfill the general necessities. TheAmeca region in Jalisco, Mexico, is located around 80km west of Guadalajara. This region has been sustained by Agriculture and mining for several decades. This last activity has been mainly developed to the north of the city, precisely on the recharge zone. The infiltrated water, eventually form the aquifers. While it travels, and due to its intrinsic dilution capacity, the water may become polluted. Eventually, if he pollutants are toxic, the water from wells used in cities like Ameca, may result in serious health problems. In this study, the Ameca aquifer is evaluated through chemical analyses of the water from wells serving the city. Thus the natural pollution caused by mineral deposit zones and mines located on the recharge zone can be evaluated.

Efficiency/Equity Analysis of Water Resources Problems--A Game Theoretic Approach.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

contained in the West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority’s master plan for Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties in Florida (Ross et al...spanning tree, Networks, 3(4), 289-304, 1973. Converse, A.O., Optimum number and location of treatment plants , Journal of the Water Pollution Control

Ground Water Flow No Longer A Mystery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehr, Jay H.; Pettyjohn, Wayne A.

1976-01-01

Examined are the physical characteristics of ground water movement. Some potential pollution problems are identified. Models are used to explain mathematical and hydraulic principles of flow toward a pumping well and an effluent stream, flow around and through lenticular beds, and effects of pumping on the water table. (Author/MR)

Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Alan

A basic understanding of the potential of solar energy is increasingly relevant given the pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuel, health problems associated with that pollution, the possibility of global warming, and the complex issues raised by the dependence of industrialized nations on oil and natural gas. This teacher's guide presents…

Advancements in solar stills for enhanced flow rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Sourav; Dubey, Maneesh; Raghuwanshi, Jitendra; Sharma, Vipin

2018-05-01

All over the world there is a scarcity of water and it is difficult to access potable water. Due to this most of the people are affected by diseases that are caused due to drinking of polluted water. There are technologies through which we can purify polluted water but the only problem is these technologies uses electrical energy. Since solar energy is abundant in nature therefore we can use solar as an energy source in solar stills for water distillation. Solar stills can be used in village areas where there is no electricity. It is simple and also economic in construction. This article addresses advancement in solar distillation and usage of nanofluids for enhancement in flow rate.

For multidisciplinary research on the application of remote sensing to water resources problems. [including crop yield, watershed soils, and vegetation mapping in Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiefer, R. W. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

Research on the application of remote sensing to problems of water resources was concentrated on sediments and associated nonpoint source pollutants in lakes. Further transfer of the technology of remote sensing and the refinement of equipment and programs for thermal scanning and the digital analysis of images were also addressed.

Impact of urban environmental pollution on growth, leaf damage, and chemical constituents of Warsaw urban trees

Treesearch

Waldemar Chmielewski; Wojciech Dmuchowski; Stanislaw Suplat

1998-01-01

In the last 10 years, 3.5 percent of the tree population died annually in PolandÕs largest and most polluted cities, which is a problem of economic importance. Dieback of streetside trees in Warsaw is a long term process. It is an effect of biological reactions of trees to unfavorable conditions in the urban environment, particularly air and soil pollution and water...

Non-Thermal Removal of Gaseous Pollutants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, S.; McGowan, J. William; Chiu, K. C. Ray

1995-01-01

The removal of fluorine based exhaust gases such as CFC's, PFC's, NF3, and SF6 used for plasma etching of and deposition on semi-conductors is a subject of increasing interest because of safety, air pollution, and global warming issues. Conventional treatment methods for removing exhaust gas pollutants are wet scrubbing, carbon and resin adsorption, catalytic oxidation, and thermal incineration. However, there are drawbacks associated with each of these methods which include difficulties in implementation, problems with the disposal of solid and liquid pollutant waste, large water and fuel consumption, and additional pollutants such as NOx emissions which are generated in thermal incineration processes.

KENTUCKY STRAIGHT PIPES REPORT, DECEMBER 2002

EPA Science Inventory

The poor sanitary conditions and water pollution problems EPA observed in the Kentucky counties of Harlan, Martin, Bath, and Montgomery were of the highest concern. The widespread scale of both the straight pipe issues as well as package plant wastewater problems present an envir...

OPPORTUNITY COSTS OF RESIDENTIAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR STORMWATER RUNOFF CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Excess stormwater runoff is a serious problem in a large number of urban areas, causing flooding, water pollution, groundwater recharge deficits and ecological damage to urban streams. Solutions currently proposed to deal with this problem often involve large centralized infrastr...

Impacts of population growth and economic development on water quality of a lake: case study of Lake Victoria Kenya water.

PubMed

Juma, Dauglas Wafula; Wang, Hongtao; Li, Fengting

2014-04-01

Anthropogenic-induced water quality pollution is a major environmental problem in freshwater ecosystems today. As a result of this, eutrophication of lakes occurs. Population and economic development are key drivers of water resource pollution. To evaluate how growth in the riparian population and in the gross domestic product (GDP) with unplanned development affects the water quality of the lake, this paper evaluates Lake Victoria Kenyan waters basin. Waters quality data between 1990 and 2012 were analyzed along with reviews of published literature, papers, and reports. The nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), soluble phosphorus (PO4-P), chlorophyll a, and Secchi transparencies were evaluated as they are key water quality indicators. The NO3-N increased from 10 μg l(-1) in 1990 to 98 μg 1(-1) in 2008, while PO4-P increased from 4 μg l(-1) in 1990 to 57 μg l(-1) in 2008. The population and economic growth of Kenya are increasing with both having minimums in 1990 of 24.143 million people and 12.18 billion US dollars, to maximums in 2010 of 39.742 million people and 32.163 billion US dollars, respectively. A Secchi transparency is reducing with time, indicating an increasing pollution. This was confirmed by an increase in aquatic vegetation using an analysis of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) images of 2000 and 2012 of Kenyan waters. This study found that increasing population and GDP increases pollution discharge thus polluting lakes. One of major factors causing lake water pollution is the unplanned or poor waste management policy and service.

Study on MMW radiation characteristics and imaging of aquatic plants for environmental application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Luyan; Zhang, Guangfeng; Liu, Jing

2017-02-01

Working all-day and all-weather, the passive millimeter wave radiometer is widely used in remote sensing, guidance and other fields. In order to solve the increasingly serious problem of water pollution, especially the pollution caused by the rapidly breed of the aquatic plants, a simple and effective method to monitor the water environment is proposed. Aquatic plants can be distinguished through millimeter wave system, as they have high bright temperature compared to Water. The 8mm radiometer is used to measure the radiation characteristics of aquatic plants and image. The simulation results and radiation imaging experiments prove the feasibility and effectively of monitoring aquatic plants by millimeter wave radiometer. This study will contribute to monitoring the aquatic plants growth and decreasing the pollution.

Numerical simulation of transverse mixing of waters at the confluence of two rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyubimova, Tatyana; Lepikhin, Anatoliy; Parshakova, Yanina

2017-04-01

Surface water bodies, both natural (rivers, lakes) and artificial (ponds, reservoirs) are the main source of drinking water. In this regard, special attention should be paid to their pollution, first of all, to extreme pollution, creating a direct danger to their consumption properties. Traditionally, it is believed that the primary mechanism of the pollutants transport in surface water bodies is the Fick diffusion for which the concentration and nature of the pollutants does not affect the transport mechanisms. However, recent studies have shown that these traditional concepts are not always acceptable. In some cases, even relatively low concentrations of pollutants can fundamentally change the hydrodynamics of a flow through a change in density. Density effects playing in these cases an important role can be very important in solving applied problems of water consumption. One an important question is the mechanism of the formation of the streams do not mixing at large distances from the place of confluence of two rivers with significantly different physical and chemical properties of water. In particular, the Vishera river and the Kama river in Perm Region, as evidenced by the numerous space- and aero photographs, virtually do not mix from the place of their confluence to the territory of Solikamsk-Berezniki industrial area. This is fundamentally important for solving the problem of regulation of technological impacts of this source of technogenic pollution, largest in the basin of the Kama river. In the present paper, the phenomenon of a significant weakening of the transverse mixing of water masses in the surface water bodies is investigated with the help of the numerical simulation of the transverse mixing of water masses at the confluence of two rivers. The calculations are carried out with the help of CFD package ANSYS Fluent using k-epsilon model to describe the turbulent pulsations. The dependence of the transverse mixing speed on the flow rates in the confluent rivers typical for the various seasonal periods is studied. It is found that with the growth of the flow rates in confluent rivers the intensity of mixing is reduced. The work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Government of Perm region (grant 16-41-590005).

SESSION: EMERGING POLLUTANT ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES TITLE: BACTERIAL SOURCE TRACKING

EPA Science Inventory

Fecal contamination of surface waters used for recreation, drinking water and aquaculture are a continuous environmental problem and pose significant human health risks. An alarming amount of the United States rivers/streams (39%), lakes (45%), and estuaries (51%) are not safe f...

The disappearing Environmental Kuznets Curve: a study of water quality in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB).

PubMed

Wong, Yoon Loong Andrew; Lewis, Lynne

2013-12-15

The literature is flush with articles focused on estimating the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for various pollutants and various locations. Most studies have utilized air pollution variables; far fewer have utilized water quality variables, all with mixed results. We suspect that mixed evidence of the EKC stems from model and error specification. We analyze annual data for four water quality indicators, three of them previously unstudied - total phosphorus (TOTP), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonium (NH4) and nitrites (NO2) - from the Lower Mekong Basin region to determine whether an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is evident for a transboundary river in a developing country and whether that curve is dependent on model specification and/or pollutant. We build upon previous studies by correcting for the problems of heteroskedasticity, serial correlation and cross-sectional dependence. Unlike multi-country EKC studies, we mitigate for potential distortion from pooling data across geographically heterogeneous locations by analyzing data drawn from proximate locations within a specific international river basin in Southeast Asia. We also attempt to identify vital socioeconomic determinants of water pollution by including a broad list of explanatory variables alongside the income term. Finally, we attempt to shed light on the pollution-income relationship as it pertains to trans-boundary water pollution by examining data from an international river system. We do not find consistent evidence of an EKC for any of the 4 pollutant indicators in this study, but find the results are entirely dependent on model and error specification as well as pollutant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water security and the science agenda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheater, Howard S.; Gober, Patricia

2015-07-01

The freshwater environment is facing unprecedented global pressures. Unsustainable use of surface and groundwater is ubiquitous. Gross pollution is seen in developing economies, nutrient pollution is a global threat to aquatic ecosystems, and flood damage is increasing. Droughts have severe local consequences, but effects on food can be global. These current pressures are set in the context of rapid environmental change and socio-economic development, population growth, and weak and fragmented governance. We ask what should be the role of the water science community in addressing water security challenges. Deeper understanding of aquatic and terrestrial environments and their interactions with the climate system is needed, along with trans-disciplinary analysis of vulnerabilities to environmental and societal change. The human dimension must be fully integrated into water science research and viewed as an endogenous component of water system dynamics. Land and water management are inextricably linked, and thus more cross-sector coordination of research and policy is imperative. To solve real-world problems, the products of science must emerge from an iterative, collaborative, two-way exchange with management and policy communities. Science must produce knowledge that is deemed to be credible, legitimate, and salient by relevant stakeholders, and the social process of linking science to policy is thus vital to efforts to solve water problems. The paper shows how a large-scale catchment-based observatory can be used to practice trans-disciplinary science integration and address the Anthropocene's water problems.

Processes affecting the transport of nitrogen in groundwater and factors related to slope position

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitrate (NO3-) pollution of water resources has been a major problem for years, causing contaminated water supplies, harmful effects on human health, and widespread eutrophication of fresh water resources. The main objectives of this study were to: 1) understand the processes affecting NO3- transpor...

Influence of the South-North Water Diversion Project and the mitigation projects on the water quality of Han River.

PubMed

Zhu, Y P; Zhang, H P; Chen, L; Zhao, J F

2008-11-15

Situated in the central part of China, the Han River Basin is undergoing rapid social and economic development with some human interventions to be made soon which will profoundly influence the water environment of the basin. The integrated MIKE 11 model system comprising of a rainfall-runoff model (NAM), a non-point load evaluation model (LOAD), a hydrodynamic model (MIKE 11 HD) and a water quality model (ECOLab) was applied to investigate the impact of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project on the Han River and the effectiveness of the 2 proposed mitigation projects, the 22 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project. The study concludes that business as usual will lead to a continuing rapid deterioration of the water quality of the Han River. Implementation of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project in 2010 will bring disastrous consequence in the form of the remarkably elevated pollution level and high risk of algae bloom in the middle and lower reaches. The proposed WWTPs will merely lower the pollution level in the reach by around 10%, while the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project can significantly improve the water quality in the downstream 200-km reach. The results reveal that serious water quality problem will emerge in the middle reach between Xiangfan and Qianjiang in the future. Implementation of the South-North Water Diversion Project (phase II) in 2030 will further exacerbate the problem. In order to effectively improve the water quality of the Han River, it is suggested that nutrient removal processes should be adopted in the proposed WWTPs, and the pollution load from the non-point sources, especially the load from the upstream Henan Province, should be effectively controlled.

The Application of Science and Technology to Public Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feller, Irwin

Conference papers, recommendations, and discussion are compiled, focusing on the complex of problems associated with rapidly expanding urbanization and consequent rural dislocation. Topics exploring the problems included: air and water pollution; program planning and management; solid waste disposal; transportation; housing; crime control; health…

Journey to Planet Earth: The Urban Explosion. The Public Television Series. [Videotape].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1999

This videotape attempts to show students how the uncontrolled development of the world's major cities has led to a series of problems such as air pollution, water pollution, limited room for waste disposal, housing shortages, and loss of farmland. The videotape profiles four mega-cities: Mexico City, Shanghai, Istanbul, and New York City. Students…

Jelly Jam, the People Preserver. An Environmental Self-Teaching Activity Book. Bermuda Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Judi

Designed for students in grades 2 through 4, this self-teaching, interdisciplinary reading and activity program approaches the environmental conditions, the state of natural resources, and the problems of pollution in Bermuda. A caring little animal named Jelly Jam is used to help children understand how air, water, and land pollution affect their…

Assessing water pollution level and gray water footprint of anthropogenic nitrogen in agricultural system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Guorui; Chen, Han; Yu, Chaoqing

2017-04-01

Water pollution has become a global problem which is one of the most critical issues of today's water treatment. At a spatial resolution of 10km, we use the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model to simulate the biogeochemical processes for major cropping systems from 1955 to 2014, estimate the anthropogenic nitrogen loads to fresh, and calculate the resultant grey water footprints and N-related water pollution level in China. The accumulated annual Nitrogen loads to fresh from agricultural system is 0.38Tg in 1955 and 4.42Tg in 2014, while the grey water footprints vary from 1.53 billion m3 to 17.67 billion m3, respectively. N loads in north of China contributes much more on the N leaching because of the high fertilizer but in south of China, it is mainly focused on the N runoff because of the heavy rain. There are more than 25% of grids with WPL>1 (exceed the water capacity of assimilation), which is mainly located on the North China Plain.

Junior High School Students’ Perception about Simple Environmental Problem as an Impact of Problem based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, M. C.; Firman, H.; Redjeki, S.; Chandra, D. T.

2017-09-01

Environmental problem is a real problem that occur in student’s daily life. Junior high school students’ perception about environmental problem is interesting to be investigated. The major aim of this study is to explore junior high school students’ perception about environmental problems around them and ways to solve the problem. The subject of this study is 69 Junior High School Students from two Junior High School in Bandung. This study use two open ended question. The core of first question is environmental problem around them (near school or house). The core of second question is the way to prevent or to solve the problem. These two question are as an impact of problem based learning in science learning. There are two major findings in this study. The first finding, based on most students’ perception, plastic waste cause an environmental problem. The second finding, environmental awareness can be a solution to prevent environmental pollution. The third finding, most student can classify environmental pollution into land, water and air pollution. We can conclude that Junior High School Students see the environmental problem as a phenomenon and teacher can explore environmental problem to guide the way of preventing and resolving environmental problem.

WHEN ISOTOPES AREN'T ENOUGH: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CONSTRAIN MIXING PROBLEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotopes are often used as chemical tracers to determine the relative contributions of sources to a mixture. Ecological examples include partitioning pollution sources to air or water bodies, trophic links in food webs, plant water use from different soil horizons, source...

Training Unpolluters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manpower, 1970

1970-01-01

The shortage of trained manpower remains a troublesome problem that must be overcome if the national attack on water pollution succeeds. The total number of persons treating waste water in 1967 was 11,300 professionals, 10,300 technicians, 23,500 sewage treatment plant operators, and 50,000 maintenance workers. (BC)

COMBINING SOURCES IN STABLE ISOTOPE MIXING MODELS: ALTERNATIVE METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotope mixing models are often used to quantify source contributions to a mixture. Examples include pollution source identification; trophic web studies; analysis of water sources for soils, plants, or water bodies; and many others. A common problem is having too many s...

Removal of soluble microbial products as the precursors of disinfection by-products in drinking water supplies.

PubMed

Liu, Jin-Lin; Li, Xiao-Yan

2015-01-01

Water pollution worsens the problem of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water supply. Biodegradation of wastewater organics produces soluble microbial products (SMPs), which can be important DBP precursors. In this laboratory study, a number of enhanced water treatment methods for DBP control, including enhanced coagulation, ozonation, and activated carbon adsorption, were evaluated for their effectiveness in treating SMP-containing water for the DBP reduction purpose. The results show that enhanced coagulation with alum could remove SMPs only marginally and decrease the DBP formation potential (DBPFP) of the water by less than 20%. Although ozone could cause destruction of SMPs in water, the overall DBPFP of the water did not decrease but increased after ozonation. In contrast, adsorption by granular activated carbon could remove the SMP organics from water by more than 60% and reduce the DBPFP by more than 70%. It is apparent that enhanced coagulation and ozonation are not suitable for the removal of SMPs as DBP precursors from polluted water, although enhanced coagulation has been commonly used to reduce the DBP formation caused by natural organic matter. In comparison, activated carbon adsorption is shown as a more effective means to remove the SMP content from water and hence to control the wastewater-derived DBP problem in water supply.

Are megacities viable? A cautionary tale from Mexico City.

PubMed

Ezcurra, E; Mazari-hiriart, M

1996-01-01

This article describes the poor environmental and living conditions in Mexico City due to its huge size. Mexico City's size is a challenge to sustainability, and the outcome is unknown. Mexico City and the geographic basin surrounding it included about 18.5 million population in 1995. The basin and surrounding volcanic ranges include nine major environmental zones. Urban growth followed four stages. Different cultures applied different solutions to water supply problems. The basin shifted from self-sufficiency to reliance on 31% of supplies from external watersheds. The water table is declining and canals are polluted. Irrigated agriculture is disappearing. There is an average water deficit of over 800 million cubic meters per year. Mexico City is actually sinking due to groundwater exploitation. There is bacterial contamination of wells due to improper seals. About 75% of the population has access to wastewater treatment and sanitation, but sewage treatment plants operate at under 50% efficiency and treat only about 7% of the total wastewater. Atmospheric pollution from suspended particles has been a problem for decades. Ozone was the most significant air contaminant in 1994. Lead was the most harmful pollutant in 1986. Air pollutants may be the source of submucosal inflammations. Industrial areas are contaminated with suspended particles and sulfur dioxide. High traffic areas have high carbon monoxide levels. Atmospheric pollution has affected the quality of the rainwater. The city survives by importing food, energy, wood, water, building materials, and other products. The development model aims to improve quality of life. The city has been the center of political power since Aztec times, and its preeminent position forces government action. The author concludes that there are limits to urbanization, which the city is approaching rapidly.

Lignin: A sustainable biosorbent for heavy metal adsorption from wastewater, a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasrullah, Asma; Bhat, A. H.; Isa, Mohamed Hasnain

2016-11-01

With the recent advancements in science and technology, environmental pollution is a challenging problem due to increased activities in domestic, industrial, and agricultural sector. These activities have led to the release of various types of micropollutants such as heavy metal ions, organic and inorganic ions (detergents, and dye) etc into ground water which badly affects the ecosystem. Among various types of pollutants, heavy metals are the most reported in the recent decade. Water pollution is the most challenging problem, and needs to be controlled for better and healthy ecosystem which requires a healthy, eco-friendly and cheaper technology. In this context. lignin is abundantly available, cheaper and environmentally friendly. For efficient removal of heavy metals, lignin can be modified chemically or thermally to increased its biosorption capacity. In this review merits of adsorption and demerits of other separation technologies are compared. This paper presents the recent state of research on the efficient utilization of lignin, its modification and its adsorption efficiency for heavy metal removal from wastewater.

Spatial variation of nitrogen pollution of the water table at Oued M'Zab (Northern Algerian Sahara)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benhedid, H.; Bouhoun, M. Daddi

2018-05-01

The aim of our work is the study of spatial variations of the water table pollution of Oued M'Zab, in order to determine their abilities of use and the posed problems of degradation. The methodological approach we adopted is to make a spatial study of the variability of nitrogen pollution, as well as to classify water quality according to international standards. The main results obtained in this research show that NH4+ range from 0 to 0,143 mg.l-1 with an average of 0,048 ± 0,039 mg.l-1, the NO2- from 0 to 0,209 mg.l-1 give an average of 0,007 ± 0,033 mg.l-1, and the NO3- vary between 14,264 and 143,465 mg.l-1, with a mean value 54,594 ± 30,503 mg.l-1. According to W.H.O. standards, the majority of these waters are classified as polluted and not drinkable. Our research shows a degradation of the underground water resources in M'Zab Valley. It resulted that it is essential to regulate the use of water and set out other adjustments in order to safeguard the underground water resources so as to promote sustainable development in the valley of M'Zab.

On multidisciplinary research on the application of remote sensing to water resources problems. [Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, J. L.

1973-01-01

Research objectives during 1972-73 were to: (1) Ascertain the extent to which special aerial photography can be operationally used in monitoring water pollution parameters. (2) Ascertain the effectiveness of remote sensing in the investigation of nearshore mixing and coastal entrapment in large water bodies. (3) Develop an explicit relationship of the extent of the mixing zone in terms of the outfall, effluent and water body characteristics. (4) Develop and demonstrate the use of the remote sensing method as an effective legal implement through which administrative agencies and courts can not only investigate possible pollution sources but also legally prove the source of water pollution. (5) Evaluate the field potential of remote sensing techniques in monitoring algal blooms and aquatic macrophytes, and the use of these as indicators of lake eutrophication level. (6) Develop a remote sensing technique for the determination of the location and extent of hydrologically active source areas in a watershed.

Concerns in Water Supply and Pollution Control: Legal, Social, and Economic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, D. Barlow, Jr.; And Others

This bulletin contains three articles which focus on ground water's potential as a dependable supply source and some of the problems impeding the development of that potential. The authors' concerns are discussed from the vantage point of their areas of specialization: law, sociology, and economics. The first author states that water law abounds…

WHEN ISOTOPES AREN'T ENOUGH: USING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CONSTRAIN MIXING PROBLEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotopes are often used as chemical tracers to determine the relative contributions of sources to a mixture. Ecological examples include partitioning pollution sources to air or water bodies, trophic links in food webs, plant water use from different soil horizons, source...

Case study on rehabilitation of a polluted urban water body in Yangtze River Basin.

PubMed

Wu, Juan; Cheng, Shuiping; Li, Zhu; Guo, Weijie; Zhong, Fei; Yin, Daqiang

2013-10-01

In the past three decades, the fast development of economy and urbanization has caused increasingly severe pollutions of urban water bodies in China. Consequently, eutrophication and deterioration of aquatic ecosystem, which is especially significant for aquatic vegetation, inevitably became a pervasive problem across the Yangtze River Basin. To rehabilitate the degraded urban water bodies, vegetation replanting is an important issue to improve water quality and to rehabilitate ecosystem. As a case study, a representative polluted urban river, Nanfeihe River, in Hefei City, Anhui Province, was chosen to be a rehabilitation target. In October 2009 and May 2010, 13 species of indigenous and prevalent macrophytes, including seven species emergent, one species floating leaved, and five species submersed macrophytes, were planted along the bank slopes and in the river. Through 1.5 years' replanting practice, the water quality and biodiversity of the river had been improved. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (NH4 (+)-N) declined by 46.0, 39.5, and 60.4 %, respectively. The species of macrophytes increased from 14 to 60, and the biodiversity of phytoplankton rose significantly in the river (p<0.05). The biomasses of zooplankton and benthos were also improved after the vegetation replanting. The study confirmed that vegetation replanting could alleviate the increasing water pollution and rehabilitate the degraded aquatic ecosystem. The case study would be an example for polluted urban waters restoration in the middle-downstream area of Yangtze River Base.

Nanobiotechnology for the Environment: Innovative Solutions for the Management of Harmful Algal Blooms.

PubMed

Gellert, Matthew R; Kim, Beum Jun; Reffsin, Samuel E; Jusuf, Sebastian E; Wagner, Nicole D; Winans, Stephen C; Wu, Mingming

2017-12-04

Nanobiotechnology has played important roles in solving contemporary health problems, including cancer and diabetes, but has not yet been widely exploited for problems in food security and environmental protection. Water scarcity is an emerging worldwide problem as a result of climate change and population increase. Current methods of managing water resources are not efficient or sustainable. In this perspective, we focus on harmful algal blooms to demonstrate how nanobiotechnology can be explored to understand microbe-environment interactions and allow for toxin/pollutant detection with significantly improved sensitivity. These capabilities hold potential for future development of sustainable solutions for drinking water management.

Cognitive and Affective Orientations of Elementary School Children Toward Air, Water, and Soil Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Mildred Azelle Evans

The purpose of this study was to obtain information about children's knowledge of and attitudes toward problems of environmental pollution. It sought to determine whether or not fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children in selected elementary schools, one in the United States and one in Mexico, differed in their knowledge of and their attitudes…

A water quality management strategy for regionally protected water through health risk assessment and spatial distribution of heavy metal pollution in 3 marine reserves.

PubMed

Zhang, Yinan; Chu, Chunli; Li, Tong; Xu, Shengguo; Liu, Lei; Ju, Meiting

2017-12-01

Severe water pollution and resource scarcity is a major problem in China, where it is necessary to establish water quality-oriented monitoring and intelligent watershed management. In this study, an effective watershed management method is explored, in which water quality is first assessed using the heavy metal pollution index and the human health risk index, and then by classifying the pollution and management grade based on cluster analysis and GIS visualization. Three marine reserves in Tianjin were selected and analyzed, namely the Tianjin Ancient Coastal Wetland National Nature Reserve (Qilihai Natural Reserve), the Tianjin DaShentang Oyster Reef National Marine Special Reserve (DaShentang Reserve), and the Tianjin Coastal Wetland National Marine Special Reserve (BinHai Wetland Reserve) which is under construction. The water quality and potential human health risks of 5 heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg, Cr) in the three reserves were assessed using the Nemerow index and USEPA methods. Moreover, ArcGIS10.2 software was used to visualize the heavy metal index and display their spatial distribution. Cluster analysis enabled classification of the heavy metals into 4 categories, which allowed for identification of the heavy metals whose pollution index and health risks were highest, and, thus, whose control in the reserve is a priority. Results indicate that heavy metal pollution exists in the Qilihai Natural Reserve and in the north and east of the DaShentang Reserve; furthermore, human health risks exist in the Qilihai Natural Reserve and in the BinHai Wetland Reserve. In each reserve, the main factor influencing the pollution and health risk were high concentrations of As and Pb that exceed the corresponding standards. Measures must be adopted to control and remediate the pollutants. Furthermore, to protect the marine reserves, management policies must be implemented to improve water quality, which is an urgent task for both local and national governments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implications of soil pollution with heavy metals for public health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juozulynas, Algirdas; Jurgelėnas, Antanas; Butkienė, Birutė; Greičiūtė, Kristina; Savičiūtė, Rasa

2008-01-01

Soil of military grounds is often polluted with heavy metals. Their concentrations may be dosens of times higher in polluted regions. The affected soils are permeable, so the pollutions can get into water and spread to the environment. Into human and animal organisms they can get with food and water. Heavy metals are very dangerous for people's health, and we must know their accumulation places, intensity of scatter and integral risk for health. The purpose of this work was to establish links between zones polluted with heavy metals and morbidity caused by pollution with heavy metals. The morbidity caused by heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Ca and other) in the polluted regions is 1.4-1.5 times higher for adults and teenagers and 1.5-3.9 times higher for children aged under 14 years than the mean morbidity of the same diseases in Lithuania. Hypothetically, it is possible to prognosticate that this problem will grow in future because the ratio of the newly registered and the existing cases of morbidity for children aged under 14 years is 1.3-1.5 times higher than for adults.

Ozone and Water Vapor Measurements by Raman Lidar in the Planetary Boundary Layer: Error Sources and Field Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lazzarotto, Benoit; Frioud, Max; Larcheveque, Gilles; Mitev, Valentin; Quaglia, Philippe; Simeonov, Valentin; Thompson, Anne; VandenBergh, Hubert; Calpini, Bertrand; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Why do we need time series of ozone and water vapor profiles at low altitude? The degradation of air quality is a very serious environmental problem that affects urban and industrial areas worldwide. Air pollution injures human health and ecosystems, diminishes crop yield, and spoils patrimony and materials. The phenomena involved in air pollution are very complex. Once emitted into the atmosphere, (primary) pollutants are transported, dispersed, transformed by gas/solid phase change and chemical reaction, and finally removed by dry and wet deposition. Most challenging is the fact that the health and environmental impacts of secondary pollutants (formed in the atmosphere) are frequently more severe than those of their precursors (primary pollutants). This is the case of ozone and other photochemical pollutants, such as peroxyacetil nitrate (PAN) and secondary particles, produced in the atmosphere by the photo-oxidation volatile organic compounds (VOC) catalyzed by nitrogen oxides (NO(sub x)). Photochemical air pollution is a complex science because of the non-linearity of its response to changes in primary emission.

Environmental Health

MedlinePlus

... of the environment, like the air, water, or soil become polluted, it can lead to health problems. ... of the natural world, like radon in the soil. Others are the result of human activities, like ...

Education for Survival.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, James E., Jr.

In this address, James E. Allen, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Education and U.S. Commissioner of Education, discusses the relationship of education to the problem of ecological destruction. He states that the solutions to the problems of air, water, and soil pollution may be found in redirected education. This "education for survival" can serve to…

Office of Research and Development Program Guide, Fiscal Year 1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Research and Development.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency was created by Presidential order in December of 1970. This order brought together 15 programs scattered among several Federal Government agencies to mount a coordinated attack on environmental problems. These problems include air and water pollution, solid waste management, pesticides, radiation,…

Conflict of technologies for water and sanitation in developing countries.

PubMed

Bannerman, R R

2000-01-01

Borehole water supplies, in basement rock aquifers in the West Africa Sub-region, face potential pollution hazards as a result of their close location within the same geological environments as indiscriminately sited latrines, rubbish dumps, farms and animal watering points in the communities. The heterogeneous nature of the overburden and fractures in the bedrock constitute relatively fast flow paths for surface water contaminated mainly by bacteria and nitrates which enhance the pollution of the groundwater and boreholes. To improve the drinking water quality, some measures have been taken to minimize the hazards. Further studies are required to understand better the nature and scale of the problem and to avoid the apparent conflict of technologies. It is necessary to incorporate improvements in sanitation into rural water supply projects, if the otherwise good drinking water source should not be lost to society's wastes.

Towards Sustainable Water Management in a Country that Faces Extreme Water Scarcity and Dependency: Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schyns, J.; Hamaideh, A.; Hoekstra, A. Y.; Mekonnen, M. M.; Schyns, M.

2015-12-01

Jordan faces a great variety of water-related challenges: domestic water resources are scarce and polluted; the sharing of transboundary waters has led to tensions and conflicts; and Jordan is extremely dependent of foreign water resources through trade. Therefore, sustainable water management in Jordan is a challenging task, which has not yet been accomplished. The objective of this study was to analyse Jordan's domestic water scarcity and pollution and the country's external water dependency, and subsequently review sustainable solutions that reduce the risk of extreme water scarcity and dependency. We have estimated the green, blue and grey water footprint of five different sectors in Jordan: crop production, grazing, animal water supply, industrial production and domestic water supply. Next, we assessed the blue water scarcity ratio for the sum of surface- and groundwater and for groundwater separately, and calculated the water pollution level. Finally, we reviewed the sustainability of proposed solutions to Jordan's domestic water problems and external water dependency in literature, while involving the results and conclusions from our analysis. We have quantified that: even while taking into account the return flows, blue water scarcity in Jordan is severe; groundwater consumption is nearly double the sustainable yield; water pollution aggravates blue water scarcity; and Jordan's external virtual water dependency is 86%. Our review yields ten essential ingredients that a sustainable water management strategy for Jordan, that reduces the risk of extreme water scarcity and dependency, should involve. With respect to these, Jordan's current water policy requires a strong redirection towards water demand management. Especially, more attention should be paid to reducing water demand by changing the consumption patterns of Jordan consumers. Moreover, exploitation of fossil groundwater should soon be halted and planned desalination projects require careful consideration on the sustainability of their energy supply.

Status of industrial fluoride pollution and its diverse adverse health effects in man and domestic animals in India.

PubMed

Choubisa, Shanti Lal; Choubisa, Darshana

2016-04-01

Hydrofluorosis in humans and domestic animals is a worldwide health problem and caused by a prolonged period of fluoride exposure through drinking of fluoride contaminated water. But in recent years, due to rapid industrialization in India, diverse serious health problems among industrial workers and residents and domestic animals living in the industrial areas due to fluoride pollution are on the rise. A number of coal-burning and industrial activities such as power-generating stations, welding operations and the manufacturing or production of steel, iron, aluminum, zinc, phosphorus, chemical fertilizers, bricks, glass, plastic, cement, and hydrofluoric acid are generally discharging fluoride in both gaseous and particulate/dust forms into surrounding environments which create a industrial fluoride pollution and are an important cause of occupational exposure to fluoride in several countries including India. An industrial emitted fluoride contaminates not only surrounding soil, air, and water but also vegetation, crops and many other biotic communities on which man and animals are generally dependants for food. Long- time of inhalation or ingestion of industrial fluoride also causes serious health problems in the forms of industrial and neighborhood fluorosis. In India, whatever research works conducted so far on the chronic industrial fluoride intoxication or poisoning (industrial and neighborhood fluorosis) in man and various species of domestic animals due to a prolonged period of industrial fluoride exposure or pollution (contamination) are critically reviewed in the present communication. Simultaneously, we are also focused the various bio-indicators and bio-markers for chronic industrial fluoride intoxication or pollution.

Water supply of the population as a problem of energy efficiency on the example of the Tyumen region of Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lezier, Victoria; Gusarova, Miroslava; Kopytova, Anna

2017-10-01

The purpose of this article is to draw public attention to the problems of water supply in the city of Tyumen, the capital of the oil region and one of the most important objects in Russia from the point of view of strategic water supply, located in the region with vast freshwater resources. The article outlines main water supply problems related to the quality of drinking water, its chemical composition, and risks of water contamination by industrial effluents, problems of water transport to the consumers, problems of energy efficiency. The issues raised are part of the energy efficiency not only of the Tyumen region, but also of the Sverdlovsk region, from which the waters of the drinking basin are transited, being a sewage channel for many industrial enterprises. The article touches the issues of water protection, conservation and quality of water coming from the Velizhansky water intake, as well as the possibilities of using alternative sources of drinking water. The article analyzes legal measures, and proposals for improving work with increasing the quality of drinking water, combating melt water and pollution with oil.

ERTS program of the US Army Corps of Engineers. [water resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarman, J. W.

1974-01-01

The Army Corps of Engineers research and development efforts associated with the ERTS Program are confined to applications of investigation, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of water resource projects. Problems investigated covered: (1) resource inventory; (2) environmental impact; (3) pollution monitoring; (4) water circulation; (5) sediment transport; (6) data collection systems; (7) engineering; and (8) model verification. These problem areas were investigated in relation to bays, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, coasts, and regions. ERTS-1 imagery has been extremely valuable in developing techniques and is now being used in everyday applications.

Air pollutant intrusion into the Wieliczka Salt Mine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salmon, L.G.; Cass, G.R.; Kozlowski, R.; Hejda, A.; Spiker, E. C.; Bates, A.L.

1996-01-01

The Wieliczka Salt Mine World Cultural Heritage Site contains many rock salt sculptures that are threatened by water vapor condensation from the mine ventilation air. Gaseous and particulate air pollutant concentrations have been measured both outdoors and within the Wieliczka Salt Mine, along with pollutant deposition fluxes to surfaces within the mine. One purpose of these measurements was to determine whether or not low deliquescence point ionic materials (e.g., NH4NO3) are accumulating on surfaces to an extent that would exacerbate the water vapor condensation problems in the mine. It was found that pollutant gases including SO2 and HNO3 present in outdoor air are removed rapidly and almost completely from the air within the mine by deposition to surfaces. Sulfur isotope analyses confirm the accumulation of air pollutant-derived sulfur in liquid dripping from surfaces within the mine. Particle deposition onto interior surfaces in the mine is apparent, with resulting soiling of some of those sculptures that have been carved from translucent rock salt. Water accumulation by salt sculpture surfaces was studied both experimentally and by approximate thermodynamic calculations. Both approaches suggest that the pollutant deposits on the sculpture surfaces lower the relative humidity (RH) at which a substantial amount of liquid water will accumulate by 1% to several percent. The extraordinarily low SO2 concentrations within the mine may explain the apparent success of a respiratory sanatorium located deep within the mine.

A MECHANISTIC MODEL OF RUNOFF-ASSOCIATED FECAL COLIFORM FATE AND TRANSPORT THROUGH A COASTAL LAGOON. (R828676C003)

EPA Science Inventory

Fecal coliform (FC) contamination in coastal waters is an ongoing public health problem worldwide. Coastal wetlands and lagoons are typically expected to protect coastal waters by attenuating watershed pollutants including FC bacteria. However, new evidence suggests that coast...

LUMINATE: Linking agricultural land use, local water quality and Gulf of Mexico hypoxia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper, we discuss the importance of developing integrated assessment models to support the design and implementation of policies to address water quality problems associated with agricultural pollution. We describe a new modelling system, LUMINATE, which links land use decisions made at the...

SWAT: Agricultural water and nonpoint source pollution management at a watershed scale - Part II

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global change and demographic changes increasingly cause water, food, and health problems in many areas of the world. In addition, the growth in bioenergy production leads to land-use change and associated environmental impacts. The lack of integration in resource assessments and policy-making leads...

SWAT: Agricultural water and nonpoint source pollution management at a watershed scale

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global change and demographic changes increasingly cause water, food, and health problems in many areas of the world. In addition, the growth in bioenergy production leads to land-use change and associated environmental impacts. The lack of integration in resource assessments and policy-making leads...

Warning: Your School May Be Hazardous to Your Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gursky, Daniel

1991-01-01

Many teachers unknowingly breathe air and drink water with low levels of harmful material. Exposure over the years may present significant health risks. This article examines the problems of indoor air pollution, pesticides, asbestos, lead in drinking water, and radon. Each section includes sources for further information. (SM)

Stochastic modeling for river pollution of Sungai Perlis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yunus, Nurul Izzaty Mohd.; Rahman, Haliza Abd.; Bahar, Arifah

2015-02-03

River pollution has been recognized as a contributor to a wide range of health problems and disorders in human. It can pose health dangers to humans who come into contact with it, either directly or indirectly. Therefore, it is most important to measure the concentration of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as a water quality parameter since the parameter has long been the basic means for determining the degree of water pollution in rivers. In this study, BOD is used as a parameter to estimate the water quality at Sungai Perlis. It has been observed that Sungai Perlis is polluted duemore » to lack of management and improper use of resources. Therefore, it is of importance to model the Sungai Perlis water quality in order to describe and predict the water quality systems. The BOD concentration secondary data set is used which was extracted from the Drainage and Irrigation Department Perlis State website. The first order differential equation from Streeter – Phelps model was utilized as a deterministic model. Then, the model was developed into a stochastic model. Results from this study shows that the stochastic model is more adequate to describe and predict the BOD concentration and the water quality systems in Sungai Perlis by having smaller value of mean squared error (MSE)« less

[Ecological protection and sustainable utilization of Erhai Lake, Yunnan].

PubMed

Yan, Chang-Zhou; Jin, Xiang-Can; Zhao, Jing-Zhu; Shen, Bing; Li, Ning-Bo; Huang, Chang-Zhu; Xiong, Zhong-Hua

2005-09-01

Economic development and increase of population pressure have caused a series of ecological environmental problems of Erhai Lake. These problems include: (1) Quickening of eutrophication process, (2) Decrease of water level and water resources, (3) Habitat deterioration of lakeside zone, and (4) Overfishing and slow depletion of aboriginal fish. Pollutant loading of Erhai Lake is as follows: COD(Cr) 3 008 t x a(-1), TP 137.31 t x a(-1), TN 1 426.35 t x a(-1). According to the mestrophic target of water quality, loading of nitrogen and phosphorus is far above environmental capacity of Erhai Lake. Erhai Lake is now in a pivotal and hypersensitive period of trophic states change, and the position is very critical. Therefore, some countermeasures to solve the problems are presented as follows: (1) Defining the dominant functions of Erhai Lake, (2) Paying attention to the adjustment of the industrial structure and distribution in the course of urbanization, (3) Setting up lakeside zone reserve, (4) Strengthening the control of tourism pollution, (5) Properly adjusting the water level of Erhai Lake, and (6) Some ecological engineering measures for water resources protection in the basin should be taken through collecting and treating of urban sewages, ecological rehabilitating of the main inflowing rivers, constructing of ecological agricultures and improving of rural environment, ecological restoring of aquatic ecosystem, and soil and water conservation.

