Search Results (24,882)

This study proposes a hardware-based approach to address agricultural water shortages by directly improving water supply operations, rather than estimating agricultural water demand or supply. Unlike previous studies that focus on evaluating water supply capacity or predicting reservoir inflows through modeling or data-driven methods, this work proposes an operational strategy involving the physical interconnection of reservoirs. Specifically, the study investigates the coordinated use of surplus storage capacity from reservoirs with high watershed ratios to support those with low watershed ratios, thereby enhancing overall water supply reliability. Reservoir inflows were estimated using the Hydrological Operation Model for Water Resources Systems (HOMWRS). The analysis was conducted on reservoirs managed by the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC), selected based on data accessibility and availability. Full article

A rise in the water level may result in different vertical rebound levels of the ground surface, adversely affecting buildings. Ground rebound occurred in the Xi’an Yuhuazhai area from 2018 to 2019, but the soil’s deformation characteristics remain unclear. Drilling and water level data and FLAC3D 6.0 were used to simulate water level recovery. The deformation characteristics of different soil layers were examined, their future development was predicted, and the influences of various parameters on ground rebound were analyzed. The rebound amount of the hanging wall in the second confined aquifer was 38.32 mm, accounting for 61.12% of the total rebound amount. The rebound amount of the footwall in the second confined aquifer was 22.14 mm, accounting for 79.63% of the total rebound amount. The predicted maximum rebound of the upper and lower soil layers in the next 5 years was 2.8 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively, representing a vertical difference of 0.2 mm, which has no significant effect on building safety. The results provide a scientific basis for groundwater management and settlement prevention and control in Xi’an. Full article

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) are widely applied in veterinary practice and animal husbandry and frequently persist in organic waste liquids (OWLs), creating substantial environmental and health risks when untreated. A high-capacity mesoporous silica aerogel (SA-60) was produced via a cost-effective sol–gel route from water glass, followed by ambient pressure drying at 60 °C for 6 h. SA-60 exhibited pronounced selectivity, providing a maximum adsorption capacity of 630.18 mg·g⁻¹ for enrofloxacin (ENR) in acetonitrile. Adsorption efficiency was weakly dependent on pH. Mechanistic analysis indicated combined physical and chemical interactions, with intra-particle diffusion governing the overall rate. Thermodynamic evaluation showed a spontaneous and endothermic process for ENR adsorption. Organic solvent type and water content were major determinants of adsorption efficiency. Durable performance was observed, with capacity retention above 80% after five adsorption-desorption cycles. The mesoporous architecture (surface area 249.21 m²·g⁻¹; average pore diameter 10.81 nm) supported the high uptake. These results identify SA-60 as a sustainable adsorbent for removing hazardous FQs from OWLs, offering a simple, energy-efficient approach for the source-level control of antibiotic pollution and improved environmental management. Full article

Eutrophication, a growing environmental concern, exacerbates algal blooms and alters the physical and chemical properties of water, thereby diminishing biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystem services. While various control strategies have been developed, most are designed for temperate regions and may not be applicable to tropical systems, which differ ecologically and climatically. This study reviewed 84 articles published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on eutrophication management in tropical and subtropical lakes. The studies were categorized into physical (8), chemical (17), and biological (59) approaches. Over time, research activity has increased, with Asia leading in publication output. Among biological strategies, biomanipulation—especially the use of macrophytes—emerged as the most common and effective strategy. Macrophytes are preferred due to their strong antagonistic interaction with algae, ease of implementation, cost-effectiveness, and minimal ecological risks. While the review also addresses the limitations of each method, it concludes that macrophyte-based biomanipulation remains a promising tool for mitigating eutrophication in tropical and subtropical freshwater ecosystems. In this context, effective lake restoration requires balancing ecological goals with human needs, supported by stakeholder engagement, community education, and multi-sectoral governance. Full article

