Water quality

A 24 h investigation of the hydrogeochemistry of baseflow and stormwater in an urban area impacted by mining: Butte, Montana

by Christopher Shope

A 24 h investigation of the hydrogeochemistry of baseflow and stormwater in an urban area impacted by mining: Butte, Montana

by Christopher Shope

Study the Seasonal Variations in Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Halali Reservoir

by Dharmendra Singh

Various physico-chemical characteristics of the halali reservoir located near Bhopal were studied in the three season... more Various physico-chemical characteristics of the halali reservoir located near Bhopal were studied in the three season summer, rainy and winter of 2010-2011. Ecological parameters like dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, nitrate, phosphate and other physico-chemical parameter were analyzed and compared with the water quality standard of Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and Central and the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) limits to assess the best designated use. Attempts were made to study and analyze the physico-chemical characteristics of the water. All physic- chemical parameters give a picture of quality parameter in pond water of the Halali. By observing the result it can be concluded that the parameters which were taken for study the water quality are below the pollution level for ground water which satisfy the requirement for the use of various purposes like domestic, agricultural, industrial, aquaculture etc.

Temporal and spatial patterns in waterborne bacterial communities of an island reef system

by Michael Sweet

The bacterial 16S rRNA gene diversity of waterborne bacterial (WBB) communities was assessed using PCR/DGGE... more The bacterial 16S rRNA gene diversity of waterborne bacterial (WBB) communities was assessed using PCR/DGGE techniques, along with sequence analysis of selected bands. 16S rRNA gene diversity varied between seasons and significant differences were recorded between night and day. However, there were no significant differences detected between low, ebb, flood and high tides when the water body sampled would have originated from completely different areas including those off-reef. These results suggest that changes in productivity and/or vertical diurnal migrations of plankton may have greater effects than large scale water movements effected by tidal flows. These results do not demonstrate a strong link between WBB communities and their underlying benthos. This either suggests a lack of coupling between the benthos and the water column (benthic-pelagic coupling) or that the processes are extremely rapid and efficient with strong mixing. Previous studies at this site have shown cycling between coral reef and lagoon sediments via coral mucus release and tidal transport, supporting the latter. We found a strong seasonality in the abundance and composition of WBB communities, with α-proteobacteria being more prevalent during winter and γ-proteobacteria during summer but quantitative PCR (qPCR) showed no significant differences in vibrios between seasons.

Optimizing the solar water disinfection (SODIS) method by decreasing turbidity with NaCl

by Joshua Pearce

Brittney Dawney and Joshua M. Pearce, "Optimizing the solar water disinfection (SODIS) method by decreasing turbidity with NaCl", Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2(2) pp. 87-94 (2012). doi: 10.2166/washdev.2012.043

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) has proven to be effective at reducing diarrheal incidence in epidemiological... more Solar water disinfection (SODIS) has proven to be effective at reducing diarrheal incidence in epidemiological intervention studies. However, the SODIS method is limited to waters of low turbidity (<30 NTU). This study investigates the use of common table salt (NaCl) to reduce the turbidity of water containing suspended colloidal clay particles for use in the SODIS method. Three representative clays found in tropical soils (kaolinite, illite and bentonite) were tested at three levels of turbidity (50, 100 and 200 NTU) for their flocculating behavior with multiple NaCl concentrations to find the optimum. Supernatants were tested for sodium concentration for comparison against health and taste thresholds. Results show that unlike kaolinite and illite, pure bentonite solutions were shown to be very responsive to NaCl and produced supernatants with as low as 4 NTU (98% particle removal efficiency). This study has shown that NaCl, in combination with high-activity clay particles in solution, may effectively reduce turbidity to levels suitable for SODIS treatment, thereby expanding the number of people who can utilize the technology effectively.

Effect of immersion in water partially alkali-activated materials obtained of tungsten mine waste mud

by Antonio Albuquerque

Silva I., Castro-Gomes J. & Albuquerque A.
Construction and Building Materials, V. 35, 117-124.