Water treatment: Chitosan associated with electrochemical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamiasso-Martinhon, Priscila; Marques Teixeira de Souza, João; Cruzeiro da Silva, Silvia Maria; Pellegrini Pessoa, Fernando Luiz; Sousa, Célia

2017-04-01

Pollution of water bodies due to the presence of toxic metals and organic compounds, bring out a series of environmental problems of public, government and social character. In addition, water pollution, has become the target and source of concern in many industrial sectors. Therefore, it is essential to develop technologies for treatment and purification of water. Chitosan is a natural product derived from chitin, extracted mainly from the shells of crustaceans. It is a low cost, renewable and biodegradable biopolymer of great socioeconomic and environmental importance. The classic treatment of wastewater containing metals involves physical chemistry processes of precipitation, ion exchange and electrochemistry. Electrochemical technology has been presented as the most promising methods for treating wastewater polluted with metals, colloids, dyes or oil in water emulsions; besides being used in removing organic compounds. Alternative methods like adsorption with biosorbents have been investigated. The great advantage of this latter over other techniques is the low generation of residues, easy recovery of metals and the possibility of reuse of the adsorbent. This article aimed to carry out an exploratory study, of bibliographical nature, on the use of chitosan in electrochemical methods for water treatment.

River Water Pollution Status and Water Policy Scenario in Ethiopia: Raising Awareness for Better Implementation in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Awoke, Aymere; Beyene, Abebe; Kloos, Helmut; Goethals, Peter L M; Triest, Ludwig

2016-10-01

Despite the increasing levels of pollution in many tropical African countries, not much is known about the strength and weaknesses of policy and institutional frameworks to tackle pollution and ecological status of rivers and their impacts on the biota. We investigated the ecological status of four large river basins using physicochemical water quality parameters and bioindicators by collecting samples from forest, agriculture, and urban landscapes of the Nile, Omo-Gibe, Tekeze, and Awash River basins in Ethiopia. We also assessed the water policy scenario to evaluate its appropriateness to prevent and control pollution. To investigate the level of understanding and implementation of regulatory frameworks and policies related to water resources, we reviewed the policy documents and conducted in-depth interviews of the stakeholders. Physicochemical and biological data revealed that there is significant water quality deterioration at the impacted sites (agriculture, coffee processing, and urban landscapes) compared to reference sites (forested landscapes) in all four basins. The analysis of legal, policy, and institutional framework showed a lack of cooperation between stakeholders, lack of knowledge of the policy documents, absence of enforcement strategies, unavailability of appropriate working guidelines, and disconnected institutional setup at the grass root level to implement the set strategies as the major problems. In conclusion, river water pollution is a growing challenge and needs urgent action to implement intersectoral collaboration for water resource management that will eventually lead toward integrated watershed management. Revision of policy and increasing the awareness and participation of implementers are vital to improve ecological quality of rivers.

FLASH Technology: Full-Scale Hospital Waste Water Treatments Adopted in Aceh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rame; Tridecima, Adeodata; Pranoto, Hadi; Moesliem; Miftahuddin

2018-02-01

A Hospital waste water contains a complex mixture of hazardous chemicals and harmful microbes, which can pose a threat to the environment and public health. Some efforts have been carried out in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh), Indonesia with the objective of treating hospital waste water effluents on-site before its discharge. Flash technology uses physical and biological pre-treatment, followed by advanced oxidation process based on catalytic ozonation and followed by GAC and PAC filtration. Flash Full-Scale Hospital waste water Treatments in Aceh from different district have been adopted and investigated. Referring to the removal efficiency of macro-pollutants, the collected data demonstrate good removal efficiency of macro-pollutants using Flash technologies. In general, Flash technologies could be considered a solution to the problem of managing hospital waste water.

Water quality real-time monitoring system via biological detection based on video analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Chen; Fei, Yuan

2017-11-01

With the development of society, water pollution has become the most serious problem in China. Therefore, real-time water quality monitoring is an important part of human activities and water pollution prevention. In this paper, the behavior of zebrafish was monitored by computer vision. Firstly, the moving target was extracted by the method of saliency detection, and tracked by fitting the ellipse model. Then the motion parameters were extracted by optical flow method, and the data were monitored in real time by means of Hinkley warning and threshold warning. We achieved classification warning through a number of dimensions by comprehensive toxicity index. The experimental results show that the system can achieve more accurate real-time monitoring.

Pollution status of Pakistan: a retrospective review on heavy metal contamination of water, soil, and vegetables.

PubMed

Waseem, Amir; Arshad, Jahanzaib; Iqbal, Farhat; Sajjad, Ashif; Mehmood, Zahid; Murtaza, Ghulam

2014-01-01

Trace heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. In addition to these metals, copper, manganese, iron, and zinc are also important trace micronutrients. The presence of trace heavy metals in the atmosphere, soil, and water can cause serious problems to all organisms, and the ubiquitous bioavailability of these heavy metal can result in bioaccumulation in the food chain which especially can be highly dangerous to human health. This study reviews the heavy metal contamination in several areas of Pakistan over the past few years, particularly to assess the heavy metal contamination in water (ground water, surface water, and waste water), soil, sediments, particulate matter, and vegetables. The listed contaminations affect the drinking water quality, ecological environment, and food chain. Moreover, the toxicity induced by contaminated water, soil, and vegetables poses serious threat to human health.

Watershed modeling and monitoring for assessing nutrient ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation for the American Water Works Association Water Sustainability Conference. The presentation highlights latest results from water quality trading research conducted by ORD using the East Fork Watershed in Southwestern Ohio as a case study. The watershed has a nutrient enrichment problem that is creating harmful algal blooms in a reservoir used for drinking water and recreation. Innovative modeling and monitoring is combined to understand how to best manage this water quality problem and costs associated with this endeavor. The presentation will provide an overview of the water quality trading feasibility research. The research includes the development and evaluation of innovative modeling and monitoring approaches to manage watersheds for nutrient pollution using a whole systems approach.

The role of seasonal water scarcity on water quality: a global analysis with case study in the Magdalena, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, Sophia; Mulligan, Mark

2017-04-01

Water scarcity is not just a problem of its own right (hydrological drought) but cascades the hydro-economic system to create problems for crop growth and livestock (agricultural drought) and thus for wellbeing and economic productivity (economic drought). One of these cascades is the impact of reduced water quantity on water quality as a result of non-point source pollutant concentration in water bodies such as rivers, lakes and wetlands. This paper investigates the impact of seasonal water shortages on the quality of supplied water to urban centres with a view to better understanding how land use management can reduce dry-season pollutant spikes. We apply a widely used spatial hydrological model (WaterWorld) and its water quality index (the human footprint on water quality, HFWQ) to examine to what extent HFWQ of water flowing into urban water intakes is affected by flow seasonality and by typical "dry year" events. A global analysis shows trends across climatic and land use gradients and is followed by a regional analysis of the Magdalena basin in Colombia: a large basin with 79% of the countries population and a mixture of intensively farmed and protected lands along a seasonality gradient from South to North. The Magdalena is a case study basin of the EartH2Observe project.

Novel sorbents for environmental remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manariotis, Ioannis D.; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.; Werner, David

2014-05-01

Nowadays, one of the major environmental problems is the pollution of aquatic systems and soil by persistent pollutants. Persistent pollutants have been found widespread in sediments, surface waters, and drinking water supplies. The removal of pollutants can be accomplished prior to their discharge to receiving bodies or by immobilizing them onto soil. Sorption is the most commonly applied process, and activated carbons have been widely used. Rapid progress in nanotechnology and a new focus on biomass-based instead of non-renewable starting materials have produced a wide range of novel engineered sorbents including biosorbents, biochars, carbon-based nanoparticles, bio-nano hybrid materials, and iron-impregnated activated carbons. Sorbent materials have been used in environmental remediation processes and especially in agricultural soil, sediments and contaminated soil, water treatment, and industrial wastewater treatment. Furthermore, sorbents may enhance the synergistic action of other processes, such as volatilization and biodegradation. Novel sorbents have been employed for the removal or immobilization of persistent pollutants such as and include heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Hg), halogenated organic compounds, endocrine disrupting chemicals, metalloids and non-metallic elements, and other organic pollutants. The development and evaluation of novel sorbents requires a multidisciplinary approach encompassing environmental, nanotechnology, physical, analytical, and surface chemistry. The necessary evaluations encompass not only the efficiency of these materials to remove pollutants from surface waters and groundwater, industrial wastewater, polluted soils and sediments, etc., but also the potential side-effects of their environmental applications. The aim of this work is to present the results of the use of biochar and impregnated carbon sorbents for the removal of organic pollutants and metals. Furthermore, the new findings from the forthcoming session on Novel sorbents for environmental remediation, will also be evaluated and presented.

Relationship between urbanisation and pollutant emissions in transboundary river basins under the strategy of the Belt and Road Initiative.

PubMed

Yu, Sen; Lu, Hongwei

2018-07-01

Urbanisation has increased the discharge of pollutants, altered water flow regimes, and modified the morphology of transboundary river basins. All these actions have resulted in multiple pressures on aquatic ecosystems of transboundary river basins, undermining the healthy development of their aquatic ecosystems as well as impairing the sustainable economic and social development associated therewith. Quantifying the relationship between socio-economic factors, and water environment systems, and understanding the multiple pressures in their combined impact on environmental fairness of transboundary river basins is challenging, and it is crucial to the strategic planning of the Belt and Road strategy. Here, the Songhua River basin, which is the largest branch of the China-Russia boundary river is taken as the study area. The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model, which is coupled with the integrated model (pollutant emissions intensity, pollutant discharge efficiency, and pollutant emissions per capita), are used to reveal the spatio-temporal variations in regional pollutant emissions in the SRB. The results show that the features of the EKC are present in the pollutant emissions during economic development of the SRB. It also demonstrates that the turning point value of the EKC appeared when the GDP per capita is around ¥40,000 (CNY) in the SRB, which means that the pollutant emissions show an increasing trend, when the GDP per capita is less than ¥40,000. Our findings could contribute to a better understanding of the coupling relationship between pollutant emissions in transboundary river basins and urbanisation process in water stress to help address water allocation problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An investigation of water nutrient levels associated with forest vegetation in highly altered landscapes

Treesearch

M.E.G. Golay; J.R. Thompson; C.M. Mabry; R.K. Kolka

2013-01-01

Stream pollution by nutrient loading is a chronic problem in the Midwest, United States, and greater impacts on water quality are expected as agricultural production and urban areas expand. Remnant riparian forests are critical for maintaining ecosystem functions in this landscape context, allowing water infiltration and capture of nutrients before they are lost from...

Water policy sinkhole

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, T.L.

1983-10-01

The pollution of both surface and ground waters and the withdrawal of ground water will present the US with a major water-quality and -supply problem unless changes are made in how we use water. If water is priced at market value instead of relying on federal subsidies, price signals could alter consumption patterns. Other changes that could help are removing restrictions on water transfers and allowing private ownership of waterways and appropriable rights to ground water. These steps, it is felt, would encourage responsible consumption and allocations. (DCK)

Retrospective and prospective analysis of water use and point source pollution from an economic perspective-a case study of Urumqi, China.

PubMed

Wang, Bing; Liu, Lei; Huang, Guohe

2017-11-01

Using the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, this study explored the dynamic trends of water use and point source pollution in Urumqi (2000-2014) from an economic perspective. Retrospective analysis results indicated that total GDP and GDP per capita increased around tenfold and a fivefold since 2000. Total, municipal and industrial water use had average annual growth rates of 3.96, 7.01, and 3.69%, respectively. However, agricultural water use, emissions of COD and NH 3 -N showed average annual decreases of 3.06, 12.40, and 4.74%. Regression models reveal that total water demand in Urumqi would keep monotonically increasing relationships with GDP and GDP per capita in the foreseeable years. However, the relations of specific water usage and economic growth showed diverse trends. In the future, the discharge of COD and NH 3 -N would further reduce with economic growth. It could be concluded that Urumqi has almost passed the stage where economic growth had caused serious environment deterioration, but the increasing water demand in Urumqi is still an urgent problem. The obtained results would be helpful for water resources management and pollution control in the future.

Spatial and Seasonal Dynamics of Water Environmental Capacity in Mountainous Rivers of the Southeastern Coast, China

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jingang; Jing, Changwei

2018-01-01

The south-east littoral is one of the most populous and developed regions in China suffering from serious water pollution problems, and the Xian-Jiang Basin in the mid of this region is among the most polluted watersheds. Critical information is needed but lacking for improved pollution control and water quality assessment, among which water environmental capacity (WEC) is the most important variable but is difficult to calculate. In this study, a one-dimensional water quality model combined with a matrix calculation algorithm was first developed and calibrated with in-situ observations in the Xian-Jiang basin. Then, the model was applied to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of WEC of the entire basin. The results indicated that, in 2015, the total pollutant discharges into the river reached 6719.68 t/yr, 488.12 t/yr, and 128.57 t/yr for COD, NH3-N and TP, respectively. The spatial pattern suggested a strong correlation between these water contaminants and industrial enterprises, residential areas, and land-use types in the basin. Furthermore, it was noticed that there was a significant seasonal pattern in WEC that the dry season pollution is much greater than that in the plum season, while that in the typhoon season appears to be the weakest among all seasons. The WEC differed significantly among the 24 sub-basins during the dry season but varied to a smaller extent in other seasons, suggesting differential complex spatial-temporal dependency of the WEC. PMID:29315265

The biosphere: Problems and solutions; Proceedings of the Miami International Symposium on the Biosphere, Miami Beach, FL, April 23, 24, 1984

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veziroglu, T. N.

The objective of the Miami International Symposium on the Biosphere was to provide a forum for the presentation of the latest research findings on the environmental effects of human activities. The topics discussed are related to biosphere reserves, environmental aspects of hydrocarbon fuels, radioactivity and nuclear waste, land management, acid rains, water quality, water resources, coastal resources management, the pollution of rivers, industrial waste, economic development and the environment, health hazards and solutions, endangered species, environmentally compatible systems, space pollution, and global considerations. Attention is given to questions regarding global security and sustainable development, environethics as a global strategy for environmental quality, a gestalt approach to the environment, potential indicators for monitoring biosphere reserves, a review of regional impacts associated with the development of U.S. synthetic fuel resources, water resources in the Soviet Union, and pollution-free pesticides.

Use of ERTS imagery in air pollution and marine biology studies, tasks 1 through 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Copeland, G. E.; Ludwick, J. C.; Marshall, H. G. (Principal Investigator); Bandy, A. R.; Fleischer, P.; Hanna, W. J.; Gosink, T. A.; Bowker, D. W.

1972-01-01

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. The general suitability of ERTS imagery in detecting ground originated air pollution has proved to be excellent. The quality and resolution exceeded expectations and has permitted in some instances location of point sources to within a thousand feet. Suitable techniques have not yet been developed for determining or measuring area and line sources of air pollution. A major problem has been cloud cover that has persisted over the area of primary interest, the Chesapeake Bay. Work has been completed on mounting the shipboard transmissometer which will be used for investigations to relate the chlorophyll and suspended sediment content in the waters of the Lower Chesapeake Bay to ERTS-1 imagery. Water sampling, plankton analysis, and preparations for sea collection of water truth along the eastern continental shelf of the U.S. have been completed for use in comparisons with ERTS-1 data.

3D graphene-based nanostructured materials as sorbents for cleaning oil spills and for the removal of dyes and miscellaneous pollutants present in water.

PubMed

Riaz, Muhammad Adil; McKay, Gordon; Saleem, Junaid

2017-12-01

Oil spills over seawater and dye pollutants in water cause economic and environmental damage every year. Among various methods to deal oil spill problems, the use of porous materials has been proven as an effective strategy. In recent years, graphene-based porous sorbents have been synthesized to address the shortcomings associated with conventional sorbents such as their low uptake capacity, slow sorption rate, and non-recyclability. This article reviews the research undertaken to control oil spillage using three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based materials. The use of these materials for removal of dyes and miscellaneous environmental pollutants from water is explored and the application of various multifunctional 3D oil sorbents synthesized by surface modification technique is presented. The future prospects and limitations of these materials as sorbents are also discussed.

Issues in ecology: Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howarth, Robert W.; Anderson, D. B.; Cloern, James E.; Elfring, Chris; Hopkinson, Charles S.; Lapointe, Brian; Maloney, Thomas J.; Marcus, Nancy; McGlathery, Karen; Sharpley, A.N.; Walker, D.

2000-01-01

Over the past 40 years, antipollution laws have greatly reduced discharges of toxic substances into our coastal waters. This effort, however, has focused largely on point-source pollution of industrial and municipal effluent. No comparable effort has been made to restrict the input of nitrogen (N) from municipal effluent, nor to control the flows of N and phosphorus (P) that enter waterways from dispersed or nonpoint sources such as agricultural and urban runoff or as airborne pollutants. As a result, inputs of nonpoint pollutants, particularly N, have increased dramatically. Nonpoint pollution from N and P now represents the largest pollution problem facing the vital coastal waters of the United States. Nutrient pollution is the common thread that links an array of problems along the nation’s coastline, including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, ”dead zones,” fish kills, some shellfish poisonings, loss of seagrass and kelp beds, some coral reef destruction, and even some marine mammal and seabird deaths. More than 60 percent of our coastal rivers and bays in every coastal state of the continental United States are moderately to severely degraded by nutrient pollution. This degradation is particularly severe in the mid Atlantic states, in the southeast, and in the Gulf of Mexico. A recent report from the National Research Council entitled “Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reduc- ing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution” concludes that: Nutrient over-enrichment of coastal ecosystems generally triggers ecological changes that decrease the biologi- cal diversity of bays and estuaries. While moderate N enrichment of some coastal waters may increase fish production, over-enrichment generally degrades the marine food web that supports commercially valuable fish. The marked increase in nutrient pollution of coastal waters has been accompanied by an increase in harmful algal blooms, and in at least some cases, pollution has triggered these blooms. High nutrient levels and the changes they cause in water quality and the makeup of the algal community are detrimental to the health of coral reefs and the diversity of animal life supported by seagrass and kelp communi- ties. Research during the past decade confirms that N is the chief culprit in eutrophication and other impacts of nutrient over-enrichment in temperate coastal waters, while P is most problematic in eutrophication of freshwa- ter lakes. Human conversion of atmospheric N into biologically useable forms, principally synthetic inorganic fertilizers, now matches the natural rate of biological N fixation from all the land surfaces of the earth. Both agriculture and the burning of fossil fuels contribute significantly to nonpoint flows of N to coastal waters, either as direct runoff or airborne pollutants. N from animal wastes that leaks directly to surface waters or is volatilized to the atmosphere as ammonia may be the largest single source of N that moves from agricultural operations into coastal waters. The National Research Council report recommended that, as a minimum goal, the nation should work to reverse nutrient should be taken to assure that the 40 percent of coastal areas now ranked as healthy do not develop symptoms of nutrient pollution in 10 percent of its degraded coastal systems by 2010 and 25 percent of them by 2020. Also, action should be taken to assure that the 40 percent of coastal areas now ranked as healthy do not develop symptoms of nutrient pollution.  Meeting these goals will require an array of strategies and approaches tailored to specific regions and coastal ecosystems. There is an urgent need for development and testing of techniques that can reliably pinpoint the sources of N pollutants to an estuary. For some coastal systems, N removal during treatment of human sewage may be sufficient to reverse nutrient pollution. For most coastal systems, however, the solutions will be more complex and may involve controls on N compounds emitted during fossil fuel combustion as well as incentives to reduce over-fertilization of agricul- tural fields and nutrient pollution from animal wastes in livestock feedlot operations. 

The Effects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms cause major environmental damage as well as serious health problems in people and animals.They also take a toll on the economy, hurting industries and sectors that depend on clean water.

Sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification from the micro-polluted water.

PubMed

Zhou, Weili; Liu, Xu; Dong, Xiaojing; Wang, Zheng; Yuan, Ying; Wang, Hui; He, Shengbing

2016-06-01

Eutrophication caused by high concentrations of nutrients is a huge problem for many natural lakes and reservoirs. Removing the nitrogen contamination from the low C/N water body has become an urgent need. Autotrophic denitrification with the sulfur compound as electron donor was investigated in the biofilter reactors. Through the lab-scale experiment, it was found that different sulfur compounds and different carriers caused very different treatment performances. Thiosulfate was selected to be the best electron donor and ceramsite was chosen as the suitable carrier due to the good denitrification efficiency, low cost and the good resistibility against the high hydraulic loads. Later the optimum running parameters of the process were determined. Then the pilot-scale experiment was carried out with the real micro-polluted water from the West Lake, China. The results indicated that the autotrophic denitrification with thiosulfate as electron donor was feasible and applicable for the micro-polluted lake water. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modelling of point and diffuse pollution: application of the Moneris model in the Ipojuca river basin, Pernambuco State, Brazil.

PubMed

de Lima Barros, Alessandra Maciel; do Carmo Sobral, Maria; Gunkel, Günter

2013-01-01

Emissions of pollutants and nutrients are causing several problems in aquatic ecosystems, and in general an excess of nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, is responsible for the eutrophication process in water bodies. In most developed countries, more attention is given to diffuse pollution because problems with point pollution have already been solved. In many non-developed countries basic data for point and diffuse pollution are not available. The focus of the presented studies is to quantify nutrient emissions from point and diffuse sources in the Ipojuca river basin, Pernambuco State, Brazil, using the Moneris model (Modelling Nutrient Emissions in River Systems). This model has been developed in Germany and has already been implemented in more than 600 river basins. The model is mainly based on river flow, water quality and geographical information system data. According to the Moneris model results, untreated domestic sewage is the major source of nutrients in the Ipojuca river basin. The Moneris model has shown itself to be a useful tool that allows the identification and quantification of point and diffuse nutrient sources, thus enabling the adoption of measures to reduce them. The Moneris model, conducted for the first time in a tropical river basin with intermittent flow, can be used as a reference for implementation in other watersheds.

Development of Load Duration Curve System in Data Scarce Watersheds Based on a Distributed Hydrological Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

WANG, J.

2017-12-01

In stream water quality control, the total maximum daily load (TMDL) program is very effective. However, the load duration curves (LDC) of TMDL are difficult to be established because no sufficient observed flow and pollutant data can be provided in data-scarce watersheds in which no hydrological stations or consecutively long-term hydrological data are available. Although the point sources or a non-point sources of pollutants can be clarified easily with the aid of LDC, where does the pollutant come from and to where it will be transported in the watershed cannot be traced by LDC. To seek out the best management practices (BMPs) of pollutants in a watershed, and to overcome the limitation of LDC, we proposed to develop LDC based on a distributed hydrological model of SWAT for the water quality management in data scarce river basins. In this study, firstly, the distributed hydrological model of SWAT was established with the scarce-hydrological data. Then, the long-term daily flows were generated with the established SWAT model and rainfall data from the adjacent weather station. Flow duration curves (FDC) was then developed with the aid of generated daily flows by SWAT model. Considering the goal of water quality management, LDC curves of different pollutants can be obtained based on the FDC. With the monitored water quality data and the LDC curves, the water quality problems caused by the point or non-point source pollutants in different seasons can be ascertained. Finally, the distributed hydrological model of SWAT was employed again to tracing the spatial distribution and the origination of the pollutants of coming from what kind of agricultural practices and/or other human activities. A case study was conducted in the Jian-jiang river, a tributary of Yangtze river, of Duyun city, Guizhou province. Results indicate that this kind of method can realize the water quality management based on TMDL and find out the suitable BMPs for reducing pollutant in a watershed.

USA by Numbers: A Statistical Portrait of the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Susan, Ed.

This book presents demographic data about a variety of U.S. public policies, social problems, and environmental issues. The issues and problems that the statistics illustrate (such as overflowing garbage dumps, homelessness, child poverty, and smog and water pollution) are connected with, and the consequences of, the expanding U.S. population. The…

A Survey of Turkish Pre-Service Science Teachers' Attitudes toward the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özsoy, Sibel

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Increasing global population and unrestrained consumption of natural resources has resulted in increasing pollution, poor air and water quality and the extinction of animal and plant species. Today, environmental problems are experienced worldwide and threatening the continuity of human life. For the sake of human beings,…

Health risks from large-scale water pollution: trends in Central Asia.

PubMed

Törnqvist, Rebecka; Jarsjö, Jerker; Karimov, Bakhtiyor

2011-02-01

Limited data on the pollution status of spatially extensive water systems constrain health-risk assessments at basin-scales. Using a recipient measurement approach in a terminal water body, we show that agricultural and industrial pollutants in groundwater-surface water systems of the Aral Sea Drainage Basin (covering the main part of Central Asia) yield cumulative health hazards above guideline values in downstream surface waters, due to high concentrations of copper, arsenic, nitrite, and to certain extent dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Considering these high-impact contaminants, we furthermore perform trend analyses of their upstream spatial-temporal distribution, investigating dominant large-scale spreading mechanisms. The ratio between parent DDT and its degradation products showed that discharges into or depositions onto surface waters are likely to be recent or ongoing. In river water, copper concentrations peak during the spring season, after thawing and snow melt. High spatial variability of arsenic concentrations in river water could reflect its local presence in the top soil of nearby agricultural fields. Overall, groundwaters were associated with much higher health risks than surface waters. Health risks can therefore increase considerably, if the downstream population must switch to groundwater-based drinking water supplies during surface water shortage. Arid regions are generally vulnerable to this problem due to ongoing irrigation expansion and climate changes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pollution of water sources due to poor waste management--the case of Dar-es-Salaam.

PubMed

Makule, D E

2000-01-01

Pollution of water sources for the city of Dar-es-Salaam originates from haphazard disposal of solid wastes, discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater to water sources, lack of standard sanitary facilities and poor hygienic practices. Contaminated water used for human consumption can lead to serious health problems e.g. cholera, typhoid, skin diseases, etc., which, in turn, leads to reduced working hours/manpower. This has a direct effect to production output which can lead to a deterioration of local community welfare. Having realised this as a problem, the Government of Tanzania stipulated, in its water policy of 1991, the need for protection of water sources. In achieving this goal, proper waste management was singled out to be of vital importance. Due to economic hardships, however, budget allocation by the central Government could not cover the costs needed for proper handling of waste. This left Tanzania with no alternative other than heavy reliance on donor and bilateral organisations for financial support of programmes. Nevertheless, these sources of funds proved to be unreliable for many different reasons. To deal with these problems, the Government currently emphasises involving local community and NGOs, the formation of stakeholder funds and organisations, and involvement of the private sector. Other efforts are intensification of education programmes to create more awareness to the local communities on the need for protection of water sources. Although at its infancy level, the system is showing some signs of improvement.

[Indicators of water microbial pollution: problems and perspectives].

PubMed

Nusca, A; D'Alessandro, D; Funari, E

2008-01-01

Conventional indicators of fecal contamination provide a precious contribution in evaluating water microbiological quality. In recent years some important issues have sprung up which have risen doubts about their reliability and have suggested a revision of their function. In developed countries, where the law regarding water quality is very strict, there have been several outbreaks, even though conventional indicators of fecal pollution pointed an appropriate microbiological quality. These outbreaks have been imputed to new pathogenic microorganisms which are often characterized by a great resistance to disinfection treatments than conventional indicators. In order to obtain an appropriate microbiological quality of waters, various approaches have been started such as the Water Safety Plans by World Health Organization the revision of the functions of suitable indicators (of the water quality), the setting up of specific methods either for pathogen microorganisms and for a quick surveying of an inadequate microbiological water quality.

Bio-clarification of water from heavy metals and microbial effluence using fungal chitosan.

PubMed

Tayel, Ahmed A; Gharieb, Mohamed M; Zaki, Hanaa R; Elguindy, Nihal M

2016-02-01

Water pollution is among the most hazardous problems that threaten human health worldwide. Chitosan is a marvelous bioactive polymer that could be produced from fungal mycelia. This study was conducted to produce chitosan from Cunninghamella elegans and to use it for water pollutants elimination, e.g. heavy metals and waterborne microorganisms, and to investigate its antibacterial mode of action against Escherichia coli. The produced fungal chitosan had a deacetylation degree of 81%, a molecular weight of 92.73 kDa and a matched FT-IR spectrum with standard shrimp chitosan. Fungal chitosan exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Chitosan was proved as an effective metal adsorbent, toward the examined metal ions, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Pb2+, and its adsorption capacity greatly increased with the increasing of metal concentration, especially for Cu and Zn. The scanning electron micrographs, of treated E. coli cells with fungal chitosan, indicated that the cells began to lyse and combine after 3h of exposure and chitosan particles attached to the combined cells and, after 12 h from exposure, the entire bacterial cell walls were fully disrupted and lysed. Therefore, fungal chitosan could be recommended, as a bioactive, renewable, ecofriendly and cost effective material, for overcoming water pollution problems, from chemical and microbial origins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Finland's Cleanup Campaign

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1975

1975-01-01

Finland has received a $20 million loan from the World Bank to attack its pollution problems, mainly water. Improved quality of life, as well as resource conservation are both motives and goals of that country's environmental programs. (BT)

Hydrological and pollution processes in mining area of Fenhe River Basin in China.

PubMed

Yang, Yonggang; Meng, Zhilong; Jiao, Wentao

2018-03-01

The hydrological and pollution processes are an important science problem for aquatic ecosystem. In this study, the samples of river water, reservoir water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater, and precipitation in mining area are collected and analyzed. δD and δ 18 O are used to identify hydrological process. δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - are used to identify the sources and pollution process of NO 3 - . The results show that the various water bodies in Fenhe River Basin are slightly alkaline water. The ions in the water mainly come from rock weathering. The concentration of SO 4 2- is high due to the impact of coal mining activity. Deep groundwater is significantly less affected by evaporation and human activity, which is recharged by archaic groundwater. There are recharge and discharge between reservoir water, river water, soil water, and shallow groundwater. NO 3 - is the main N species in the study area, and forty-six percent of NO 3 - -N concentrations exceed the drinking water standard of China (NO 3 - -N ≤ 10 mg/L content). Nitrification is the main forming process of NO 3 - . Denitrification is also found in river water of some river branches. The sources of NO 3 - are mainly controlled by land use type along the riverbank. NO 3 - of river water in the upper reaches are come from nitrogen in precipitation and soil organic N. River water in the lower reaches is polluted by a mixture of soil organic N and fertilizers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical changes of the environment and health effects with special reference to water pollution and sanitation in Malaysia.

PubMed

Sekarajasekaran, I A

1979-12-01

Development of a human community are not without changes in its environment. Such changes result in either beneficial or adverse effects on human health. In Malaysia, in the wake of the New Economic Policy aimed at the redressing of the poor population and income distribution, development of the nation has brought about various changes in the environment. Some of these changes have elevated basic public health problems, while others, particularly new agricultural practices and industrialisation programmes with urbanisation trends, have brought a new set of problems due to water pollution and sanitation. Various measures are being taken to protect and to improve the environment so that progress can be realised with minimum adverse effects. This also calls for assistance from international sources, in terms of expertise, training and funds.

Solution by dilution?--A review on the pollution status of the Yangtze River.

PubMed

Floehr, Tilman; Xiao, Hongxia; Scholz-Starke, Björn; Wu, Lingling; Hou, Junli; Yin, Daqiang; Zhang, Xiaowei; Ji, Rong; Yuan, Xingzhong; Ottermanns, Richard; Roß-Nickoll, Martina; Schäffer, Andreas; Hollert, Henner

2013-10-01

The Yangtze River has been a source of life and prosperity for the Chinese people for centuries and is a habitat for a remarkable variety of aquatic species. But the river suffers from huge amounts of urban sewage, agricultural effluents, and industrial wastewater as well as ship navigation wastes along its course. With respect to the vast amounts of water and sediments discharged by the Yangtze River, it is reasonable to ask whether the pollution problem may be solved by simple dilution. This article reviews the past two decades of published research on organic pollutants in the Yangtze River and several adjacent water bodies connected to the main stream, according to a holistic approach. Organic pollutant levels and potential effects of water and sediments on wildlife and humans, measured in vitro, in vivo, and in situ, were critically reviewed. The contamination with organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and others, of water and sediment along the river was described. Especially Wuhan section and the Yangtze Estuary exhibited stronger pollution than other sections. Bioassays, displaying predominantly the endpoints mutagenicity and endocrine disruption, applied at sediments, drinking water, and surface water indicated a potential health risk in several areas. Aquatic organisms exhibited detectable concentrations of toxic compounds like PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs, and PFCs. Genotoxic effects could also be assessed in situ in fish. To summarize, it can be stated that dilution reduces the ecotoxicological risk in the Yangtze River, but does not eliminate it. Keeping in mind an approximately 14 times greater water discharge compared to the major European river Rhine, the absolute pollution mass transfer of the Yangtze River is of severe concern for the environmental quality of its estuary and the East China Sea. Based on the review, further research needs have been identified.

A Focus on Problems of National Interest in the College General Chemistry Laboratory: The Effects of the Problem-Oriented Method Compared with Those of the Traditional Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neman, Robert Lynn

This study was designed to assess the effects of the problem-oriented method compared to those of the traditional approach in general chemistry at the college level. The problem-oriented course included topics such as air and water pollution, drug addiction and analysis, tetraethyl-lead additives, insecticides in the environment, and recycling of…

EPA, Notre Dame researchers discuss challenges in adopting DNA-based methods for monitoring invasive species in U.S. water bodies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

DNA-based technology helps people solve problems. It can be used to correctly match organ donors with recipients, identify victims of natural and man-made disasters, and detect bacteria and other organisms that may pollute air, soil, food, or water.

Alginate-based polysaccharide beads for cationic contaminant sorption from water

Treesearch

Mei Li; Thomas Elder; Gisela Buschle-Diller

2016-01-01

Massive amounts of agricultural and industrial water worldwide are polluted by different types of contaminants that harm the environment and impact human health. Removing the contaminants from effluents by adsorbent materials made from abundant, inexpensive polysaccharides is a feasible approach to deal with this problem. In this research, alginate beads combined with...

Studying the Water Cycle in an Environmental Context: The "Blue Planet" Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-zvi-assaraf, Orit; Orion, Nir

The Blue Planet program aims to develop an understanding of and insight into the environment among students by introducing environmental problems such as pollution. This paper presents a study investigating junior high school students' previous knowledge and understanding of environmental issues and perceptions on the nature of the water cycle.…

Improved Properties of Medium-Density Particleboard Manufactured from Saline Creeping Wild Rye and HDPE Plastic

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Creeping Wild Rye (CWR), Leymus triticoides, is a salt-tolerant perennial grass used for mitigating the problems of saltilization and alkalization in drainage irrigation water and soil to minimize potential pollution of water streams. In this study, CWR was used as a raw material to manufacture med...

Right practice, right place: A conservation planning toolbox for meeting water quality goals in the Corn Belt

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With increasing recognition that regional nutrient pollution problems will only be solved using edge-of-field and beyond-field practices, conservation planners now face the challenge of identifying the most appropriate practices and practice locations to deliver water quality outcomes. We have deve...

Emergy assessment of ecological compensation of groundwater overexploitation in Xuchang city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, C.; Ling, M.; Cao, Q.; Guo, X.

2017-12-01

In recent 30 years, the amount of groundwater extraction in China is increasing at a rate of 2.5 billion m3 per year. And the growing amount led to form a predatory exploitation in many parts, and caused serious exploitation problems, such as land subsidence, sea water intrusion, surface runoff reduction, vegetation decline, groundwater pollution, and so on. Ecological compensation of overexploitation has become an important mean to adjust the environmental benefits distribution relationship related to the groundwater system and to alleviate the problem of groundwater overexploitation. Based on the ecological economics emergy value theory and analysis method, the emergy loss value calculation method of eco-environmental problems caused by groundwater overexploitation, such as environmental land subsidence (collapse), salt (sea) water intrusion, surface runoff reduction, vegetation deterioration and groundwater pollution, is established, and the assessment method, which takes emergy loss value as the quantity of ecological compensation of groundwater overexploitation, is put forward. This method can reflect the disaster loss degree of groundwater overexploitation more intuitively, and it helps to improve, manage and restore a series of problems caused by groundwater overexploitation, construct a scientific and reasonable groundwater ecological compensation mechanism, and provide good ecological security for the sustainable and healthy development of national economy in our country. Taking Xuchang city as an application example, the results showed that the ecological economic loss of groundwater overexploitation was 109 million in 2015, accounting for 0.3% of the total GDP. Among them, the ecological economic loss of land subsidence is the largest, which was 77 million, accounting for 70.3% of the total loss, the second one is surface runoff reducing loss, which was 27 million, accounting for 24.7% of the total loss, and underground water pollution loss is the smallest, which was 5 million, accounting for only 5% of the total loss. To sum up, the ground subsidence is the most serious problem in many ecological environment problems caused by the groundwater overexploitation in Xuchang.

Contrasting Eutrophication Risks and Countermeasures in Different Water Bodies: Assessments to Support Targeted Watershed Management.

PubMed

Li, Tong; Chu, Chunli; Zhang, Yinan; Ju, Meiting; Wang, Yuqiu

2017-06-29

Eutrophication is a major problem in China. To combat this issue, the country needs to establish water quality targets, monitoring systems, and intelligent watershed management. This study explores a new watershed management method. Water quality is first assessed using a single factor index method. Then, changes in total nitrogen/total phosphorus (TN/TP) are analyzed to determine the limiting factor. Next, the study compares the eutrophication status of two water function districts, using a comprehensive nutritional state index method and geographic information system (GIS) visualization. Finally, nutrient sources are qualitatively analyzed. Two functional water areas in Tianjin, China were selected and analyzed: Qilihai National Wetland Nature Reserve and Yuqiao Reservoir. The reservoir is a drinking water source. Results indicate that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) pollution are the main factors driving eutrophication in the Qilihai Wetland and Yuqiao Reservoir. Phosphorus was the limiting factor in the Yuqiao Reservoir; nitrogen was the limiting factor in the Qilihai Wetland. Pollution in Qilihai Wetland is more serious than in Yuqiao Reservoir. The study found that external sources are the main source of pollution. These two functional water areas are vital for Tianjin; as such, the study proposes targeted management measures.

Application of ERTS-1 imagery in the Vermont-New York dispute over pollution of Lake Champlain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, A. O. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery and a composite map derived from ERTS-1 imagery were presented as evidence in a U.S. Supreme Court case involving the pollution of an interstate water body (Lake Champlain). A pollution problem generated by a large paper mill forms the basis of the suit (Vermont vs. International Paper Co. and State of New York) and ERTS-1 imagery shows the effluent pattern on the lake surface as extending into Vermont during three different times.

Complex organic pollutant mixtures originating from industrial and municipal emissions in surface waters of the megacity Jakarta-an example of a water pollution problem in emerging economies.

PubMed

Dsikowitzky, Larissa; Hagemann, Lukas; Dwiyitno; Ariyani, Farida; Irianto, Hari Eko; Schwarzbauer, Jan

2017-12-01

During the last decades, the global industrial production partly shifted from industrialized nations to emerging and developing countries. In these upcoming economies, the newly developed industrial centers are generally located in densely populated areas, resulting in the discharge of often only partially treated industrial and municipal wastewaters into the surface waters. There is a huge gap of knowledge about the composition of the complex organic pollutant mixtures occurring in such heavily impacted areas. Therefore, we applied a non-target screening to comprehensively assess river pollution in a large industrial area located in the megacity Jakarta. More than 100 structurally diverse organic contaminants were identified, some of which were reported here for the first time as environmental contaminants. The concentrations of paper manufacturing chemicals in river water-for example, of the endocrine-disrupting compound bisphenol A (50-8000 ng L -1 )-were as high as in pure untreated paper industry wastewaters. The non-target screening approach is the adequate tool for the identification of water contaminants in the new global centers of industrial manufacturing-as the first crucial step towards the evaluation of as yet unrecognized environmental risks.

Analysis of river pollution data from low-flow period by means of multivariate techniques: a case study from the oil-shale industry region, northeastern Estonia.

PubMed

Truu, Jaak; Heinaru, Eeva; Talpsep, Ene; Heinaru, Ain

2002-01-01

The oil-shale industry has created serious pollution problems in northeastern Estonia. Untreated, phenol-rich leachate from semi-coke mounds formed as a by-product of oil-shale processing is discharged into the Baltic Sea via channels and rivers. An exploratory analysis of water chemical and microbiological data sets from the low-flow period was carried out using different multivariate analysis techniques. Principal component analysis allowed us to distinguish different locations in the river system. The riverine microbial community response to water chemical parameters was assessed by co-inertia analysis. Water pH, COD and total nitrogen were negatively related to the number of biodegradative bacteria, while oxygen concentration promoted the abundance of these bacteria. The results demonstrate the utility of multivariate statistical techniques as tools for estimating the magnitude and extent of pollution based on river water chemical and microbiological parameters. An evaluation of river chemical and microbiological data suggests that the ambient natural attenuation mechanisms only partly eliminate pollutants from river water, and that a sufficient reduction of more recalcitrant compounds could be achieved through the reduction of wastewater discharge from the oil-shale chemical industry into the rivers.

