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Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2024) | Viewed by 11458

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: ecological integrity; organophosphorus; dissolved organic matter; ecological risk assessment; environmental benchmarks and standards

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: dissolved organic matter; black carbon; biomass pyrolysis; environmental pollutants; water quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the environmental behaviour of water elements and pollutants, the interaction between pollutants and aquatic organisms, and their ecological effects. This Special Issue conducts an in-depth and systematic cross-disciplinary research analysis on water environmental quality assessment (including environmental science and engineering, ecology, earth science, environmental chemistry, etc.). The research results can provide scientific basis and theoretical support for evaluating water quality and potential ecological risks of emerging  pollutants. This Special Issue focuses on the assessment of water quality and pollutant behaviour, including (but not limited to) the following topics:

  • An evaluation of water elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus;
  • Environmental behaviours such as the migration and transformation of pollutants;
  • Relationships between pollutant stress and ecological status;
  • The synergistic ecological effects of water elements and environmental pollutants.

Prof. Dr. Fuhong Sun
Dr. Fanhao Song
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • water elements
  • environmental pollutants
  • aquatic organisms
  • water quality evolution
  • water ecological effects

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4183 KiB  
Article
Changes in Surface Water Quality of the El Salvador River in La Joya de los Sachas, Ecuadorian Amazon Region
by Tannia Vargas-Tierras, Mirian Jiménez-Gutiérrez, Sandra Pastrano, Gino Chávez, Vanessa Morales-León, María Morales-León, Fernando Paredes and Wilson Vásquez-Castillo
Water 2024, 16(9), 1259; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16091259 - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1188
Abstract
Water effluent pollution in the Ecuadorian Amazon occurs mainly due to the lack of sewage infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants in urban and rural areas, and agricultural and livestock activities. Consequently, understanding water quality is crucial because of its dynamic nature, influenced by various [...] Read more.
Water effluent pollution in the Ecuadorian Amazon occurs mainly due to the lack of sewage infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants in urban and rural areas, and agricultural and livestock activities. Consequently, understanding water quality is crucial because of its dynamic nature, influenced by various activities along its course. We evaluated and compared the water quality status of the El Salvador River with the current standards of the Ministry of the Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition in Ecuador and with Decree No. 115/2003 on water quality and water pollution management. The water quality index was determined through random sampling at seven locations along the river. The results show good water quality, with contamination indices ranging from 84 to 87. When comparing the results with the standards, all water quality parameters met the standards for recreational purposes. However, considering the river’s uses for agricultural activities, we compared the water with additional standards from legislation outlined by the Environment Ministry and found that the nitrate content exceeded permissible limits due to runoff from the surrounding crops, causing a potential risk to human health. Therefore, incorporating helophyte plants is a promising option that would promote the health of this aquatic ecosystem and others. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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16 pages, 4978 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Analysis of the Driving Factors of Water Quality Variations in the Minjiang River in Southwestern China
by Chuankun Liu, Yue Hu, Fuhong Sun, Liya Ma, Wei Wang, Bin Luo, Yang Wang and Hongming Zhang
Water 2023, 15(18), 3299; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15183299 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1326
Abstract
The Minjiang River is an important first-level tributary of the Yangtze River. Understanding the driving factors of water quality variations in the Minjiang River is crucial for future policy planning of watershed ecology protection of the Yangtze River. The water quality of the [...] Read more.