Alkali-activated binders can be obtained using several sources of alumino-silicate materials, from calcinatedmore Alkali-activated binders can be obtained using several sources of alumino-silicate materials, from calcinated
clays, like kaolin, to industrial by-products, such as fly ash and, more recently, to calcinated waste mud from mining activities. The technology to obtain alkali-activated binders, also designated as geopolymers, is gaining increasing interest, since, in some cases, the properties of geopolymeric materials
are superior to other existing cementitious systems. The research presented in this paper intends to deepen
the knowledge regarding the properties of geopolymeric materials obtained using tungsten mining waste mud, particularly to study its behaviour after being immersed in water. However, in the current work, focus is given to follow compressive strength results in partially alkali-activated samples immersed in water, during different curing periods of time. Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis (FTIR) were also utilised to investigate changes in the microstructure at different conditions of water immersion. A significant decrease in compressive strength occurring after 24 h of immersion in water was found out, of specific partially alkali-activated materials, despite of its initial high compressive strength after 35 days curing, at different temperatures.

Hydrological and Water Quality Characterisation of a Tropical Riverine Wetland: Nabajjuzi-Masaka, Uganda

by Najib Lukooya Bateganya

Abstract
In East Africa where wetlands are becoming essential systems for waste water treatment and potable... more Abstract
In East Africa where wetlands are becoming essential systems for waste water treatment and potable water supply, hydrological characterisation is crucial to understand the dynamics of their functioning on a spatial and temporal scale. Beside ecosystem services, basic ecological properties such as vegetation structure and nutrient cycling of wetland ecosystems depend on hydrology. Nabajjuzi wetland, in central Uganda, East Africa is internationally recognised as a Ramsar site and currently used for potable water supply in addition to other essential ecological and social economic services to the riparian communities. To contribute to the limited and scanty information of this ecosystem, the study focussed on hydrological and water quality characterisation using a water-nutrient mass balance as the major output. Also, the flow dynamics of Fe and allochthonous suspended solids loading into the wetland were investigated.

Results show that the water balance of Nabajjuzi wetland is dominated by surface flow, which is influenced by rainy and dry periods. During peak flow, the estimated hydraulic retention time was found to be 1 month compared to 1.5 months during the low flow period. Also, water loss flux due to evapotranspiration in this region is high and in Nabajjuzi wetland, it is twice the daily rate of abstraction. Analysis of long term flow data also revealed that the current water abstraction rate can potentially result in hydrological stress to the system during extremely low flow periods. However, the wetland N and P loading is very low compared to other urban disturbed wetlands. Consequently, high concentration of Fe and suspended solids loading are the major constraints to the surface water quality hence potable water supply. Generally, there is need for a more comprehensive hydrological-water quality study and careful planning of the future catchment land use strategies. This can enhance management and conservation of the wetland to guarantee the crucial ecosystem services it provides.

Keywords: Hydrology, Riverine wetland, Hydrological gradient, Surface-flow, Nutrients, Iron, Mass-balance, Lake Victoria basin.

Variation of water quality across Cooum river in Chennai city

by Abraham Samuel

Published in 'Journal of Journal of Environment and Earth Science',
April 2012

The huge demand for freshwater resources in the 21st century can be attributed to population growth, advanced... more The huge demand for freshwater resources in the 21st century can be attributed to population growth, advanced agricultural practices and industrial usages. This study attempts to evaluate the water quality of Cooum river across Chennai, and was carried out by systematic collection and analysis of 5 water samples from 5 regions. Samples collected at some parts of the city were even found to be not fit for irrigation as they had high acidity, low dissolved oxygen and high amount of dissolved solids. Some samples were also found to have certain microbes which pose health hazards when ingested. The major contaminant sources identified in the areas were the samples were polluted were liquid and solid wastes, discharges from factories and refineries, drainage of sewage, and brine water in estuaries.

An Applied Assessment Model to Evaluate the Socioeconomic Impact of Water Quality Regulations in Chile

by alejandro ramirez

n many developing countries, natural resource management is based on traditional, expert-based methods that often... more n many developing countries, natural resource management is based on traditional, expert-based methods that often exclude a variety of stakeholders. This paper presents a conceptual model and methodology that represent a first step toward a more integrated evaluation and management of large basins. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the socioeconomic impact of the application of secondary water quality regulations in the Aysén River Basin of Southern Chile. We employ the concept of physical, ecological and social (PHES)-system as a conceptual framework. Three indices based on this framework were created to characterize different aspects of the Aysén Basin: an environmental vulnerability index, an index of the water quality impact of the different economic sectors, and an index that quantifies the economic contribution of these sectors. Finally the three indices were combined as a measure of the socioeconomic impact of the proposed regulations in what we referred to as the ‘applied assessment model’. Our results suggest that the applied regulations would have little socioeconomic impact on the Aysén Basin. Finally we discuss challenges to integrated watershed assessment in the context of developing countries.