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Shi, Huahong; Peng, Jinping; Wang, Yinghui; Xiong, Xiong; Wu, Chenxi; Lam, Paul K S

2018-07-15

The pollution of marine environments and inland waters by plastic debris has raised increasing concerns worldwide in recent years. China is the world's largest developing country and the largest plastic producer. In this review, we gather available information on microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems. The results show that microplastics are ubiquitous in the investigated inland water systems, and high microplastic abundances were observed in developed areas. Although similar sampling and analytical methods were used for microplastic research in inland water and marine systems, methods of investigation should be standardized in the future. The characteristics of the detected microplastics suggest secondary sources as their major sources. The biological and ecological effects of microplastics have been demonstrated, but their risks are difficult to determine at this stage due to the discrepancy between the field-collected microplastics and microplastics used in ecotoxicological studies. Although many laws and regulations have already been established to manage and control plastic waste in China, the implementation of these laws and regulations has been ineffective and sometimes difficult. Several research priorities are identified, and we suggest that the Chinese government should be more proactive in tackling plastic pollution problems to protect the environment and fulfill international responsibilities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The long road to improving the water quality of the Western Bug River (Ukraine) - A multi-scale analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagemann, N.; Blumensaat, F.; Tavares Wahren, F.; Trümper, J.; Burmeister, C.; Moynihan, R.; Scheifhacken, N.

2014-11-01

River basin management (RMB) was introduced to combat high levels of water pollution across Ukraine. The Western Bug River provides an example of how water quality is impacted by industrial and domestic wastewater discharges as well as pollution from agriculture and mining activities. The paper draws from a broader interdisciplinary study which aims to outline the sources of pollution within the upper Western Bug River catchment and identify the driving institutional forces behind this enduring environmental problem. The results of this study show that the administrative and spatial scales concerning river catchment management in the Western Bug River basin are not aligned. Furthermore, the temporal scale is often conflicting with the two above mentioned scales. The current political and financial situation of the State, as well as outdated administrative structures hinders effective water governance and results in low water quality. Despite these findings, there is also some evidence that in the longer term the RBM approach could succeed in the Western Bug River, especially if political and legal reforms are properly implemented and enforced.

Cartographic modelling of aerotechnogenic pollution in snow cover in the landscapes of the Kola Peninsula.

PubMed

Ratkin, N E; Asming, V E; Koshkin, V V

2001-01-01

The goal of this work was to develop computational techniques for sulphates, nickel and copper accumulation in the snow in the local pollution zone. The main task was to reveal the peculiarities of formation and pollution of snow cover on the region with complex cross-relief. A digital cartographic model of aerotechnogenic pollution of snow cover in the landscapes of the local zone has been developed, based on five-year experimental data. Data regarding annual emissions from the industrial complex, information about distribution of wind and the sum of precipitation from meteostation "Nikel" for the winter period, allowed the model to ensure: * material presentation in the form of maps of water capacity and accumulation of sulphates, nickel and copper in the snow over any winter period in retrospective; * calculation of water capacity and accumulation of pollutants for watersheds and other natural-territorial complexes; * solution of the opposite problem about the determination of the emissions of sulphates, nickel and copper from the enterprise by measuring snow pollution in datum points. The model can be used in other northern regions of the Russian Federation with similar physical-geographical and climatic conditions. The relationships between the sum of precipitation and water capacity in the landscapes of the same type and also the relationships between pollution content in snow and relief, pollution content in snow and distance from the source of emissions, were used as the basis for the model.

Remediation of biochar on heavy metal polluted soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuguang; Xu, Yan; Norbu, Namkha; Wang, Zhan

2018-01-01

Unreasonable mining and smelting of mineral resources, solid waste disposal, sewage irrigation, utilization of pesticides and fertilizers would result in a large number of heavy metal pollutants into the water and soil environment, causing serious damage to public health and ecological safety. In recent years, a majority of scholars tried to use biochar to absorb heavy metal pollutants, which has some advantages of extensive raw material sources, low-cost and high environmental stability. This paper reviewed the definition, properties of biochar, the mechanism of heavy metal sorption by biochar and some related problems and prospects, to provide some technical support for the application of biochar into heavy metal polluted soils.

Ground-water program in Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

LaMoreaux, P.E.

1955-01-01

Several recent years of drought have emphasized the importance of Alabama's ground-water supplies, a matter of concern to us all.  So far we have been blessed in Alabama with ample ground-water, although a combination of increased use, waste, pollution, and drought has brought about critical local water shortages.  These problems serve as a fair warning of what lies ahead if we do not take the necessary steps to obtan adequate knowledge of our ground-water resources.

Study on ecological regulation of coastal plain sluice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Wengong; Geng, Bing; Yu, Huanfei; Yu, Hongbo

2018-02-01

Coastal plains are densely populated and economically developed, therefore their importance is self-evident. However, there are some problems related with water in coastal plains, such as low flood control capacity and severe water pollution. Due to complicated river network hydrodynamic force, changeable flow direction and uncertain flood concentration and propagation mechanism, it is rather difficult to use sluice scheduling to realize flood control and tackle water pollution. On the base of the measured hydrological data during once-in-a-century Fitow typhoon in 2013 in Yuyao city, by typical analysis, theoretical analysis and process simulation, some key technologies were researched systematically including plain river network sluice ecological scheduling, “one tide” flood control and drainage scheduling and ecological running water scheduling. In the end, single factor health diagnostic evaluation, unit hydrograph of plain water level and evening tide scheduling were put forward.

Integrated systems analysis of persistent polar pollutants in the water cycle.

PubMed

van der Voet, E; Nikolic, I; Huppes, G; Kleijn, R

2004-01-01

Persistent polar pollutants (P3) are difficult to degrade in standard waste water treatment plants. As a result, they end up in the effluent and are emitted to the surface water. In some areas, this problem is aggravated through "closed loop recycling", causing concentrations of P3 in surface water to build up over time. This could cause violation of (future) EU regulations. In the P-THREE project, various alternative waste water treatment techniques are investigated regarding their effectiveness in eliminating these substances, especially membrane bioreactor treatment and advanced oxidation processes, MBR and AOP. The integrated systems analysis which is the subject of this paper assesses these techniques in a broader systems context: (1) the life-cycle of the P3, (2) the life cycle of the WWTPs, and (3) the WWTP life cycle costs.

Evaluation of spatial and temporal water quality in the Akkaya dam watershed (Niğde, Turkey) and management implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaşar Korkanç, Selma; Kayıkçı, Sedef; Korkanç, Mustafa

2017-05-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the water pollution in the Akkaya Dam watershed spatially and temporally and put forward management suggestions in a watershed scale. For this purpose, monthly water sampling was performed from 11 sampling stations on streams that fed the dam. According to land surveys they have a potential to inflict pollution to the dam. Thus the physical and chemical parameters (i.e. pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, temperature, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and suspended solids) were monitored monthly for 1-year period. Chloride, sulfate, total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate were monitored for a 6-month period, and the results were evaluated in accordance with the Turkish Regulation of Surface Water Quality Management. Results of the study show that the most important reasons for the pollution in the dam are caused by domestic and industrial wastewaters, which were released to the system without being treated, or without being sufficiently treated, and also of agricultural activities. It was determined that electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, nitrite, nitrate, total nitrogen, sulfate, and chloride parameters which were high at the sampling stations where domestic and industrial wastewaters discharge were present. pH and temperature demonstrate a difference at a significant level by seasons. As a result of the study, it was determined that the water was of IVth quality in terms of nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, and total nitrogen, and it was of IIIrd quality water with respect to ammonium, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. It was observed that the dam outflow water was of IVth quality with respect to nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, and total nitrogen, and of IIIrd quality with respect to dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity. It is considered that the pollution problem in the Akkaya Dam can only be resolved with prevention studies on a watershed scale. Therefore, coordination between the institutions is necessary. The preparation for the integrated water management plan of the watershed will provide a significant contribution to the solution of the water quality problem.

Spatiotemporal patterns and source attribution of nitrogen pollution in a typical headwater agricultural watershed in Southeastern China.

PubMed

Chen, Wenjun; He, Bin; Nover, Daniel; Duan, Weili; Luo, Chuan; Zhao, Kaiyan; Chen, Wen

2018-01-01

Excessive nitrogen (N) discharge from agriculture causes widespread problems in aquatic ecosystems. Knowledge of spatiotemporal patterns and source attribution of N pollution is critical for nutrient management programs but is poorly studied in headwaters with various small water bodies and mini-point pollution sources. Taking a typical small watershed in the low mountains of Southeastern China as an example, N pollution and source attribution were studied for a multipond system around a village using the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) model. The results exhibited distinctive spatio-seasonal variations with an overall seriousness rank for the three indicators: total nitrogen (TN) > nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NO x - -N) > ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N), according to the Chinese Surface Water Quality Standard. TN pollution was severe for the entire watershed, while NO x - -N pollution was significant for ponds and ditches far from the village, and the NH 3 -N concentrations were acceptable except for the ponds near the village in summer. Although food and cash crop production accounted for the largest source of N loads, we discovered that mini-point pollution sources, including animal feeding operations, rural residential sewage, and waste, together contributed as high as 47% of the TN and NH 3 -N loads in ponds and ditches. So, apart from eco-fertilizer programs and concentrated animal feeding operations, the importance of environmental awareness building for resource management is highlighted for small farmers in headwater agricultural watersheds. As a first attempt to incorporate multipond systems into the process-based modeling of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, this work can inform other hydro-environmental studies on scattered and small water bodies. The results are also useful to water quality improvement for entire river basins.

The Basin of Mexico and its metropolitan area: water abstraction and related environmental problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Morán, T.; Rodríguez, R.; Cortes, S. A.

1999-11-01

The Basin of Mexico is a closed basin of lacustrine character, with an average elevation of 2200 m above sea level. The watershed covers a vast extension in five states. Mexico City and its metropolitan area are located within this basin. The aquifer system is the main source of water supply for more than 20 million people. Water consumption is about 60 m 3/s. The aquifer supplies about 43 m 3/s from around 1000 wells at 70-200 m depth. Pumping policies have generated subsidence and degradation of the ground water quality in the Basin of Mexico The lacustrian clay layers play an important role in the local hydrogeology, protecting the aquifer from pollution, but the transition and piedmont areas are highly vulnerable to surface pollutants.

Public Health Viewpoint

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zavon, Mitchell R.

1970-01-01

To improve the general environment, the author stresses the need to preserve and protect our natural resources of water, air, and food. The problems of population growth, radiation hazards, pesticides, noise pollution, and waste disposal are also discussed. Bibliographies. (LC)

Fabrication of Novel Magnetic Nanoparticles of Multifunctionality for Water Decontamination.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaolin; Qian, Jieshu; Pan, Bingcai

2016-01-19

Efficient and powerful water purifiers are in increasing need because we are facing a more and more serious problem of water pollution. Here, we demonstrate the design of versatile magnetic nanoadsorbents (M-QAC) that exhibit excellent disinfection and adsorption performances at the same time. The M-QAC is constructed by a Fe3O4 core surrounded by a polyethylenimine-derived corona. When dispersed in water, the M-QAC particles are able to interact simultaneously with multiple contaminants, including pathogens and heavy metallic cations and anions, in minutes. Subsequently, the M-QACs along with those contaminants can be easily removed and recollected by using a magnet. Meanwhile, the mechanisms of disinfection are investigated by using TEM and SEM, and the adsorption mechanisms are analyzed by XPS. In a practical application, M-QACs are applied to polluted river water 8000-fold greater in mass, producing clean water with the concentrations of all major pollutants below the drinking water standard of China. The adsorption ability of M-QAC could be regenerated for continuous use in a facile manner. With more virtues, such as low-cost fabrication and easy scaling up, the M-QAC have been shown to be a very promising multifunctional water purifier with rational design and to have great potential for real water purification applications.

Using phytoremediation technologies to upgrade waste water treatment in Europe.

PubMed

Schröder, Peter; Navarro-Aviñó, Juan; Azaizeh, Hassan; Goldhirsh, Avi Golan; DiGregorio, Simona; Komives, Tamas; Langergraber, Günter; Lenz, Anton; Maestri, Elena; Memon, Abdul R; Ranalli, Alfonso; Sebastiani, Luca; Smrcek, Stanislav; Vanek, Tomas; Vuilleumier, Stephane; Wissing, Frieder

2007-11-01

One of the burning problems of our industrial society is the high consumption of water and the high demand for clean drinking water. Numerous approaches have been taken to reduce water consumption, but in the long run it seems only possible to recycle waste water into high quality water. It seems timely to discuss alternative water remediation technologies that are fit for industrial as well as less developed countries to ensure a high quality of drinking water throughout Europe. The present paper discusses a range of phytoremediation technologies to be applied in a modular approach to integrate and improve the performance of existing wastewater treatment, especially towards the emerging micro pollutants, i.e. organic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This topic is of global relevance for the EU. Existing technologies for waste water treatment do not sufficiently address increasing pollution situation, especially with the growing use of organic pollutants in the private household and health sector. Although some crude chemical approaches exist, such as advanced oxidation steps, most waste water treatment plants will not be able to adopt them. The same is true for membrane technologies. Incredible progress has been made during recent years, thus providing us with membranes of longevity and stability and, at the same time, high filtration capacity. However, these systems are expensive and delicate in operation, so that the majority of communities will not be able to afford them. Combinations of different phytoremediation technologies seem to be most promising to solve this burning problem. To quantify the occurrence and the distribution of micropollutants, to evaluate their effects, and to prevent them from passing through wastewater collection and treatment systems into rivers, lakes and ground water bodies represents an urgent task for applied environmental sciences in the coming years. Public acceptance of green technologies is generally higher than that of industrial processes. The EU should stimulate research to upgrade existing waste water treatment by implementing phytoremediation modules and demonstrating their reliability to the public.

Theory of spectral radiance of pollutants at sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Remote measurement of soluble pollutants that change the color of the water in the sea is reported. The sensor is a spectral radiometer that flies over the polluted area and compares its spectral radiance to that of surrounding clean seawater. A quantitative analysis of the concentration of pollutants using the measured radiance of the sea compared to laboratory measurements of reflection and transmission spectra of the pollutants is presented. The quantities involved are defined and means for measuring them are described. The equations for remote sensing with a low-flying aircraft, in which case the absorption and radiance of intervening air is negligible are derived. High-flying aircraft and satellites, in which case the radiance of intervening air is the major problem are applied.

Managing storm water at airports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halm, M.J.

1996-09-01

Airports are active facilities with numerous on-going operations at their sites. The following operations may adversely affect the water quality of nearby aquatic environments: De-icing runways; de-icing taxiways; de-icing and anti-icing aircraft; aircraft maintenance; and salt de-icer application. Until the amendments to the Clean Water Act of 1972, referred to as the Water Quality Act of 1987, were passed by Congress, the majority of storm water discharges in the US were unregulated. The Water Quality Act of 1987 was promulgated as an effort to manage the pollution resulting from storm water runoff. Many industrial facilities, especially airports, were faced withmore » complex problems in attempting to comply with these new federal regulations. National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for airports with more than 50,000 flight operations per year require periodic monitoring of receiving waters and storm sewer outfalls. The federal government has given states jurisdiction in issuing NPDES permits for storm water discharges. States may require composite or grab samples.« less

Application of universal kriging for prediction pollutant using GStat R

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Falah, Annisa; Subartini, Betty; Nurani Ruchjana, Budi

2017-10-01

In the universe, the air and water is a natural resource that is a very big function for living beings. The air is a gas mixture contained in a layer that surrounds the earth and the components of the gas mixture is not always constant. Also in river there is always a pollutant of chemistry concentration more than concentration limit. During the time a lot of air or water pollution caused by industrial waste, coal ash or chemistry pollution is an example of pollution that can pollute the environment and damage the health of humans. To solve this problem we need a method that is able to predict pollutant content in locations that are not observed. In geostatistics, we can use the universal kriging for prediction in a location that unobserved locations. Universal kriging is an interpolation method that has a tendency trend (drift) or a particular valuation method used to deal with non-stationary sample data. GStat R is a program based on open source R software that can be used to predict pollutant in a location that is not observed by the method of universal kriging. In this research, we predicted river pollutant content using trend (drift) equation of first order. GStat R application program in the prediction of river pollutants provides faster computation, more accurate, convenient and can be used as a recommendation for policy makers in the field of environment.

[Contents of macromineral and trace elements in spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) from France, Chad, Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic].

PubMed

Vicat, Jean-Paul; Doumnang Mbaigane, Jean-Claude; Bellion, Yves

2014-01-01

Data on mineral elements in spirulinas being limited, we analyzed macrominerals and trace elements of samples from France and Africa. Spirulinas cultivated in France have a composition in macromineral elements similar to those of the literature. The entire contents of trace elements are low. Unlike marine cyanobacteria, they do not concentrate rare-earth elements. Spirulina harvested in Chad has high levels in macrominerals and trace elements, due to traditional drying and harvesting methods. Rare-earth element levels are attributed to this pollution and not to their concentration in spirulinas, because rare-earth element normalized profiles of spirulina are strictly parallel to those of ouadis mud and very different from those of ouadis water. Despite the sometimes high content of total As, normal water consumption in Chad presents no health problems. Spirulinas grown in Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic have chemical compositions similar to those of Chad spirulinas, but with a lower content of macromineral and trace elements, reflecting a lower mineral pollution. Rare-earth element normalized patterns dismiss an aeolian pollution and the pollution is rather of pedological origin. They show no toxicity problem except spirulinas from Burkina-Faso, whose Pb content is too high. The variability of composition of spirulinas can be largely attributed to the mineral pollution of the samples. Significant levels of rare-earth elements sometimes found in the literature reflect this pollution. Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Managing the drinking water catchment areas: the French agricultural cooperatives feed back.

PubMed

Charrière, Séverine; Aumond, Claire

2016-06-01

The quality of raw water is problematic in France, largely polluted by nitrates and pesticides (Mueller and Helsel, Nutrients in the nation's waters-too much of a good thing? Geological Survey (U.S.), 1996; European Environment Agency, European waters-assessment of status and pressures, 2012).This type of pollution, even though not always due to agriculture (example of the catchment of Ambleville, county 95, France where the nitrate pollution is mainly due to sewers (2012)), has been largely related to the agricultural practices (Sci Total Environ 407:6034-6043, 2009).Taking note of this observation, and instead of letting it paralyze their actions, the agricultural cooperatives decided with Agrosolutions to act directly on the field with their subscribers to change the agricultural practices impacting the water and the environment.This article shows how the French agricultural cooperatives transformed the awareness of the raw water quality problem into an opportunity for the development and implementation of more precise and responsible practices, to protect their environment. They measure in order to pilot, co-construct and build the best action plans possible according to the three pillars of environment, economy and agronomy.

MANAGEMENT OF COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW: RESEARCH PROGRAM CAPSTONE

EPA Science Inventory

Combined-sewer overflow (CSO) is a mixture of urban storm drainage, municipal-industrial wastewater, and subterranean infiltration. Untreated discharges of CSOs have caused substantial pollution impacts on the quality of receiving-water bodies. Problem constituents include visi...

MANAGEMENT OF COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW RESEARCH PROGRAM CAPSTONE

EPA Science Inventory

Combined-sewer overflow (CSO) is a mixture of urban storm drainage, municipal-industrial wastewater, and subterranean infiltration. Untreated discharges of CSOs have caused substantial pollution impacts on the quality of receiving-water bodies. Problem constituents include ...

Environmental impact of leachate characteristics on water quality.

PubMed

Cumar, Sampath Kumar Mandyam; Nagaraja, Balasubramanya

2011-07-01

Improper urbanization and industrialization are causing a critical stress on groundwater quality in urban areas of the developing countries. The present study under investigation describes the pollution caused by leachate from a waste management site in southwestern Bangalore city causing pollution of the surface water and groundwater reserves. The characterization of 20 groundwater samples and Haralukunte lake sample indicated high pollution of these water reserves by leachate entry into the groundwater and surface water sources. The study area focuses around the solid waste management site, carrying out bio-composting and vermi-composting of municipal solid waste. Further investigations on the severe health problems faced by the public in the study area has revealed a clear pointer towards the usage of polluted water for rearing live-stock, farming, and domestic activities. The characterization of the leachate with high values of BOD at 1,450 mg/l, TDS at 17,200 mg/l, nitrates at 240 mg/l, and MPN at 545/100 ml indicates a clear nuisance potential, which has been substantiated by the characterization of lake water sample with chlorides at 3,400 mg/l, TDS at 8,020 mg/l, and lead and cadmium at 0.18 and 0.08 mg/l, respectively. Analysis of groundwater samples shows alarming physicochemical values closer to the waste disposal site and relatively reduced values away from the source of the waste management site. Bureau of Indian Standards have been adapted as the benchmark for the analysis and validation of observed water quality criteria.

Water quality assessment of highly polluted rivers in a semi-arid Mediterranean zone Oued Fez and Sebou River (Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrin, J. L.; Raïs, N.; Chahinian, N.; Moulin, P.; Ijjaali, M.

2014-03-01

Oued Fez (one of the Sebou River tributaries - Morocco) allowed us to study and quantify the effect of the lack of wastewater treatment on surface water quality in semi-arid hydrological context. The analysis is based on field data collected from June 2009 to December 2011. Concentration and load patterns of nitrogen, phosphorus and chromium (used in the processing of leather) are compared in stable hydrological conditions during low flow and high flow periods in an eight-location sampling network. The Oued Fez and the Sebou River are characterised by severe pollution downstream from the city of Fez, particularly TN (mainly NH4 and Norg), TP (mainly Ppart) and TCr. The most polluted sites are those directly under the influence of domestic and industrial waste water inputs, particularly tannery effluents. Obviously, the concentrations measured at these locations are above all environmental quality standards. Pollutant loads are very heavy in the Sebou River and can contaminate the river course for kilometres. Moreover, as the water of the Sebou River is used for the irrigation of vegetables, serious problems of public health could arise. A better understanding of contaminant dynamics and self-purifying processes in these rivers will help implement actions and steps aimed at improving water quality in the Sebou River, which is the primary water supply source in Morocco and is used for agricultural and industrials purposes as well as for drinking water.

Use of geophysical methods in man-made hazard management strategies. Case study from Ploiesti city, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chitea, F.; Anghelache, M. A.; Ioane, D.

2010-05-01

Identification of damages/changes that are affecting the underground water quality due to the effect of anthropogenic activities is often done after environmental problems have become evident, water potability being strongly affected. In this paper we will discuss the necessity of implementing non-invasive and non-destructive investigation tools in different parts of the management plan for urban areas affected or with high risk of being affected by man-made hazards. Geophysical investigations represent nowadays a useful tool in environmental problems that affect soil and underground water in urban areas, as useful information can be obtained regarding the following aspects: - detection of affected areas, especially when the effect or hazard sources are not visible at the surface - zonation of the area (severely affected zone or less affected) - investigation of the area (details on affected surface and affected soil depth) - location of "hidden" sources (illegal waste dump sites, petroleum transport or transfer pipes, etc) - estimation of soil and underground damages by monitoring petrophysical markers - risk evaluation (estimations on the direction and speed of environmental problems development, estimations of amplifying negative effects) - recovery from the man-made hazard of a certain area (monitoring information can give information about natural attenuation of the environmental problems or efficacy of resilience program) - preparedness for man-made hazards (prediction). Functionality of the above mentioned plans of geophysical applicability in identifying and characterizing the effect of anthropogenic hazards which affect soil and underground water quality has been tested in Ploiesti city, Romania. In this urban area, as well as in surrounding villages, water potability is severely affected because of the oil-products contamination caused by the refinery facilities developed in the area. Oil-contamination is a major problem environmental problem, due to the fact that affected area is continuously expanding as a consequence of contaminant transport by the underground water. Hydrogeologically the research area is located in the alluvium of one of the main hydrostructures of Romania, which holds important water resources. Preliminary investigations made in the Ploiesti city area, has shown the high vulnerability of the aquifer to pollution and it was detected a highly contaminated area. By detailed investigations made using geophysical investigations in the test-zone, it was possible the detection of the presence of the particular type of pollutants and a map with area zonation has been produced. Appliance of geophysical investigations in environmental strategies concerning underground water pollution should be added to the ones obtained by direct investigations for risk evaluation and remediation strategies in cases of man made hazards. Acknowledgements: The research was performed with financial support from MENER (project nr. 725/ 2006) and CNCSIS-UEFISCU (project nr. 244/2007)

Environmental health program activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergtholdt, C. P.

1969-01-01

Activities reported include studies on toxic air contaminants, excessive noise, poor lighting, food sanitation, water pollution, and exposure to nonionizing radiation as health hazards. Formulations for a radiological health manual provide guidance to personnel in the procurement and safe handling of radiation producing equipment and Apollo mission planning. A literature search and development of a water analysis laboratory are outlined to obtain information regarding microbiological problems involving potable water, waste management, and personal hygiene.

Report on Survey Investigation Flood Control and Allied Purposes Along Those Streams That Flow Through Camden County, New Jersey into Delaware River.

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-06-01

Recreation Water pollution Delaware River Sewage disposal N Navi ation ABSTRACT ( R ,..-,- "war .04 ,, 09e -, Identifby block numb.,) The problems of water...characteristics ....... ..... . ...... 2 Land use and development .. ....... . . , 3 Water supply ................. .* 8 Sewage disposal...AND SURROUNDING AREA . . . * * 19 8 SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT ON NORTH BRANCH PENNSAKEN CREEK FLOOD PLAIN ...... . . 21 9 DEBRIS IN POCACK CREEK

Exposure to air pollution and self-reported effects on Chinese students: A case study of 13 megacities.

PubMed

Rajper, Sohail Ahmed; Ullah, Sana; Li, Zhongqiu

2018-01-01

Air pollution causes severe physical and psychological health complications. Considering China's continuously-deteriorating air quality, this study aimed to assess the self-reported effects of air pollution on the behavior and physical health of the students of 13 densely populated cities, and their awareness, practices, and perception of air pollution and its associated public health risks. A detailed, closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 2100 students from 54 universities and schools across China. The questionnaire, which had 24 questions, was categorized into four sections. The first two sections were focused on air pollution-associated behavior and psychology, and physical effects; while the final two sections focused on the subjects' awareness and perceptions, and practices and concerns about air pollution. The respondents reported that long-term exposure to air pollution had significantly affected their psychology and behavior, as well as their physical health. The respondents were aware of the different adverse impacts of air pollution (respiratory infections, allergies, and cardiovascular problems), and hence had adopted different preventive measures, such as the use of respiratory masks and glasses or goggles, regularly drinking water, and consuming rich foods. It was concluded that air pollution and haze had negative physical and psychological effects on the respondents, which led to severe changes in behavior. Proper management, future planning, and implementing strict environmental laws are suggested before this problem worsens and becomes life-threatening.

The quality of raw water for drinking water unit in Jakarta-Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidabutar, Noni Valeria; Hartono, Djoko M.; Soesilo, Tri Edhi Budhi; Hutapea, Reynold C.

2017-03-01

Water problems, i.e quality, quantity, continuity of clean water faced by the mostly urban area. Jakarta also faces similar issues, because the needs of society higher than the number of water fulfilled by the government. Moreover, Jakarta's water quality does not meet the standard set by the Government and heavily polluted by anthropogenic activities along its rivers. This research employs a quantitative research approach with the mix-method. It examines the raw water quality status for drinking water in West Tarum Canalin 2011-2015. The research results show water quality with this research, using water quality of with the water categorized as heavily-polluted category based on the Ministry of Environment's Decree No 115/2003 regarding the Guidelines for Determination of Water Quality Status. This present research also shown the water quality (parameters pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)) from Jatiluhur Dam to the intake drinking water unit. In thirteen points of sampling also, the results obtained the parameters DO, COD, and BOD are fluctuating and exceed the standard.

Ammonia, phosphate, phenol, and copper(II) removal from aqueous solution by subsurface and surface flow constructed wetland.

PubMed

Mojiri, Amin; Ahmad, Zakiah; Tajuddin, Ramlah Mohd; Arshad, Mohd Fadzil; Gholami, Ali

2017-07-01

Water pollution is a global problem. During current study, ammonia, phosphate, phenol, and copper(II) were removed from aqueous solution by subsurface and surface flow constructed wetland. In current investigation, distilled water was polluted with four contaminants including ammonia, phosphate, copper (Cu), and phenol. Response surface methodology and central composite design were applied to optimize pollutant removal during treatment by subsurface flow constructed wetland (SSFCW). Contact time (12 to 80 h) and initial pollutant concentration (20 to 85 mg/L) were selected as independent factors; some upper and lower ranges were also monitored for accuracy. In SSFCW, water hyacinth transplanted in two substrate layers, namely zeolite and cockle shell. SSFCW removed 87.7, 81.4, 74.7, and 54.9% of ammonia, phosphate, Cu, and phenol, respectively, at optimum contact time (64.5 h) and initial pollutant concentration (69.2 mg/L). Aqueous solution was moved to a surface flow constructed wetland (SFCW) after treating via SSFCW at optimum conditions. In SFCW, Typha was transplanted to a fixed powdered substrate layer, including bentonite, zeolite, and cockle shell. SFCW could develop performance of this combined system and could improve elimination efficacy of the four contaminants to 99.99%. So this combined CW showed a good performance in removing pollutants. Graphical abstract Wetlands arrangement for treating aqueous solution in current study.

Mapping the Indonesian territory, based on pollution, social demography and geographical data, using self organizing feature map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernawati, Kuswari; Insani, Nur; Bambang S. H., M.; Nur Hadi, W.; Sahid

2017-08-01

This research aims to mapping the 33 (thirty-three) provinces in Indonesia, based on the data on air, water and soil pollution, as well as social demography and geography data, into a clustered model. The method used in this study was unsupervised method that combines the basic concept of Kohonen or Self-Organizing Feature Maps (SOFM). The method is done by providing the design parameters for the model based on data related directly/ indirectly to pollution, which are the demographic and social data, pollution levels of air, water and soil, as well as the geographical situation of each province. The parameters used consists of 19 features/characteristics, including the human development index, the number of vehicles, the availability of the plant's water absorption and flood prevention, as well as geographic and demographic situation. The data used were secondary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia. The data are mapped into SOFM from a high-dimensional vector space into two-dimensional vector space according to the closeness of location in term of Euclidean distance. The resulting outputs are represented in clustered grouping. Thirty-three provinces are grouped into five clusters, where each cluster has different features/characteristics and level of pollution. The result can used to help the efforts on prevention and resolution of pollution problems on each cluster in an effective and efficient way.

Pollution Status of Pakistan: A Retrospective Review on Heavy Metal Contamination of Water, Soil, and Vegetables

PubMed Central

Arshad, Jahanzaib; Iqbal, Farhat; Sajjad, Ashif; Mehmood, Zahid

2014-01-01

Trace heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. In addition to these metals, copper, manganese, iron, and zinc are also important trace micronutrients. The presence of trace heavy metals in the atmosphere, soil, and water can cause serious problems to all organisms, and the ubiquitous bioavailability of these heavy metal can result in bioaccumulation in the food chain which especially can be highly dangerous to human health. This study reviews the heavy metal contamination in several areas of Pakistan over the past few years, particularly to assess the heavy metal contamination in water (ground water, surface water, and waste water), soil, sediments, particulate matter, and vegetables. The listed contaminations affect the drinking water quality, ecological environment, and food chain. Moreover, the toxicity induced by contaminated water, soil, and vegetables poses serious threat to human health. PMID:25276818

Worldwide Report, Environmental Quality, No. 407.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-02

drought, according to Jose de Jesus Vargas, head of District 3, who added that as a result, milk and meat production in the region will drop. He...POLLUTION PROBLEMS Cairo AL-’UMMAL in Arabic 13 Jun 83 p 2 [Article: "Protect Houses, Factories, Schools and Hospitals From Pollution; A National Board...water meters in houses, government agencies, schools and hospitals . Those operating in these areas should assume the cost of consumption, and this

Problems of reliability and economy work of thermal power plants water treatment based on baromembrane technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chichirova, N. D.; Chichirov, A. A.; Saitov, S. R.

2017-11-01

The introduction of baromembrane water treatment technologies for water desalination at Russian thermal power plants was beganed more than 25 years ago. These technologies have demonstrated their definite advantage over the traditional technologies of additional water treatment for steam boilers. However, there are problems associated with the reliability and economy of their work. The first problem is a large volume of waste water (up to 60% of the initial water). The second problem a expensive and unique chemical reagents complex (biocides, antiscalants, washing compositions) is required for units stable and troublefree operation. Each manufacturer develops his own chemical composition for a certain membrane type. This leads to a significant increase in reagents cost, as well as creates dependence of the technology consumer on the certain supplier. The third problem is that the reliability of the baromembrane units depends directly on the water preliminary treatment. The popular pre-cleaning technology with coagulation of aluminum oxychloride proves to be unacceptable during seasonal changes in the quality of the source water at a number of stations. As a result, pollution, poisoning and lesion of the membrane structure or deterioration of their mechanical properties are observed. The report presents ways to solve these problems.

Environmental health in China: challenges to achieving clean air and safe water

PubMed Central

Zhang, Junfeng (Jim); Mauzerall, Denise L.; Zhu, Tong; Liang, Song; Ezzati, Majid; Remais, Justin

2014-01-01

The health effects of environmental risks, especially those of air and water pollution, remain a major source of morbidity and mortality in China. Biomass fuel and coal are routinely burned for cooking and heating in almost all rural and many urban households resulting in severe indoor air pollution that contributes greatly to the burden of disease. Many communities lack access to safe drinking water and santiation, and thus the risk of waterborne disease in many regions remains high. At the same time, China is rapidly industrializing with associated increases in energy use and industrial waste. While economic growth resulting from industrialization has improved health and quality of life indicators in China, it has also increased the incidence of environmental disasters and the release of chemical toxins into the environment, with severe impacts on health. Air quality in China's cities is among the worst in the world and industrial water pollution has become a widespread health hazard. Moreover, emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases from energy use are rapidly increasing. Global climate change will inevitably intensify China's environmental health problems, with potentially catastrophic outcomes from major shifts in temperature and precipitation. Facing the overlap of traditional, modern, and emerging environmental problems, China has committed substantial resources to environmental improvement. China has the opportunity to both address its national environmental health challenges and to assume a central role in the international effort to improve the global environment. PMID:20346817

Mercury and gold concentrations of highly polluted environmental samples determined using prompt gamma-ray analysis and instrument neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osawa, Takahito; Hatsukawa, Yuichi; Appel, Peter W. U.; Matsue, Hideaki

2011-04-01

The authors have established a method of determining mercury and gold in severely polluted environmental samples using prompt gamma-ray analysis (PGA) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Since large amounts of mercury are constantly being released into the environment by small-scale gold mining in many developing countries, the mercury concentration in tailings and water has to be determined to mitigate environmental pollution. Cold-vapor atomic absorption analysis, the most pervasive method of mercury analysis, is not suitable because tailings and water around mining facilities have extremely high mercury concentrations. On the other hand, PGA can determine high mercury concentrations in polluted samples as it has an appropriate level of sensitivity. Moreover, gold concentrations can be determined sequentially by using INAA after PGA. In conclusion, the analytical procedure established in this work using PGA and INAA is the best way to evaluate the degree of pollution and the tailing resource value. This method will significantly contribute to mitigating problems in the global environment.

Groundwater Pollution and Vulnerability Assessment.

PubMed

Kurwadkar, Sudarshan

2017-10-01

Groundwater is a critical resource that serve as a source of drinking water to large human population and, provide long-term water for irrigation purposes. In recent years; however, this precious resource being increasingly threatened, due to natural and anthropogenic activities. A variety of contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds, endocrine disruptors, and biological agents detected in the groundwater sources of both developing and developed nations. In this review paper, various studies have been included that documented instances of groundwater pollution and vulnerability to emerging contaminants of concern, pesticides, heavy metals, and leaching potential of various organic and inorganic contaminants from poorly managed residual waste products (biosolids, landfills, latrines, and septic tanks etc.). Understanding vulnerability of groundwater to pollution is critical to maintain the integrity of groundwater. A section on managed artificial recharge studies is included to highlight the sustainable approaches to groundwater conservation, replenishment and sustainability. This review paper is the synthesis of studies published in last one year that either documented the pollution problems or evaluated the vulnerability of groundwater pollution.

Turning the volume down on heavy metals using tuned diatomite. A review of diatomite and modified diatomite for the extraction of heavy metals from water.

PubMed

Danil de Namor, Angela F; El Gamouz, Abdelaziz; Frangie, Sofia; Martinez, Vanina; Valiente, Liliana; Webb, Oliver A

2012-11-30

Contamination of water by heavy metals is a global problem, to which an inexpensive and simple solution is required. Within this context the unique properties of diatomite and its abundance in many regions of the world have led to the current widespread interest in this material for water purification purposes. Defined sections on articles published on the use of raw and modified diatomite for the removal of heavy metal pollutants from water are critically reviewed. The capability of the materials as extracting agents for individual species and mixtures of heavy metals are considered in terms of the kinetics, the thermodynamics and the recyclability for both, the pollutant and the extracting material. The concept of 'selectivity' for the enrichment of naturally occurring materials such as diatomite through the introduction of suitable functionalities in their structure to target a given pollutant is emphasised. Suggestions for further research in this area are given. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceutical grey water footprint: Accounting, influence of wastewater treatment plants and implications of the reuse.

PubMed

Martínez-Alcalá, Isabel; Pellicer-Martínez, Francisco; Fernández-López, Carmen

2018-05-15

Emerging pollutants, including pharmaceutical compounds, are producing water pollution problems around the world. Some pharmaceutical pollutants, which mainly reach ecosystems within wastewater discharges, are persistent in the water cycle and can also reach the food chain. This work addresses this issue, accounting the grey component of the water footprint (GWF P ) for four of the most common pharmaceutical compounds (carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF), ketoprofen (KTP) and naproxen (NPX)). In addition, the GWF C for the main conventional pollutants is also accounted (nitrate, phosphates and organic matter). The case study is the Murcia Region of southeastern Spain, where wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) purify 99.1% of the wastewater discharges and there is an important direct reuse of the treated wastewater in irrigation. Thus, the influence of WWTPs and reuse on the GWF is analysed. The results reveal that GWF P , only taking into account pharmaceutical pollutants, has a value of 301 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 ; considering only conventional pollutants (GWF C ), this value increases to 4718 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 . So, the difference between these values is such that in other areas with consumption habits similar to those of the Murcia Region, and without wastewater purification, conventional pollutants may well establish the value of the GWF. On average, the WWTPs reduce the GWF C by 90% and the GWF P by 26%. These different reductions of the pollutant concentrations in the treated effluents show that the GWF is not only due to conventional pollutants, and other contaminants can became critical, such as the pharmaceutical pollutants. The reuse further reduces the value of the GWF for the Murcia Region, by around 43.6%. However, the reuse of treated wastewater is controversial, considering the pharmaceutical contaminants and their possible consequences in the food chain. In these cases, the GWF of pharmaceutical pollutants can be used to provide a first approximation of the dilution that should be applied to the treated wastewater discharges when they are reused for another economic activity that imposes quality restrictions. For the case of agriculture in the Murcia Region, the dilution required is 2 (fresh water) to 1 (treated wastewater), taking into account the pollution thresholds established in this work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatially based management of agricultural phosphorus pollution from diffuse sources: the SCIMAP risk based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reaney, S. M.; Heathwaite, L.; Lane, S. N.; Buckley, C.

2007-12-01

Pollution of rivers from agricultural phosphorus is recognised as a significant global problem and is a major management challenge as it involves processes that are small in magnitude, distributed over large areas, operating at fine spatial scales and associated with certain land use types when they are well connected to the receiving waters. Whilst some of these processes have been addressed in terms of water quality forecasting models and field measurements, we lack effective tools to prioritise where action should be taken to remediate the diffuse pollution problem. From a management perspective, the required information is on 'what to do where' rather than absolute values. This change in focus opens up the problem to be considered in a probabilistic / relative framework rather than concentrating on absolute values. The SCIMAP risk management framework is based on the critical source area concept whereby a risk and a connection are required to generate a problem. Treatments of both surface and subsurface hydrological connectivity have been developed. The approach is based on the philosophy that for a point to be considered connected there needs to be a continuous flow path to the receiving water. This information is calculated by simulating the possible flow paths from the source cell to the receiving water and recording the required catchment wetness to allow flow along that route. This algorithm gives information on the ease at which each point in the landscape can export risk along surface and subsurface pathways to the receiving waters. To understand the annual dynamics of the locational diffuse P risk, a temporal risk framework has been developed. This risk framework accounts for land management activies within the agricultural calendar. These events include the application of fertiliser, the P additions from livestock and the offtake of P in crops. Changes to these risks can be made to investigate management options. The SCIMAP risk mapping framework has been applied to 12 catchments in England as part of the DEFRA / Environment Agency's Catchment Sensitive Farming programme. Result from these catchments will be presented.

Physicochemical Characteristic of Municipal Wastewater in Tropical Area: Case Study of Surabaya City, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijaya, I. M. W.; Soedjono, E. S.

2018-03-01

Municipal wastewater is the main contributor to diverse water pollution problems. In order to prevent the pollution risks, wastewater have to be treated before discharged to the main water. Selection of appropriated treatment process need the characteristic information of wastewater as design consideration. This study aims to analyse the physicochemical characteristic of municipal wastewater from inlet and outlet of ABR unit around Surabaya City. Medokan Semampir and Genteng Candi Rejo has been selected as wastewater sampling point. The samples were analysed in laboratory with parameters, such as pH, TSS, COD, BOD, NH4 +, NO3 -, NO2 -, P, and detergent. The results showed that all parameters in both locations are under the national standard of discharged water quality. In other words, the treated water is securely discharged to the river

Theory of spectral radiance of pollutants at sea, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Remote measurement of pollutants dumped in the sea, not oil slicks, but soluble pollutants that change the color of the water, is addressed. The sensor is a spectral radiometer that flies over the polluted area and compares its spectral radiance (color) to that of surrounding clean seawater. The goal is to infer the concentration of pollutants using the measured radiance of the sea compared to laboratory measurements of reflection and transmission spectra of the pollutants. The subject is treated in three steps: (1) the quantities involved are defined and means for measuring them are described; (2) the equations for remote sensing with a low-flying aircraft are derived, in which wase the absorption and radiance of intervening air is negligible; and (3) high-flying aircraft and satellites are applied, in which case the radiance of intervening air is the major problem.