The Minjiang River is an important first-level tributary of the Yangtze River. Understanding the driving factors of water quality variations in the Minjiang River is crucial for future policy planning of watershed ecology protection of the Yangtze River. The water quality of the Minjiang River is impacted by both meteorological factors and anthropogenic factors. By using wavelet analysis, machine learning, and Shapley analysis approaches, the impacts of meteorological factors and anthropogenic factors on the permanganate index (CODMn) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentrations at the outlet of the Minjiang River Basin were quantified. The observed CODMn and NH3-N concentration data in the Minjiang River from 2016 to 2020 were decomposed into long-term trend signals and periodic signals. The long-term trends in water qualities showed that anthropogenic factors were the major driving factors, accounting for 98.38% of the impact on CODMn concentrations and 98.18% of the impact on NH3-N concentrations. The periodic fluctuations in water qualities in the Minjiang River Basin were mainly controlled by meteorological factors, with an impact of 68.89% on CODMn concentrations and 63.94% on NH3-N concentrations. Compared to anthropogenic factors, meteorological factors have a greater impact on water quality in the Minjiang River Basin during both the high-temperature and rainy seasons from July to September and during the winter from December to February. The separate quantification of impacts of driving factors on the varying water quality signals contributed to the originality in this work, providing more intuitive insights for the assessment of the influences of policies and the climate change on the water quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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10 pages, 1464 KiB  
Article
Spatial–Temporal Influence of Sand Dams on Chemical and Microbial Properties of Water from Scooping Holes in Degraded Semi-Arid Regions
by Harrison Churu, Solomon Kamau, Wilson Ngetich, Keziah Magiroi, Bonface Alkamoi, Syphyline Kebeney, Fred Wamalwa and James Mumo
Water 2023, 15(18), 3207; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15183207 - 8 Sep 2023
Viewed by 958
Abstract
Communities in semi-arid lands use sand dams to enhance access water during the dry seasons. However, there is limited information on the quality of water derived from these sand dams, especially in degraded lands where storm surface runoff poses contamination risk. Thus, this [...] Read more.
Communities in semi-arid lands use sand dams to enhance access water during the dry seasons. However, there is limited information on the quality of water derived from these sand dams, especially in degraded lands where storm surface runoff poses contamination risk. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the spatial–temporal variations in water quality of sand dams in Chepareria, West Pokot County in Kenya. Water samples were collected from scooping holes across 18 purposefully selected sand dams. Results obtained showed significant differences in water quality based on a sand dam’s age and location of the scooping holes, but the magnitude of these differences differed with specific properties. For instance, in recently constructed sand dams (<1 year), scooping holes near the sand dam wall had lower pH values (8.5) than holes scooped a distance from the sand dam wall (9.2). For total dissolved solutes and microbial properties, sand dam age had the greatest impact, over the location of the scooping holes. For example, water obtained from <1 year old sand dams had significantly higher TDS with an average value of 100.3 mg L−1. The thermotolerant coliforms (TTC) exceeded the maximum allowable levels recommended by The World Health Organization. Thus, water obtained from these sand dams should be treated before consumption. Finally, sand dams meant for domestic water harvesting should be protected. Shallow wells with appropriate aprons for effective protection against contamination should be installed to enhance abstraction of safe water from sand dams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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12 pages, 1875 KiB  
Article
Developmental Toxicities in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Tri-o-cresyl Phosphate
by Meng Li, Congcong Wang, Wanying Gui, Peng Wang, Jierong Chen, Shaoqi Zuo, Yanbin Zhao, Jiayin Dai and Kun Zhang
Water 2023, 15(16), 2942; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162942 - 15 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1598
Abstract
As a widely used plasticizer and fire retardant, tri-o-cresyl phosphate has been commonly found in global water sources, sediments and biota. However, its potential toxicity to aquatic organisms is not fully understood. Here, we assessed its developmental effects by use of a zebrafish [...] Read more.
As a widely used plasticizer and fire retardant, tri-o-cresyl phosphate has been commonly found in global water sources, sediments and biota. However, its potential toxicity to aquatic organisms is not fully understood. Here, we assessed its developmental effects by use of a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model at tri-o-cresyl phosphate concentrations between 0.15 and 88.5 μg/L. Diverse impairments of zebrafish embryos, such as altered morphological and physical characteristics and locomotor behaviors, were observed at different tri-o-cresyl phosphate concentrations. Furthermore, swimming behaviors were significantly inhibited at tri-o-cresyl phosphate concentrations ranging from 3.0 μg/L to 88.5 μg/L. The swimming activity during light-to-dark transition significantly increased at tri-o-cresyl phosphate concentrations of 14.5 μg/L to 88.5 μg/L. Taken together, our present data help to clarify the potential developmental toxicity of tri-o-cresyl phosphate that was not yet fully recognized, and thus contribute to its environmental risk assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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23 pages, 6398 KiB  