Lake Batur is part of the Batur UNESCO Global Geopark and an active caldera of Mount Batur on Bali Island, Indonesia, and it has no inlet or outlet. The current state of the lake has deteriorated due to severe environmental degradation. The lake’s management will focus on the environment and other aspects planned in an integrated, sustainable lake management scenario. The research aims to develop a Key Performance Indicator instrument to determine the lake’s sustainable status. These indicators included environmental, socio-cultural, economic, institutional-management, and infrastructure-technology aspects. The method used is Multi-Aspect Sustainability Analysis to determine its sustainable status and identify the factors that have the most leverage in actions to restore Lake Batur. The primary data was collected through in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and field surveys. Respondents were stakeholders who knew the factual conditions of Lake Batur. The research results show that Lake Batur is in a state of alert or declining sustainability, even predicted to become critical if there is no significant management soon. The performance of all aspects is in the alert category (unsustainable or <50/100) except the social-cultural in the acceptable category (not yet ideal/sustainable). The management scenario of Lake Batur, at least increases to the acceptable category, includes controlling the number of floating net cages and the forest area, developing the potential of tourism and fisheries, reducing conflicts, establishing rules for lake use, increasing the role of the central government, and digitalization of lake management development, construction of water infrastructure and the use of renewable energy. Full article

Understanding mixing behavior at river confluences is essential for effective watershed management in response to increasing environmental issues such as algal blooms and chemical pollution. This study focused on the confluence of the Nakdong and Geumho Rivers, employing high-resolution field measurements using an ADCP (M9) and YSI EXO sensors. Water temperature (°C) and electrical conductivity (μS/cm) data were collected under three representative conditions, including flow ratios of 0.91, 0.45, and 0.29, as well as 0.05, with a maximum temperature difference of up to 6 °C. Mixing behavior was three-dimensionally analyzed by integrating cross-sectional and longitudinal data, and the accuracy of visualization was evaluated using IDW and Kriging spatial interpolation techniques. The analysis revealed that under low flow ratio conditions, vertical mixing was delayed; the thermal stratification persisted up to approximately 3 km downstream from the confluence (Line 3), and complete mixing was not achieved until about 7 km downstream (Line 5) due to density currents. Quantitative comparison indicated that IDW (R² = 0.901, RMSE = 31.522) outperformed Kriging (R² = 0.79, RMSE = 35.458). This study provides a quantitative criterion for identifying the mixing completion zone, thereby addressing the limitations of previous studies that relied on numerical models or limited field data, and offering practical evidence for water quality monitoring and sustainable river management. Full article

This study employs hydrophobic modification of the current collector to optimize cathode water management and enhance the performance of passive DMFCs. The surface of the cathode current collector was hydrophobized by polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating and titanium dioxide/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite coating. The experimental results showed that the surface hydrophobic treatment significantly improved the cell performance at low methanol concentration and marginally improved the cell performance at high methanol concentration. Among them, the DMFC with bilayer TiO₂/PDMS hydrophobic-treated cathode current collector with a contact angle of 153.2° showed the best performance, which achieved superhydrophobicity and led to a peak power density that was 27.25% higher compared to the DMFC with an untreated current collector. With the gradient-based hydrophobic treatment for the cathode current collector, the best performance was achieved when double-layer TiO₂/PDMS was used on the MEA side and PTFE coating on the air side. Full article

In the arid and semi-arid climate of Southern Kazakhstan, groundwater is the primary and most resilient source of water for pasture irrigation. This study provides an integrated assessment of the predicted, natural, and operational groundwater resources across five administrative regions—Almaty, Zhetysu, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkestan—considering water quality (total dissolved solids, TDS), potential well yield, and aquifer depth. Hydrogeological maps at 1:200,000 and 1:1,000,000 scales, a regional well inventory, and GIS-based spatial analysis were combined to classify resource availability and identify surplus and deficit zones. Results show that 92.5% of predicted exploitable resources (totaling 1155.2 m³/s) have TDS ≤ 3 g/L, making them suitable for domestic and livestock use. Regional disparities are pronounced: Zhetysu, Almaty, and Zhambyl exhibit resource surpluses, Kyzylorda approaches balance, while Turkestan faces a marked deficit. The developed groundwater availability map integrates mineralization, well productivity, and recommended drilling depth, enabling the design of water intake systems without costly field exploration. This decision-support tool has practical value for optimizing water allocation, reducing operational costs, and improving the sustainability of pasture management under the constraints of limited surface water resources. Full article