Recent trends in nanomaterials applications in environmental monitoring and remediation.

PubMed

Das, Sumistha; Sen, Biswarup; Debnath, Nitai

2015-12-01

Environmental pollution is one of the greatest problems that the world is facing today, and it is increasing with every passing year and causing grave and irreparable damage to the earth. Nanomaterials, because of their novel physical and chemical characteristics, have great promise to combat environment pollution. Nanotechnology is being used to devise pollution sensor. A variety of materials in their nano form like iron, titanium dioxide, silica, zinc oxide, carbon nanotube, dendrimers, polymers, etc. are increasingly being used to make the air clean, to purify water, and to decontaminate soil. Nanotechnology is also being used to make renewable energy cheaper and more efficient. The use of nanotechnology in agriculture sector will reduce the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and thus will reduce the load of chemical pollutant. While remediating environment pollution with nanomaterials, it should also be monitored that these materials do not contribute further degradation of the environment. This review will focus broadly on the applications of nanotechnology in the sustainable development with particular emphasis on renewable energy, air-, water-, and soil-remediation. Besides, the review highlights the recent developments in various types of nanomaterials and nanodevices oriented toward pollution monitoring and remediation.

Trash-polluted irrigation: characteristics and impact on agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulaeman, D.; Arif, SS; Sudarmadji

2018-04-01

Trash pollution has been a problem in sustainable water resources management. Trash pollutes not only rivers, lakes and seas, but also irrigation canals and rice fields. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of solid waste (type, time of occurrence and sources of trash) and its impact on agriculture. The study was conducted in four irrigation areas, namely Gamping, Merdiko, Nglaren and Karangploso in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Special Region. We applied the Irrigation Rapid Trash Assessment (IRTA) as our field survey instrument. The results showed that trash was found throughout irrigation canals and rice fields, and the occurrence was influenced by water flow, time and farmer activities. The irrigation was dominantly polluted by plastic trash (52.2%), biodegradable waste (17.91%) and miscellaneous trash (12.3%). The IRTA score showed that Gamping Irrigation Area was at marginal condition, bearing a high risk of disturbing the operation and maintenance of the irrigation canals as well as farmers’ health. Trash in irrigation also generated technical impact of the irrigation operation and maintenance, environmental quality, and social life. This research also offered environmental policy integration approach and water-garbage governance approach as an alternative solution to manage water resources and agriculture in a sustainable manner, under the pressure of increasing amount of trash.

Field evaluation of hydromulches for water quality and vegetation establishment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

Soil erosion and sediment pollution can be major problems in and around construction sites due to land disturbing activities that leave areas of : unprotected soil during active construction. Establishing vegetation to control erosion can be difficul...

Conservation Action Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Rifle Association, Washington, DC.

Conservation problems are identified, with some suggestions for action. General areas covered are: Wildlife Conservation, Soil Conservation, Clean Water, Air Pollution Action, and Outdoor Recreation Action. Appendices list private organizations or agencies concerned with natural resource use and/or management, congressional committees considering…

Contrasting Eutrophication Risks and Countermeasures in Different Water Bodies: Assessments to Support Targeted Watershed Management

PubMed Central

Li, Tong; Chu, Chunli; Zhang, Yinan; Ju, Meiting; Wang, Yuqiu

2017-01-01

Eutrophication is a major problem in China. To combat this issue, the country needs to establish water quality targets, monitoring systems, and intelligent watershed management. This study explores a new watershed management method. Water quality is first assessed using a single factor index method. Then, changes in total nitrogen/total phosphorus (TN/TP) are analyzed to determine the limiting factor. Next, the study compares the eutrophication status of two water function districts, using a comprehensive nutritional state index method and geographic information system (GIS) visualization. Finally, nutrient sources are qualitatively analyzed. Two functional water areas in Tianjin, China were selected and analyzed: Qilihai National Wetland Nature Reserve and Yuqiao Reservoir. The reservoir is a drinking water source. Results indicate that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) pollution are the main factors driving eutrophication in the Qilihai Wetland and Yuqiao Reservoir. Phosphorus was the limiting factor in the Yuqiao Reservoir; nitrogen was the limiting factor in the Qilihai Wetland. Pollution in Qilihai Wetland is more serious than in Yuqiao Reservoir. The study found that external sources are the main source of pollution. These two functional water areas are vital for Tianjin; as such, the study proposes targeted management measures. PMID:28661417

U.S. News Media Coverage of Pharmaceutical Pollution in the Aquatic Environment: A Content Analysis of the Problems and Solutions Presented by Actors.

PubMed

Blair, Benjamin; Zimny-Schmitt, Daniel; Rudd, Murray A

2017-08-01

Pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment is an issue of concern that has attracted attention by the news media. Understanding the factors that contribute to media framing of pharmaceutical pollution may lead to a better understanding of the management and governance of this issue, including why these pollutants are generally unregulated at this time. This study conducted a content analysis of 405 newspaper articles (81 had substantive information on the topic) from 2007 to 2014, using the search terms "water" and "pharmaceuticals" in the Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. We sought to analyze the factors that contributed to the news media presentation of pharmaceutical pollution in the United States, including the presentation of the risks/safety and solutions by various actors. We found that the primary issues in the news media were uncertainty regarding public health and harm to the environment. The primary solutions recommended within the news media were implementing additional water treatment technologies, taking unused pharmaceuticals to predetermined sites for disposal (take-back programs), and trash disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Water utilities and scientists presented improved water treatment technology, government actors presented take-back programs, and pharmaceutical representatives, while sparsely involved in the news media, presented trash disposal as their primary solutions. To advance the understanding of the management of pharmaceutical pollution, this article offers further insight into the debate and potential solutions within the news media presentation of this complex scientific topic.

U.S. News Media Coverage of Pharmaceutical Pollution in the Aquatic Environment: A Content Analysis of the Problems and Solutions Presented by Actors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blair, Benjamin; Zimny-Schmitt, Daniel; Rudd, Murray A.

2017-08-01

Pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment is an issue of concern that has attracted attention by the news media. Understanding the factors that contribute to media framing of pharmaceutical pollution may lead to a better understanding of the management and governance of this issue, including why these pollutants are generally unregulated at this time. This study conducted a content analysis of 405 newspaper articles (81 had substantive information on the topic) from 2007 to 2014, using the search terms "water" and "pharmaceuticals" in the Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. We sought to analyze the factors that contributed to the news media presentation of pharmaceutical pollution in the United States, including the presentation of the risks/safety and solutions by various actors. We found that the primary issues in the news media were uncertainty regarding public health and harm to the environment. The primary solutions recommended within the news media were implementing additional water treatment technologies, taking unused pharmaceuticals to predetermined sites for disposal (take-back programs), and trash disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Water utilities and scientists presented improved water treatment technology, government actors presented take-back programs, and pharmaceutical representatives, while sparsely involved in the news media, presented trash disposal as their primary solutions. To advance the understanding of the management of pharmaceutical pollution, this article offers further insight into the debate and potential solutions within the news media presentation of this complex scientific topic.

Space Life Support Technology Applications to Terrestrial Environmental Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartzkopf, Steven H.; Sleeper, Howard L.

1993-01-01

Many of the problems now facing the human race on Earth are, in fact, life support issues. Decline of air Quality as a result of industrial and automotive emissions, pollution of ground water by organic pesticides or solvents, and the disposal of solid wastes are all examples of environmental problems that we must solve to sustain human life. The technologies currently under development to solve the problems of supporting human life for advanced space missions are extraordinarily synergistic with these environmental problems. The development of these technologies (including both physicochemical and bioregenerative types) is increasingly focused on closing the life support loop by removing and recycling contaminants and wastes to produce the materials necessary to sustain human life. By so doing, this technology development effort also focuses automatically on reducing resupply logistics requirements and increasing crew safety through increased self-sufficiency. This paper describes several technologies that have been developed to support human life in space and illustrates the applicability of the technologies to environmental problems including environmental remediation and pollution prevention.

Severe Pollution in China Amplified by Atmospheric Moisture.

PubMed

Tie, Xuexi; Huang, Ru-Jin; Cao, Junji; Zhang, Qiang; Cheng, Yafang; Su, Hang; Chang, Di; Pöschl, Ulrich; Hoffmann, Thorsten; Dusek, Uli; Li, Guohui; Worsnop, Douglas R; O'Dowd, Colin D

2017-11-17

In recent years, severe haze events often occurred in China, causing serious environmental problems. The mechanisms responsible for the haze formation, however, are still not well understood, hindering the forecast and mitigation of haze pollution. Our study of the 2012-13 winter haze events in Beijing shows that atmospheric water vapour plays a critical role in enhancing the heavy haze events. Under weak solar radiation and stagnant moist meteorological conditions in winter, air pollutants and water vapour accumulate in a shallow planetary boundary layer (PBL). A positive feedback cycle is triggered resulting in the formation of heavy haze: (1) the dispersal of water vapour is constrained by the shallow PBL, leading to an increase in relative humidity (RH); (2) the high RH induces an increase of aerosol particle size by enhanced hygroscopic growth and multiphase reactions to increase particle size and mass, which results in (3) further dimming and decrease of PBL height, and thus further depressing of aerosol and water vapour in a very shallow PBL. This positive feedback constitutes a self-amplification mechanism in which water vapour leads to a trapping and massive increase of particulate matter in the near-surface air to which people are exposed with severe health hazards.

Snowmelt Runoff: A New Focus of Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-01-01

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing cosntitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control. PMID:23202881

Snowmelt runoff: a new focus of urban nonpoint source pollution.

PubMed

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-11-30

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing constitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control.

Applications of remote sensing to hydrologic planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loats, H., Jr.; Fowler, T.; Castruccio, P.

1978-01-01

The transfer of LANDSAT remote sensing technology from the research sector to user operational applications requires demonstration of the utility and accuracy of LANDSAT data in solving real problems. This report describes such a demonstration project in the area of water resources, specifically the estimation of non-point source pollutant loads. Non-point source pollutants were estimated from land cover data from LANDSAT images. Classification accuracies for three small watersheds were above 95%. Land cover was converted to pollutant loads for a fourth watershed through the use of coefficients relating significant pollutants to land use and storm runoff volume. These data were input into a simulator model which simulated runoff from average rainfall. The result was the estimation of monthly expected pollutant loads for the 17 subbasins comprising the Magothy watershed.

Radiative transfer in a polluted urban planetary boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viskanta, R.; Johnson, R. O.; Bergstrom, R. W.

1977-01-01

Radiative transfer in a polluted urban atmosphere is studied using a dynamic model. The diurnal nature of radiative transfer for summer conditions is simulated for an urban area 40 km in extent and the effects of various parameters arising in the problem are investigated. The results of numerical computations show that air pollution has the potential of playing a major role in the radiative regime of the urban area. Absorption of solar energy by aerosols in realistic models of urban atmosphere are of the same order of magnitude as that due to water vapor. The predicted effect of the air pollution aerosol in the city is to warm the earth-atmosphere system, and the net effect of gaseous pollutant is to warm the surface and cool the planetary boundary layer, particularly near the top.

The sources, impact and management of car park runoff pollution: a review.

PubMed

Revitt, D Michael; Lundy, Lian; Coulon, Frédéric; Fairley, Martin

2014-12-15

Traffic emissions contribute significantly to the build-up of diffuse pollution loads on urban surfaces with their subsequent mobilisation and direct discharge posing problems for receiving water quality. This review focuses on the impact and mitigation of solids, metals, nutrients and organic pollutants in the runoff deriving from car parks. Variabilities in the discharged pollutant levels and in the potentials for pollutant mitigation complicate an impact assessment of car park runoff. The different available stormwater best management practices and proprietary devices are reported to be capable of reductions of between 20% and almost 100% for both suspended solids and a range of metals. This review contributes to prioritising the treatment options which can achieve the appropriate pollutant reductions whilst conforming to the site requirements of a typical car park. By applying different treatment scenarios to the runoff from a hypothetical car park, it is shown that optimal performance, in terms of ecological benefits for the receiving water, can be achieved using a treatment train incorporating permeable paving and bioretention systems. The review identifies existing research gaps and emphasises the pertinent management practices as well as design issues which are relevant to the mitigation of car park pollution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abatement vs. treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems.

PubMed

Roebeling, P C; Cunha, M C; Arroja, L; van Grieken, M E

2015-01-01

Marine ecosystems are affected by water pollution originating from coastal catchments. The delivery of water pollutants can be reduced through water pollution abatement as well as water pollution treatment. Hence, sustainable economic development of coastal regions requires balancing of the marginal costs from water pollution abatement and/or treatment and the associated marginal benefits from marine resource appreciation. Water pollution delivery reduction costs are, however, not equal across abatement and treatment options. In this paper, an optimal control approach is developed and applied to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems. For the case of diffuse source dissolved inorganic nitrogen water pollution in the Tully-Murray region, Queensland, Australia, (agricultural) water pollution abatement cost, (wetland) water pollution treatment cost and marine benefit functions are determined to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment. Considering partial (wetland) treatment costs and positive water quality improvement benefits, results show that welfare gains can be obtained, primarily, through diffuse source water pollution abatement (improved agricultural management practices) and, to a minor extent, through diffuse source water pollution treatment (wetland restoration).

Satellite Direct Readout: Opportunities for Science Education

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

responsible for acid our Earth science classes, which gave us infor- rain problems in that country. Along with our mation about the water cycle and weather...rain damage. We also believe that shows the water cycle (with sources of humidity transboundary pollution (between the United and precipitation...about the water cycle and weather computer images we collected a series of weath- fronts. We also collected data on the location of er maps from the

Support vector machine-an alternative to artificial neuron network for water quality forecasting in an agricultural nonpoint source polluted river?

PubMed

Liu, Mei; Lu, Jun

2014-09-01

Water quality forecasting in agricultural drainage river basins is difficult because of the complicated nonpoint source (NPS) pollution transport processes and river self-purification processes involved in highly nonlinear problems. Artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector model (SVM) were developed to predict total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations for any location of the river polluted by agricultural NPS pollution in eastern China. River flow, water temperature, flow travel time, rainfall, dissolved oxygen, and upstream TN or TP concentrations were selected as initial inputs of the two models. Monthly, bimonthly, and trimonthly datasets were selected to train the two models, respectively, and the same monthly dataset which had not been used for training was chosen to test the models in order to compare their generalization performance. Trial and error analysis and genetic algorisms (GA) were employed to optimize the parameters of ANN and SVM models, respectively. The results indicated that the proposed SVM models performed better generalization ability due to avoiding the occurrence of overtraining and optimizing fewer parameters based on structural risk minimization (SRM) principle. Furthermore, both TN and TP SVM models trained by trimonthly datasets achieved greater forecasting accuracy than corresponding ANN models. Thus, SVM models will be a powerful alternative method because it is an efficient and economic tool to accurately predict water quality with low risk. The sensitivity analyses of two models indicated that decreasing upstream input concentrations during the dry season and NPS emission along the reach during average or flood season should be an effective way to improve Changle River water quality. If the necessary water quality and hydrology data and even trimonthly data are available, the SVM methodology developed here can easily be applied to other NPS-polluted rivers.

The nitrogen cycle in highly urbanized tropical regions and the effect of river-aquifer interactions: The case of Jakarta and the Ciliwung River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Diogo; Burlando, Paolo; Priadi, Cindy; Shie-Yui, Liong

2016-09-01

Groundwater is extensively used in Jakarta to compensate for the limited public water supply network. Recent observations show a rise in nitrate (NO3-) levels in the shallow aquifer, thus pointing at a potential risk for public health. The detected levels are still below national and international regulatory limits for drinking water but a strategy is necessary to contain the growing problem. We combine 3 years of available data in the Ciliwung River, the major river flowing through Jakarta, with a distributed river-aquifer interaction model to characterise the impact of urbanisation on the N-cycle of both surface and groundwater systems. Results show that the N-cycle in the river-aquifer system is heterogeneous in space, seasonal dependent (i.e. flow regime) and strongly affected by urban pollution. Results suggest also that although the main sources of N related groundwater pollution are leaking septic tanks, the aquifer interaction with the Ciliwung River may locally have a strong effect on the concentrations. In the general context of pollution control in urban areas, this study demonstrates how advanced process-based models can be efficiently used in combination with field measurements to bring new insights into complex contamination problems. These are essential for more effective and integrated management of water quality in river-aquifer systems.

The nitrogen cycle in highly urbanized tropical regions and the effect of river-aquifer interactions: The case of Jakarta and the Ciliwung River.

PubMed

Costa, Diogo; Burlando, Paolo; Priadi, Cindy; Shie-Yui, Liong

2016-09-01

Groundwater is extensively used in Jakarta to compensate for the limited public water supply network. Recent observations show a rise in nitrate (NO3(-)) levels in the shallow aquifer, thus pointing at a potential risk for public health. The detected levels are still below national and international regulatory limits for drinking water but a strategy is necessary to contain the growing problem. We combine 3years of available data in the Ciliwung River, the major river flowing through Jakarta, with a distributed river-aquifer interaction model to characterise the impact of urbanisation on the N-cycle of both surface and groundwater systems. Results show that the N-cycle in the river-aquifer system is heterogeneous in space, seasonal dependent (i.e. flow regime) and strongly affected by urban pollution. Results suggest also that although the main sources of N related groundwater pollution are leaking septic tanks, the aquifer interaction with the Ciliwung River may locally have a strong effect on the concentrations. In the general context of pollution control in urban areas, this study demonstrates how advanced process-based models can be efficiently used in combination with field measurements to bring new insights into complex contamination problems. These are essential for more effective and integrated management of water quality in river-aquifer systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment and impact of microbial fecal pollution and human enteric pathogens in a coastal community.

PubMed

Lipp, E K; Farrah, S A; Rose, J B

2001-04-01

The goals of this study were to assess watersheds impacted by high densities of OSDS (onsite sewage disposal systems) for evidence of fecal contamination and evaluate the occurrence of human pathogens in coastal waters off west Florida. Eleven stations (representing six watersheds) were intensively sampled for microbial indicators of fecal pollution (fecal coliform bacteria, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens and coliphage) and the human enteric pathogens, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and enteroviruses during the summer rainy season (May-September 1996). Levels of all indicators ranged between < 5 and > 4000 CFU/100 ml. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected infrequently (6.8% and 2.3% of samples tested positive, respectively). Conversely, infectious enteroviruses were detected at low levels in 5 of the 6 watersheds sampled. Using cluster analysis, sites were grouped into two categories, high and low risks, based on combined levels of indicators. These results suggest that stations of highest pollution risk were located within areas of high OSDS densities. Furthermore, data indicate a subsurface transport of contaminated water to surface waters. The high prevalence of enteroviruses throughout the study area suggests a chronic pollution problem and potential risk to recreational swimmers in and around Sarasota Bay.

A case study in pollution prevention at the Northrop Grumman B-2 division

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haltmeyer, T.

1995-12-31

In 1990, Northrop Grumman Corporation outlined a pollution prevention program to be jointly chartered by all operating elements. This concept was expanded by the B-2 Division, to become a comprehensive industrial multimedia program known as Zero 2000. The Zero 2000 program mandates the elimination of releases of hazardous materials to air, land and water by 2000. Northrop Grumman B-2 Division has effectively identified and defined environmental needs associated with the operations and is meeting or exceeding pollution prevention goals to affect measurable improvements to the quality of air, land and water. Through the Zero 2000 program, they have achieved amore » reduction of over 85% in hazardous waste generated and a reduction of ozone-depleting chemical emissions by 90%. In addition, they have reduced mobile air pollution by approximately 280 tons per year; reduced water usage by an average of 34%; and, have reduced solid waste disposal by 55%. Their environmental needs were defined through a grass roots assessment by environmental staff members and other professionals. This evaluation emerged from a basic Northrop Grumman philosophy to find innovative solutions to technological problems.« less

Water and wastewater minimization plan in food industries.

PubMed

Ganjidoust, H; Ayati, B

2002-01-01

Iran is one of the countries located in a dry and semi-dry area. Many provinces like Tehran are facing problems in recent years because of less precipitation. For reduction in wastewater treatment cost and water consumption, many research works have been carried out. One of them concerns food industries group, which consumes a great amount of water in different units. For example, in beverage industries, washing of glass bottles seven times requires large amounts of water but use of plastic bottles can reduce water consumption. Another problem is leakage from pipelines, valves, etc. Their repair plays an important role in the wastage of water. The non-polluted wasted water can be used in washing halls, watering green yards, recycling to the process or reusing in cooling towers. In this paper, after a short review of waste minimization plans in food industries, problems concerning water consuming and wastewater producing units in three Iranian food industries have been investigated. At the end, some suggestions have been given for implementing the water and wastewater minimization plan in the companies.

Sanitary engineering and water economy in Europe

PubMed Central

Krul, W. F. J. M.

1957-01-01

The author deals with a wide variety of aspects of water economy and the development of water resources, relating them to the sanitary engineering problems they give rise to. Among those aspects are the balance between available resources and water needs for various purposes; accumulation and storage of surface and ground water, and methods of replenishing ground water supplies; pollution and purification; and organizational measures to deal with the urgent problems raised by the heavy demands on the world's water supply as a result of both increased population and the increased need for agricultural and industrial development. The author considers that at the national level over-all plans for developing the water economy of countries might well be drawn up by national water boards and that the economy of inter-State river basins should receive international study. In such work the United Nations and its specialized agencies might be of assistance. PMID:13472427

A Paradigm Shift to Protect Environment

EPA Science Inventory

Attempts to protect the environment have primarily been remedial with the intent to move away from environmental problems. Congressional agendas have provided specific acts related to pollution of air, water, and toxic wastes. These acts provide the regulatory powers to move away...

Use of crayfishes as ecological indicator of water quality in natural lakes and city water grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapunov, Valentin; Fedotov, Valery

2017-04-01

Crayfishes are organisms having strong demands for water quality. Their different species have different ecological limits. Nobel crayfishes Astacus astacus are organisms with narrow ecological limits need clear water that crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus. Relation between populations of different crayfishes is criteria of water pollution, level of water bodies eutrofication and ecological pressure. Environmental policy of all countries is directed to water supply by drinking water of high quality and preserving the rivers, lakes and seas, suitable for people and wildlife. However, now freshwater reservoirs and water bodies, as well as including centralized drinking water supply, have been exposed to escalating anthropogenic loading, and risk of sudden emergency pollution. Besides, the problem of providing an ecological safety of the population and prevention of threats of ecological crime and terrorism in a zone of drinking water for many countries. The work is devoted to realization and perspectives of use of the biological early warning stations about changes of quality of surface waters, dangerous to a biota, on the basis of bioelectronic systems as elements of environmental monitoring of water areas. Regular monitoring of crayfish population is a way to follow ecological evolution of ponds. Such a monitoring took place in some lakes of Pskov and Leningrad regions. Ecological characters of crayfishes are appropriate for control of water quality in St. Petersburg and Khabarovsk grids. Fore species were used: Procambarus clarcii, Cherax quadricarinatus, A. astacus and P. leptodactilus. The results of the present work and experiments carried out us to conclude that before assessing any concentration of pollutant on water organisms, it is necessary to investigate not only their development, growth and survival, also their adaptive capacity relative to the variation of environmental parameters. Regular monitoring of heart oscillation was base for control of water pollution in real time. Algorithm and equipment for such a monitoring would be demonstrated.

Bacterial Pollution in River Waters and Gastrointestinal Diseases

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Tapia, Lilia; Morales-Novelo, Jorge A.

2017-01-01

Currently, one of Mexico’s most severe environmental problems is the high levels of pollution of many of its rivers. The present article focuses on the relationship between total coliform bacteria levels and the increase of human digestive tract diseases in the highly polluted Atoyac River in the central Mexican states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. Pollution has become a potential health hazard for people living in nearby river communities. Based on data collected from six of the most contaminated riverside municipalities, two environmental models were developed taking into consideration the health of the entire population, not simply that of its individual members. Such models estimate a health-disease function that confirm the link between Atoyac River pollution and the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases. The causal relation between pollution and gastrointestinal disease incentivizes the creation of epidemiological and public health programs aimed at reducing the environmental health impact of the pollution associated with the Atoyac River. The results presented here are the first of their kind of this river and will serve as basis for future research exploring other similarly contaminated riparian communities. As the causes of pollution are directly related to the economic development and population growth of the region, further research should be conducted for prevention of diseases, educational programs, water remediation and conservation programs that will have a positive impact on the quality of life of the population presently at risk. PMID:28471407

Bacterial Pollution in River Waters and Gastrointestinal Diseases.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Tapia, Lilia; Morales-Novelo, Jorge A

2017-05-04

Currently, one of Mexico's most severe environmental problems is the high levels of pollution of many of its rivers. The present article focuses on the relationship between total coliform bacteria levels and the increase of human digestive tract diseases in the highly polluted Atoyac River in the central Mexican states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. Pollution has become a potential health hazard for people living in nearby river communities. Based on data collected from six of the most contaminated riverside municipalities, two environmental models were developed taking into consideration the health of the entire population, not simply that of its individual members. Such models estimate a health-disease function that confirm the link between Atoyac River pollution and the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases. The causal relation between pollution and gastrointestinal disease incentivizes the creation of epidemiological and public health programs aimed at reducing the environmental health impact of the pollution associated with the Atoyac River. The results presented here are the first of their kind of this river and will serve as basis for future research exploring other similarly contaminated riparian communities. As the causes of pollution are directly related to the economic development and population growth of the region, further research should be conducted for prevention of diseases, educational programs, water remediation and conservation programs that will have a positive impact on the quality of life of the population presently at risk.

Adoption of waste minimization technology to benefit electroplaters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ching, E.M.K.; Li, C.P.H.; Yu, C.M.K.

Because of increasingly stringent environmental legislation and enhanced environmental awareness, electroplaters in Hong Kong are paying more heed to protect the environment. To comply with the array of environmental controls, electroplaters can no longer rely solely on the end-of-pipe approach as a means for abating their pollution problems under the particular local industrial environment. The preferred approach is to adopt waste minimization measures that yield both economic and environmental benefits. This paper gives an overview of electroplating activities in Hong Kong, highlights their characteristics, and describes the pollution problems associated with conventional electroplating operations. The constraints of using pollution controlmore » measures to achieve regulatory compliance are also discussed. Examples and case studies are given on some low-cost waste minimization techniques readily available to electroplaters, including dragout minimization and water conservation techniques. Recommendations are given as to how electroplaters can adopt and exercise waste minimization techniques in their operations. 1 tab.« less

Perspectives of phytoremediation using water hyacinth for removal of heavy metals, organic and inorganic pollutants in wastewater.

PubMed

Rezania, Shahabaldin; Ponraj, Mohanadoss; Talaiekhozani, Amirreza; Mohamad, Shaza Eva; Md Din, Mohd Fadhil; Taib, Shazwin Mat; Sabbagh, Farzaneh; Sairan, Fadzlin Md

2015-11-01

The development of eco-friendly and efficient technologies for treating wastewater is one of the attractive research area. Phytoremediation is considered to be a possible method for the removal of pollutants present in wastewater and recognized as a better green remediation technology. Nowadays the focus is to look for a sustainable approach in developing wastewater treatment capability. Water hyacinth is one of the ancient technology that has been still used in the modern era. Although, many papers in relation to wastewater treatment using water hyacinth have been published, recently removal of organic, inorganic and heavy metal have not been reviewed extensively. The main objective of this paper is to review the possibility of using water hyacinth for the removal of pollutants present in different types of wastewater. Water hyacinth is although reported to be as one of the most problematic plants worldwide due to its uncontrollable growth in water bodies but its quest for nutrient absorption has provided way for its usage in phytoremediation, along with the combination of herbicidal control, integratated biological control and watershed management controlling nutrient supply to control its growth. Moreover as a part of solving wastewater treatment problems in urban or industrial areas using this plant, a large number of useful byproducts can be developed like animal and fish feed, power plant energy (briquette), ethanol, biogas, composting and fiber board making. In focus to the future aspects of phytoremediation, the utilization of invasive plants in pollution abatement phytotechnologies can certainly assist for their sustainable management in treating waste water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to air pollution and self-reported effects on Chinese students: A case study of 13 megacities

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Air pollution causes severe physical and psychological health complications. Considering China’s continuously-deteriorating air quality, this study aimed to assess the self-reported effects of air pollution on the behavior and physical health of the students of 13 densely populated cities, and their awareness, practices, and perception of air pollution and its associated public health risks. A detailed, closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 2100 students from 54 universities and schools across China. The questionnaire, which had 24 questions, was categorized into four sections. The first two sections were focused on air pollution-associated behavior and psychology, and physical effects; while the final two sections focused on the subjects’ awareness and perceptions, and practices and concerns about air pollution. The respondents reported that long-term exposure to air pollution had significantly affected their psychology and behavior, as well as their physical health. The respondents were aware of the different adverse impacts of air pollution (respiratory infections, allergies, and cardiovascular problems), and hence had adopted different preventive measures, such as the use of respiratory masks and glasses or goggles, regularly drinking water, and consuming rich foods. It was concluded that air pollution and haze had negative physical and psychological effects on the respondents, which led to severe changes in behavior. Proper management, future planning, and implementing strict environmental laws are suggested before this problem worsens and becomes life-threatening. PMID:29547657

Treatment of tunnel wash water and implications for its disposal.

PubMed

Hallberg, M; Renman, G; Byman, L; Svenstam, G; Norling, M

2014-01-01

The use of road tunnels in urban areas creates water pollution problems, since the tunnels must be frequently cleaned for traffic safety reasons. The washing generates extensive volumes of highly polluted water, for example, more than fivefold higher concentrations of suspended solids compared to highway runoff. The pollutants in the wash water have an affinity for particulate material, so sedimentation should be a viable treatment option. In this study, 12 in situ sedimentation trials were carried out on tunnel wash water, with and without addition of chemical flocculent. Initial suspended solids concentration ranged from 804 to 9,690 mg/L. With sedimentation times of less than 24 hours and use of a chemical flocculent, it was possible to reach low concentrations of suspended solids (<15 mg/L), PAH (<0.1 μg/L), As (<1.0 μg/L), Cd (<0.05 μg/L), Hg (<0.02 μg/L), Fe (<200 μg/L), Ni (<8 μg/L), Pb (<0.5 μg/L), Zn (<60 μg/L) and Cr (<8 μg/L). Acute Microtox(®) toxicity, mainly attributed to detergents used for the tunnel wash, decreased significantly at low suspended solids concentrations after sedimentation using a flocculent. The tunnel wash water did not inhibit nitrification. The treated water should be suitable for discharge into recipient waters or a wastewater treatment plant.

Integrated modelling of nitrate loads to coastal waters and land rent applied to catchment-scale water management.

PubMed

Refsgaard, A; Jacobsen, T; Jacobsen, B; Ørum, J-E

2007-01-01

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires an integrated approach to river basin management in order to meet environmental and ecological objectives. This paper presents concepts and full-scale application of an integrated modelling framework. The Ringkoebing Fjord basin is characterized by intensive agricultural production and leakage of nitrate constitute a major pollution problem with respect groundwater aquifers (drinking water), fresh surface water systems (water quality of lakes) and coastal receiving waters (eutrophication). The case study presented illustrates an advanced modelling approach applied in river basin management. Point sources (e.g. sewage treatment plant discharges) and distributed diffuse sources (nitrate leakage) are included to provide a modelling tool capable of simulating pollution transport from source to recipient to analyse the effects of specific, localized basin water management plans. The paper also includes a land rent modelling approach which can be used to choose the most cost-effective measures and the location of these measures. As a forerunner to the use of basin-scale models in WFD basin water management plans this project demonstrates the potential and limitations of comprehensive, integrated modelling tools.

[Effect of Recycled Water Irrieation on Heavy Metal Pollution in Irrigation Soil].

PubMed

Zhou, Yi-qi; Liu, Yun-xia; Fu, Hui-min

2016-01-15

With acceleration of urbanization, water shortages will become a serious problem. Usage of reclaimed water for flushing and watering of the green areas will be common in the future. To study the heavy metal contamination of soils after green area irrigation using recycled wastewater from special industries, we selected sewage and laboratory wastewater as water source for integrated oxidation ditch treatment, and the effluent was used as irrigation water of the green area. The irrigation units included broad-leaved forest, bush and lawn. Six samples sites were selected, and 0-20 cm soil of them were collected. Analysis of the heavy metals including Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb in the soil showed no significant differences with heavy metals concentration in soil irrigated with tap water. The heavy metals in the soil irrigated with recycled water were mainly enriched in the surface layer, among which the contents of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb were below the soil background values of Beijing. A slight pollution of As and Cd was found in the soil irrigated by recycled water, which needs to be noticed.

Recent trends in nitrogen flows with urbanization in the Shanghai megacity and the effects on the water environment.

PubMed

Liu, Chen; Wang, Qinxue; Zou, Chunjing; Hayashi, Yoshitsugu; Yasunari, Tetsuzo

2015-03-01

The objectives of this study are to diagnose and prevent environmental problems that threaten urban sustainability, the impact of changes in lifestyle (diet, domestic sanitation, and motorization), and production style (agriculture, industry, and services) with the rapid urbanization on regional nitrogen (N) flows, and the water environment was quantitatively evaluated. The megacity Shanghai was chosen as a case study to investigate the temporal changes in nitrogen flow during 1980-2008 by a multidisciplinary approach (a field survey, a regional nitrogen mass balance model, input-output analysis, etc.). Although the total potential nitrogen load in Shanghai has decreased in the 2000s and water pollution problems seem to have improved, the problem has shifted and expanded to affect a wider area through the food/product chain and water/air movement. Further effective solutions that aim at material cycles are necessary and have to be implemented on a large scale.

Consequences of human modification of the global nitrogen cycle.

PubMed

Erisman, Jan Willem; Galloway, James N; Seitzinger, Sybil; Bleeker, Albert; Dise, Nancy B; Petrescu, A M Roxana; Leach, Allison M; de Vries, Wim

2013-07-05

The demand for more food is increasing fertilizer and land use, and the demand for more energy is increasing fossil fuel combustion, leading to enhanced losses of reactive nitrogen (Nr) to the environment. Many thresholds for human and ecosystem health have been exceeded owing to Nr pollution, including those for drinking water (nitrates), air quality (smog, particulate matter, ground-level ozone), freshwater eutrophication, biodiversity loss, stratospheric ozone depletion, climate change and coastal ecosystems (dead zones). Each of these environmental effects can be magnified by the 'nitrogen cascade': a single atom of Nr can trigger a cascade of negative environmental impacts in sequence. Here, we provide an overview of the impact of Nr on the environment and human health, including an assessment of the magnitude of different environmental problems, and the relative importance of Nr as a contributor to each problem. In some cases, Nr loss to the environment is the key driver of effects (e.g. terrestrial and coastal eutrophication, nitrous oxide emissions), whereas in some other situations nitrogen represents a key contributor exacerbating a wider problem (e.g. freshwater pollution, biodiversity loss). In this way, the central role of nitrogen can remain hidden, even though it actually underpins many trans-boundary pollution problems.

Ecological effects of nitrogen and sulfur air pollution in the US: what do we know?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greaver, Tara L.; Sullivan, Timothy J.; Herrick, Jeffrey D.; Barber, Mary C.; Baron, Jill S.; Cosby, Bernard J.; Deerhake, Marion E.; Dennis, Robin L.; Dubois, Jean-Jacque B.; Goodale, Christine L.; Herlihy, Alan T.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Liu, Lingli; Lynch, Jason A.; Novak, Kristopher J.

2012-01-01

Four decades after the passage of the US Clean Air Act, air-quality standards are set to protect ecosystems from damage caused by gas-phase nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) compounds, but not from the deposition of these air pollutants to land and water. Here, we synthesize recent scientific literature on the ecological effects of N and S air pollution in the US. Deposition of N and S is the main driver of ecosystem acidification and contributes to nutrient enrichment in many natural systems. Although surface-water acidification has decreased in the US since 1990, it remains a problem in many regions. Perturbations to ecosystems caused by the nutrient effects of N deposition continue to emerge, although gas-phase concentrations are generally not high enough to cause phytotoxicity. In all, there is overwhelming evidence of a broad range of damaging effects to ecosystems in the US under current air quality conditions.

A Multispectral Look at Oil Pollution Detection, Monitoring, and Law Enforcement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Catoe, C. E.; Mclean, J. T.

1979-01-01

The problems of detecting oil films on water, mapping the areal extent of slicks, measuring the slick thickness, and identifying oil types are discussed. The signature properties of oil in the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, and radar regions are analyzed.

Impact of environmental policies on the adoption of manure management practices in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

PubMed

Savage, Jeff A; Ribaudo, Marc O

2013-11-15

Pollution in the Chesapeake Bay is a problem and has been a focus of federal and state initiatives to reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture and other sources since 1983. In 2010 EPA established a TMDL for the watershed. Producers may voluntarily respond to intense and focused policy scrutiny by adopting best management practices. A detailed analysis of water quality best management practices by animal feeding operations inside and outside the watershed yield insight into this relationship. Our findings support the hypothesis that farmers will adopt water quality measures if links are made clear and there is an expectation of future regulations. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Nitrate pollution in groundwater for drinking and its affecting factors in Hailun, northeast China].

PubMed

Zhao, Xin-Feng; Yang, Li-Rong; Shi, Qian; Ma, Yan; Zhang, Yan-Yan; Chen, Li-Ding; Zheng, Hai-Feng

2008-11-01

Nitrate pollution in groundwater has become a worldwide problem. It may affect the water quality for daily use and thus the health of people. The temporal and spatial characteristics of nitrate pollution in the groundwater were addressed by sample analysis of the drinkable water from 157 wells in Hailun, Heilongjiang, northeastern China. It was found that the mean value of nitrate concentration in all wells was 14.01 mg x L(-1). Of all the samples, the nitrate concentrations of 26.11% wells exceeded the standard of drinkable water (10.00 mg x L(-1)). A significant difference was found on the spatial distribution of nitrate pollution in the study area. The pollution degree in term of nitrate pollution was in the order: the central rolling hills and flooding plain > the northeastern mountain area > the southwest rolling hills and plain. Based on the results, the factors causing the pollution we analyzed from the well properties and pollution sources. As for well properties, the type of the pipe material plays a critical role in the groundwater nitrate pollution. It was found that the wells with seamless pipe have less pollution than those with multiple-sections pipe. The concentrations of seamless pipe wells and multiple ones were respectively 5.08 mg x L(-1) and 32.57 mg x L(-1), 12.26% and 82.35% of these two kinds wells exceeded 10.00 mg x L(-1), the state drinking water standard. In the whole Hailun, there is no statistically relationship between nitrate-N levels of wells and the well depth. However, a statistically lower nitrate-N was observed in the deep wells than that in the shallower ones. The mean values of nitrate concentration of the seamless-pipe deep wells, seamless-pipe shallow wells, multiple-section-pipe deep wells and multiple-section-pipe shallow wells were 1.84, 12.02, 25.14 and 45.61 mg x L(-1). Analysis of pollution source shows that the heavily polluted regions are usually associated with large use of nitrogen fertilizer and household livestock or poultry. This indicates a positive correlation between the nitrate-N pollution of groundwater and the nitrogen fertilizer, household livestock, poultry.

West Europe Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-02

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DENMARK Leaking Oil Tanks Polluting Ground Water (Michael Rastrup Smith; BERLINGSKE TIDENDE, 6 Jan 84) 103 DENMARK/GREENLAND...view that Austrian problems are merely a reflection of a worldwide economic crisis situation does not seem to hold water any more. Taxes on interest...country if that displeases another customer. For example, we would not sell the carpet to both Israel and Saudi Arabia. And not to South Africa , as that

Investigation on the efficiency of treated Palm Tree waste for removal of organic pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azoulay, Karima; El HajjajiI, Souad; Dahchour, Abdelmalek

2017-04-01

Development of the industrial sector generates several problems of environmental pollution. This issue rises concern among scientific community and decision makers, in this work; we e interested in water resources polluted by the chemical substances, which can cause various problems of health. As an example, dyes generated by different industrial activities such as textile, cosmetic, metal plating, leather, paper and plastic sectors, constitute an important source of pollution. In this work, we aim at investigating the efficiency of palm tree waste for removal of dyes from polluted solution. Our work presents a double environmental aspect, on one hand it constitutes an attempt for valorization of Palm Tree waste, and on the other hand it provides natural adsorbent. The study focuses on the effectiveness of the waste in removing Methylene Bleu and Methyl Orange taken as models of pollutants from aqueous solution. Kinetics and isotherm experiments were conducted in order to determine the sorption behavior of the examined dye. The effects of initial dye and adsorbent concentrations are considered. The results indicate that the correlation coefficient calculated from pseudo-second order equation was higher than the other kinetic equations, indicating that equilibrium data fitted well with pseudo-second order model where adsorption process was chemisorption. The adsorption equilibrium was well described by Langmuir isotherm model.