Article
Hydrochemical Characterization of Surface Water and Groundwater in the Crystalline Basement Aquifer System in the Pra Basin (Ghana)
by Evans Manu, Marco De Lucia and Michael Kühn
Water 2023, 15(7), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15071325 - 28 Mar 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3216
Abstract
The quality of groundwater resources in the Pra Basin (Ghana) is threatened by ongoing river pollution from illegal mining. To date, there are very limited data and literature on the hydrochemical characteristics of the basin. For the first time, we provide regional hydrochemical [...] Read more.
The quality of groundwater resources in the Pra Basin (Ghana) is threatened by ongoing river pollution from illegal mining. To date, there are very limited data and literature on the hydrochemical characteristics of the basin. For the first time, we provide regional hydrochemical data on surface water and groundwater to gain insight into the geochemical processes and quality for drinking and irrigation purposes. We collected 90 samples from surface water (rivers) and groundwater (boreholes) and analysed them for their chemical parameters. We performed a water quality assessment using conventional water quality rating indices for drinking water and irrigation. Cluster and factor analysis were performed on the hydrochemical data to learn the chemical variations in the hydrochemical data. Bivariate ion plots were used to interpret the plausible geochemical processes controlling the composition of dissolved ions in surface water and groundwater. The water quality assessment using Water Quality Index (WQI) revealed that 74% of surface water and 20% of groundwater samples are of poor drinking quality and, therefore, cannot be used for drinking purposes. For irrigation, surface water and groundwater are of good quality based on Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Wilcox diagram and United States Salinity (USSL) indices. However, Mn and Fe (total) concentrations observed in most surface water samples are above the acceptable limit for irrigation and therefore require treatment to avoid soil acidification and loss of availability of vital soil nutrients. Manganese and iron (total) are identified as the main contaminants affecting the basin’s water quality. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlights the heterogeneity in the regional hydrochemical data, which showed three distinct spatial associations based on elevation differences. Groundwater composition chemically evolves from a Ca–HCO3 to a Na–HCO3 and finally to a Na–Cl water type along the flow regime from the recharge to the discharge zone. The bivariate ion plot and the factor analysis underscore silicate weathering, carbonate dissolution and ion exchange as the most likely geochemical processes driving the hydrochemical evolution of the Pra Basin groundwater. Going forward, geochemical models should be implemented to elucidate the dominant reaction pathways driving the evolution of groundwater chemistry in the Pra Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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17 pages, 5120 KiB  
Article
Systematic Evaluation and Influencing Factors Analysis of Water Environmental Carrying Capacity in Taihu Basin, China
by Zhibing Hu, Yong Pang, Ruichen Xu, Hui Yu, Yuan Niu, Changgan Wu and Yuan Liu
Water 2023, 15(6), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15061213 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2480
Abstract
Systematic evaluation of water environment carrying capacity (WECC) is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development, which reflects the water environment comprehensive condition of lake basin under the current economic development scenario. Therefore, taking the Taihu Basin as a case study, a scientific comprehensive [...] Read more.
Systematic evaluation of water environment carrying capacity (WECC) is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development, which reflects the water environment comprehensive condition of lake basin under the current economic development scenario. Therefore, taking the Taihu Basin as a case study, a scientific comprehensive evaluation index system of WECC was established based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) assessment framework, which included water resources (WR), pollution emission (PE), water quality (WQ), water ecology (WE), and land use (LU) sub-systems. An expert group was invited to determine the weights of each indicator using the group analytic hierarchy process (G-AHP) method, and the indicators in the WR, PE, WQ, WE, and LU sub-systems were 6.5%, 21.8%, 27.9%, 11.1%, and 32.9%, respectively. According to the evaluation results, the WECC index of Taihu Basin increased by 51.4% from 2007 to 2019, but it still slightly exceeded the carrying capacity of the water environment; the water quality and pollution discharge indices had the most significant improvement. Algal blooms are a major factor challenging WECC in the Taihu Basin. Therefore, the overall restoration of the water eco-system must receive more attention in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Water Quality and Pollutant Behavior)
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