Numerical Simulation of the Direct Application of Compound Parabolic Concentrators to a Single Effect Basin Solar Still

by Joshua Pearce

Joshua M. Pearce and David C. Denkenberger, "Numerical Simulation of the Direct Application of Compound Parabolic Concentrators to a Single Effect Basin Solar Still", Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference of Solar Cooking and Food Processing, p. 118, 2006.

As regional shortages of fresh water become more prevalent, solar distillation using a single-effect basin holds... more As regional shortages of fresh water become more prevalent, solar distillation using a single-effect basin holds promise as a method to bring low-cost, clean, and ecologically-responsible water to remote area dwellers. Compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) can be used to direct more light onto the still increasing the throughput and efficiency of these passive solar devices. A computer program has been developed that uses the properties of materials and the solar energy characteristics of the site to calculate the increase in output of water due to reflectors of different height. For reflector 2.5 times the width of the still, the output per unit area per day roughly triples with only ~10% increase in cost and moderate maintenance (weekly tilts), indicating that CPCs have a significant economic advantage in producing solar distilled water.

Compound Parabolic Concentrators for Solar Water Heat Pasteurization: Numerical Simulation

by Joshua Pearce

David C. Denkenberger and Joshua M. Pearce, "Compound Parabolic Concentrators for Solar Water Heat Pasteurization: Numerical Simulation", Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference of Solar Cooking and Food Processing, p. 108, 2006.

Many people in less developed countries drink water with microbial contamination, which leads to the annual death of 5... more Many people in less developed countries drink water with microbial contamination, which leads to the annual death of 5 million children. Although some people currently boil water, all microbes that cause disease in humans do not survive at temperatures >65oC, which solar water pasteurizers can easily produce. These pasteurizers are similar to box solar cookers, and typically have a small rectangular reflector. The objective of this work is to calculate the increase in output due to compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) using numerical simulation. A CPC concentrates the maximum amount of radiation on a planar receiver consistent with the laws of thermodynamics. Since the average water temperature is nearly independent of the solar radiation, the heat losses are nearly constant. Therefore, higher concentration factors yield significantly higher efficiencies. Depending on climate, CPCs increase output by 1,000%-4,000%, while the additional reflector would only ~double the cost and necessitate weekly tilting.

The influence of plants on nitrogen removal from landfill leachate in discontinuous batch shallow constructed wetland with recirculating subsurface horizontal flow

by Antonio Albuquerque

A. Białowiec, L. Davies, A. Albuquerque, P. Randerson
Ecological Engineering, 2012, V. 40, 44-52

Three discontinuous batch shallow constructed wetland systems with recirculating subsurface horizontal flow with reed,... more Three discontinuous batch shallow constructed wetland systems with recirculating subsurface horizontal flow with reed, willow, and without plants were used to assess the removal of nitrogen from landfill leachate in relation to hydraulic retention time and climatic conditions. In all systems redox potential in the beds increased asymptotically from negative anoxic conditions to +67 (reed bed), −2 (willow bed), and +17 mV (control bed), reaching a plateau in two wk. During the first 24 h after feeding the beds all forms of nitrogen decreased significantly. It has been shown that plants release O2 and Norg which was then hydrolyzed to ammonia. Plant-available radiation significantly (p < 0.05) increased the release of Norg and removal of ammonia after the 9th day of the experiment. Low, and relatively constant concentrations of nitrite and nitrate indicated that denitrification had taken place in the beds.

Influence of stormwater infiltration on the treatment capacity of a LECA-based horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland

by Antonio Albuquerque

L. Amado, A. Albuquerque, A. Espirito Santo
Ecological Engineering, 2012, V. 39, 16-23.

This research work evaluates the impact of stormwater infiltration on the removal of organics, solids, nitrogen and... more This research work evaluates the impact of stormwater infiltration on the removal of organics, solids, nitrogen and phosphorus in a LECA-based horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. Stormwater runoff for the period between January 2008 and June 2010 (30 months) was estimated for the drainage basin of the Vila Fernando wastewater treatment plant (constructed wetland system) and it was observed proportionality between the increase in surface runoff and the infiltration flow rate that reached the plant. The average stormwater infiltration rate that reached the plant was 67.4 m(3) d(-1) (77% of the influent flow rate into the plant). The 30 month monitoring campaign set up at one of the reed beds showed that stormwater infiltration led to a high variation of the hydraulic loading rate (HLR) throughout the bed, which affected its performance in the removal of organic matter, suspended solids and nitrogen. For a HLR below 20 cm d-1 the removal efficiencies for BOD5, COD and TSS doubled. The removal of nitrogen was too low and was associated with the weak development of nitrifying biofilm and the poor growth of reeds. However, it was observed a good relationship between the applied and removed loads for most of the parameters, which seems to indicate that the organic, solid, nitrogen and phosphorus loading rates influenced the respective removal rates. The use of a bed material with high specific surface area, such as LECA, can only improve the treatment capacity of horizontal subsurface flow systems if the organic and solid loading rates, as well as the HLR, can be effectively controlled.

Karthick, B., Boominathan, M., Sameer Ali, and Ramachandra T.V. 2010. Evaluation of the Quality of Drinking Water in Kerala State, India. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution. Vol. 7 (4), 39-48. 972-986

by Karthick Balasubramanian

The quality of tap water from water supplies from 14 districts of Kerala state, India was studied. Parameters... more
The quality of tap water from water supplies from 14 districts of Kerala state, India was studied. Parameters like pH, water temperature, total dissolved solids, salinity, nitrates, chloride, hardness, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, fluoride, sulphate, phosphates, and coliform bacteria were enumerated. The results showed that all water samples were contaminated by coliform bacteria. About 20% of the tap water samples from Alappuzha and 15% samples from Palakkad district are above desirable limits prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards. The contamination of the source water (due to lack of community hygiene) and insufficient treatment are the major cause for the coliform contamination in the state. Water samples from Alappuzha and Palakkad have high ionic and fluoride content which could be attributed to the geology of the region. Water supplied for drinking in rural areas are relatively free of any contamination than the water supplied in urban area by municipalities, which may be attributed higher chances of contamination in urban area due to mismanagement of solid and liquid wastes. The study highlights the need for regular bacteriological enumeration along with water quality in addition to setting up decentralised region specific improved treatment system.

Watershed-scale analysis of riparian buffer function

by Molly Van Appledorn

Evaluation of the quality of waters flowing into the Vistula River at the longitude of the city of Toruń by means of biotests with the use of Artemia salina and Hydra attenuata.

by Paweł Napiórkowski

The article based on lecture from II Conference ofPolish Ecotoxicological Societv Wrocław 2008

From April to October 2005, samples of surface waters were collected at 9 different sites within the city of Toruń... more From April to October 2005, samples of surface waters were collected at 9 different sites within the city of Toruń (tributaries of the Vistula River). Samples were subjected to ecotoxicological assessment with the use of biotests with Artemia salina and Hydra attenuata. Also, basic physicochemical parameters of the sampled water were measured. Based on the results of the mortality rate of tested organisms, LC50 and EC50 were calculated, and the toxicity of the studied waters was determined according to the Tonkes scale. It was found that the studied waters are nontoxic or slightly toxic. Also, the differences were observed among the studied organisms regarding the degree of sensitivity to the same tests.

Hydrochemical Analysis and Evaluation of Water Quality in Angwan Jeba and its Environs, Nasarawa State, Northcentral Nigeria

by OBRIKE STEPHEN

Calcareous deposists in the Porta Romana water tower (Ostia antica)

by Helene Dessales

J. Carlut, G. Chazot, H. Dessales, E. Letellier, Trace element variations in an archeological carbonate deposit from the antique city of Ostia: Environmental and archeological implications, Comptes rendus Geoscience 341, 2009, 341: 10-20.

Analysis of PAN and PEGDA Coated Membranes for Filtering Water with Reduced Fouling and Increased Heavy Metal Adsorption

by Ravi Dinakar

For free full pdf visit:

http://www.jes2s.com/pdfs/Jan2012/Analysis%20of%20PAN%20and%20PEGDA%20Coated%20Membranes%20for%20Filtering%20Water%20with%20Reduced%20Fouling%20and%20Increased%20Heavy%20Metal%20Adsorption.pdf

Authors:

Kristin Wong1,3*^, Brendan Liu1,3*, Serena McCalla2, Benjamin Chu4, and Benjamin Hsiao4
Student1, Teacher2: Jericho High School, 99 Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, NY 11753
Intern3, Mentor/Professors of Chemistry4: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook,New York 11794
*These authors contributed equally
^Correspondence: knw1095@gmail.com