Modeling diffuse sources of surface water contamination with plant protection products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendland, Sandra; Bock, Michael; Böhner, Jürgen; Lembrich, David

2015-04-01

Entries of chemical pollutants in surface waters are a serious environmental problem. Among water pollutants plant protection products (ppp) from farming practice are of major concern not only for water suppliers and environmental agencies, but also for farmers and industrial manufacturers. Lost chemicals no longer fulfill their original purpose on the field, but lead to severe damage of the environment and surface waters. Besides point-source inputs of chemical pollutants, the diffuse-source inputs from agricultural procedures play an important and not yet sufficiently studied role concerning water quality. The two most important factors for diffuse inputs are erosion and runoff. The latter usually occurs before erosion begins, and is thus often not visible in hindsight. Only if it has come to erosion, it is obvious to expect runoff in foresight at this area, too. In addition to numerous erosion models, there are also few applications to model runoff processes available. However, these conventional models utilize approximations of catchment parameters based on long-term average values or theoretically calculated concentration peaks which can only provide indications to relative amounts. Our study aims to develop and validate a simplified spatially-explicit dynamic model with high spatiotemporal resolution that enables to measure current and forecast runoff potential not only at catchment scale but field-differentiated. This method allows very precise estimations of runoff risks and supports risk reduction measures to be targeted before fields are treated. By focusing on water pathways occurring on arable land, targeted risk reduction measures like buffer strips at certain points and adapted ppp use can be taken early and pollution of rivers and other surface waters through transported pesticides, fertilizers and their products could be nearly avoided or largely minimized. Using a SAGA-based physical-parametric modeling approach, major factors influencing runoff (relief, soil properties, weather conditions and crop coverage) are represented. Water balance parameters are modeled in daily steps, taking into account relief determined discharge pathways, runoff velocity and number of field boundaries passed until receiving streams are reached. Model development is based on a comprehensive monitoring campaign at 3 smaller catchments in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), equipped with two gauges each, upstream and downstream, an optical Trios probe and four Isco-Samplers. The temporal high resolution monitoring of discharge, ppp, orthophosphate and nitrate-nitrogen enables an evaluation of runoff simulations in relation with rain events. First model results suggest that the simulation of surface runoff pathways enables a spatial-explicit identification of fields contributing to pollutant inputs. We assume that targeted actions on few fields will help solving the problem of diffuse inputs of ppp in our surface water to a considerable extent.

Controlled-release Hydrogen Peroxide for On-site Treatment of Organic Pollutants in Urban Storm Runoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, E.; Sun, S.; Kim, Y.

2011-12-01

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants are the remaining cause of the environment problems, significantly impairing the hydrologic and biologic function of urban water systems and human health. Managing the NPS loads to urban aquatic systems remains a challenge because of ubiquitous contaminant sources and large pollutants loads in the first flush. Best management practices (BMPs) exist for reducing the NPS pollutants in urban storm waters, but the remedial efficiencies of these passive schemes are unpredictable. This study aims to develop a controlled-release system as part of an in situ chemical oxidation scheme designed for on-site treatment of organic pollutants in urban runoff. Controlled-release hydrogen peroxide (CR-HP) solids were manufactured by dispersing fine sodium percarbonate granules in paraffin wax matrices. Release kinetics and treatment efficiencies of CR-HP for BTEX and MTBE were investigated through a series of column tests. Release data indicated that the CR-HP could continually release hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in flowing water at controlled rates over 276-1756 days, and the release rates could be adjusted by changing the mixing ratios of sodium percarbonate and wax matrices. Additional column tests and model calculations demonstrated that CR-HP/UV systems can provide low-cost, target-specific, and persistent source of oxidants for efficient treatment of organic compounds in urban storm runoff.

Pollutant sources in an arsenic-affected multilayer aquifer in the Po Plain of Italy: Implications for drinking-water supply.

PubMed

Rotiroti, Marco; McArthur, John; Fumagalli, Letizia; Stefania, Gennaro A; Sacchi, Elisa; Bonomi, Tullia

2017-02-01

In aquifers 160 to 260m deep that used for public water-supply in an area ~150km 2 around the town of Cremona, in the Po Plain of Northern Italy, concentrations of arsenic (As) are increasing with time in some wells. The increase is due to drawdown of As-polluted groundwater (As ≤144μg/L) from overlying aquifers at depths 65 to 150m deep in response to large-scale abstraction for public supply. The increase in As threatens drinking-water quality locally, and by inference does so across the entire Po Plain, where natural As-pollution of groundwater (As >10μg/L) is a basin-wide problem. Using new and legacy data for Cl/Br, δ 18 O/δ 2 H and other hydrochemical parameters with groundwater from 32 wells, 9 surface waters, a sewage outfall and rainwater, we show that the deep aquifer (160-260m below ground level), which is tapped widely for public water-supply, is partly recharged by seepage from overlying aquifers (65-150m below ground level). Groundwater quality in deep aquifers appears free of anthropogenic influences and typically <10μg/L of As. In contrast, shallow groundwater and surface water in some, not all, areas are affected by anthropogenic contamination and natural As-pollution (As >10μg/L). Outfalls from sewage-treatment plants and black water from septic tanks firstly affect surface waters, which then locally infiltrate shallow aquifers under high channel-stages. Wastewater permeating shallow aquifers carries with it NO 3 and SO 4 which suppress reduction of iron oxyhydroxides in the aquifer sediments and so suppress the natural release of As to groundwater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A model study of the coupled water quality and hydrodynamics in YuQiao Reservoir of Haihe River Basin, People's Republic of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Liu, J.; Peng, W.; Wang, Y.

2007-05-01

In recent years, eutrophication has become one of the most serious of global water pollution problems, especially in reservoirs, which is menacing the security of domestic water supplies. As the unique drinking water source of Tianjin within the Haihe River basin of Hebei Province, China, YuQiao Reservoir has been polluted and its eutrophic state is serious. To make clear the physical and chemical relationship between transport and transformation of the polluted water, a model package was developed to compute the hydrodynamic field and mass transport processes including total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) for YuQiao Reservoir. The hydrodynamic model was driven by observed winds and daily measured flow data to simulate the seasonal water cycle of the reservoir. The mass transport and transformation processes of TN and TP was based on the unsteady diffusion equations, driven by observed meteorological forcings and external loadings, with the fluxes through the bottom of the reservoir, plant (algal) photosynthesis, and respiration as internal sources and sinks. The solution of these equations uses the finite volume method and alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme. The model was calibrated and verified by using the data observed from YuQiao Reservoir in two different years. The results showed that in YuQiao Reservoir, the wind-driven current is an important style of lake current, while the water quality is decreasing from east to west because of the external polluted loadings. There was good agreement between the simulated and measured values. Advection is the main process driving the water quality impacts from the inflow river, and diffusion and biochemical processes dominate in center of the reservoir. So it is necessary to build a pre-pond to reduce the external loadings into the reservoir.

[A landscape ecological approach for urban non-point source pollution control].

PubMed

Guo, Qinghai; Ma, Keming; Zhao, Jingzhu; Yang, Liu; Yin, Chengqing

2005-05-01

Urban non-point source pollution is a new problem appeared with the speeding development of urbanization. The particularity of urban land use and the increase of impervious surface area make urban non-point source pollution differ from agricultural non-point source pollution, and more difficult to control. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are the effective practices commonly applied in controlling urban non-point source pollution, mainly adopting local repairing practices to control the pollutants in surface runoff. Because of the close relationship between urban land use patterns and non-point source pollution, it would be rational to combine the landscape ecological planning with local BMPs to control the urban non-point source pollution, which needs, firstly, analyzing and evaluating the influence of landscape structure on water-bodies, pollution sources and pollutant removal processes to define the relationships between landscape spatial pattern and non-point source pollution and to decide the key polluted fields, and secondly, adjusting inherent landscape structures or/and joining new landscape factors to form new landscape pattern, and combining landscape planning and management through applying BMPs into planning to improve urban landscape heterogeneity and to control urban non-point source pollution.

United States‐Mexican border watershed assessment: Modeling nonpoint source pollution in Ambos Nogales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norman, Laura M.

2007-01-01

Ecological considerations need to be interwoven with economic policy and planning along the United States‐Mexican border. Non‐point source pollution can have significant implications for the availability of potable water and the continued health of borderland ecosystems in arid lands. However, environmental assessments in this region present a host of unique issues and problems. A common obstacle to the solution of these problems is the integration of data with different resolutions, naming conventions, and quality to create a consistent database across the binational study area. This report presents a simple modeling approach to predict nonpoint source pollution that can be used for border watersheds. The modeling approach links a hillslopescale erosion‐prediction model and a spatially derived sediment‐delivery model within a geographic information system to estimate erosion, sediment yield, and sediment deposition across the Ambos Nogales watershed in Sonora, Mexico, and Arizona. This paper discusses the procedures used for creating a watershed database to apply the models and presents an example of the modeling approach applied to a conservation‐planning problem.

Applications of remote sensing to estuarine problems. [estuaries of Chesapeake Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munday, J. C., Jr.

1975-01-01

A variety of siting problems for the estuaries of the lower Chesapeake Bay have been solved with cost beneficial remote sensing techniques. Principal techniques used were repetitive 1:30,000 color photography of dye emitting buoys to map circulation patterns, and investigation of water color boundaries via color and color infrared imagery to scales of 1:120,000. Problems solved included sewage outfall siting, shoreline preservation and enhancement, oil pollution risk assessment, and protection of shellfish beds from dredge operations.

Understanding students visions about environmental global problems. Experience and lessons learned of teaching in Lithuania.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Paulo; Siarova, Hanna; Misiūnė, Ieva; Cerda, Artemi; Úbeda, Xavier

2015-04-01

Nowadays, environment is accepted to be an important element of our welfare. Our activities and societal status are strongly related with the quality of the environment where we live. On the other hand historical and cultural backgrounds shape importantly our views about the environment and how we act towards it in our daily life. In a context of globalization and increase of competition at international level, knowledge appears to be one of the key components for the advance of the word. Most of the knowledge produced comes from high level education institutions and research centres, which have responsibility to create and encourage critical thinking. Individuals aware of the problems can be more active and can push things forward. We think that environmental knowledge and awareness are fundamental for the future of the society. In order to develop better methodologies are developed if we have a better perception of students understanding of environmental problems. The objective of this work is to study the Lithuanian university level student's perception about some environmental challenges of our society. We selected several questions for the students rate according the relevance of the question, as "Air Pollution", "Waste Management", "Resources overexplotation", "Biodiversity reduction", "Human Overpopulation" "Poverty", "Global Warming/Climate change", Natural disasters", "Terrorism", "Economical crisis", "War and armed conflicts" and the "Spread of infectious diseases". We ask to the respondents to rate the importance using a likert scale (1=Not Important, 2= not so important, 3=important, 4=very important, 5=the most important). Among all the questions, the most rated where the Water pollution, the Spread of infectious diseases and Air Pollution and the less important where Biodiversity Reduction, Human overpopulation and climate change. These results helped us to identify where some efforts should be taken to raise student's awareness about global environmental problems. The awareness is different according to the gender. Normally females are more concerned than males about environmental questions. Students between the age of 18-24 are more concerned problems related to the Spread of infectious diseases and war and armed conflicts, while the respondents between the age of 25-39, rated higher Air pollution, Water pollution and Poverty. These preliminary results allowed us to identify potential topics that could be more explored at university level and increase the environmental awareness.

Modelling the effect of severe storms in coastal pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grau, A.; Bolea, Y.; Guerra, E.

2009-09-01

Modelling and simulation of real events can be very useful to prevent environmental disasters, but these disasters can affect the health and life of human beings; then such tools become definitively necessary for governmental authorities to avoid population risk. In this wok we present a mathematical model that combines the effect of Mediterranean storms together with the effect of wastewater emissary dissolutions at the sea. The emissary model corresponds to a Catalan wastewater plant, the Besos plant in Barcelona. This plant throws the wastewater to the Mediterranean Sea with a 3-km pipe emissary, after a bacteriologically polluted secondary treatment. This polluted water is dissoluted in the salty water, provoking the death of all bacteria agents before they reach the coast. But in difficult conditions under violent storms, with strong East winds, the bacteriological polluted dissolution reaches the shore before the bacteria die and, therefore, a severe coastal pollution is produced. Its consequence can incur in a public health problem and the different governmental agencies activate great alarms to avoid population hazard. Storms modelling permits to evaluate the risk of coastal pollution predicting the wastewater dissolution path and velocity. Several simulations are presented under different storm conditions, making this tool very useful for the environmental protection agencies in the Catalan government.

Categorical Indicator Kriging for assessing the risk of groundwater nitrate pollution: the case of Vega de Granada aquifer (SE Spain).

PubMed

Chica-Olmo, Mario; Luque-Espinar, Juan Antonio; Rodriguez-Galiano, Victor; Pardo-Igúzquiza, Eulogio; Chica-Rivas, Lucía

2014-02-01

Groundwater nitrate pollution associated with agricultural activity is an important environmental problem in the management of this natural resource, as acknowledged by the European Water Framework Directive. Therefore, specific measures aimed to control the risk of water pollution by nitrates must be implemented to minimise its impact on the environment and potential risk to human health. The spatial probability distribution of nitrate contents exceeding a threshold or limit value, established within the quality standard, will be helpful to managers and decision-makers. A methodology based on non-parametric and non-linear methods of Indicator Kriging was used in the elaboration of a nitrate pollution categorical map for the aquifer of Vega de Granada (SE Spain). The map has been obtained from the local estimation of the probability that a nitrate content in an unsampled location belongs to one of the three categories established by the European Water Framework Directive: CL. 1 good quality [Min - 37.5 ppm], CL. 2 intermediate quality [37.5-50 ppm] and CL. 3 poor quality [50 ppm - Max]. The obtained results show that the areas exceeding nitrate concentrations of 50 ppm, poor quality waters, occupy more than 50% of the aquifer area. A great proportion of the area's municipalities are located in these poor quality water areas. The intermediate quality and good quality areas correspond to 21% and 28%, respectively, but with the highest population density. These results are coherent with the experimental data, which show an average nitrate concentration value of 72 ppm, significantly higher than the quality standard limit of 50 ppm. Consequently, the results suggest the importance of planning actions in order to control and monitor aquifer nitrate pollution. © 2013.

Integrating inland ports into the intermodal goods movement system for ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

Planners concerned with deep-water port operations are interested in strategies that improve : regional truck flows associated with the container trade while also mitigating related problems of : highway congestion and air pollution. An inland port o...

TRADING ALLOWANCES FOR STORMWATER CONTROL: HYDROLOGY AND OPPORTUNITY COSTS

EPA Science Inventory

Excess stormwater runoff is a serious problem in a large number of urban areas, causing flooding, water pollution, groundwater recharge deficits and ecological damage to urban streams. It has been posited that to mitigate the effects of excess stormwater runoff, policy makers...

Sediment and Total Phosphorous Contributors in Rock River Watershed

EPA Science Inventory

Total phosphorous (TP) and total suspended sediment (TSS) pollution is a problem in the US Midwest and is of particular concern in the Great Lakes region where many water bodies are already eutrophic. Increases in monoculture corn planting to feed ethanol based biofuel productio...

TRADING ALLOWANCES FOR STORMWATER CONTROL: HYDROLOGY AND OPPORTUNITY COSTS

EPA Science Inventory

Excess stormwater runoff is a serious problem in a large number of urban areas, causing flooding, water pollution, groundwater recharge deficits and ecological damage to urban streams. It has been posited that to mitigate the effects of excess stormwater runoff, policy makers cou...

Are we running out of water?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nace, Raymond L.

1967-01-01

Water supplies are not running out, but time is getting short to stem waste of water and destructive exploitation of the environment before harm is done that may be irreparable. Most of the world's water is oceanic brine. Of the waters on the land, most is frozen in Antarctica and Greenland. Only a small part of continental water is available for use and management. The discharge of rivers to the sea is a close measure of the availability of liquid water, but ground-water reservoirs have important functions as inexpensive equalizers of water supply. Soil moisture is a major factor in the water economy, and its function usually is overlooked in assessments of water use and future water demand. Despite outcries of water shortage, the principal use of water in advanced countries is as a medium for waste disposal. In reality, despite regional maldistribution of water, United States supplies are adequate, given rational management. Also, contrary to common belief, water pollution is primarily a problem of economics, not of health. A paramount problem in most parts of the world is the shortage of water development and management facilities, not a shortage of water. The International Hydrological Decade is a program to awaken people everywhere to the crucial importance of water in man's future and to promote rational approach to water problems.

Cell-Based Sensor System Using L6 Cells for Broad Band Continuous Pollutant Monitoring in Aquatic Environments

PubMed Central

Kubisch, Rebekka; Bohrn, Ulrich; Fleischer, Maximilian; Stütz, Evamaria

2012-01-01

Pollution of drinking water sources represents a continuously emerging problem in global environmental protection. Novel techniques for real-time monitoring of water quality, capable of the detection of unanticipated toxic and bioactive substances, are urgently needed. In this study, the applicability of a cell-based sensor system using selected eukaryotic cell lines for the detection of aquatic pollutants is shown. Readout parameters of the cells were the acidification (metabolism), oxygen consumption (respiration) and impedance (morphology) of the cells. A variety of potential cytotoxic classes of substances (heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, neurotoxins, waste water) was tested with monolayers of L6 cells (rat myoblasts). The cytotoxicity or cellular effects induced by inorganic ions (Ni2+ and Cu2+) can be detected with the metabolic parameters acidification and respiration down to 0.5 mg/L, whereas the detection limit for other substances like nicotine and acetaminophen are rather high, in the range of 0.1 mg/L and 100 mg/L. In a close to application model a real waste water sample shows detectable signals, indicating the existence of cytotoxic substances. The results support the paradigm change from single substance detection to the monitoring of overall toxicity. PMID:22737014

Cell-based sensor system using L6 cells for broad band continuous pollutant monitoring in aquatic environments.

PubMed

Kubisch, Rebekka; Bohrn, Ulrich; Fleischer, Maximilian; Stütz, Evamaria

2012-01-01

Pollution of drinking water sources represents a continuously emerging problem in global environmental protection. Novel techniques for real-time monitoring of water quality, capable of the detection of unanticipated toxic and bioactive substances, are urgently needed. In this study, the applicability of a cell-based sensor system using selected eukaryotic cell lines for the detection of aquatic pollutants is shown. Readout parameters of the cells were the acidification (metabolism), oxygen consumption (respiration) and impedance (morphology) of the cells. A variety of potential cytotoxic classes of substances (heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, neurotoxins, waste water) was tested with monolayers of L6 cells (rat myoblasts). The cytotoxicity or cellular effects induced by inorganic ions (Ni(2+) and Cu(2+)) can be detected with the metabolic parameters acidification and respiration down to 0.5 mg/L, whereas the detection limit for other substances like nicotine and acetaminophen are rather high, in the range of 0.1 mg/L and 100 mg/L. In a close to application model a real waste water sample shows detectable signals, indicating the existence of cytotoxic substances. The results support the paradigm change from single substance detection to the monitoring of overall toxicity.

The influence of sand mining towards the sustainability of power support and capacity of Lambidaro River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniah, Restu; Rahmi, Hisni

2017-11-01

Activities of sand mining on the surface stream (river) conducted by Panji Mahakarya company potentially cause various environmental issues. These problems include the destruction of the river ecosystem, decreased the quality of river water quality, increased water pollution load, and another effect on capacity and power support river. The Lambidaro River is one of the rivers found in Palembang, where the inhabitants who live around it take advantage of the existence of this river to meet their daily needs such as bathing, washing, and latrines. The purpose of this research is to know the influence of mining activities towards sustainability of the power support and capacity of the river. The method used in this research is to compare the availability of water and water needs of the population in determining the status of environmental power support based on regulation of the state minister of the environment number 17 in 2009 about the determination of the power guidance support environment in spatial regions, as well as using the index method of pollution based on the decision of the State Minister of the environment number 115 in 2003 about the determination of the status of water quality guidelines with parameters measured are TDS, TSS, pH, DO, COD, dan BOD5. The results of the calculation of the power support river are deficit where SA (34,200,655.64 m3/year) < DA (253,105,600 m3/year). The result of pollution index calculation at 5 water sampling locations shows that the condition of a river is in good condition (uncontaminated) and mild pollutant.

Water Pollution, Causes and Cures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manufacturing Chemists Association, Washington, DC.

This commentary on sources of water pollution and water pollution treatment systems is accompanied by graphic illustrations. Sources of pollution such as lake bottom vegetation, synthetic organic pollutants, heat pollution, radioactive substance pollution, and human and industrial waste products are discussed. Several types of water purification…

Water Pollution and Leukemia: A Model for Interdisciplinary Research in the Classroom Experiences Incorporating Effective Pedagogical Approaches for Community College General Biology I Lab Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Na; Porter-Morgan, Holly; Doran, Nathan; Keller, Charles

2016-01-01

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the United States faces a host of problems including low recruitment and retention in STEM disciplines, under-representation of multiple segments of the US population, and a host of other issues. These problems are well recognized and a variety of solutions are being implemented…

Natural Resources Study to Determine Causes and Alternative Solutions to the Siltation and Pollution Problems of Big Stone Lake. Task 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-01

have been collected in and around the watershed area. Eight of these were species of the genus Aedes and one was Culiseta inornata, a known carrier...needing or See Table 3 663,00C- possibly needing control Other Sources Land runoff Snow mlt and storm water Water courses ditches and 57,000 carrying...than those for the lower portion. 3. Ground Water a. Supply: Part of the water from rain, melting snow , wet- lands, lakes, and streams in the Big Stone

Occurrence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in coastal recreational waters.

PubMed

Montezzi, Lara Feital; Campana, Eloiza Helena; Corrêa, Laís Lisboa; Justo, Livia Helena; Paschoal, Raphael Paiva; da Silva, Isabel Lemos Vieira Dias; Souza, Maria do Carmo Maciel; Drolshagen, Marcia; Picão, Renata Cristina

2015-02-01

The spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative rods is an emerging global problem. Although most infections due to carbapenemase producers are limited to healthcare institutions, reports of the occurrence of clinically relevant carbapenemase producers in sewage and polluted rivers are increasingly frequent. Polluted rivers flowing to oceans may contaminate coastal waters with multidrug-resistant bacteria, potentially threatening the safety of recreational activities in these locations. Here we assessed the occurrence of carbapenemase producers in water from touristic beaches located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, showing distinct pollution patterns. The presence of enterobacteria was noted, including the predominantly environmental genus Kluyvera spp., producing either Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) or Guyana extended-spectrum (GES)-type carbapenemases and often associated with quinolone resistance determinants. An Aeromonas sp. harbouring blaKPC and qnrS was also observed. These findings strengthen the role of aquatic matrices as reservoirs and vectors of clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, with potential to favour the spread of these resistance threats throughout the community. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Microbial contamination of drinking water in Pakistan--a review.

PubMed

Nabeela, Farhat; Azizullah, Azizullah; Bibi, Roqaia; Uzma, Syeda; Murad, Waheed; Shakir, Shakirullah Khan; Ullah, Waheed; Qasim, Muhammad; Häder, Donat-Peter

2014-12-01

Water pollution with pathogenic microorganisms is one of the serious threats to human health, particularly in developing countries. The main objective of this article is to highlight microbial contamination of drinking water, the major factors responsible for microbial contamination, and the resulting health problems in Pakistan. Furthermore, this study will be helpful for researchers and administrative agencies to initiate relevant studies and develop new policies to protect further deterioration of water supply with pathogenic microbes and ensure clean and safe drinking water to the public in Pakistan. In Pakistan, water at the source, in the distribution network, and at the consumer tap is heavily polluted with coliforms and fecal coliforms all over the country. An overview of more than 7,000 water samples reviewed here reveals that an average of over 71 and 58 % samples in the country was contaminated with total coliforms and fecal coliforms, respectively. Drinking water contamination accounts for 20 to 40 % of all diseases in the country, which causes national income losses of Rs 25-58 billion annually (US$0.25-0.58 billion, approximately 0.6-1.44 % of the country's GDP). Improper disposal of industrial and municipal wastes is the most important factor responsible for water pollution in the country followed by cross-contamination due to old and leaking pipes and lack of water filtration and disinfection facilities. There is an urgent need for emergency steps to stop further deterioration of water quality and improve the existing water quality so as to protect the public from widespread waterborne diseases.

Study of Water Pollution Early Warning Framework Based on Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chengfang, H.; Xiao, X.; Dingtao, S.; Bo, C.; Xiongfei, W.

2016-06-01

In recent years, with the increasing world environmental pollution happening, sudden water pollution incident has become more and more frequently in China. It has posed a serious threat to water safety of the people living in the water source area. Conventional water pollution monitoring method is manual periodic testing, it maybe miss the best time to find that pollution incident. This paper proposes a water pollution warning framework to change this state. On the basis of the Internet of things, we uses automatic water quality monitoring technology to realize monitoring. We calculate the monitoring data with water pollution model to judge whether the water pollution incident is happen or not. Water pollution warning framework is divided into three layers: terminal as the sensing layer, it with the deployment of the automatic water quality pollution monitoring sensor. The middle layer is the transfer network layer, data information implementation is based on GPRS wireless network transmission. The upper one is the application layer. With these application systems, early warning information of water pollution will realize the high-speed transmission between grassroots units and superior units. The paper finally gives an example that applying this pollution warning framework to water quality monitoring of Beijing, China, it greatly improves the speed of the pollution warning responding of Beijing.

Environmental Protection: Federal Incentives Could Help Promote Land Use That Protects Air and Water Quality

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

can over stimulate algae and plant growth, which can degrade coral reefs and important fish spawning habitats. In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey... Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons SIP state...as a significant cause of coastal water quality problems, the acidification of streams and lakes, and the toxic contamination of fish and the birds

[Bioethics and environmental health].

PubMed

Velasco-Suárez, M

1993-01-01

Institutions such as World Health Organization and United Nations have considered the necessity to establish programs to control and preserve our environment. From the beginning, industrial development has polluted the air, water and soil, in some cases irreversibly affecting the ecosystems. Rampant use of natural resources and inattention to preventive measures have promoted environmental pollution, along with its hereditary effects, producing brain damage, intoxications, cancer, and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, among other problems. It is necessary to put aside self-serving materialism and individualism and become aware of this problem. It is necessary to implement environmental policies, foster bioethical responsibility in environmental health research, conduct epidemiologic, biomedical and toxicologic environmental health research works if we are to have a worthy life and an optimal environment.

New directions: Future approaches to the standardized assessment of airborne pollutants affecting environmental quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nehr, Sascha; Franzen-Reuter, Isabelle; Kucejko, Catharina

2017-10-01

Man-made activities have caused unexampled changes of our environment during the last two centuries. Due to emissions of a vast number of pollutants the composition of the Earth's atmosphere is continuously changing, and the consequences for humans and for ecosystems are only partly understood at present. Once released to the atmosphere, the emitted substances undergo physical and chemical degradation. Many of the substances detected in ambient air are toxic or carcinogenic and might cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, air pollutants are influencing acidification, eutrophication, global warming, and biodiversity. Therefore soil quality, water quality, air quality, ecosystem exposure to pollutant deposition, biodiversity, and climate change are coupled problems (Schlesinger, 1997; Steffen et al., 2005; Ehlers et al., 2006; Rockström et al., 2009).

Imprint of the Past: Ecological History of New Bedford Harbor(AED)

EPA Science Inventory

Recently, the U.S. Environmenttal Protection Agency (EPA) adopted a new approach to study and manage environmental problems. In the past, the agency's emphasis was on particular pollutants and their effects on individual species in air, land, and water. But the environment is not...

Schistosomiasis: The World's Number One Health Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallon, Elizabeth J.

1977-01-01

Provides an informative discussion of the disease called schistosomiasis. The discussion covers environmental factors contributing to the disease, its symptoms, the disease organism and its vectors, and treatment of the disease. The author points out the need for water and soil pollution control in disease prone areas. (MR)

TRADING ALLOWANCES FOR STORMWATER CONTROL: ACCOUNTING FOR CONTINUOUS HYDROLOGY AND OPPORTUNITY COSTS

EPA Science Inventory

Excess stormwater runoff is a serious problem in a large number of urban areas, causing flooding, water pollution, groundwater recharge deficits and ecological damage to urban streams. It has been posited that to mitigate the effects of excess stormwater runoff, policy makers cou...

STATE OF THE ART: WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT IN THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

EPA Science Inventory

The general purpose of this paper is to investigate, through the literature, the water pollution impact caused by the wastes from the beverage industry and the methods available to combat the associated problems. The size of each industry is discussed along with production proces...

Biochar as potential adsorptive media for estrogenic compounds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Endocrine disrupting chemicals are an emerging problem in water pollution due to their toxic effects on humans and wildlife. Estrogenic compounds are a subset of endocrine disrupting chemicals that are particularly dangerous since they are very potent and can affect fish at concentrations as low as ...

Optical sensors in water monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauglitz, Guenter

2007-07-01

An upcoming problem in Europe is the protection of water resources and control of water quality. Coastal areas, rivers, ground water, wetlands, and especially drinking water require permanent monitoring to avoid pollution by small organic molecules or especially endocrine disrupting compounds. Biosensors have demonstrated the proof-of-principle of immunochemistry for these applications. It turns out that especially optical methods based on fluorescence detection can be successfully used for the development of fast, sensitive, cost-effective, and easy-to-use analytical systems meeting the requirements given by European Community Directives and national legislation. Results obtained with the RIANA and AWACSS systems are discussed here.

Industrial water pollution, water environment treatment, and health risks in China.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Yang, Zhiming

2016-11-01

The negative health effects of water pollution remain a major source of morbidity and mortality in China. The Chinese government is making great efforts to strengthen water environment treatment; however, no studies have evaluated the effects of water treatment on human health by water pollution in China. This study evaluated the association between water pollution and health outcomes, and determined the extent to which environmental regulations on water pollution may lead to health benefits. Data were extracted from the 2011 and 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Random effects model and random effects Logit model were applied to study the relationship between health and water pollution, while a Mediator model was used to estimate the effects of environmental water treatment on health outcomes by the intensity of water pollution. Unsurprisingly, water pollution was negatively associated with health outcomes, and the common pollutants in industrial wastewater had differential impacts on health outcomes. The effects were stronger for low-income respondents. Water environment treatment led to improved health outcomes among Chinese people. Reduced water pollution mediated the associations between water environment treatment and health outcomes. The results of this study offer compelling evidence to support treatment of water pollution in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal and spatial variations in the relationship between urbanization and water quality.

PubMed

Ren, Lijun; Cui, Erqian; Sun, Haoyu

2014-12-01

With the development of economy, most of Chinese cities are at the stage of rapid urbanization in recent years, which has caused many environmental problems, especially the serious deterioration of water quality. Therefore, the research of the relationship between urbanization and water quality has important theoretical and practical significance, and it is also the main restriction factor in the urbanization advancement. In this work, we investigated the impact of urbanization on the water quality of the nearby river. We established a comprehensive environmental assessment framework by combining urbanization and water quality, and one model was designed to examine the impact of urbanization on the water quality in Jinan from 2001 to 2010 with factor component analysis. The assessment of urbanization level was accomplished using a comprehensive index system, which was based on four aspects: demographic urbanization, economic urbanization, land urbanization, and social urbanization. In addition, synthetic pollution index method was utilized to assess the water pollution of Xiaoqing River in the study area. Through the analysis of regression curves, we conclude that (1) when the urbanization level is below 25 %, the relationship is low and irregular; (2) if the urbanization level varies between 25 and 40 %, there will be an irreversible degradation of stream water quality; (3) there is a positive correlation between urbanization and pollution levels of urban river after the adjustment period; and (4) land and demographic aspects have the highest independent contribution. This study is a useful reference for policymakers in terms of economic and environmental management.

Temporal and spatial changes of water quality and management strategies of Dianchi Lake in southwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, T.; Zeng, W. H.; Wang, S. R.; Ni, Z. K.

2013-12-01

Temporal and spatial changes to the water quality of Dianchi Lake in Southwest China were investigated using monthly monitoring data from 2005 to 2012. Based on the analysis of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations, it was determined that, in Caohai Lake, the annual concentrations of these variables ranged from 0.19-1.46, 6.11-16.79, 0.06-0.14 mg L-1, respectively. In addition, the annual concentrations of TP, TN and Chl a in Waihai Lake ranged between 0.13-0.20, 1.82-3.01, 0.04-0.09 mg L-1, respectively. Cluster Analysis (CA) classified the 10 monitoring sites into two groups (group A and group B) based on similarities of water quality characteristics. Our data revealed that the current status of water quality within Caohai Lake was much worse than that of Waihai Lake. Water quality was seriously degraded during the economic boom near the period of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" (2005-2010), and gradually improved from 2010 to 2012 because of the "standard emission directive to industry". The main factors that influenced the spatial and temporal changes to water quality were natural factors including lake evolution and regional characteristic as well as human factors such as pollution load into the lake and management strategies that were already adopted. Some activities and regulations were implemented to enhance the lake environment by controlling wastewater emissions and establishing regulations to protect the lakes in the Yunnan Province. However, problems with institutional fragmentation (horizontal and vertical), simple treatment methods, low-intensity investment in pollution control, and lack of meaningful endogenous pollution control strategies were still present in the lake management strategy. To solve these problems, suitable control measures are needed, especially considering the current old-age status of Dianchi Lake. The fundamental improvement of the water quality within Caohai Lake was dependent on the measures taken in the upper reaches of the Caohai Watershed, including further recovery of submerged plants, resource utilization by floating plants and the reinforcement of sediment disposal. Management strategies for endogenous pollution in Waihai Lake were mainly dependent on restocking algae-eating fish and the ecological restoration of macrophytes. In this way, the swamping trend and the ageing process that is occurring in Dianchi Lake can be stunted.

A comparison of self reported air pollution problems and GIS-modeled levels of air pollution in people with and without chronic diseases

PubMed Central

Piro, Fredrik Niclas; Madsen, Christian; Næss, Øyvind; Nafstad, Per; Claussen, Bjørgulf

2008-01-01

Objective To explore various contributors to people's reporting of self reported air pollution problems in area of living, including GIS-modeled air pollution, and to investigate whether those with respiratory or other chronic diseases tend to over-report air pollution problems, compared to healthy people. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Oslo Health Study (2000–2001) were linked with GIS-modeled air pollution data from the Norwegian Institute of Air Research. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. 14 294 persons aged 30, 40, 45, 60 or 75 years old with complete information on modeled and self reported air pollution were included. Results People who reported air pollution problems were exposed to significantly higher GIS-modeled air pollution levels than those who did not report such problems. People with chronic disease, reported significantly more air pollution problems after adjustment for modeled levels of nitrogen dioxides, socio-demographic variables, smoking, depression, dwelling conditions and an area deprivation index, even if they had a non-respiratory disease. No diseases, however, were significantly associated with levels of nitrogen dioxides. Conclusion Self reported air pollution problems in area of living are strongly associated with increased levels of GIS-modeled air pollution. Over and above this, those who report to have a chronic disease tend to report more air pollution problems in area of living, despite no significant difference in air pollution exposure compared to healthy people, and no associations between these diseases and NO2. Studies on the association between self reported air pollution problems and health should be aware of the possibility that disease itself may influence the reporting of air pollution. PMID:18307757

Use of geoelectrical methods in groundwater pollution surveys in a coastal environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frohlich, Reinhard K.; Urish, Daniel W.; Fuller, James; O'Reilly, Mary

1994-08-01

The pollution of coastal aquifers by old landfills can contaminate valuable and scarce water resources in the freshwater lens utilized seasonably by overcrowded communities. The pollutants will ultimately flow into the sea where they may also cause a coastal water pollution problem. We have detected pollution in the freshwater lens from a sanitary landfill near Provincetown, Cape Cod, using the geoelectrical resistivity method. This survey included Schlumberger geoelectrical depth soundings and a horizontal geoelectrical profile using the Wenner configuration. The geoelectrical survey was conducted at a site along Highway 6 where it passes the coastal town of Provincetown and a sanitary landfill that has been in operation since 1954. The depth soundings suggest the characteristic decrease in resistivity vs. depth from the high resistivity of the unsaturated zone to the low resistivity of the saltwater saturated zone. The freshwater lens is clearly identified by the change in slope of the steeply dipping curve of resistivity versus electrode spacing. Interpretations made using a multilayer program, GEOMATE, resulted in layer resistivities between 460 and 95 ohm·m for the freshwater lens. A comparison with well water resistivities suggests that a layer resistivity of 230 ohm·m or lower is indicative of pollution in the freshwater lens. The results of the geoelectrical depth soundings were confirmed in the Wenner horizontal profile. Both measurements suggest that the pollutants do not spread evenly as one would expect for a homogeneous and isotropic medium. Instead, a preferred channel for the flow of the pollutants is observed along a path from the landfill toward the shoreline. The depth to the saltwater/freshwater interface or, more specifically, to the low resistivity-high resistivity interface appears to be shallow where the freshwater lens is polluted. This was confirmed by pore water well samples that were highly mineralized. The equilibrium postulated by the Ghyben-Herzberg relation appears to be disturbed in the area of aquifer pollution. This rise in the conductivity boundary is caused by the highly mineralized bottom of the contaminant plume that submerges into the saltwater saturated zone. In the area of high freshwater pollution the groundwater can be subdivided into three layers that show a decrease in resistivity with depth. The formation factor, F, defined as the ratio of bulk aquifer resistivity to pore water resistivity, shows unusually high values between 10 and 12. These high values are unexpected for an unconsolidated sand. Pollution residues are suspected to clog the pores and thus to increase the resistivity. It is possible that iron-oxidizing bacteria and the precipitation of dissolved iron or organic pollutants are the cause of the high values of F. If proven correct, these interesting possibilities could lead to future new applications of the geoelectrical resistivity method in contaminant hydroloy.

Use of geoelectrical methods in groundwater pollution surveys in a coastal environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frohlich, R.K.; Urish, D.W.; Fuller, J.; O'Reilly, M.

1994-01-01

The pollution of coastal aquifers by old landfills can contaminate valuable and scarce water resources in the freshwater lens utilized seasonably by overcrowded communities. The pollutants will ultimately flow into the sea where they may also cause a coastal water pollution problem. We have detected pollution in the freshwater lens from a sanitary landfill near Provincetown, Cape Cod, using the geoelectrical resistivity method. This survey included Schlumberger geoelectrical depth soundings and a horizontal geoelectrical profile using the Wenner configuration. The geoelectrical survey was conducted at a site along Highway 6 where it passes the coastal town of Provincetown and a sanitary landfill that has been in operation since 1954. The depth soundings suggest the characteristic decrease in resistivity vs. depth from the high resistivity of the unsaturated zone to the low resistivity of the saltwater saturated zone. The freshwater lens is clearly identified by the change in slope of the steeply dipping curve of resistivity versus electrode spacing. Interpretations made using a multilayer program, Geomate, resulted in layer resistivities between 460 and 95 ohm?m for the freshwater lens. A comparison with well water resistivities suggests that a layer resistivity of 230 ohm?m or lower is indicative of pollution in the freshwater lens. The results of the geoelectrical depth soundings were confirmed in the Wenner horizontal profile. Both measurements suggest that the pollutants do not spread evenly as one would expect for a homogeneous and isotropic medium. Instead, a preferred channel for the flow of the pollutants is observed along a path from the landfill toward the shoreline. The depth to the saltwater/freshwater interface or, more specifically, to the low resistivity-high resistivity interface appears to be shallow where the freshwater lens is polluted. This was confirmed by pore water well samples that were highly mineralized. The equilibrium postulated by the Ghyben-Herzberg relation appears to be disturbed in the area of aquifer pollution. This rise in the conductivity boundary is caused by the highly mineralized bottom of the contaminant plume that submerges into the saltwater saturated zone. In the area of high freshwater pollution the groundwater can be subdivided into three layers that show a decrease in resistivity with depth. The formation factor, F, defined as the ratio of bulk aquifer resistivity to pore water resistivity, shows unusually high values between 10 and 12. These high values are unexpected for an unconsolidated sand. Pollution residues are suspected to clog the pores and thus to increase the resistivity. It is possible that iron-oxidizing bacteria and the precipitation of dissolved iron or organic pollutants are the cause of the high values of F. If proven correct, these interesting possibilities could lead to future new applications of the geoelectrical resistivity method in contaminant hydroloy.

[Hygienic problems in the manufacture and usage of fertilizers].

PubMed

Tulakan, A V; Mekhant'eva, L E

2008-01-01

The paper presents review data on the hygienic problems in the turnover of fertilizers. Agrochemicals are shown to be an additional source of the emission of a number of pollutants into the environment (ambient air, soil, water sources, and foodstuffs). There is evidence that it is important to update environmental hygiene and occupational medicine and to elaborate preventive and health-improving measures when fertilizers and other agrochemicals are manufactured and applied.

Lake Water Quality Improvement by Using Waste Mussel Shell Powder as an Adsorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zukri, N. I.; Khamidun, M. H.; Sapiren, M. S.; Abdullah, S.; Rahman, M. A. A.

2018-04-01

Lake water in UTHM was slightly greenish in color indicating the eutrophication process. Eutrophication problem is due to excessive amount of nutrient in the lake water which causes nuisance growth of algae and other aquatic plant. The improvement of lake water quality should be conducted wisely in preventing from eutrophication problem by using a suitable water treatment method. Natural materials, agricultural wastes and industrial wastes are locally available sources can be utilized as low-cost adsorbents. The natural abundant source of waste mussel’s shells is advantages to use as basis material to produce the low cost adsorbent for water treatment. Batch experiments were carried out with the preparation 500 ml volume of lake water sample with the dosage of 2.5g, 7.5g and 12.5g. Then the solution shaking in an incubator with 200 rpm shaking speed. The various dosage of mussel shell greatly affected pollutants removal. Both of NH4+ and PO43- have a higher percentage removal with 31.28% and 21.74% at the 7.5g of sample dosage. Other parameters such as COD and TSS also shown good percentage of removal at 7.5g of dosage sample with 44.45% and 25% respectively. While, dosage at 2.5g was performed as a good adsorption capacity of NH4+, PO43-, COD and TSS as high as 0.142, 0.234, 7.6 and 20 mg/g, respectively. These experimental results suggested that the use of mussel shell powder as good basis material in removing pollutants from lake water.

Are Industrial Towns Safe for Human Dwelling?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singla, C.; Garg, S.; Aggarwal, R.; Jutla, A. S.

2012-12-01

Water resources in the developing countries are under severe stress with multiple stakeholders claiming rights to it. Regional industries, in absence to strict regulations, are responsible for dumping toxic wastes to rivers, ponds and other waterway which have devastating effects on water habitat as well as population that derives water for its daily needs. Key methodological challenges remain in connecting environment to levels of pollution and its relationship with diseases that affect humans. We present a case study from one of the highly industrialized town of South Asia. Ludhiana is the largest city and the largest urban settlement in Punjab, India. With the development of industry, agriculture and the growth of urban population, its water pollution has become a serious problem. Here, we will show how the distribution of heavy metals for groundwater affects its quality and role of regional hydrology on it. We will start with one of the major waterways in the Ludhiana district. Groundwater water samples including sewage water sample were collected within its vicinity of 2.0 km along the waterway (Buddha Nala). The concentration of nickel(Ni) and iron(Fe) in sewage water as well as in groundwater samples was much higher than the maximum permissible limits at a distance of 1.0 Km away from Buddha Nala. In general, all the groundwater samples collected beyond 1.0 Km away from Buddha Nala were found to be having normal concentrations of arsenic and Fe. We will also demonstrate regional health problems resulting from poor groundwater quality. Role of regional hydrology in modulating water quality will be discussed.

Climate change and water security with a focus on the Arctic.

PubMed

Evengard, Birgitta; Berner, Jim; Brubaker, Michael; Mulvad, Gert; Revich, Boris

2011-01-01

Water is of fundamental importance for human life; access to water of good quality is of vital concern for mankind. Currently however, the situation is under severe pressure due to several stressors that have a clear impact on access to water. In the Arctic, climate change is having an impact on water availability by melting glaciers, decreasing seasonal rates of precipitation, increasing evapotranspiration, and drying lakes and rivers existing in permafrost grounds. Water quality is also being impacted as manmade pollutants stored in the environment are released, lowland areas are flooded with salty ocean water during storms, turbidity from permafrost-driven thaw and erosion is increased, and the growth or emergence of natural pollutants are increased. By 2030 it is estimated that the world will need to produce 50% more food and energy which means a continuous increase in demand for water. Decisionmakers will have to very clearly include life quality aspects of future generations in the work as impact of ongoing changes will be noticeable, in many cases, in the future. This article will focus on effects of climate-change on water security with an Arctic perspective giving some examples from different countries how arising problems are being addressed.

Climate change and water security with a focus on the Arctic

PubMed Central

Evengard, Birgitta; Berner, Jim; Brubaker, Michael; Mulvad, Gert; Revich, Boris

2011-01-01

Water is of fundamental importance for human life; access to water of good quality is of vital concern for mankind. Currently however, the situation is under severe pressure due to several stressors that have a clear impact on access to water. In the Arctic, climate change is having an impact on water availability by melting glaciers, decreasing seasonal rates of precipitation, increasing evapotranspiration, and drying lakes and rivers existing in permafrost grounds. Water quality is also being impacted as manmade pollutants stored in the environment are released, lowland areas are flooded with salty ocean water during storms, turbidity from permafrost-driven thaw and erosion is increased, and the growth or emergence of natural pollutants are increased. By 2030 it is estimated that the world will need to produce 50% more food and energy which means a continuous increase in demand for water. Decisionmakers will have to very clearly include life quality aspects of future generations in the work as impact of ongoing changes will be noticeable, in many cases, in the future. This article will focus on effects of climate-change on water security with an Arctic perspective giving some examples from different countries how arising problems are being addressed. PMID:22043217

Applications of WEPS and SWEEP to non-agricultural lands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil erosion by wind is a serious problem on agricultural lands throughout the United States and the world. Dust from wind erosion obscures visibility and pollutes the air. It fills road ditches where it can impact water quality, causes automobile accidents, fouls machinery, and imperils animal an...

40 CFR 35.1603 - Summary of clean lakes assistance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., and the State must certify that the lake project is consistent with the State Water Quality Management... quality, evaluate possible solutions to existing pollution problems, and recommend a feasible program to restore or preserve the quality of the lake. A Phase 2 cooperative agreement is to be used for...

Effects of Stormwater Pipe Size and Rainfall on Sediment and Nutrients Delivered to a Coastal Bayou

EPA Science Inventory

Pollutants discharged from stormwater pipes can cause water quality and ecosystem problems in coastal bayous. A study was conducted to characterize sediment and nutrients discharged by small and large (, 20 cm and .20 cm in internal diameters, respectively) pipes under different ...

Extraction and recovery of phosphorus from pig manure using the quick wash process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land disposal of manure is a challenging environmental problem in areas with intense confined pig production. Due to nutrient imbalance, manure applied to soil at optimal nitrogen rates for crop growth can promote soil phosphorus (P) surplus and potential pollution of water resources. Although manur...

Sustainability Adult Education: Learning to Re-Create the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griswold, Wendy

2016-01-01

No crisis is as great as the environmental predicament we face. Globally, humans everywhere now confront problems of extreme weather, waste disposal, pollution, overpopulation, massive forest depletion, access to clean water, the depletion of natural resources, the destruction of natural habitats, and changes in the chemistry of the world's…

Assessing diversity and phytoremediation potential of mangroves for copper contaminated sediments in Subic Bay, Philippines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxic metal pollution of water and soil is a major environmental problem and most conventional remediation approaches may not provide adequate solutions. An alternative way of reducing copper (Cu) concentration from contaminated sediments is through phytoremediation. Presently, there are few researc...

Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Riparian Forest Buffers, Warm-Season and Cool-Season Grass Filters, and Crop Fields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing denitrification rates in riparian buffers may be trading the problem of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of surface waters for atmospheric deterioration and increased global warming potential because denitrification produces nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas also involved in stratosphe...

Consequences of human modification of the global nitrogen cycle

PubMed Central

Erisman, Jan Willem; Galloway, James N.; Seitzinger, Sybil; Bleeker, Albert; Dise, Nancy B.; Petrescu, A. M. Roxana; Leach, Allison M.; de Vries, Wim

2013-01-01

The demand for more food is increasing fertilizer and land use, and the demand for more energy is increasing fossil fuel combustion, leading to enhanced losses of reactive nitrogen (Nr) to the environment. Many thresholds for human and ecosystem health have been exceeded owing to Nr pollution, including those for drinking water (nitrates), air quality (smog, particulate matter, ground-level ozone), freshwater eutrophication, biodiversity loss, stratospheric ozone depletion, climate change and coastal ecosystems (dead zones). Each of these environmental effects can be magnified by the ‘nitrogen cascade’: a single atom of Nr can trigger a cascade of negative environmental impacts in sequence. Here, we provide an overview of the impact of Nr on the environment and human health, including an assessment of the magnitude of different environmental problems, and the relative importance of Nr as a contributor to each problem. In some cases, Nr loss to the environment is the key driver of effects (e.g. terrestrial and coastal eutrophication, nitrous oxide emissions), whereas in some other situations nitrogen represents a key contributor exacerbating a wider problem (e.g. freshwater pollution, biodiversity loss). In this way, the central role of nitrogen can remain hidden, even though it actually underpins many trans-boundary pollution problems. PMID:23713116

Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater and Its Treatment Options in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jia-Qian; Ashekuzzaman, S. M.; Jiang, Anlun; Sharifuzzaman, S. M.; Chowdhury, Sayedur Rahman

2012-01-01

Arsenic (As) causes health concerns due to its significant toxicity and worldwide presence in drinking water and groundwater. The major sources of As pollution may be natural process such as dissolution of As-containing minerals and anthropogenic activities such as percolation of water from mines, etc. The maximum contaminant level for total As in potable water has been established as 10 µg/L. Among the countries facing As contamination problems, Bangladesh is the most affected. Up to 77 million people in Bangladesh have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from drinking water. Therefore, it has become an urgent need to provide As-free drinking water in rural households throughout Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the recent data on arsenic contamination status, its sources and reasons of mobilization and the exposure pathways in Bangladesh. Very little literature has focused on the removal of As from groundwaters in developing countries and thus this paper aims to review the As removal technologies and be a useful resource for researchers or policy makers to help identify and investigate useful treatment options. While a number of technological developments in arsenic removal have taken place, we must consider variations in sources and quality characteristics of As polluted water and differences in the socio-economic and literacy conditions of people, and then aim at improving effectiveness in arsenic removal, reducing the cost of the system, making the technology user friendly, overcoming maintenance problems and resolving sludge management issues. PMID:23343979

Arsenic contaminated groundwater and its treatment options in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Jiang, Jia-Qian; Ashekuzzaman, S M; Jiang, Anlun; Sharifuzzaman, S M; Chowdhury, Sayedur Rahman

2012-12-20

Arsenic (As) causes health concerns due to its significant toxicity and worldwide presence in drinking water and groundwater. The major sources of As pollution may be natural process such as dissolution of As-containing minerals and anthropogenic activities such as percolation of water from mines, etc. The maximum contaminant level for total As in potable water has been established as 10 µg/L. Among the countries facing As contamination problems, Bangladesh is the most affected. Up to 77 million people in Bangladesh have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from drinking water. Therefore, it has become an urgent need to provide As-free drinking water in rural households throughout Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the recent data on arsenic contamination status, its sources and reasons of mobilization and the exposure pathways in Bangladesh. Very little literature has focused on the removal of As from groundwaters in developing countries and thus this paper aims to review the As removal technologies and be a useful resource for researchers or policy makers to help identify and investigate useful treatment options. While a number of technological developments in arsenic removal have taken place, we must consider variations in sources and quality characteristics of As polluted water and differences in the socio-economic and literacy conditions of people, and then aim at improving effectiveness in arsenic removal, reducing the cost of the system, making the technology user friendly, overcoming maintenance problems and resolving sludge management issues.

Perceived and measured levels of environmental pollution: interdisciplinary research in the subarctic lowlands of northeast European Russia.

PubMed

Walker, Tony R; Habeck, Joachim Otto; Karjalainen, Timo P; Virtanen, Tarmo; Solovieva, Nadia; Jones, Viv; Kuhry, Peter; Ponomarev, Vasily I; Mikkola, Kari; Nikula, Ari; Patova, Elena; Crittenden, Peter D; Young, Scott D; Ingold, Tim

2006-08-01

Using interdisciplinary field research in the Usa Basin, northeast European Russia, we compared local inhabitants' perception of environmental problems with chemical and remote-sensing signatures of environmental pollution and their local impacts. Extensive coal mining since the 1930s around Inta and Vorkuta has left a legacy of pollution, detected by measuring snowpack, topsoil, and lichen chemistry, together with remote-sensing techniques and analysis of lake water and sediments. Vorkuta and its environs suffered the worst impacts, with significant metal loading and alkalization in lakes and topsoils, elevated metals and cations in terricolous (reindeer) lichens, and changes in vegetation communities. Although the coal industry has declined recently, the area boasts a booming oil and gas industry, based around Usinsk. Local perceptions and concerns of environmental pollution and protection were higher in Usinsk, as a result of increased awareness after a major oil spill in 1994, compared with Vorkuta's inhabitants, who perceived air pollution as the primary environmental threat. Our studies indicate that the principal sources of atmospheric emissions and local deposition within 25 to 40 km of Vorkuta were coal combustion from power and heating plants, coal mines, and a cement factory. Local people evaluated air pollution from direct observations and personal experiences, such as discoloration of snow and respiratory problems, whereas scientific knowledge played a minor role in shaping these perceptions.

The risk of river pollution due to washout from contaminated floodplain water bodies during high floods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyubimova, Tatyana; Lepikhin, Anatoly; Parshakova, Yanina; Tiunov, Alexey

2016-04-01

Today, the potential impact of extremely high floods, which in the last years have become a rather frequent weather-related disaster, is the problem of primary concern. In studies of the potential impact of floods the emphasis is placed first of all on the estimation of possible flood zones and the analysis of the flow regimes in these zones. However, in some cases the hydrochemical parameters related to changes in the chemical composition of water are more important than the hydraulic parameters. It is generally believed that the higher is the flow rate, the more intensive is the process of dissolution, i.e. the lower is the concentration of limiting contaminants in water. However, this statement is valid provided that flooding does not activate new sources of water pollution such as contaminated floodplain water bodies located in the vicinity of water supply systems. Being quite reliable and safe at small and moderate discharges, in the case of extremely high level of river waters they become intensive sources of water pollution, essentially limiting the water consumption schedule for downstream water consumers. It should be noted that compared to the well-studied mechanisms of waste discharge due to failure of hydraulic engineering structures by flood waves, the mechanisms of pollutant washout from the contaminated floodplain water bodies by the flood waves is still poorly understood. We analyze the impacts of such weather-related events on the quality of water in the water intake system, taking as an example, the section of the Vyatka River located in the Prikamskaya lowland of the Russian Federation. The risk of river pollution due to washout from the contaminated floodplain water bodies during high floods is studied by hydrodynamical modeling in the framework of combined approach using one-, two- and three-dimensional hydrodynamic models are implemented and by in situ measurements. It is shown that during high floods the removal of pollutants from the contaminated floodplain water bodies takes place. The washout process includes two stages. The first rapid stage lasts about two hours, during this stage the upper layer is washed out. During the second, longer stage, the concentration of contaminant in the floodplain water body remains nearly constant. The maximal concentration of contaminant in the river in the vicinity of water intake located 21 kilometers downstream is attained in 9 hours from the beginning of the flood; it can become several times larger than acceptable concentration. The calculations and in-situ measurements have also shown that the primary peak of contaminant concentration near the water intake is followed by a smaller second peak related to the contaminant propagation through inundated floodplain. After the second peak the concentration slowly decreases and reaches acceptable values in 30-40 hours. Thus, during high floods, contaminated floodplain water bodies located near drinking water supply systems can become new sources of water pollution which has to be taken into account in downstream water consumption schedule. This work was supported by Russian Science Foundation (grant 14-21-00090).

Presence of nitrate NO 3 a ects animal production, photocalysis is a possible solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barba-Molina, Heli; Barba-Ortega, J.; Joya, M. R.

2016-02-01

Farmers and ranchers depend on the successful combination of livestock and crops. However, they have lost in the production by nitrate pollution. Nitrate poisoning in cattle is caused by the consumption of an excessive amount of nitrate or nitrite from grazing or water. Both humans and livestock can be affected. It would appear that well fertilised pasture seems to take up nitrogen from the soil and store it as nitrate in the leaf. Climatic conditions, favour the uptake of nitrate. Nitrate poisoning is a noninfectious disease condition that affects domestic ruminants. It is a serious problem, often resulting in the death of many animals. When nitrogen fertilizers are used to enrich soils, nitrates may be carried by rain, irrigation and other surface waters through the soil into ground water. Human and animal wastes can also contribute to nitrate contamination of ground water. A possible method to decontaminate polluted water by nitrates is with methods of fabrication of zero valent iron nanoparticles (FeNps) are found to affect their efficiency in nitrate removal from water.

Biosorption: a solution to pollution?

PubMed

Vieira, R H; Volesky, B

2000-03-01

To solve the water pollution problem by toxic heavy metal contamination resulting from humans technological activities has for long presented a challenge. Biosorption can be a part of the solution. Some types of biosorbents such as seaweeds, molds, yeasts, bacteria or crab shells are examples of biomass tested for metal biosorption with very encouraging results. The uptake of heavy metals by biomass can in some cases reach up to 50% of the biomass dry weight. New biosorbents can be manipulated for better efficiency and multiple re-use to increase their economic attractiveness.

New approach for point pollution source identification in rivers based on the backward probability method.

PubMed

Wang, Jiabiao; Zhao, Jianshi; Lei, Xiaohui; Wang, Hao

2018-06-13

Pollution risk from the discharge of industrial waste or accidental spills during transportation poses a considerable threat to the security of rivers. The ability to quickly identify the pollution source is extremely important to enable emergency disposal of pollutants. This study proposes a new approach for point source identification of sudden water pollution in rivers, which aims to determine where (source location), when (release time) and how much pollutant (released mass) was introduced into the river. Based on the backward probability method (BPM) and the linear regression model (LR), the proposed LR-BPM converts the ill-posed problem of source identification into an optimization model, which is solved using a Differential Evolution Algorithm (DEA). The decoupled parameters of released mass are not dependent on prior information, which improves the identification efficiency. A hypothetical case study with a different number of pollution sources was conducted to test the proposed approach, and the largest relative errors for identified location, release time, and released mass in all tests were not greater than 10%. Uncertainty in the LR-BPM is mainly due to a problem with model equifinality, but averaging the results of repeated tests greatly reduces errors. Furthermore, increasing the gauging sections further improves identification results. A real-world case study examines the applicability of the LR-BPM in practice, where it is demonstrated to be more accurate and time-saving than two existing approaches, Bayesian-MCMC and basic DEA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Operations Management Test of Use of the White Amur for Control of Problem Aquatic Plants. Report 3. Second Year Poststocking Results. Volume VI. The Water and Sediment Quality of Lake Conway, Florida.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

AD-A-11 701 ORANGE COUNTY POLLUTION CONTROL DEPT ORLANDO FL F/0 6/6 LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TEST OF USE OF THE WHITE AMUR--ETC(U) AUG 82 H...8217 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TEST OF USE OF THE WHITE AMUR FOR CONTROL -OF PROBLEM AQ.UATIC PLANTS SECOND YEAR POSTSTOCKING RESULTS Volume, Vt The Water...and Subetie) S. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TEST OF USE OF Report 3 of a series THE WHITE AMUR FOR CONTROL OF

Control of Groundwater Pollution from Animal Feeding Operations: A Farm-Level Dynamic Model for Policy Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Baerenklau, K.

2012-12-01

Consolidation in livestock production generates higher farm incomes due to economies of scale, but it also brings waste disposal problems. Over-application of animal waste on adjacent land produces adverse environmental and health effects, including groundwater nitrate pollution. The situation is particularly noticeable in California. In respond to this increasingly severe problem, EPA published a type of command-and-control regulation for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in 2003. The key component of the regulation is its nutrient management plans (NMPs), which intend to limit the land application rates of animal waste. Although previous studies provide a full perspective on potential economic impacts for CAFOs to meet nutrient standards, their models are static and fail to reflect changes in management practices other than spreading manure on additional land and changing cropping patterns. We develop a dynamic environmental-economic modeling framework for representative CAFOs. The framework incorporates four models (i.e., animal model, crop model, hydrologic model, and economic model) that include various components such as herd management, manure handling system, crop rotation, water sources, irrigation system, waste disposal options, and pollutant emissions. We also include the dynamics of soil characteristics in the rootzone as well as the spatial heterogeneity of the irrigation system. The operator maximizes discounted total farm profit over multiple periods subject to environmental regulations. Decision rules from the dynamic optimization problem demonstrate best management practices for CAFOs to improve their economic and environmental performance. Results from policy simulations suggest that direct quantity restrictions of emission or incentive-based emission policies are much more cost-effective than the standard approach of limiting the amount of animal waste that may be applied to fields (as shown in the figure below); reason being, policies targeting intermediate pollution and final pollution create incentives for the operator to examine the effects of other management practices to reduce pollution in addition to controlling the polluting inputs. Incentive-based mechanisms are slightly more cost-effective than quantity controls when seasonal emissions fluctuate. Our approach demonstrates the importance of taking into account the spatial & temporal dynamics in the rootzone and the integrated effects of water, nitrogen, and salinity on crop yield and nitrate emissions. It also highlights the significant role the environment can play in pollution control and the potential benefits from designing policies that acknowledge this role.oss of Total Net Farm Income Under Alternative Policies

Engineering and Environmental Study of DDT Contamination of Huntsville Spring Branch, Indian Creek, and Adjacent Lands and Waters, Wheeler Reservoir, Alabama. Volume 1. Summary.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

health effects. That aspect of the problem is being investigated by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. 2.0 EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM Historically...AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ACT OF 1971 111-85 8.12 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 111-85 8.13 EXECUTIVE ORDER 11988 111-85 8.14 EXECUTIVE...that was specifically excluded from this study was human health effects. That aspect of the problem is being investigated by the Center for Disease

Some environmental problems and their satellite monitoring. [anthropogenic modifications of earth surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.

1975-01-01

Anthropogenic modification of the earth's surface is discussed in two problem areas: (1) land use changes and overgrazing, and how it affects albedo and land surface-atmosphere interactions, and (2) water and land surface pollution, especially oil slicks. A literature survey evidences the importance of these problems. The need for monitoring is stressed, and it is suggested that with some modifications to the sensors, ERTS (Landsat) series satellites can provide approximate monitoring information. The European Landsat receiving station in Italy will facilitate data collection for the tasks described.

Recent advances based on the synergetic effect of adsorption for removal of dyes from waste water using photocatalytic process.

PubMed

Natarajan, Subramanian; Bajaj, Hari C; Tayade, Rajesh J

2018-03-01

The problem of textile dye pollution has been addressed by various methods, mainly physical, chemical, biological, and acoustical. These methods mainly separate and/or remove the dye present in water. Recently, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) have been focused for removal of dye from waste water due to their advantages such as ecofriendly, economic and capable to degrade many dyes or organic pollutant present in water. Photocatalysis is one of the advance oxidation processes, mainly carried out under irradiation of light and suitable photocatalytic materials. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalytic materials mainly depends on the band gap, surface area, and generation of electron-hole pair for degradation dyes present in water. It has been observed that the surface area plays a major role in photocatalytic degradation of dyes, by providing higher surface area, which leads to the higher adsorption of dye molecule on the surface of photocatalyst and enhances the photocatalytic activity. This present review discusses the synergic effect of adsorption of dyes on the photocatalytic efficiency of various nanostructured high surface area photocatalysts. In addition, it also provides the properties of the water polluting dyes, their mechanism and various photocatalytic materials; and their morphology used for the dye degradation under irradiation of light along with the future prospects of highly adsorptive photocatalytic material and their application in photocatalytic removal of dye from waste water. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

On multidisciplinary research on the application of remote sensing to water resources problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

This research is directed toward development of a practical, operational remote sensing water quality monitoring system. To accomplish this, five fundamental aspects of the problem have been under investigation during the past three years. These are: (1) development of practical and economical methods of obtaining, handling and analyzing remote sensing data; (2) determination of the correlation between remote sensed imagery and actual water quality parameters; (3) determination of the optimum technique for monitoring specific water pollution parameters and for evaluating the reliability with which this can be accomplished; (4) determination of the extent of masking due to depth of penetration, bottom effects, film development effects, and angle falloff, and development of techniques to eliminate or minimize them; and (5) development of operational procedures which might be employed by a municipal, state or federal agency for the application of remote sensing to water quality monitoring, including space-generated data.

Selected stormwater priority pollutants: a European perspective.

PubMed

Eriksson, E; Baun, A; Scholes, L; Ledin, A; Ahlman, S; Revitt, M; Noutsopoulos, C; Mikkelsen, P S

2007-09-20

The chemical characteristics of stormwater are dependent on the nature of surfaces (roads, roofs etc.) with which it comes into contact during the runoff process as well as natural processes and anthropogenic activities in the catchments. The different types of pollutants may cause problems during utilisation, detention or discharge of stormwater to the environment and may pose specific demands to decentralised treatment. This paper proposes a scientifically justifiable list of selected stormwater priority pollutants (SSPP) to be used, e.g., for evaluation of the chemical risks occurring in different handling strategies. The SSPP-list consists of 25 pollutant parameters including eight of the priority pollutants currently identified in the European Water Framework Directive. It contains general water quality parameters (organic and suspended matter, nutrients and pH); metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Pt and Zn); PAH (naphthalene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene); herbicides (pendimethalin, phenmedipham, glyphosate and terbutylazine); and other representative industrially derived compounds (nonylphenol ethoxylates, pentachlorophenol, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, PCB-28 and methyl tert-butyl ether). Tools for flux modelling, enabling calculation of predicted environmental concentrations (PECs), and for ranking the susceptibility of a pollutant to removal within a range of structural stormwater treatment systems or best management practices (BMPs) have been developed, but further work is required to allow all SSPPs to be addressed in the development of future stormwater pollution control measures. In addition, the identified SSPPs should be considered for inclusion in stormwater related monitoring campaigns.

Twenty-five years of ecological recovery of East Fork Poplar Creek: review of environmental problems and remedial actions.

PubMed

Loar, James M; Stewart, Arthur J; Smith, John G

2011-06-01

In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was issued for the Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, allowing discharge of effluents to East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC). The effluents ranged from large volumes of chlorinated once-through cooling water and cooling tower blow-down to smaller discharges of treated and untreated process wastewaters, which contained a mixture of heavy metals, organics, and nutrients, especially nitrates. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed to meet two major objectives: demonstrate that the established effluent limitations were protecting the classified uses of EFPC, and document the ecological effects resulting from implementing a Water Pollution Control Program at the Y-12 Complex. The second objective is the primary focus of the other papers in this special series. This paper provides a history of pollution and the remedial actions that were implemented; describes the geographic setting of the study area; and characterizes the physicochemical attributes of the sampling sites, including changes in stream flow and temperature that occurred during implementation of the BMAP. Most of the actions taken under the Water Pollution Control Program were completed between 1986 and 1998, with as many as four years elapsing between some of the most significant actions. The Water Pollution Control Program included constructing nine new wastewater treatment facilities and implementation of several other pollution-reducing measures, such as a best management practices plan; area-source pollution control management; and various spill-prevention projects. Many of the major actions had readily discernable effects on the chemical and physical conditions of EFPC. As controls on effluents entering the stream were implemented, pollutant concentrations generally declined and, at least initially, the volume of water discharged from the Y-12 Complex declined. This reduction in discharge was of ecological concern and led to implementation of a flow management program for EFPC. Implementing flow management, in turn, led to substantial changes in chemical and physical conditions of the stream: stream discharge nearly doubled and stream temperatures decreased, becoming more similar to those in reference streams. While water quality clearly improved, meeting water quality standards alone does not guarantee protection of a waterbody's biological integrity. Results from studies on the ecological changes stemming from pollution-reduction actions, such as those presented in this series, also are needed to understand how best to restore or protect biological integrity and enhance ecological recovery in stream ecosystems. With a better knowledge of the ecological consequences of their decisions, environmental managers can better evaluate alternative actions and more accurately predict their effects.

Twenty-Five Years of Ecological Recovery of East Fork Poplar Creek: Review of Environmental Problems and Remedial Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loar, James M.; Stewart, Arthur J.; Smith, John G.

2011-06-01

In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was issued for the Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, allowing discharge of effluents to East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC). The effluents ranged from large volumes of chlorinated once-through cooling water and cooling tower blow-down to smaller discharges of treated and untreated process wastewaters, which contained a mixture of heavy metals, organics, and nutrients, especially nitrates. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed to meet two major objectives: demonstrate that the established effluent limitations were protecting the classified uses of EFPC, and document the ecological effects resulting from implementing a Water Pollution Control Program at the Y-12 Complex. The second objective is the primary focus of the other papers in this special series. This paper provides a history of pollution and the remedial actions that were implemented; describes the geographic setting of the study area; and characterizes the physicochemical attributes of the sampling sites, including changes in stream flow and temperature that occurred during implementation of the BMAP. Most of the actions taken under the Water Pollution Control Program were completed between 1986 and 1998, with as many as four years elapsing between some of the most significant actions. The Water Pollution Control Program included constructing nine new wastewater treatment facilities and implementation of several other pollution-reducing measures, such as a best management practices plan; area-source pollution control management; and various spill-prevention projects. Many of the major actions had readily discernable effects on the chemical and physical conditions of EFPC. As controls on effluents entering the stream were implemented, pollutant concentrations generally declined and, at least initially, the volume of water discharged from the Y-12 Complex declined. This reduction in discharge was of ecological concern and led to implementation of a flow management program for EFPC. Implementing flow management, in turn, led to substantial changes in chemical and physical conditions of the stream: stream discharge nearly doubled and stream temperatures decreased, becoming more similar to those in reference streams. While water quality clearly improved, meeting water quality standards alone does not guarantee protection of a waterbody's biological integrity. Results from studies on the ecological changes stemming from pollution-reduction actions, such as those presented in this series, also are needed to understand how best to restore or protect biological integrity and enhance ecological recovery in stream ecosystems. With a better knowledge of the ecological consequences of their decisions, environmental managers can better evaluate alternative actions and more accurately predict their effects.

Magnetic surveys for locating abandoned wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

Abandoned and unrecorded wells may act as conduits for the contamination of groundwater supplies by oil field brines and other pollutants. The casings of abandoned wells eventually develop leaks, which, if not properly plugged, can allow pollutants to reach freshwater aquifers that supply drinking water. Sources of pollutants include brine ponds, landfill sites, agricultural activities, industrial activities, illegal disposal sites, or accidental spills. The problem is particularly acute in regions where there are old petroleum fields or where water wells have been extensively used for agricultural irrigation. Even urban areas can contain wells that were abandoned and concealed during development. Carefully designed ground magnetic or aeromagnetic surveys can be used to locate abandoned wells by mapping the magnetic disturbances or "anomalies" produced by their steel well casings. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) can, at the request of other Federal, State, or local agencies, conduct, process, and interpret such surveys, or it can aid in the design and monitoring of contracts for such surveys.

Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution in Western Washington: Landowner Learning Methods and Motivations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Clare M.

2009-06-01

States, territories, and tribes identify nonpoint source pollution as responsible for more than half of the Nation’s existing and threatened water quality impairments, making it the principal remaining cause of water quality problems across the United States. Combinations of education, technical and financial assistance, and regulatory measures are used to inform landowners about nonpoint source pollution issues, and to stimulate the use of best management practices. A mail survey of non-commercial riparian landowners investigated how they learn about best management practices, the efficacy of different educational techniques, and what motivates them to implement land management activities. Landowners experience a variety of educational techniques, and rank those that include direct personal contact as more effective than brochures, advertisements, radio, internet, or television. The most important motivations for implementing best management practices were linked with elements of a personal stewardship ethic, accountability, personal commitment, and feasibility. Nonpoint source education and social marketing campaigns should include direct interpersonal contacts, and appeal to landowner motivations of caring, responsibility, and personal commitment.

Acid rain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.; Deviney, Frank A.; Olson, Gordon

2007-01-01

Visitors to Shenandoah National Park (SNP) enjoy the animal and plant life and the scenery but may not realize how vulnerable these features are to various threats, such as invasion of exotic plants and insects, improper use of park resources by humans, and air and water pollution. The National Park Service strives to protect natural resources from such threats to ensure that the resources will be available for enjoyment now and in the future. Because SNP has limited influence over the air pollution that envelops the region, acidic deposition--commonly known as acid rain--is one of the more challenging threats facing park managers. With the help of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists, park managers can understand how acid rain interacts with ground- and surface-water resources, which enables them to explain why reductions in air pollution can help preserve park resources. Such understanding also provides essential insight into ecosystem processes, as managers strive to unravel and resolve other environmental problems that are interrelated to acid rain.

Chemical pollutants in relation to diseases in fish

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, E.R.; Sinclair, T.; Keith, L.

1977-01-01

Studies were conducted on the frequency of oncogenic disease in fishes in polluted waters and interrelationships of human pathogens to aquatic problems. Chemical surveys were made of the polluted Fox River and the pollution-free Canadian Lake of the Woods. A table is presented to show fish diseases in polluted and nonpolluted waters. An experiment on the effects of certain minerals on bluegills showed a deleterious effect on longevity of the fish. The following diseases are discussed with regard to causative organism, symptoms, and incidence: columnaris disease, hemorrhagic disease, Dee (kidney) disease, saprolegnia, black spot, catfish virus disease, lymphocystis, lymphoreticular neoplasms,more » and hepatoma. To determine the efficiency and toxicity of disinfectants used in the treatment of sewage, minnows were raised in effluent from sewage treatment plants and additionally treated with disinfectants. Polio types 1-3 were present in intestinal tracts of fish raised in effluent that was not disinfected and in fish exposed to effluent treated with bromochloride and ozone. Levels of chlorine used were capable of eliminating a potential health hazard; other treatments such as bromochlorination and ozonation were not able to eliminate this possibility. Studies on the toxicity of vinyl chloride to northern pike showed that the fish were killed rapidly by this chemical. (HLW)« less

Colombia's discharge fee program: incentives for polluters or regulators?

PubMed

Blackman, Allen

2009-01-01

Colombia's discharge fee system for water effluents is often held up as a model of a well-functioning, economic incentive pollution control program in a developing country. Yet few objective evaluations of the program have appeared. Based on a variety of primary and secondary data, this paper finds that in its first 5 years, the program was beset by a number of serious problems including limited implementation in many regions, widespread noncompliance by municipal sewerage authorities, and a confused relationship between discharge fees and emissions standards. Nevertheless, in some watersheds, pollution loads dropped significantly after the program was introduced. While proponents claim the incentives that discharge fees created for polluters to cut emissions in a cost-effective manner were responsible, this paper argues that the incentives they created for regulatory authorities to improve permitting, monitoring, and enforcement were at least as important.

Laboratory Methods for the Measurement of Pollutants in Water and Waste Effluents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballinger, Dwight G.

1971-01-01

The requirement for accurate, precise, and rapid analytical procedures for the examination of water and waste samples requires the use of a variety of instruments. The instrumentation in water laboratories includes atomic absorption, UV-visible. and infrared spectrophotometers, automatic colorimetric analyzers, gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers. Because of the emphasis on regulatory action, attention is being directed toward quality control of analytical results. Among the challenging problems are the differentiation of metallic species in water at nanogram concentrations, rapid measurement of free cyanide and free ammonia, more sensitive methods for arsenic and selenium and improved characterization of organic contaminants.

Assessment of water quality and identification of polluted risky regions based on field observations & GIS in the Honghe River watershed, China.

PubMed

Yan, Chang-An; Zhang, Wanchang; Zhang, Zhijie; Liu, Yuanmin; Deng, Cai; Nie, Ning

2015-01-01

Water quality assessment at the watershed scale requires not only an investigation of water pollution and the recognition of main pollution factors, but also the identification of polluted risky regions resulted in polluted surrounding river sections. To realize this objective, we collected water samplings from 67 sampling sites in the Honghe River watershed of China with Grid GIS method to analyze six parameters including dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Single factor pollution index and comprehensive pollution index were adopted to explore main water pollutants and evaluate water quality pollution level. Based on two evaluate methods, Geo-statistical analysis and Geographical Information System (GIS) were used to visualize the spatial pollution characteristics and identifying potential polluted risky regions. The results indicated that the general water quality in the watershed has been exposed to various pollutants, in which TP, NO2-N and TN were the main pollutants and seriously exceeded the standard of Category III. The zones of TP, TN, DO, NO2-N and NH3-N pollution covered 99.07%, 62.22%, 59.72%, 37.34% and 13.82% of the watershed respectively, and they were from medium to serious polluted. 83.27% of the watershed in total was polluted by comprehensive pollutants. These conclusions may provide useful and effective information for watershed water pollution control and management.

Assessment of Water Quality and Identification of Polluted Risky Regions Based on Field Observations & GIS in the Honghe River Watershed, China

PubMed Central

Yan, Chang-An; Zhang, Wanchang; Zhang, Zhijie; Liu, Yuanmin; Deng, Cai; Nie, Ning

2015-01-01

Water quality assessment at the watershed scale requires not only an investigation of water pollution and the recognition of main pollution factors, but also the identification of polluted risky regions resulted in polluted surrounding river sections. To realize this objective, we collected water samplings from 67 sampling sites in the Honghe River watershed of China with Grid GIS method to analyze six parameters including dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). Single factor pollution index and comprehensive pollution index were adopted to explore main water pollutants and evaluate water quality pollution level. Based on two evaluate methods, Geo-statistical analysis and Geographical Information System (GIS) were used to visualize the spatial pollution characteristics and identifying potential polluted risky regions. The results indicated that the general water quality in the watershed has been exposed to various pollutants, in which TP, NO2-N and TN were the main pollutants and seriously exceeded the standard of Category III. The zones of TP, TN, DO, NO2-N and NH3-N pollution covered 99.07%, 62.22%, 59.72%, 37.34% and 13.82% of the watershed respectively, and they were from medium to serious polluted. 83.27% of the watershed in total was polluted by comprehensive pollutants. These conclusions may provide useful and effective information for watershed water pollution control and management. PMID:25768942

Pollution effects on fisheries — potential management activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sindermann, C. J.

1980-03-01

Management of ocean pollution must be based on the best available scientific information, with adequate consideration of economic, social, and political realities. Unfortunately, the best available scientific information about pollution effects on fisheries is often fragmentary, and often conjectural; therefore a primary concern of management should be a critical review and assessment of available factual information about effects of pollutants on fish and shellfish stocks. A major problem in any such review and assessment is the separation of pollutant effects from the effects of all the other environmental factors that influence survival and well-being of marine animals. Data from long-term monitoring of resource abundance, and from monitoring of all determinant environmental variables, will be required for analyses that lead to resolution of the problem. Information must also be acquired about fluxes of contaminants through resource-related ecosystems, and about contaminant effects on resource species as demonstrated in field and laboratory experiments. Other possible management activities include: (1) encouragement of continued efforts to document clearly the localized and general effects of pollution on living resources; (2) continued pressure to identify and use reliable biological indicators of environmental degradation (indicators of choice at present are: unusually high levels of genetic and other anomalies in the earliest life history stages; presence of pollution-associated disease signs, particularly fin erosion and ulcers, in fish; and biochemical/physiological changes); and (3) major efforts to reduce inputs of pollutants clearly demonstrated to be harmful to living resources, from point sources as well as ocean dumping. Such pollution management activities, based on continuous efforts in stock assessment, environmental assessment, and experimental studies, can help to insure that rational decisions will be made about uses and abuses of coastal/estuarine waters.

Interpolation of extensive routine water pollution monitoring datasets: methodology and discussion of implications for aquifer management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuval; Rimon, Y.; Graber, E. R.; Furman, A.

2013-07-01

A large fraction of the fresh water available for human use is stored in groundwater aquifers. Since human activities such as mining, agriculture, industry and urbanization often result in incursion of various pollutants to groundwater, routine monitoring of water quality is an indispensable component of judicious aquifer management. Unfortunately, groundwater pollution monitoring is expensive and usually cannot cover an aquifer with the spatial resolution necessary for making adequate management decisions. Interpolation of monitoring data between points is thus an important tool for supplementing measured data. However, interpolating routine groundwater pollution data poses a special problem due to the nature of the observations. The data from a producing aquifer usually includes many zero pollution concentration values from the clean parts of the aquifer but may span a wide range (up to a few orders of magnitude) of values in the polluted areas. This manuscript presents a methodology that can cope with such datasets and use them to produce maps that present the pollution plumes but also delineates the clean areas that are fit for production. A method for assessing the quality of mapping in a way which is suitable to the data's dynamic range of values is also presented. Local variant of inverse distance weighting is employed to interpolate the data. Inclusion zones around the interpolation points ensure that only relevant observations contribute to each interpolated concentration. Using inclusion zones improves the accuracy of the mapping but results in interpolation grid points which are not assigned a value. That inherent trade-off between the interpolation accuracy and coverage is demonstrated using both circular and elliptical inclusion zones. A leave-one-out cross testing is used to assess and compare the performance of the interpolations. The methodology is demonstrated using groundwater pollution monitoring data from the Coastal aquifer along the Israeli shoreline.

Interpolation of extensive routine water pollution monitoring datasets: methodology and discussion of implications for aquifer management.

PubMed

Yuval, Yuval; Rimon, Yaara; Graber, Ellen R; Furman, Alex

2014-08-01

A large fraction of the fresh water available for human use is stored in groundwater aquifers. Since human activities such as mining, agriculture, industry and urbanisation often result in incursion of various pollutants to groundwater, routine monitoring of water quality is an indispensable component of judicious aquifer management. Unfortunately, groundwater pollution monitoring is expensive and usually cannot cover an aquifer with the spatial resolution necessary for making adequate management decisions. Interpolation of monitoring data is thus an important tool for supplementing monitoring observations. However, interpolating routine groundwater pollution data poses a special problem due to the nature of the observations. The data from a producing aquifer usually includes many zero pollution concentration values from the clean parts of the aquifer but may span a wide range of values (up to a few orders of magnitude) in the polluted areas. This manuscript presents a methodology that can cope with such datasets and use them to produce maps that present the pollution plumes but also delineates the clean areas that are fit for production. A method for assessing the quality of mapping in a way which is suitable to the data's dynamic range of values is also presented. A local variant of inverse distance weighting is employed to interpolate the data. Inclusion zones around the interpolation points ensure that only relevant observations contribute to each interpolated concentration. Using inclusion zones improves the accuracy of the mapping but results in interpolation grid points which are not assigned a value. The inherent trade-off between the interpolation accuracy and coverage is demonstrated using both circular and elliptical inclusion zones. A leave-one-out cross testing is used to assess and compare the performance of the interpolations. The methodology is demonstrated using groundwater pollution monitoring data from the coastal aquifer along the Israeli shoreline. The implications for aquifer management are discussed.