Published in The Journal of Experimental Secondary Science (www.jes2s.com)

An increase in United States water pollution has been
denoted over the past 30 years. With a rise in watermore An increase in United States water pollution has been
denoted over the past 30 years. With a rise in water
pollution, enhanced filtration and heavy metal remediation
methods are imperative. Membrane fouling, the process
whereby extraneous particles deposit onto a membrane
surface and degrade the membrane’s performance, is a
major issue facing ultrafiltration. This study’s goals were
to enhance membrane flux and anti-fouling performance
with a PEGDA filter and to compare the efficiency of PVAm
and PEI for heavy metal adsorption. Electrospinning was
employed to create membrane platforms for coating and
grafting polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), N,N’-
Methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA), cellulose nanofibers
(CNF), polyvinyl alcohol (PVAm) and polyethylenimine
(PEI). The anti-fouling performance of electrospun PAN
membranes was determined by coating the surface with
CNF, PEGDA, and MBAA, which were chosen due to
their hydrophilic and low-fouling properties. Coating the
top layer of the membrane with these hydrophilic polymers
achieved a flux that remained constant at the quickest rate,
at least 20% quicker than that of polyethersulfone (PES)
commercial filters. The membrane containing .02% CNF
and 0.2% PEGDA exhibited 90% rejection and 99% recovery,
indicating that CNF and PEGDA exhibited better fouling
resistance than PES. The high fouling performance of the
commercial membranes can be attributed to the highly
hydrophobic nature of PES, making it prone to membrane
fouling. In order to evaluate heavy metal adsorption
membrane performance, electrospun PAN membranes
were immersed in concentrations of H2SO4 (50-70 wt%)
to introduce negative charges creating bonds between
PVAm, PEI, and the PAN membrane. The outcomes of
static adsorption tests indicated that PVAm adsorbed heavy
metals at a rate that was ~8-30 mg/g greater than PEI. The
higher adsorption rate can be attributed to the increased
surface area resulting from the grafted PVAm. In the future,
a combined PEGDA, PAN, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
membrane should be designed to adsorb heavy metals
while reducing fouling. The efficacy of modified periods of
extensive filtration should also be evaluated.

Improving Solar Water Disinfection SODIS with a Photoreactive TiO2 SWCNT Composite on Plastic PET Bottles

by Ravi Dinakar

For FREE full pdf visit:

http://www.jes2s.com/pdfs/Jan2012/Improving%20Solar%20Water%20Disinfection%20SODIS%20with%20a%20Photoreactive%20TiO2%20SWCNT%20Composite%20on%20Plastic%20PET%20Bottles.pdf

Authors:

Zizi Yu1,3*, Deborah Day2, and Shannon Ciston4
Student1, Teacher2: Amity Regional High School, 25 Newton Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525
Intern3, Mentor/Assistant Professor4: University of New Haven, West Haven, CT 06516
*Correspondence: zizi262@yahoo.com

Published in The Journal of Experimental Secondary Science (www.jes2s.com)

Approximately 1.1 billion people in the world lack access
to safe drinking water, an issue that causes two... more Approximately 1.1 billion people in the world lack access
to safe drinking water, an issue that causes two million
deaths a year due to waterborne diarrheal diseases. Solar
disinfection (SODIS), a point-of-use water treatment
method that uses UV radiation in sunlight to kill pathogenic
organisms, was discovered by Professor Aftim Acra in the
early 1980’s1. Because SODIS relies largely on weather
conditions, its efficiency varies greatly. The purpose of this
study was to improve SODIS by coating plastic PET bottles
with a TiO2 and a TiO2/SWCNT composite, a photocatalytic
nanomaterial that exhibits strong antibacterial activity.
Water samples were collected from the Quinnipiac River
in Wallingford, CT and transferred into the bottles to be
tested for bacteria at time intervals of 0 min., 180 min.,
and 360 min. of sun exposure. Two trials were performed
with the same bottles to test for bottle reusability, and
bacterial concentrations were determined through serial
dilutions and plate counting. Results show that the TiO2/
SWCNT composite coating was the most effective in
meeting EPA standards, preventing bacterial growth in
optimal temperatures, and producing strong coatings. The
TiO2/SWCNT composite coating did kill more bacteria as
hypothesized, but the full 360 min. of sun exposure was
required.