Transgenic Plants as Sensors of Environmental Pollution Genotoxicity

PubMed Central

Kovalchuk, Igor; Kovalchuk, Olga

2008-01-01

Rapid technological development is inevitably associated with many environmental problems which primarily include pollution of soil, water and air. In many cases, the presence of contamination is difficult to assess. It is even more difficult to evaluate its potential danger to the environment and humans. Despite the existence of several whole organism-based and cell-based models of sensing pollution and evaluation of toxicity and mutagenicity, there is no ideal system that allows one to make a quick and cheap assessment. In this respect, transgenic organisms that can be intentionally altered to be more sensitive to particular pollutants are especially promising. Transgenic plants represent an ideal system, since they can be grown at the site of pollution or potentially dangerous sites. Plants are ethically more acceptable and esthetically more appealing than animals as sensors of environmental pollution. In this review, we will discuss various transgenic plant-based models that have been successfully used for biomonitoring genotoxic pollutants. We will also discuss the benefits and potential drawbacks of these systems and describe some novel ideas for the future generation of efficient transgenic phytosensors. PMID:27879779

14 CFR 1274.926 - Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts...-Water Pollution Control Acts. Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts July 2002 If this cooperative... 91-604) and section 308 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq...

14 CFR 1274.926 - Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts...-Water Pollution Control Acts. Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts July 2002 If this cooperative... 91-604) and section 308 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq...

14 CFR § 1274.926 - Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts. Â...-Water Pollution Control Acts. Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts July 2002 If this cooperative... 91-604) and section 308 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq...

14 CFR 1274.926 - Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts...-Water Pollution Control Acts. Clean Air-Water Pollution Control Acts July 2002 If this cooperative... 91-604) and section 308 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq...

Social and ecological aspects of the water resources management of the transboundary rivers of Central Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Normatov, P.

2014-09-01

The Zeravshan River is a transboundary river whose water is mainly used for irrigation of agricultural lands of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Sufficiently rich hydropower resources in upstream of the Zeravshan River characterize the Republic of Tajikistan. Continuous monitoring of water resources condition is necessary for planning the development of this area taking into account hydropower production and irrigation needs. Water quality of Zeravshan River is currently one of the main problems in the relationship between the Republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and it frequently triggers conflict situations between the two countries. In most cases, the problem of water quality of the Zeravshan River is related to river pollution by wastewater of the Anzob Mountain-concentrating Industrial Complex (AMCC) in Tajikistan. In this paper results of research of chemical and bacteriological composition of the Zeravshan River waters are presented. The minimum impact of AMCC on quality of water of the river was experimentally established.

The Use of Stable Isotope Tracers to Quantify the Transit Time Distribution of Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, T. M.; Troch, P. A. A.

2016-12-01

Water pollution is an important societal problem because it can have harmful effects on human and ecological health. In order to improve water quality, scientists must develop land management methods that can avoid or mitigate environmental pollution. State of the art tools to develop such methods are flow and transport models that trace water and other solutes through the landscape. These models deliver important information that can lead to remediation efforts, and improve the quality of water for humans, plants, and animals. However, these models may be difficult to apply since many details about the catchment may not be available. Instead, a lumped approach is often used to find the water transit time using stable isotope tracers such as 18O and 2H that are naturally applied by precipitation to a catchment. The transit time distribution of water is an important indicator for the amount of solutes soil water and groundwater can contain, and thus a predictor of water quality. We conducted a 2-week long experiment using a tilted weighing lysimeter at Biosphere 2 to observe the breakthrough curves of deuterium and specific artificial DNA particles. We show that hydrological parameters can be computed in order to provide an estimate for the transit time distribution of deuterium. The convolution integral is then used to determine the distribution of the water transit time in the system. Unfortunately, stable isotopes such as deuterium make it difficult to pinpoint a specific flowpath since they naturally occur in the environment. Recent studies have shown that DNA tracers are able to trace water through the landscape. We found that DNA has a similar breakthrough curve happening at similar timescales as the deuterium. Therefore, DNA tracers may be able to identify sources of nonpoint source pollution in the future.

The reach of human health risks associated with metals/metalloids in water and vegetables along a contaminated river catchment: South Africa and Mozambique.

PubMed

Genthe, Bettina; Kapwata, Thandi; Le Roux, Wouter; Chamier, Jessica; Wright, Caradee Y

2018-05-01

Anthropogenic pollution was identified as an environmental problem of concern when, in 2008, dozens of crocodiles died in the Olifants River catchment near the border of South Africa and Mozambique. Given the close proximity of households to the river and their making use of river water, we aimed to determine to what extent water pollution has an impact on health of indigent communities in South Africa and Mozambique in the catchment area. Water and vegetable samples were collected from the study areas. Biota samples were washed with double de-ionized Milli-Q water and freeze-dried. Heavy metal analyses in water and vegetables were done by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Metal concentrations were applied in a human health risk assessment to estimate health risks. Mean concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, molybdenum, nickel and selenium in water samples from South Africa exceeded the World Health Organization guidelines for safe levels of intake. Only iron exceeded the recommended guidelines in water samples from Mozambique. Metals/metalloids were found in lower concentrations at Mozambique sites downstream of South African sites. In vegetables, uranium was between 10 and 20 times above safe guidelines in South Africa and between 3 and 6 times in Mozambique. Arsenic in water samples posed the highest cancer risk. Even with a reduction in the metal concentrations in river water from South Africa to Mozambique, the potential to cause adverse human health impacts from direct use of polluted river water is evident in both countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tidal Influence on Water Quality of Kapuas Kecil River Downstream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purnaini, Rizki; Sudarmadji; Purwono, Suryo

2018-02-01

The Kapuas Kecil River is strongly influenced by tidal, in the dry season the intrusion of surface water is often a problem for the WTP because it causes the change of raw water quality to be processed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sea tides on water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River. The study was conducted in Kapuas River downstream along ± 30 km from the upper boundary to the estuary. Water sampling is carried out during the dry and rainy season, when the tidal conditions at 7 (seven) locations of the monitoring station. Descriptive analysis methods and regression-correlation statistics are used to determine the effect of tides on water quality in Kapuas River downstream. In general, the water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River has exceeded the criteria of first class water quality, ie water that can be used for drinking water. The status of water quality of the Kapuas Kecil River based on the pollution index calculation shows the condition of the river is "mild to medium pollutants". The result of multiple linear regression analysis got the value of coefficient of determination (adjusted R square) = 0,760, which in whole show that independent variable (tidal and distance) influence to dependent variable (value of TDS) equal to 76%.

National collaborative shellfish pollution-indicator study: Site selection. Phase 1. Rept. for 1987-88

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leonard, D.L.; Broutman, M.A.; Caverly, K.E.

1988-07-01

Each year approximately 16 million acres of estuarine waters are classified for the harvest of molluscan shellfish as open or limited to harvest according to microbiological 'indicator' standards and pollution survey guidelines established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The program was developed in the 1920's in response to typhoid fever outbreaks and may no longer protect the consumer from the most prevalent shellfish-borne diseases: hepatitis and gastroenteritis. Today, 1/3 of productive or potentially productive shellfish-growing waters are closed to harvest at some time during the year. In response to these problems, the industry has initiated a national cooperative effortmore » to re-evaluate the standard and establish a classification system directly related to public health implications.« less

Phytoremediation: A novel strategy for the removal of toxic metals from the environment using plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salt, D.E.; Blaylock, M.; Kumar, N. P.B.A.

1995-05-01

Toxic metal pollution of waters and soils is a major environmental problem, and most conventional remediation approaches do not provide acceptable solutions. The use of specially selected and engineered metal-accumulating plants for environmental clean-up is an emerging technology called phytoremediation. Three subsets of this technology are applicable to toxic metal remediation: (1) Phytoextraction: the use of metal-accumulating plants to remove toxic metals from soil; (2) Rhizofiltration: the use of plant roots to remove toxic metals from polluted waters; and (3) Phytostabilization: the use of plants to eliminate the bioavailability of toxic metals in soils. Biological mechanisms of toxic metal uptake,more » translocation and resistance as well as strategies for improving phytoremediation are also discussed. 83 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Development of water environment information management and water pollution accident response system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Ruan, H.

2009-12-01

In recent years, many water pollution accidents occurred with the rapid economical development. In this study, water environment information management and water pollution accident response system are developed based on geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The system integrated spatial database, attribute database, hydraulic model, and water quality model under a user-friendly interface in a GIS environment. System ran in both Client/Server (C/S) and Browser/Server (B/S) platform which focused on model and inquiry respectively. System provided spatial and attribute data inquiry, water quality evaluation, statics, water pollution accident response case management (opening reservoir etc) and 2D and 3D visualization function, and gave assistant information to make decision on water pollution accident response. Polluted plume in Huaihe River were selected to simulate the transport of pollutes.

Determination of total Cr in wastewaters of Cr electroplating factories in the I.organize industry region (Kayseri, Turkey) by ICP-AES.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Selehattin; Türe, Melike; Sadikoglu, Murat; Duran, Ali

2010-08-01

The wastewater pollution in industrial areas is one of the most important environmental problems. Heavy metal pollution, especially chromium pollution in the wastewater sources from electroplating, dyeing, and tannery, has affected the life on earth. This pollution can affect on all ecosystems and human health directly or by food chain. Therefore, the determination of total chromium in this study is of great importance. In this study, accurate, rapid, sensitive, selective, simple, and low-cost technique for the direct determination of total Cr in wastewater samples collected from the some Cr electroplating factories in March 2008 by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been developed. The analysis of a given sample is completed in about 15 min by this technique applied. As the result of the chromium analysis, the limit of quantification for the total Cr were founded to be over the limit value (0.05 mg L(-1); WHO, EPA, TSE 266, and inland water quality classification) as 1,898.78+/-0.34 mg/L at station 1 and 3,189.02+/-0.56 mg/L at station 2. The found concentration of total Cr has been determined to be IV class quality water according to the inland water classification. In order to validate the applied method, recovery studies were performed.

Using oily wastewater emulsified fuel in boiler: energy saving and reduction of air pollutant emissions.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Chi; Lee, Wen-Jhy

2008-01-01

The limited data for using emulsified oil have demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing flue gas pollutant emissions. The presence of a high concentration of toxic organic compounds in industrial wastewaters always presents significant problems. Therefore, this study was undertaken by using wastewater with COD of 9600 mg/L and total petroleum hydrocarbons-gasoline 440 mg/L for making an emulsified oil (wastewater content 20% with 0.1% surfactant) to evaluate the extent of reductions in both criteria pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For comparison, two other systems (heavy oil fuel and water-emulsified oil) were also conducted. The wastewater-emulsified oil fuel results in significant reductions in particulate matter (PM), NO(x), SO2, and CO as compared to heavy oil fuel and similar to those from water/oil emulsified fuel; for PM, it is better in wastewater-emulsified oil. The reductions of total PAH flue gas emissions are 38 and 30% for wastewater- and water-emulsified fuel, respectively; they are 63 and 44% for total BaP(eq), respectively. In addition to reducing flue gas pollutant emissions, the results also demonstrate that the use of wastewater-emulsified fuel in boiler operation provides several advantages: (1) safe disposal of industrial wastewater; and (2) energy savings of about 13%. Thus, wastewater/oil-emulsified fuel is highly suitable for use in boilers.

The Status of Agroforestry in the South

Treesearch

F. Christian Zinkhan; D. Evan.  Mercer

1997-01-01

Southern agroforestty has emerged as a significant research topic. Research results indicate that agroforestty can address such sustainability problems as erosion and water pollution, while improving economic performance in selected situatiOII& Silvopastoral systems are the most commonly adopted agroforestty application in the region; le!6-common alley-cropping...

The Role of Nuclear Power in Achieving the World We Want

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, M. J.

1970-01-01

Supports the development of nuclear power plants and considers some problems and possible solutions: future power needs, power costs, thermal pollution, radionuclide discharge. Describes advantages and applications of dual purpose power plants for purifying water, producing phosphorus and ammonia, and serving as fast breeder reactors for Pu 239.…

Response to the Task Force on School Governance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denoyer, Richard A.

Although the Task Force on School Governance report claims that restructuring of school boards is essential to save the nation's failing schools, the real failure is society itself. Societal problems such as the nation's $4 trillion debt, air and water pollution, crime, drug abuse, and special interest lobbies abound, and legislators'…

Environmental Quality Management in the United States in the 1980s and Beyond: An Appraisal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower, Blair T.

1984-01-01

Presents an overview of: (1) the institutional context of the environmental pollution sector of environmental quality management (EQM); accomplishments and problems in some representative subsectors (including water quality, soil erosion, air quality, and hazardous wastes); and (3) future prospects. Also considers role of government and…

Problems and Prospects of Turkey in the 1990s

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

water for personal consumption, irrigation and power generation. With the depletion of underground aquifers and the growing salinity and pollution of...100,000 Dammam 200,000 Homs 100,000 Al Khobar 200,000 Damascus 600,000 Hufuf 200,000 1,100,055 806,60s Bahrain Manama 200,000 Jordan Qatar Amman 600,008

The Global Ecology Handbook: What You Can Do about the Environmental Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corson, Walter H., Ed.

There is ample evidence of the seriousness of the world's population, resource, and environmental problems--poverty and hunger, deforestation and species loss, soil erosion and desertification, air and water pollution, acid precipitation and ozone layer depletion, as well as the greenhouse effect and climate change. This handbook was prepared as a…

Impact of nitrogen reduction measures on nitrogen surplus, income and production of German agriculture.

PubMed

Gömann, H; Kreins, P; Møller, C

2004-01-01

Among the numerous non-point sources of diffuse water pollution with nitrogen, agriculture is counted one of the main sources. The agricultural policies of the Agenda 2000 and a decoupling of direct payments for farmers from their production decisions are exemplarily evaluated as nitrogen reduction measures using the Regional Agricultural and Environmental Information System RAUMIS. The results show that until the target year 2010 the risk of diffuse pollution of water bodies with nitrogen is a regional problem in Germany. These problems are neither mitigated by the policies of Agenda 2000 nor by a decoupling of direct payments from production decisions of farmers. While total nitrogen surplus reduces considerably after a decoupling of direct payments due to decreases of land-use the nitrogen surplus on the remaining cultivated area increases resulting from structural changes. Granting the same amount of direct payments to farmers in both policy alternatives the agricultural sector income would be higher after a decoupling of direct payments opposed to the Agenda 2000 resulting from a more efficient allocation of inputs.

Bacillus Probiotic Enzymes: External Auxiliary Apparatus to Avoid Digestive Deficiencies, Water Pollution, Diseases, and Economic Problems in Marine Cultivated Animals.

PubMed

Olmos Soto, Jorge

Exploitation of marine fishes is the main source of several life-supporting feed compounds such as proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates that maintain the production of most trading marine organisms by aquaculture. However, at this rate the marine inventory will go to the end soon, since fishery resources are finite. In this sense, the availability of the principal ingredients obtained from marine fishes is going to decrease considerably, increasing the diet prices and affecting the economy of this activity. Therefore, aquaculture industry needs to find nonexpensive land unconventional resources of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids and use bacterial probiotics to improve digestion-assimilation of these unfamiliar compounds. Bacillus subtilis is a cosmopolitan probiotic bacterium with a great enzymatic profile that could improve nutrient digestion-assimilation, induce healthy growth, and avoid water pollution, decreasing economic problems and increasing yields in the aquaculture industry. In this chapter, we present how Bacillus enzymes can help marine animals to assimilate nutrients from unconventional and economic plant resources. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Explaining nitrate pollution pressure on the groundwater resource in Kinshasa using a multivariate statistical modelling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mfumu Kihumba, Antoine; Vanclooster, Marnik

2013-04-01

Drinking water in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is provided by extracting groundwater from the local aquifer, particularly in peripheral areas. The exploited groundwater body is mainly unconfined and located within a continuous detrital aquifer, primarily composed of sedimentary formations. However, the aquifer is subjected to an increasing threat of anthropogenic pollution pressure. Understanding the detailed origin of this pollution pressure is important for sustainable drinking water management in Kinshasa. The present study aims to explain the observed nitrate pollution problem, nitrate being considered as a good tracer for other pollution threats. The analysis is made in terms of physical attributes that are readily available using a statistical modelling approach. For the nitrate data, use was made of a historical groundwater quality assessment study, for which the data were re-analysed. The physical attributes are related to the topography, land use, geology and hydrogeology of the region. Prior to the statistical modelling, intrinsic and specific vulnerability for nitrate pollution was assessed. This vulnerability assessment showed that the alluvium area in the northern part of the region is the most vulnerable area. This area consists of urban land use with poor sanitation. Re-analysis of the nitrate pollution data demonstrated that the spatial variability of nitrate concentrations in the groundwater body is high, and coherent with the fragmented land use of the region and the intrinsic and specific vulnerability maps. For the statistical modeling use was made of multiple regression and regression tree analysis. The results demonstrated the significant impact of land use variables on the Kinshasa groundwater nitrate pollution and the need for a detailed delineation of groundwater capture zones around the monitoring stations. Key words: Groundwater , Isotopic, Kinshasa, Modelling, Pollution, Physico-chemical.

The industrial water footprint of zippers.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin; Wu, Xiong Ying; Wang, Lai Li; Ding, Xue Mei

2014-01-01

Industrial production of apparel consumes large quantity of freshwater and discharges effluents that intensify the problem of freshwater shortage and water pollution. The industrial water footprint (IWF) of a piece of apparel includes the water footprint (WF) of the fabric, apparel accessories (e.g. zipper, fastener, sewing thread) and industrial production processes. The objective of this paper is to carry out a pilot study on IWF accounting for three kinds of typical zipper (i.e. metal zipper, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) zipper and polyoxymethylene copolymer (Co-POM) zipper) that are commonly used for apparel production. The results reveal that product output exerts a remarkable influence on zipper's average IWF. Metal zipper has the largest IWF and followed by Co-POM zipper and PET zipper. Painting, dyeing and primary processing are the top three water-consuming processes and contribute about 90% of the zipper's IWF. Painting consumes the largest amount of freshwater among all processes and occupies more than 50% of the zipper's IWF. In addition, the grey water footprint (WFgrey) provides the greatest contribution, more than 80%, to the zipper's IWF. Based on these results, this paper also provides several strategies aimed at water economization and pollution reduction during industrial production of zipper.

The politics of assessment: water and sanitation MDGs in the Middle East.

PubMed

Zawahri, Neda; Sowers, Jeannie; Weinthal, Erika

2011-01-01

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is generally considered to be making adequate progress towards meeting Target 10 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which calls for halving the proportion of the population with inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation. Progress towards achieving Target 10 is evaluated by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), run by UNICEF and WHO. This article shows that the assessment methodologies employed by the JMP significantly overstate coverage rates in the drinking water and sanitation sectors, by overlooking and ‘not counting’ problems of access, affordability, quality of service and pollution. The authors show that states in MENA often fail to provide safe drinking water and adequate sanitation services, particularly in densely populated informal settlements, and that many centralized water and sanitation infrastructures contribute to water pollution and contamination. Despite the glaring gap between the MDG statistics and the evidence available from national and local reports, exclusionary political regimes in the region have had few incentives to adopt more accurate assessments and improve the quality of service. While international organizations have proposed some reforms, they too lack incentives to employ adequate measures that gauge access, quality and affordability of drinking water and sanitation services.

Re-engineering the urban drainage system for resource recovery and protection of drinking water supplies.

PubMed

Gumbo, B

2000-01-01

The Harare metropolis in Zimbabwe, extending upstream from Manyame Dam in the Upper Manyame River Basin, consists of the City of Harare and its satellite towns: Chitungwiza, Norton, Epworth and Ruwa. The existing urban drainage system is typically a single-use-mixing system: water is used and discharged to "waste", excreta are flushed to sewers and eventually, after "treatment", the effluent is discharged to a drinking water supply source. Polluted urban storm water is evacuated as fast as possible. This system not only ignores the substantial value in "waste" materials, but it also exports problems to downstream communities and to vulnerable fresh-water sources. The question is how can the harare metropolis urban drainage system, which is complex and has evolved over time, be rearranged to achieve sustainability (i.e. water conservation, pollution prevention at source, protection of the vulnerable drinking water sources and recovery of valuable materials)? This paper reviews current concepts regarding the future development of the urban drainage system in line with the new vision of "Sustainable Cities of the Future". The Harare Metropolis in Zimbabwe is taken as a case, and philosophical options for re-engineering the drainage system are discussed.

Permitting program with best management practices for shale gas wells to safeguard public health.

PubMed

Centner, Terence J; Petetin, Ludivine

2015-11-01

The development of shale gas resources in the United States has been controversial as governments have been tardy in devising sufficient safeguards to protect both people and the environment. Alleged health and environmental damages suggest that other countries around the world that decide to develop their shale gas resources can learn from these problems and take further actions to prevent situations resulting in the release of harmful pollutants. Looking at U.S. federal regulations governing large animal operations under the permitting provisions of the Clean Water Act, the idea of a permitting program is proposed to respond to the risks of pollution by shale gas development activities. Governments can require permits before allowing the drilling of a new gas well. Each permit would include fluids and air emissions reduction plans containing best management practices to minimize risks and releases of pollutants. The public availability of permits and permit applications, as occurs for water pollution under various U.S. permitting programs, would assist governments in protecting public health. The permitting proposals provide governments a means for providing further assurances that shale gas development projects will not adversely affect people and the environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of the Water Needs Index: Can Tho City, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moglia, Magnus; Neumann, Luis E.; Alexander, Kim S.; Nguyen, Minh N.; Sharma, Ashok K.; Cook, Stephen; Trung, Nguyen H.; Tuan, Dinh D. A.

2012-10-01

SummaryProvision of urban water supplies to rapidly growing cities of South East Asia is difficult because of increasing demand for limited water supplies, periodic droughts, and depletion and contamination of surface and groundwater. In such adverse environments, effective policy and planning processes are required to secure adequate water supplies. Developing a Water Needs Index reveals key elements of the complex urban water supply by means of a participatory approach for rapid and interdisciplinary assessment. The index uses deliberative interactions with stakeholders to create opportunities for mutual understanding, confirmation of constructs and capacity building of all involved. In Can Tho City, located at the heart of the Mekong delta in Vietnam, a Water Needs Index has been developed with local stakeholders. The functional attributes of the Water Needs Index at this urban scale have been critically appraised. Systemic water issues, supply problems, health issues and inadequate, poorly functioning infrastructure requiring attention from local authorities have been identified. Entrenched social and economic inequities in access to water and sanitation, as well as polluting environmental management practices has caused widespread problems for urban populations. The framework provides a common language based on systems thinking, increased cross-sectoral communication, as well as increased recognition of problem issues; this ought to lead to improved urban water management. Importantly, the case study shows that the approach can help to overcome biases of local planners based on their limited experience (information black spots), to allow them to address problems experienced in all areas of the city.

Modelling Regional Hotspots of Water Pollution Induced by Salinization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malsy, M.; Floerke, M.

2014-12-01

Insufficient water quality is one of the main global topics causing risk to human health, biodiversity, and food security. At this, salinization of water and land resources is widely spread especially in arid to semi-arid climates, where salinization, often induced by irrigation agriculture, is a fundamental aspect of land degradation. High salinity is crucial to water use for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes, and therefore poses a risk to human health and ecosystem status. However, salinization is also an economic problem, in particular in those regions where agriculture makes a significant contribution to the economy and/or where agriculture is mainly based on irrigation. Agricultural production is exposed to high salinity of irrigation water resulting in lower yields. Hence, not only the quantity of irrigation water is of importance for growing cops but also its quality, which may further reduce the available resources. Thereby a major concern for food production and security persists, as irrigated agriculture accounts for over 30% of the total agricultural production. In this study, the large scale water quality model WorldQual was applied to simulate recent total dissolved solids (TDS) loadings and in-stream concentrations from point and diffuse sources to get an insight on potential environmental impacts as well as risks to food security. Regional focus in this study is on developing countries, as these are most threatened by water pollution. Furthermore, insufficient water quality for irrigation and therefore restrictions in irrigation water use were examined, indicating limitations to crop production. For this purpose, model simulations were conducted for the year 2010 to show the recent status of surface water quality and to identify hotspots and main causes of pollution. Our results show that salinity hotspots mainly occur in peak irrigation regions as irrigated agriculture is by far the dominant sector contributing to water abstractions as well as TDS loadings. Additionally, large urban areas are initially loading hotspots and pollution prevention becomes important as point sources are dependent on sewer connection rates. River discharge plays a crucial role due to the dilution potential, especially in semi-arid to arid regions and in terms of seasonal variability.

9 CFR 381.151 - Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...; Processing Requirements § 381.151 Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling. (a) In the event there is polluted water (including but not limited to flood water) in an official... rendered adulterated by the water shall be condemned. (b) After the polluted water has receded from an...

The use of biotopes in assessing the environmental quality of tidal estuaries in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducrotoy, Jean-Paul

2010-02-01

In Europe, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (European Commission 2000) - and the recently proposed EU Marine Strategy Directive - have established a framework for the protection of groundwater, inland surface waters, estuarine (transitional) waters and coastal waters. TheWFD has several objectives: to prevent water ecosystem deterioration, to protect and to enhance the status of water resources but the most important aspect is to achieve a 'Good Ecological Status' (GES) for all waters, by 2015. In essence, the WFD requires a water body to be compared against a reference condition and then its ecological status designated - if the water body does not meet good or high ecological status, i.e. it is in moderate, poor or bad ecological status, then remedial measures have to be taken (e.g. pollution has to be removed). Many indices were developed from benthic work and are often thought fit for purpose. Based on the successional model proposed by Pearson and Rosenberg (1978), most of these indices were effectively established for soft sediment benthos. However, those developed in the framework of the WFD were derived from work on the subtidal. They are difficult to use in the intertidal and in transitional waters. As they were derived from work on organic pollution, there is no or little evident link with chemical and physical pollution. Ecomorphology brings together a biological approach and a sedimentological approach to estuarine ecology. It considers the use of the biotope and related concepts (biocenosis, bio-facies, ecotone, habitat…) as a basis to a novel approach to environmental quality assessment. It addresses the problem of the estuarine quality paradox in recognising the role of nutrients and organic matter in biogeochemical cycles. The discussion shows the complementarity of biotopes with the Sato-Umi and the ecohydrolgy approaches.

Combined air and water pollution control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolverton, Billy C. (Inventor); Jarrell, Lamont (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A bioaquatic air pollution control system for controlling both water and atmospheric pollution is disclosed. The pollution control system includes an exhaust for directing polluted gases out of a furnace and a fluid circulating system which circulates fluid, such as waste water, from a source, past the furnace where the fluid flow entrains the pollutants from the furnace. The combined fluid and pollutants are then directed through a rock/plant/microbial filtering system. A suction pump pumps the treated waste water from the filter system past the exhaust to again entrain more pollutants from the furnace where they are combined with the fluid (waste water) and directed to the filter system.

Estimation of Phosphorus Emissions in the Upper Iguazu Basin (brazil) Using GIS and the More Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acosta Porras, E. A.; Kishi, R. T.; Fuchs, S.; Hilgert, S.

2016-06-01

Pollution emissions into the drainage basin have direct impact on surface water quality. These emissions result from human activities that turn into pollution loads when they reach the water bodies, as point or diffuse sources. Their pollution potential depends on the characteristics and quantity of the transported materials. The estimation of pollution loads can assist decision-making in basin management. Knowledge about the potential pollution sources allows for a prioritization of pollution control policies to achieve the desired water quality. Consequently, it helps avoiding problems such as eutrophication of water bodies. The focus of the research described in this study is related to phosphorus emissions into river basins. The study area is the upper Iguazu basin that lies in the northeast region of the State of Paraná, Brazil, covering about 2,965 km2 and around 4 million inhabitants live concentrated on just 16% of its area. The MoRE (Modeling of Regionalized Emissions) model was used to estimate phosphorus emissions. MoRE is a model that uses empirical approaches to model processes in analytical units, capable of using spatially distributed parameters, covering both, emissions from point sources as well as non-point sources. In order to model the processes, the basin was divided into 152 analytical units with an average size of 20 km2. Available data was organized in a GIS environment. Using e.g. layers of precipitation, the Digital Terrain Model from a 1:10000 scale map as well as soils and land cover, which were derived from remote sensing imagery. Further data is used, such as point pollution discharges and statistical socio-economic data. The model shows that one of the main pollution sources in the upper Iguazu basin is the domestic sewage that enters the river as point source (effluents of treatment stations) and/or as diffuse pollution, caused by failures of sanitary sewer systems or clandestine sewer discharges, accounting for about 56% of the emissions. Second significant shares of emissions come from direct runoff or groundwater, being responsible for 32% of the total emissions. Finally, agricultural erosion and industry pathways represent 12% of emissions. This study shows that MoRE is capable of producing valid emission calculation on a relatively reduced input data basis.

A Worldwide Plan to Eliminate Global Warming, Air Pollution, and Energy Instability With Wind, Water, and Sunlight (WWS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, M. Z.; Delucchi, M. A.

2011-12-01

Global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. This talk discusses a plan to solve the problems by powering 100% of the world's energy for all purposes, including electricity, transportation, industrial processes, and heating/cooling, with wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) within the next 20-40 years. It reviews and ranks major proposed energy solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy insecurity while considering other impacts of the proposed solutions, such as on water supply, land use, resource availability, reliability, wildlife, and catastrophic risk. It then evaluates a scenario for powering the world on the energy options determined to be the best while also considering materials, transmission infrastructure, costs, and politics. The study concludes that powering the world with WWS electric power technologies and a conversion from combustion to electricity and electrolytically-produced hydrogen is the cleanest and safest method of solving these problems. Due to the efficiency of electricity, such a conversion reduces world power demand by 30%. Methods of ensuring reliability of WWS electric power are available and will be demonstrated. We also conclude that neither liquid biofuels for transportation (including ethanol or biodiesel from any source), solid biofuels for home heating and cooking, biomass for electricity, conventional or fracked natural gas for electricity or transportation, nuclear power, nor coal with carbon capture (clean coal) are nearly so clean or safe as WWS technologies so are not recommended, either as bridge technologies or in the long term. Our plan calls for all new energy to be supplied by WWS-electricity-hydrogen resources no later than 2030 and all existing non-WWS infrastructure to be eliminated no later than 2050. We find that the plan is technically and economically feasible but politically challenging.

Two dimensions of nitrate pollution management in an agricultural catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wachniew, Przemysław; Martinez, Grit; Bar-Michalczyk, Dominika; Kania, Jarosław; Malina, Grzegorz; Michalczyk, Tomasz; Różański, Kazimierz; Witczak, Stanisław; Zięba, Damian; Żurek, Anna J.; Berrini, Anne

2017-04-01

The Kocinka River catchment underlain by the karstic-fissured upper Jurrasic Częstochowa aquifer in Southern Poland is the site of an interdisciplinary research aimed at finding solutions to pollution of water resources with nutrients. These efforts are conducted in the framework of the BONUS Soils2Sea project that deals with the development of differentiated environmental management measures based on utilization of the natural ability of soils, groundwater and surface water to remove surplus nutrients. Implementation of these or any other measures for the improvement of water quality depends primarily on the perceptions and attitudes of the major actors, which in turn are a product of the socio-economic, cultural-historical and political development spanning many generations. The problem of the deteriorating water quality is therefore twofold. Understanding the complex natural system consisting of the coupled groundwater and surface water component with a wide spectrum of time lags of pollution transport is only the beginning of the solution. The mitigation policies and measures based on this scientific knowledge have to recognize the equally complex nature of social factors and interactions. Implementation of the European and national policies and legislations has to take into account the regional perspective. Identification of the key stakeholders is in this regard a first step followed by an inquiry into their values, perceptions and motivations through interviews, workshops, etc. Understanding of the socio-cultural, historical, economic and political factors that shape stakeholder actions is a prerequisite for the development of the successful management and mitigation schemes. The process of gaining insights into the environmental and social aspects of nutrient pollution in the Kocinka catchment is partly presented by the documentary film "Soils2Sea: Reducing nutrient loadings into the Baltic Sea" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUouES4SeJk).

Identification of pollutant sources in a rapidly developing urban river catchment in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jingshui; Yin, Hailong; Jomma, Seifeddine; Rode, Michael; Zhou, Qi

2016-04-01

Rapid economic development and urbanization worldwide cause serious ecological and environmental problems. A typical region that is in transition and requires systemic research for effective intervention is the rapidly developing city of Hefei in central P. R. China. In order to investigate the sources of pollutants over a one-year period in Nanfei River catchment that drains the city of Hefei, discharges were measured and water samples were taken and measured along the 14km river section at 10 sites for 4 times from 2013 to 2014. Overflow concentrations of combined sewer and separate storm drains were also measured by selecting 15 rain events in 4 typical drainage systems. Loads and budgets of water and different pollutant sources i.e., wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, urban drainage overflow, unknown wastewater were calculated. The water balance demonstrated that >70% of the discharge originated from WWTP effluent. Lack of clean upstream inflow thereby is threatening ecological safety and water quality. Furthermore, mass fluxes calculations revealed that >40% of the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) loads were from urban drainage overflow because of a large amount of discharge of untreated wastewater in pumping stations during rain events. WWTP effluent was the predominant source of the total nitrogen loads (>60%) and ammonia loads (>45%). However, the total phosphorous loads from three different sources are similar (˜1/3). Thus, our research provided a basis for appropriate and prior mitigation strategies (state-of-art of WWTP upgrade, sewer systems modification, storm water regulation and storage capacity improvement, etc.) for different precedence-controlled pollutants with the limited infrastructure investments in these rapidly developing urban regions.

Increased thyroid cancer incidence in a basaltic volcanic area is associated with non-anthropogenic pollution and biocontamination.

PubMed

Malandrino, Pasqualino; Russo, Marco; Ronchi, Anna; Minoia, Claudio; Cataldo, Daniela; Regalbuto, Concetto; Giordano, Carla; Attard, Marco; Squatrito, Sebastiano; Trimarchi, Francesco; Vigneri, Riccardo

2016-08-01

The increased thyroid cancer incidence in volcanic areas suggests an environmental effect of volcanic-originated carcinogens. To address this problem, we evaluated environmental pollution and biocontamination in a volcanic area of Sicily with increased thyroid cancer incidence. Thyroid cancer epidemiology was obtained from the Sicilian Regional Registry for Thyroid Cancer. Twenty-seven trace elements were measured by quadrupole mass spectrometry in the drinking water and lichens (to characterize environmental pollution) and in the urine of residents (to identify biocontamination) in the Mt. Etna volcanic area and in adjacent control areas. Thyroid cancer incidence was 18.5 and 9.6/10(5) inhabitants in the volcanic and the control areas, respectively. The increase was exclusively due to the papillary histotype. Compared with control areas, in the volcanic area many trace elements were increased in both drinking water and lichens, indicating both water and atmospheric pollution. Differences were greater for water. Additionally, in the urine of the residents of the volcanic area, the average levels of many trace elements were significantly increased, with values higher two-fold or more than in residents of the control area: cadmium (×2.1), mercury (×2.6), manganese (×3.0), palladium (×9.0), thallium (×2.0), uranium (×2.0), vanadium (×8.0), and tungsten (×2.4). Urine concentrations were significantly correlated with values in water but not in lichens. Our findings reveal a complex non-anthropogenic biocontamination with many trace elements in residents of an active volcanic area where thyroid cancer incidence is increased. The possible carcinogenic effect of these chemicals on the thyroid and other tissues cannot be excluded and should be investigated.

Open-Source Photometric System for Enzymatic Nitrate Quantification

PubMed Central

Wittbrodt, B. T.; Squires, D. A.; Walbeck, J.; Campbell, E.; Campbell, W. H.; Pearce, J. M.

2015-01-01

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the nitrate pollution problem, however, the Cadmium Reduction Method, the leading certified method to detect and quantify nitrate, demands the use of a toxic heavy metal. An alternative, the recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method, eliminates this problem but requires an expensive proprietary spectrophotometer. The development of an inexpensive portable, handheld photometer will greatly expedite field nitrate analysis to combat pollution. To accomplish this goal, a methodology for the design, development, and technical validation of an improved open-source water testing platform capable of performing Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method. This approach is evaluated for its potential to i) eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in water testing for nitrate and nitrite, ii) reduce the cost of equipment to perform this method for measurement for water quality, and iii) make the method easier to carryout in the field. The device is able to perform as well as commercial proprietary systems for less than 15% of the cost for materials. This allows for greater access to the technology and the new, safer nitrate testing technique. PMID:26244342

Open-Source Photometric System for Enzymatic Nitrate Quantification.

PubMed

Wittbrodt, B T; Squires, D A; Walbeck, J; Campbell, E; Campbell, W H; Pearce, J M

2015-01-01

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the nitrate pollution problem, however, the Cadmium Reduction Method, the leading certified method to detect and quantify nitrate, demands the use of a toxic heavy metal. An alternative, the recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method, eliminates this problem but requires an expensive proprietary spectrophotometer. The development of an inexpensive portable, handheld photometer will greatly expedite field nitrate analysis to combat pollution. To accomplish this goal, a methodology for the design, development, and technical validation of an improved open-source water testing platform capable of performing Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method. This approach is evaluated for its potential to i) eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in water testing for nitrate and nitrite, ii) reduce the cost of equipment to perform this method for measurement for water quality, and iii) make the method easier to carryout in the field. The device is able to perform as well as commercial proprietary systems for less than 15% of the cost for materials. This allows for greater access to the technology and the new, safer nitrate testing technique.

15 CFR 923.45 - Air and water pollution control requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Air and water pollution control....45 Air and water pollution control requirements. The program must incorporate, by reference or otherwise, all requirements established by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (Clean Water...

15 CFR 923.45 - Air and water pollution control requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Air and water pollution control....45 Air and water pollution control requirements. The program must incorporate, by reference or otherwise, all requirements established by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (Clean Water...

15 CFR 923.45 - Air and water pollution control requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Air and water pollution control....45 Air and water pollution control requirements. The program must incorporate, by reference or otherwise, all requirements established by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (Clean Water...

15 CFR 923.45 - Air and water pollution control requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Air and water pollution control....45 Air and water pollution control requirements. The program must incorporate, by reference or otherwise, all requirements established by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (Clean Water...

Water Pollution Scrubber Activity Simulates Pollution Control Devices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Edward C., III; Waggoner, Todd C.

2003-01-01

A laboratory activity caused students to think actively about water pollution. The students realized that it would be easier to keep water clean than to remove pollutants. They created a water scrubbing system allowing them to pour water in one end and have it emerge clean at the other end. (JOW)

Poverty, population and environmental degradation in China.

PubMed

Rozelle, S; Huang, J; Zhang, L

1997-06-01

This article examines the relationship between poverty, population, and environmental degradation in China. Environmental conditions include water pollution, deforestation, destruction of grasslands, soil erosion, and salinization. The authors review China's success in controlling environmental degradation through leadership, environmental policies, and institutional capacity. Findings suggest that environmental progress is best achieved indirectly by poverty alleviation, market integration, and population control. Government policies were not very effective. Degradation occurs due to limited financial resources, poorly trained personnel, and political factors. Control of water pollution was instituted since the 1980s. The levels of pollutants have been reduced, but the type of pollutant determines the seriousness of impact. Water pollution is due to industrial wastes, agricultural run-off, and soil erosion. Since the 1970s, reforestation targets have not been met. Technical extension and monitoring of planting is not available in most areas, and private, profit seeking interests control acreage. Grassland destruction is due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and overgrazing. Independent regional authorities have successfully managed pasture programs. Erosion is the most serious in Loess Plateau, the Red Soils area, the Northeast China Plain, and the Northwest Grasslands, which comprise 70% of total land area. In 1990, erosion control was practiced in 39% of eroded land area. Salinization has remained fairly constant. Environmental controls (direct regulation, planned recovery, and state-mandated technological improvements) are uneven. The main tool for environmental management is the State Environmental Protection Commission and its executive unit, SEPA. Problems stem from vague laws, lack of means of enforcement, lack of coordination of laws, and lack of standards, schedules, and other provisions in ordinances.

Important considerations in the development of public health advisories for arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds in drinking water.

PubMed

Tchounwou, P B; Wilson, B; Ishaque, A

1999-01-01

Drinking water contamination by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Acute and chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been reported in many countries of the world; especially in Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Thailand, and Taiwan, where a large proportion of drinking water (ground water) is contaminated with a high concentration of arsenic. Research has also pointed out significantly higher standardized mortality ratios and cumulative mortality rates for cancers of the bladder, kidney, skin, liver, and colon in many areas of arsenic pollution. General health effects that are associated with arsenic exposure include cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, developmental anomalies, neurologic and neurobehavioral disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, portal fibrosis of the liver, lung fibrosis, hematologic disorders (anemia, leukopenia, and eosinophilia), and carcinoma. Although, the clinical manifestations of arsenic poisoning appear similar, the toxicity of arsenic compounds depends largely u[on the chemical species and the form of arsenic involved. On the basis of its high degree of toxicity to humans, and the non-threshold dose-response assumption, a zero level exposure is recommended for arsenic, even though this level is practically non-attainable. In this review, we provide and discuss important information on the physical and chemical properties, production and use, fate and transport, toxicokinetics, systemic and carcinogenic health effects, regulatory and health guidelines, analytical methods, and treatment technologies that are applied to arsenic pollution. Such information is critical in assisting the federal, state and local officials who are responsible for protecting public health in dealing with the problem of drinking water contamination by arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds.

9 CFR 318.14 - Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS General § 318.14 Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling. (a) In the event there is polluted water (including but not limited to flood water) in... that have been rendered adulterated by the water shall be condemned. (b) After the polluted water has...

An improved risk-explicit interval linear programming model for pollution load allocation for watershed management.

PubMed

Xia, Bisheng; Qian, Xin; Yao, Hong

2017-11-01

Although the risk-explicit interval linear programming (REILP) model has solved the problem of having interval solutions, it has an equity problem, which can lead to unbalanced allocation between different decision variables. Therefore, an improved REILP model is proposed. This model adds an equity objective function and three constraint conditions to overcome this equity problem. In this case, pollution reduction is in proportion to pollutant load, which supports balanced development between different regional economies. The model is used to solve the problem of pollution load allocation in a small transboundary watershed. Compared with the REILP original model result, our model achieves equity between the upstream and downstream pollutant loads; it also overcomes the problem of greatest pollution reduction, where sources are nearest to the control section. The model provides a better solution to the problem of pollution load allocation than previous versions.

Detection of Hydrological changes of Wujiang River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, L.; Chen, Y.

2016-12-01

In the century our earth experienced a rapid environment changes due to strong human activities, which impactedthe earth'shydrology and water resources systems negatively, and causedsevere problems to the society, such as increased flood and drought risk, water pollution and ecosystem degradation. Understanding the variations of hydrological characteristics has important meaning to solve the problem of hydrology and water resources and maintain sustainable development of river basin water resources.This paper takesWujiangriveras an example,which is a typical medium watershedaffected by human activities seriously in southern China.Using the methods of Mann-Kendall test and serial cluster analysis, this paper studies the characteristics and laws of historical hydrological process inWujiang river, detectsthe impact of changing environment to watershed hydrological processes, based on the observed hydrological data of 36 years from 1980 to 2015 in three representative hydrological stationsnamedFenshi,Chixi and Pingshi. The results show that the annual runoffandannual precipitation has some kind of changes.

Discrimination of the effects on zebrafish reproduction from pollutants in drinking water via female, via male and/or via fecundation water.

PubMed

Martínez-Sales, M; García-Ximénez, F; Espinós, F J

2016-08-01

The lack of preventive policy legislation and the low removal rate of organic pollutants in conventional potabilization treatments lead to some of them being present in drinking water. The problem arises because some of these substances have detrimental effects on human reproduction health, via females, via males or even both. In this work, we established the zebrafish as a bioindicator of these types of substances with the goal of discriminating the effects through three different pathways: male, female or water where the fertilization took place. For this purpose, four parameters were analysed: fertility rate, hatching rate and survival and abnormalities rates. So, for each parameter two groups were formed, according to whether adult males or females were reared in bottled spring water (Z) or tap water (B) and if the in vitro fertilization took place in water Z or B. Results revealed a decline in the fertility and hatching rate in water B, due to a water effect. The most plausible explanation could be the presence of substances which affect the micropyle and chorion. Moreover, a decrease in the fertility rate due to an effect over the female was also observed, but in this case by an alteration of the oocyte quality.

[Countermeasures for strict water quality management of drinking water sources: some thoughts and suggestions on implementing strict water resources management].

PubMed

Fu, Guo-Wei

2013-08-01

Suggestions on Carrying Out Strict Management Regulations of Water Resources were promulgated by the State Council in January, 2012. This is an important issue which has drawn public attention. I strongly support the principle and spirit of the regulations, as well as the request that governments above the county level bear the overall management responsibility. However, as to the technical route of and countermeasures for achieving strict management, several problems exist in reality. Relevant opinions and suggestions are given in this paper (the paper focuses exclusively on drinking water sources which are most in need of strict protection and management). Main opinions are as follows. (1) The sources of drinking water meeting the Class II standard in Surface Water Environment Quality Standards (GB 3838-2002) may not necessarily be unpolluted; (2) A necessary condition for protecting drinking water sources is that the effluents of enterprises' workshops discharged into the conservation zone should meet the regulation on the permitted maximum concentration of priority-I pollutants defined in the Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard (GB 8978-1996); (3) There is a strong doubt about whether Class II standard in GB 3838-2002 for priority I pollutants reflects environmental background values in water.

Water Pollution Search | ECHO | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Water Pollution Search within the Water Pollutant Loading Tool gives users options to search for pollutant loading information from Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) and Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data.

Water and nonpoint source pollution estimation in the watershed with limited data availability based on hydrological simulation and regression model.

PubMed

Huiliang, Wang; Zening, Wu; Caihong, Hu; Xinzhong, Du

2015-09-01

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is considered as the main reason for water quality deterioration; thus, to quantify the NPS loads reliably is the key to implement watershed management practices. In this study, water quality and NPS loads from a watershed with limited data availability were studied in a mountainous area in China. Instantaneous water discharge was measured through the velocity-area method, and samples were taken for water quality analysis in both flood and nonflood days in 2010. The streamflow simulated by Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) from 1995 to 2013 and a regression model were used to estimate total annual loads of various water quality parameters. The concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) were much higher during the flood seasons, but the concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) were lower during the flood seasons. Nevertheless, only TP concentration was positively correlated with the flow rate. The fluctuation of annual load from this watershed was significant. Statistical results indicated the significant contribution of pollutant fluxes during flood seasons to annual fluxes. The loads of TP, TN, NH3-N, and NO3-N in the flood seasons were accounted for 58-85, 60-82, 63-88, 64-81% of the total annual loads, respectively. This study presented a new method for estimation of the water and NPS loads in the watershed with limited data availability, which simplified data collection to watershed model and overcame the scale problem of field experiment method.

Monitoring and trend mapping of sea surface temperature (SST) from MODIS data: a case study of Mumbai coast.

PubMed

Azmi, Samee; Agarwadkar, Yogesh; Bhattacharya, Mohor; Apte, Mugdha; Inamdar, Arun B

2015-04-01

Sea surface temperature (SST) is one of the most important parameters in monitoring ecosystem health in the marine and coastal environment. Coastal ecosystem is largely dependent on ambient temperature and temperature fronts for marine/coastal habitat and its sustainability. Hence, thermal pollution is seen as a severe threat for ecological health of coastal waters across the world. Mumbai is one of the largest metropolises of the world and faces severe domestic and industrial effluent disposal problem, of which thermal pollution is a major issue with policy-makers and environmental stakeholders. This study attempts to understand the long-term SST variation in the coastal waters off Mumbai, on the western coast of India, and to identify thermal pollution zones. Analysis of SST trends in the near-coastal waters for the pre- and post-monsoon seasons from the year 2004 to the year 2010 has been carried out using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) Thermal Infra-red (TIR) bands. SST is calculated with the help of bands 31 and 32 using split window method. Several statistical operations were then applied to find the seasonal averages in SST and the standard deviation of SST in the study area. Maximum variation in SST was found within a perpendicular distance of 5 km from the shoreline during the study period. Also, a warm water mass was found to form consistently off coast during the winter months. Several anthropogenic sources of thermal pollution could be identified which were found to impact various locations along the coast.

Water quality modelling of Jadro spring.

PubMed

Margeta, J; Fistanic, I

2004-01-01

Management of water quality in karst is a specific problem. Water generally moves very fast by infiltration processes but far more by concentrated flows through fissures and openings in karst. This enables the entire surface pollution to be transferred fast and without filtration into groundwater springs. A typical example is the Jadro spring. Changes in water quality at the spring are sudden, but short. Turbidity as a major water quality problem for the karst springs regularly exceeds allowable standards. Former practice in problem solving has been reduced to intensive water disinfection in periods of great turbidity without analyses of disinfection by-products risks for water users. The main prerequisite for water quality control and an optimization of water disinfection is the knowledge of raw water quality and nature of occurrence. The analysis of monitoring data and their functional relationship with hydrological parameters enables establishment of a stochastic model that will help obtain better information on turbidity in different periods of the year. Using the model a great number of average monthly and extreme daily values are generated. By statistical analyses of these data possibility of occurrence of high turbidity in certain months is obtained. This information can be used for designing expert system for water quality management of karst springs. Thus, the time series model becomes a valuable tool in management of drinking water quality of the Jadro spring.

The SOLUTIONS project: challenges and responses for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources management.

PubMed

Brack, Werner; Altenburger, Rolf; Schüürmann, Gerrit; Krauss, Martin; López Herráez, David; van Gils, Jos; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; Munthe, John; Gawlik, Bernd Manfred; van Wezel, Annemarie; Schriks, Merijn; Hollender, Juliane; Tollefsen, Knut Erik; Mekenyan, Ovanes; Dimitrov, Saby; Bunke, Dirk; Cousins, Ian; Posthuma, Leo; van den Brink, Paul J; López de Alda, Miren; Barceló, Damià; Faust, Michael; Kortenkamp, Andreas; Scrimshaw, Mark; Ignatova, Svetlana; Engelen, Guy; Massmann, Gudrun; Lemkine, Gregory; Teodorovic, Ivana; Walz, Karl-Heinz; Dulio, Valeria; Jonker, Michiel T O; Jäger, Felix; Chipman, Kevin; Falciani, Francesco; Liska, Igor; Rooke, David; Zhang, Xiaowei; Hollert, Henner; Vrana, Branislav; Hilscherova, Klara; Kramer, Kees; Neumann, Steffen; Hammerbacher, Ruth; Backhaus, Thomas; Mack, Juliane; Segner, Helmut; Escher, Beate; de Aragão Umbuzeiro, Gisela

2015-01-15

SOLUTIONS (2013 to 2018) is a European Union Seventh Framework Programme Project (EU-FP7). The project aims to deliver a conceptual framework to support the evidence-based development of environmental policies with regard to water quality. SOLUTIONS will develop the tools for the identification, prioritisation and assessment of those water contaminants that may pose a risk to ecosystems and human health. To this end, a new generation of chemical and effect-based monitoring tools is developed and integrated with a full set of exposure, effect and risk assessment models. SOLUTIONS attempts to address legacy, present and future contamination by integrating monitoring and modelling based approaches with scenarios on future developments in society, economy and technology and thus in contamination. The project follows a solutions-oriented approach by addressing major problems of water and chemicals management and by assessing abatement options. SOLUTIONS takes advantage of the access to the infrastructure necessary to investigate the large basins of the Danube and Rhine as well as relevant Mediterranean basins as case studies, and puts major efforts on stakeholder dialogue and support. Particularly, the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) working groups, International River Commissions, and water works associations are directly supported with consistent guidance for the early detection, identification, prioritisation, and abatement of chemicals in the water cycle. SOLUTIONS will give a specific emphasis on concepts and tools for the impact and risk assessment of complex mixtures of emerging pollutants, their metabolites and transformation products. Analytical and effect-based screening tools will be applied together with ecological assessment tools for the identification of toxicants and their impacts. The SOLUTIONS approach is expected to provide transparent and evidence-based candidates or River Basin Specific Pollutants in the case study basins and to assist future review of priority pollutants under the WFD as well as potential abatement options. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lidar Observation of Aerosol and Temperature Stratification over Urban Area During the Formation of a Stable Atmospheric PBL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolev, I.; Parvanov, O.; Kaprielov, B.; Mitev, V.; Simeonov, V.; Grigorov, I.

1992-01-01

In recent years, the processes in the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) over urban areas were intensely investigated, due to ecological problems related to the air, soil, and water pollution. New pollution sources in new residential districts, when in contradiction to the microclimate and topography requirements of that region, create a number of considerable hazards and problems. The present study is a continuation of our preceding investigations and aims at revealing the aerosol structure and stratification during the transition after sunset as measured by two lidars. Such observation of the nocturnal, stable PBL formation over an urban area in Bulgaria has not been reported before. The lidars' high time and spatial resolutions allow the changes of the internal structure of the PBL's part located above the surface layer to be observed.

Finite Difference Formulation for Prediction of Water Pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johari, Hanani; Rusli, Nursalasawati; Yahya, Zainab

2018-03-01

Water is an important component of the earth. Human being and living organisms are demand for the quality of water. Human activity is one of the causes of the water pollution. The pollution happened give bad effect to the physical and characteristic of water contents. It is not practical to monitor all aspects of water flow and transport distribution. So, in order to help people to access to the polluted area, a prediction of water pollution concentration must be modelled. This study proposed a one-dimensional advection diffusion equation for predicting the water pollution concentration transport. The numerical modelling will be produced in order to predict the transportation of water pollution concentration. In order to approximate the advection diffusion equation, the implicit Crank Nicolson is used. For the purpose of the simulation, the boundary condition and initial condition, the spatial steps and time steps as well as the approximations of the advection diffusion equation have been encoded. The results of one dimensional advection diffusion equation have successfully been used to predict the transportation of water pollution concentration by manipulating the velocity and diffusion parameters.

The environment for development.

PubMed

Steer, A

1992-06-01

This overview of the World Bank 1992 World Development Report reveals some of the means to close the gap between policy and practice in linking environmental and development policy. The nature of the problem is defined and win-win policies which show mutual support for environment and development concerns are differentiated from negative links. Sound environmental management can be achieved with improved information, enhancing institutional arrangements, and involving local people. The rapid implementation of policies and programs will involve both political and financial costs and a shift in policies and priorities. The challenges ahead are tremendous and include overcoming poverty and turning population growth and environmental pollution around. World consumption of energy and manufactured goods is expected to triple; without curbs on emissions, mortality increases, water shortages, and forest and natural habitat loss will ensue. It is not entirely true that economic activity hurts the environment when positive forces of substitution, technological innovation, and structural change outweigh the negative consequences. Environmental consequences change with income levels. Some problems decline with income increases. Some problems deteriorate temporarily and then improve as incomes rise, i.e., air and water pollution and some types of deforestation and habitat dislocation. Some problems continue to grow with income increases, such as carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions. Win-win policies are ones that foster and end to excessive resource use, clarify property rights and stop open access to land, accelerate education and family planning programs, accelerate agricultural extension and research, and invest in sanitation and water supply. These policies will not sacrifice economic growth. Tradeoffs must be identified and costs and benefits of alternative policies assessed; priorities and standards must be established in consort with costs and benefits. Behavior change can be achieved with properly designed practical and cost-effective policies.

Lake water quality mapping from Landsat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scherz, J. P.

1977-01-01

In the project described remote sensing was used to check the quality of lake waters. The lakes of three Landsat scenes were mapped with the Bendix MDAS multispectral analysis system. From the MDAS color coded maps, the lake with the worst algae problem was easily located. The lake was closely checked, and the presence of 100 cows in the springs which fed the lake could be identified as the pollution source. The laboratory and field work involved in the lake classification project is described.

Evaluating agricultural nonpoint-source pollution using integrated geographic information systems and hydrologic/water quality model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tim, U.S.; Jolly, R.

1994-01-01

Considerable progress has been made in developing physically based, distributed parameter, hydrologic/water quality (HIWQ) models for planning and control of nonpoint-source pollution. The widespread use of these models is often constrained by the excessive and time-consuming input data demands and the lack of computing efficiencies necessary for iterative simulation of alternative management strategies. Recent developments in geographic information systems (GIS) provide techniques for handling large amounts of spatial data for modeling nonpoint-source pollution problems. Because a GIS can be used to combine information from several sources to form an array of model input data and to examine any combinations ofmore » spatial input/output data, it represents a highly effective tool for HiWQ modeling. This paper describes the integration of a distributed-parameter model (AGNPS) with a GIS (ARC/INFO) to examine nonpoint sources of pollution in an agricultural watershed. The ARC/INFO GIS provided the tools to generate and spatially organize the disparate data to support modeling, while the AGNPS model was used to predict several water quality variables including soil erosion and sedimentation within a watershed. The integrated system was used to evaluate the effectiveness of several alternative management strategies in reducing sediment pollution in a 417-ha watershed located in southern Iowa. The implementation of vegetative filter strips and contour buffer (grass) strips resulted in a 41 and 47% reduction in sediment yield at the watershed outlet, respectively. In addition, when the integrated system was used, the combination of the above management strategies resulted in a 71% reduction in sediment yield. In general, the study demonstrated the utility of integrating a simulation model with GIS for nonpoini-source pollution control and planning. Such techniques can help characterize the diffuse sources of pollution at the landscape level. 52 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less

NASA's Potential Contributions for Using Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in Conjunction with Photocatalysis for Urban Air Pollution Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, robert E.; Underwood, Lauren W.

2007-01-01

More than 75 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban communities where people are exposed to levels of smog or pollution that exceed the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) safety standards. Urban air quality presents a unique problem because of a number of complex variables, including traffic congestion, energy production, and energy consumption activities, all of which can contribute to and affect air pollution and air quality in this environment. In environmental engineering, photocatalysis is an area of research whose potential for environmental clean-up is rapidly developing popularity and success. Photocatalysis, a natural chemical process, is the acceleration of a photoreaction in the presence of a catalyst. Photocatalytic agents are activated when exposed to near UV (ultraviolet) light (320-400 nm) and water. In recent years, surfaces coated with photocatalytic materials have been extensively studied because pollutants on these surfaces will degrade when the surfaces are exposed to near UV light. Building materials, such as tiles, cement, glass, and aluminum sidings, can be coated with a thin film of a photocatalyst. These coated materials can then break down organic molecules, like air pollutants and smog precursors, into environmentally friendly compounds. These surfaces also exhibit a high affinity for water when exposed to UV light. Therefore, not only are the pollutants decomposed, but this superhydrophilic nature makes the surface self-cleaning, which helps to further increase the degradation rate by allowing rain and/or water to wash byproducts away. According to the Clean Air Act, each individual state is responsible for implementing prevention and regulatory programs to control air pollution. To operate an air quality program, states must adopt and/or develop a plan and obtain approval from the EPA. Federal approval provides a means for the EPA to maintain consistency among different state programs and ensures that they comply with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

Resource protection and resource management of drinking water-reservoirs in Thuringia--a prerequisite for high drinking-water quality.

PubMed

Willmitzer, H

2000-01-01

In face of widespread pollution of surface waters, strategies must be developed for the use of surface waters which protect the high quality standards of drinking water, starting with the catchment area via the reservoir to the consumer. As a rule, priority is given to the avoidance of contaminants directly at their point of origin. Water protection is always cheaper than expensive water-body restoration and water treatment. Complementary to the generally practised technical methods of raw water treatment with all their associated problems of energy input requirements, costs, and waste products, there is an increasing number of environmentally sound treatment technologies which use ecological principles as a basis to support the self-cleaning properties of flowing and dammed waters.

The risk assessment of sudden water pollution for river network system under multi-source random emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D.

2016-12-01

Sudden water pollution accidents are unavoidable risk events that we must learn to co-exist with. In China's Taihu River Basin, the river flow conditions are complicated with frequently artificial interference. Sudden water pollution accident occurs mainly in the form of a large number of abnormal discharge of wastewater, and has the characteristics with the sudden occurrence, the uncontrollable scope, the uncertainty object and the concentrated distribution of many risk sources. Effective prevention of pollution accidents that may occur is of great significance for the water quality safety management. Bayesian networks can be applied to represent the relationship between pollution sources and river water quality intuitively. Using the time sequential Monte Carlo algorithm, the pollution sources state switching model, water quality model for river network and Bayesian reasoning is integrated together, and the sudden water pollution risk assessment model for river network is developed to quantify the water quality risk under the collective influence of multiple pollution sources. Based on the isotope water transport mechanism, a dynamic tracing model of multiple pollution sources is established, which can describe the relationship between the excessive risk of the system and the multiple risk sources. Finally, the diagnostic reasoning algorithm based on Bayesian network is coupled with the multi-source tracing model, which can identify the contribution of each risk source to the system risk under the complex flow conditions. Taking Taihu Lake water system as the research object, the model is applied to obtain the reasonable results under the three typical years. Studies have shown that the water quality risk at critical sections are influenced by the pollution risk source, the boundary water quality, the hydrological conditions and self -purification capacity, and the multiple pollution sources have obvious effect on water quality risk of the receiving water body. The water quality risk assessment approach developed in this study offers a effective tool for systematically quantifying the random uncertainty in plain river network system, and it also provides the technical support for the decision-making of controlling the sudden water pollution through identification of critical pollution sources.

The Water Footprint as an indicator of environmental sustainability in water use at the river basin level.

PubMed

Pellicer-Martínez, Francisco; Martínez-Paz, José Miguel

2016-11-15

One of the main challenges in water management is to determine how the current water use can condition its availability to future generations and hence its sustainability. This study proposes the use of the Water Footprint (WF) indicator to assess the environmental sustainability in water resources management at the river basin level. The current study presents the methodology developed and applies it to a case study. The WF is a relatively new indicator that measures the total volume of freshwater that is used as a production factor. Its application is ever growing in the evaluation of water use in production processes. The calculation of the WF involves water resources (blue), precipitation stored in the soil (green) and pollution (grey). It provides a comprehensive assessment of the environmental sustainability of water use in a river basin. The methodology is based upon the simulation of the anthropised water cycle, which is conducted by combining a hydrological model and a decision support system. The methodology allows the assessment of the environmental sustainability of water management at different levels, and/or ex-ante analysis of how the decisions made in water planning process affect sustainability. The sustainability study was carried out in the Segura River Basin (SRB) in South-eastern Spain. The SRB is among the most complex basins in Europe, given its special peculiarities: competition for the use, overexploitation of aquifers, pollution, alternative sources, among others. The results indicate that blue water use is not sustainable due to the generalised overexploitation of aquifers. They also reveal that surface water pollution, which is not sustainable, is mainly caused by phosphate concentrations. The assessment of future scenarios reveals that these problems will worsen if no additional measures are implemented, and therefore the water management in the SRB is environmentally unsustainable in both the short- and medium-term. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metals Fate And Transport Modelling In Streams And Watersheds: State Of The Science And USEPA Workshop Review

EPA Science Inventory

Metals pollution in surface waters from point and non-point sources (NPS) is a widespread problem in the United States and worldwide (Lofts et al., 2007; USEPA, 2007). In the western United States, metals associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) from hardrock mines in mou...

North Branch Potomac River Basin mine drainage study. Phase I. Baseline survey. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-05-06

This baseline survey of the mine drainage and related water resources of the North Branch Potomac River Basin established the extent, magnitude, and effects of coal mine drainage pollution. Alternative abatement and reclamation solutions were considered. The study included an analysis of socioeconomic and environmental conditions as related to the mine drainage problem.

War: The Global Battlefield. Our Only Earth. A Curriculum for Global Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacRae-Campbell, Linda; McKisson, Micki

Both humanity and nature have suffered greatly from human insensitivity. Not only are the natural resources of the earth being depleted and its air, land, and water polluted, the financial resources of humanity are being wasted on destructive expenditures. The "Our Only Earth" series is an integrated science, language arts, and social studies…

Our Troubled Skies. Our Only Earth. A Curriculum for Global Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacRae-Campbell, Linda; McKisson, Micki

Both humanity and nature have suffered greatly from human insensitivity. Not only are the natural resources of the earth being depleted and its air, land and water polluted, the financial resources of humanity are being wasted on destructive expenditures. The "Our Only Earth" series is an integrated science, language arts, and social studies…

Hazardous Waste Management: A View to the New Century, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Gwen

Like many parts of the United States, Colorado is facing a significant hazardous waste problem. Radioactive and chemical wastes generated by the Rocky Flats Nuclear Plant, the toxic Lowry Land Fill Site, industrial dumps, and heavy land and air traffic contribute to water, land, and air pollution in the state. As part of a statewide response…

Keep It Clean. A Manual for the Preservation of the Cottage Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Brian, Ed.

Sewage disposal systems, water pollution, over-development, and the involvement of cottage associations are highlighted in this manual for cottagers or summer vacation homeowners. Its aim is to both inform and involve the cottage owner in the protection and preservation of his vacation environment. By reviewing a variety of problems peculiar to…

Polarimeter based on video matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlov, Andrey; Kontantinov, Oleg; Shmirko, Konstantin; Zubko, Evgenij

2017-11-01

In this paper we present a new measurement tool - polarimeter, based on video matrix. Polarimetric measure- ments are usefull, for example, when monitoring water areas pollutions and atmosphere constituents. New device is small enough to mount on unmanned aircraft vehicles (quadrocopters) and stationary platforms. Device and corresponding software turns it into real-time monitoring system, that helps to solve some research problems.

Jelly Jam, the People Preserver. Teaching Guide. An Environmental Manual for Teachers and Parents. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Judi

Designed for teachers of students in grades 2 through 4, this teaching guide for a self-teaching, interdisciplinary reading and activity program comprises a complete supplemental reading, science, and social studies approach to the problems of environmental pollution. Jelly Jam, a caring little animal, helps children understand how air, water, and…

The Unfinished Agenda: The Citizen's Policy Guide to Environmental Issues. A Task Force Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barney, Gerald O., Ed.

This book is the result of the Environmental Task Force, a group of 63 environmentalists who were asked to identify and describe the most critical environmental problems. It contains chapters on population, food and agriculture, the energy economy, natural resources, water and air pollution, hazards of toxic substances, land use and ecology,…

Bringing Educational Relevancy to the First-Year College Experience by Bearing Witness to Social Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Jonathan R.; Stearns, Donald E.

2003-01-01

A study examined the effectiveness of the experiential component of a first-year college environmental course concerning water pollution in Toms River, New Jersey. A survey of 542 students who took the course with or without the river project found that the experiential component improved student interest, stimulated critical thinking, and…

The Ocean Crisis. Our Only Earth Series. A Curriculum for Global Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacRae-Campbell, Linda; And Others

Both humanity and nature have suffered greatly from human insensitivity. Not only are the natural resources of the earth being depleted and its air, land and water polluted, the financial resources of humanity are being wasted on destructive expenditures. The "Our Only Earth" series is an integrated science, language arts, and social studies…

Water Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, H. J. M.

1975-01-01

Deals with water pollution in the following categories: a global view, self purification, local pollution, difficulties in chemical analysis, and remedies for water pollution. Emphasizes the extent to which man's activities have modified the cycles of certain elements. (GS)

Living off-grid in an arid environment without a well : can residential and commercial/industrial water harvesting help solve water supply problems?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Axness, Carl L.; Ferrando, Ana

2010-08-01

Our family of three lives comfortably off-grid without a well in an arid region ({approx}9 in/yr, average). This year we expect to achieve water sustainability with harvested or grey water supporting all of our needs (including a garden and trees), except drinking water (about 7 gallons/week). We discuss our implementation and the implication that for an investment of a few thousand dollars, many single family homes could supply a large portion of their own water needs, significantly reducing municipal water demand. Generally, harvested water is very low in minerals and pollutants, but may need treatment for microbes in order tomore » be potable. This may be addressed via filters, UV light irradiation or through chemical treatment (bleach). Looking further into the possibility of commercial water harvesting from malls, big box stores and factories, we ask whether water harvesting could supply a significant portion of potable water by looking at two cities with water supply problems. We look at the implications of separate municipal water lines for potable and clean non-potable uses. Implications on changes to future building codes are explored.« less

The advances of Chinese non-ferrous metal mineral industry and its environmental management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miao Zewei; Gao Lin; Zhou Xiaoyuan

1998-12-31

With the steady growth of Chinese economy, the nonferrous metal industry of China was also developed quickly. The gross output of ten main nonferrous metals 4.25 million tons in 1995 so that China ranks the fourth in the world. However, a series of environmental problems also occurred, which relate to characteristics of mineral resources, techniques for mining, dressing, smelting and processing, equipment and their management level. The major pollutants include sulphur dioxide, industrial powder-dust and smoke-dust, water containing heavy metal ions as well as solid wastes. Air, water body, soil, vegetation and people`s health were polluted and damaged to differentmore » extent due to the above pollutants. For the purpose of environmental management and pollution control, some measures must be taken: (1) to strengthen environmental planning, accelerate and perfect environmental laws and related regulations as well as spread the consciousness of environmental protection energetically; (2) to extend cleaner production and adopt advanced technologies so as to reduce environmental pollution; (3) to turn the concept of the end-of-pipe management to the whole-process control; (4) to recovery or reuse the wastes fully. In addition, general situation and policies on reclamation of mining land as well as theory, methods and techniques of restoration of waste land were also stated in the paper.« less

SCIMAP: Modelling Diffuse Pollution in Large River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milledge, D.; Heathwaite, L.; Lane, S. N.; Reaney, S. M.

2009-12-01

Polluted rivers are a problem for the plants and animals that require clean water to survive. Watershed scale processes can influence instream aquatic ecosystems by delivering fine sediment, solutes and organic matter from diffuse sources. To improve our rivers we need to identify the pollution sources. Models can help us to do this but these rarely address the extent to which risky land uses are hydrologically-connected, and hence able to deliver, to the drainage network. Those that do tend to apply a full hydrological scheme, which is unfeasible for large watersheds. Here we develop a risk-based modelling framework, SCIMAP, for diffuse pollution from agriculture (Nitrate, Phosphate and Fine Sediment). In each case the basis of the analysis is the joint consideration of the probability of a unit of land (25 m2 cell) producing a particular environmental risk and then of that risk reaching the river. The components share a common treatment of hydrological connectivity but differ in their treatment of each pollution type. We test and apply SCIMAP using spatially-distributed instream water quality data for some of the UK’s largest catchments to infer the processes and the associated process parameters that matter in defining their concentrations. We use these to identify a series of risky field locations, where this land use is readily connected to the river system by overland flow.

Research on IoT-based water environment benchmark data acquisition management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Bai; Xue, Bai; Ling, Lin; Jin, Huang; Ren, Liu

2017-11-01

Over the past more than 30 years of reform and opening up, China’s economy has developed at a full speed. However, this rapid growth is under restrictions of resource exhaustion and environmental pollution. Green sustainable development has become a common goal of all humans. As part of environmental resources, water resources are faced with such problems as pollution and shortage, thus hindering sustainable development. The top priority in water resources protection and research is to manage the basic data on water resources, and determine what is the footstone and scientific foundation of water environment management. By studying the aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River Basin, the Yellow River Basin, the Liaohe River Basin and the 5 lake areas, this paper puts forward an IoT-based water environment benchmark data management platform which can transform parameters measured to electric signals by way of chemical probe identification, and then send the benchmark test data of the water environment to node servers. The management platform will provide data and theoretical support for environmental chemistry, toxicology, ecology, etc., promote researches on environmental sciences, lay a solid foundation for comprehensive and systematic research on China’s regional environment characteristics, biotoxicity effects and environment criteria, and provide objective data for compiling standards of the water environment benchmark data.

Spatial and temporal variations of water quality in Cao-E River of eastern China.

PubMed

Chen, Ding-jiang; Lu, Jun; Yuan, Shao-feng; Jin, Shu-quan; Shen, Ye-na

2006-01-01

Evaluation and analysis of water quality variations were performed with integrated consideration of water quality parameters, hydrological-meteorologic and anthropogenic factors in Cao-E River, Zhejiang Province of China. Cao-E River system has been polluted and the water quality of some reaches are inferior to Grade V according to National Surface Water Quality Standard of China (GB2002). However, mainly polluted indices of each tributary and mainstream are different. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the water are the main polluted indices for mainstream that varies from 1.52 to 45.85 mg/L and 0.02 to 4.02 mg/L, respectively. TN is the main polluted indices for Sub-watershed I, II, IV and V (0.76 to 18.27 mg/L). BOD5 (0.36 to 289.5 mg/L), CODMn (0.47 to 78.86 mg/L), TN (0.74 to 31.09 mg/L) and TP (0 to 3.75 mg/L) are the main polluted indices for Sub-watershed III. There are tow pollution types along the river including nonpoint source pollution and point source pollution types. Remarkably temporal variations with a few spatial variations occur in nonpoint pollution type reaches (including mainstream, Sub-watershed I and II) that mainly drained by arable field and/or dispersive rural dwelling district, and the maximum pollutant concentration appears in flooding seasons. It implied that the runoff increases the pollutant concentration of the water in the nonpoint pollution type reaches. On the other hand, remarkably spatial variations occur in the point pollution type reaches (include Sub-watershed III, IV and V) and the maximum pollutant concentration appears in urban reaches. The runoff always decreases the pollutant concentration of the river water in the seriously polluted reaches that drained by industrial point sewage. But for the point pollution reaches resulted from centralized town domestic sewage pipeline and from frequent shipping and digging sands, rainfall always increased the concentration of pollutant (TN) in the river water too. Pollution controls were respectively suggested for these tow types according to different pollution causes.

Water pollution control technology and strategy for river-lake systems: a case study in Gehu Lake and Taige Canal.

PubMed

Zhang, Yimin; Zhang, Yongchun; Gao, Yuexiang; Zhang, Houhu; Cao, Jianying; Cai, Jinbang; Kong, Xiangji

2011-07-01

The Taoge water system is located in the upstream of Taihu Lake basin and is characterized by its multi-connected rivers and lakes. In this paper, current analyses of hydrology, hydrodynamics and water pollution of Gehu Lake and Taige Canal are presented. Several technologies are proposed for pollution prevention and control, and water environmental protection in the Taihu Lake basin. These included water pollution control integration technology for the water systems of Gehu Lake, Taige Canal and Caoqiao River. Additionally, river-lake water quality and quantity regulation technology, ecological restoration technology for polluted and degraded water bodies, and water environmental integration management and optimization strategies were also examined. The main objectives of these strategies are to: (a) improve environmental quality of relative water bodies, prevent pollutants from entering Gehu Lake and Taige Canal, and ensure that the clean water after the pre-treatment through Gehu Lake is not polluted before entering the Taihu Lake through Taige Canal; (b) stably and efficiently intercept and decrease the pollution load entering the lake through enhancing the river outlet ecological system structure function and water self-purifying capacity, and (c) designate Gehu Lake as a regulation system for water quality and water quantity in the Taoge water system and thus guarantee the improvement of the water quality of the inflow into Taihu Lake.

A national assessment of the effect of intensive agro-land use practices on nonpoint source pollution using emission scenarios and geo-spatial data.

PubMed

Zhuo, Dong; Liu, Liming; Yu, Huirong; Yuan, Chengcheng

2018-01-01

China's intensive agriculture has led to a broad range of adverse impacts upon ecosystems and thereby caused environmental quality degradation. One of the fundamental problems that face land managers when dealing with agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is to quantitatively assess the NPS pollution loads from different sources at a national scale. In this study, export scenarios and geo-spatial data were used to calculate the agricultural NPS pollution loads of nutrient, pesticide, plastic film residue, and crop straw burning in China. The results provided the comprehensive and baseline knowledge of agricultural NPS pollution from China's arable farming system in 2014. First, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) emission loads to water environment were estimated to be 1.44 Tg N and 0.06 Tg P, respectively. East and south China showed the highest load intensities of nutrient release to aquatic system. Second, the amount of pesticide loss to water of seven pesticides that are widely used in China was estimated to be 30.04 tons (active ingredient (ai)). Acetochlor was the major source of pesticide loss to water, contributing 77.65% to the total loss. The environmental impacts of pesticide usage in east and south China were higher than other parts. Third, 19.75% of the plastic film application resided in arable soils. It contributed a lot to soil phthalate ester (PAE) contamination. Fourth, 14.11% of straw produce were burnt in situ, most occurring in May to July (post-winter wheat harvest) in North China Plain and October to November (post-rice harvest days) in southeast China. All the above agricultural NPS pollution loadings were unevenly distributed across China. The spatial correlations between pollution loads at land unit scale were also estimated. Rising labor cost in rural China might be a possible explanation for the general positive correlations of the NPS pollution loads. It also indicated a co-occurred higher NPS pollution loads and a higher human exposure risk in eastern regions. Results from this research might provide full-scale information on the status and spatial variation of various agricultural NPS pollution loads for policy makers to control the NPS pollution in China.

Laser Remote Sensing of Pollution on Water Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bunkin, A. F.; Surovegin, Aleksander L.

1992-01-01

One of the most important problems of modern environmental science is the detection and identification of various impurities in the ocean. Sources of impurities in sea water are diverse. The most common of them are accidental transport, agricultural, and oil industry spills. Once the ecological balance is disturbed, biological processes in sea water become affected, resulting in changes in chlorophyll concentrations, water turbidity, and temperature. During the last few years, we have created new types of lidars and arranged nearly ten aircraft and shipboard expeditions. Some aircraft expeditions dealt with terrestrial investigations. Others were devoted to oceanological research, the results of which are discussed here. Emphasis is on the detection of phytoplankton chlorophyll and hydrocarbon in sea water.

Combined multivariate statistical techniques, Water Pollution Index (WPI) and Daniel Trend Test methods to evaluate temporal and spatial variations and trends of water quality at Shanchong River in the Northwest Basin of Lake Fuxian, China.

PubMed

Wang, Quan; Wu, Xianhua; Zhao, Bin; Qin, Jie; Peng, Tingchun

2015-01-01

Understanding spatial and temporal variations in river water quality and quantitatively evaluating the trend of changes are important in order to study and efficiently manage water resources. In this study, an analysis of Water Pollution Index (WPI), Daniel Trend Test, Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis are applied as an integrated approach to quantitatively explore the spatial and temporal variations and the latent sources of water pollution in the Shanchong River basin, Northwest Basin of Lake Fuxian, China. We group all field surveys into 2 clusters (dry season and rainy season). Moreover, 14 sampling sites have been grouped into 3 clusters for the rainy season (highly polluted, moderately polluted and less polluted sites) and 2 clusters for the dry season (highly polluted and less polluted sites) based on their similarities and the level of pollution during the two seasons. The results show that the main trend of pollution was aggravated during the transition from the dry to the rainy season. The Water Pollution Index of Total Nitrogen is the highest of all pollution parameters, whereas the Chemical Oxygen Demand (Chromium) is the lowest. Our results also show that the main sources of pollution are farming activities alongside the Shanchong River, soil erosion and fish culture at Shanchong River reservoir area and domestic sewage from scattered rural residential area. Our results suggest that strategies to prevent water pollutionat the Shanchong River basin need to focus on non-point pollution control by employing appropriate fertilizer formulas in farming, and take the measures of soil and water conservation at Shanchong reservoir area, and purifying sewage from scattered villages.

Combined Multivariate Statistical Techniques, Water Pollution Index (WPI) and Daniel Trend Test Methods to Evaluate Temporal and Spatial Variations and Trends of Water Quality at Shanchong River in the Northwest Basin of Lake Fuxian, China

PubMed Central

Wang, Quan; Wu, Xianhua; Zhao, Bin; Qin, Jie; Peng, Tingchun

2015-01-01

Understanding spatial and temporal variations in river water quality and quantitatively evaluating the trend of changes are important in order to study and efficiently manage water resources. In this study, an analysis of Water Pollution Index (WPI), Daniel Trend Test, Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis are applied as an integrated approach to quantitatively explore the spatial and temporal variations and the latent sources of water pollution in the Shanchong River basin, Northwest Basin of Lake Fuxian, China. We group all field surveys into 2 clusters (dry season and rainy season). Moreover, 14 sampling sites have been grouped into 3 clusters for the rainy season (highly polluted, moderately polluted and less polluted sites) and 2 clusters for the dry season (highly polluted and less polluted sites) based on their similarities and the level of pollution during the two seasons. The results show that the main trend of pollution was aggravated during the transition from the dry to the rainy season. The Water Pollution Index of Total Nitrogen is the highest of all pollution parameters, whereas the Chemical Oxygen Demand (Chromium) is the lowest. Our results also show that the main sources of pollution are farming activities alongside the Shanchong River, soil erosion and fish culture at Shanchong River reservoir area and domestic sewage from scattered rural residential area. Our results suggest that strategies to prevent water pollutionat the Shanchong River basin need to focus on non-point pollution control by employing appropriate fertilizer formulas in farming, and take the measures of soil and water conservation at Shanchong reservoir area, and purifying sewage from scattered villages. PMID:25837673

An analysis of factors contributing to household water security problems and threats in different settlement categories of Ngamiland, Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kujinga, Krasposy; Vanderpost, Cornelis; Mmopelwa, Gagoitseope; Wolski, Piotr

Globally, water security is negatively affected by factors that include climatic and hydrological conditions, population growth, rural-urban migration, increased per-capita water use, pollution and over-abstraction of groundwater. While Botswana has made strides in providing safe and clean water to its population since independence in 1966, over the years, a combination of factors have contributed to water security problems in different settlement categories of the country (i.e., primary, secondary, tertiary and ungazetted settlements) in general and in the district of Ngamiland in particular. To study water security problems differentiated by settlement category, this study employed quantitative data collection methods (i.e. household structured questionnaires) and qualitative data collection methods (i.e. key informant interviews, observation, focus group discussions and informal interviews), complemented by a review of relevant literature. Water security in all settlements is affected by status of the settlement, i.e. gazetted or ungazetted, climatic and hydrological factors and water governance challenges. In large villages such as Maun, factors threatening water security include population growth, urbanization, management challenges, old water supply and distribution infrastructure, increased demand for individual connections and changing lifestyles. Small gazetted and ungazetted settlements encounter problems related to limited sources of water supply as well as salinity of groundwater resources. In order to enhance water security in different settlement categories, Botswana has to develop a comprehensive water resources management strategy underpinned by integrated water resources management principles aimed at addressing factors contributing to water security problems. The strategy has to be settlement category specific. Large villages have to address factors related to demographic changes, urbanization, management challenges, water supply infrastructure and the introducing of water demand management activities. Households in small villages need provision of water from more sustainable sources while ungazetted settlements need better access to clean water.