Managing plastic waste is a great challenge for today’s society, and it is increasingly necessary to find solutions to the large amount of plastic waste dumped annually in the oceans. The main objective of this research is to perform a comprehensive characterisation of different gypsum-based materials incorporating recycled PP/HDPE pellets from the recycling of discarded fishing nets in the Mediterranean Sea. For this purpose, composites were developed with a partial substitution of the original material by these pellets, up to 30% by volume, while maintaining a water/gypsum ratio of 0.65 by mass. The results showed that even in the most unfavourable case, with a 30% replacement in volume by these recycled pellets, flexural (2.72 MPa) and compressive (7.15 MPa) strengths higher than those required by the standards were obtained, with good integration of the residue in the matrix. Also, there was a decrease in total water absorption of up to 20.5% compared to traditional gypsum. The thermal behaviour study showed that a minimum conductivity value of 292.3 mW/m K was obtained, implying a decrease of 14.9% from the control series. In addition, a life cycle analysis was conducted, obtaining a reduction in environmental impact of up to 13.1% in terms of CO₂ equivalent emissions. Overall, the composites obtained represent a sustainable alternative to producing prefabricated plates and panels for building construction. Full article

Background/Objectives: While dentistry plays a critical role in promoting oral health, it also contributes significantly to environmental degradation through high energy consumption, water usage, and reliance on disposable, non-recyclable materials. Periodontology, in particular, involves resource-intensive procedures such as full-mouth disinfection, frequent surgical interventions, and aerosol-generating instrumentation. The aim of the present narrative review is to synthesize current knowledge and delineate feasible, evidence-informed strategies to operationalize sustainability across the full spectrum of periodontal treatment settings. Methods: The electronic search of the present narrative review was performed across PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, BioMed Central, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases. Results: The review identified actionable sustainability strategies across pre-workplace (e.g., eco-conscious procurement and transport reduction), workplace (e.g., energy- and water-saving technologies, digital workflows, and pollution control), and waste management (e.g., reuse protocols, recycling, and sustainable material selection). Particular emphasis was placed on the role of dental education, life cycle assessments, and digital innovations. Conclusions: The transition toward sustainable periodontology requires the adoption of evidence-based practices and leveraging digital innovation to reduce the environmental impact while maintaining high standards of care. Full article

Background/Objectives: Constipation can be induced in animal models through various factors such as loperamide (Lop) or complement component 3 (C3) deficiency. The effectiveness of therapeutic agents in the clinical management of constipation has been primarily evaluated within only one model, but between-model comparisons have not been performed so far. Therefore, we investigated whether the effectiveness of the laxative drugs for the clinical management is related to etiological factors. Methods: The changes in the key parameters for defecation were compared between C3 knockout (KO) mice with C3-deficiency-induced constipation and ICR mice with Lop-induced constipation after the oral administration of Uridine (Urd) and aqueous extract of Liriope platyphylla L. (AELP). Results: Similar effectiveness of Urd and AELP were detected on the stool frequency, intestinal epithelial barrier structure, and mucin secretion in both models. However, other parameters (namely gastrointestinal (GI) transit, water retention, and enteric nervous system (ENS) structure and function) showed higher effectiveness in C3 KO mice than in the Lop-induced model. Only the effectiveness of the two therapeutic agents on the histological structure of the mid-colon was greater in the Lop-induced mice model compared to the C3 KO mice model. Furthermore, these differences in the therapeutic effectiveness of Urd and AELP were partially reflected in alterations in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) downstream signaling pathway. Conclusions: The results suggest that the therapeutic effectiveness of Urd and AELP is sensitive to C3-deficiency-induced constipation and these differences may be linked to the alternative regulation of the cAMP downstream signaling. Full article

Global warming and climate deterioration are primarily driven by massive greenhouse gas emissions, making the comprehensive assessment of agricultural emissions imperative. This study integrates multiple datasets to achieve three objectives: (1) quantifying agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, (2) identifying regional influencing factors, and (3) exploring mitigation strategies. In this study, a random forest regression model was used to fit the data, providing a new perspective for the analysis of emission factors. Key findings reveal fertilization and irrigation as the dominant emission drivers, with significant regional variations. Specifically, (1) fertilization practices, particularly nitrogen application, exert a greater influence than phosphorus on carbon emissions; (2) irrigation impacts correlate strongly with regional water usage patterns among staple crops; (3) distinct emission patterns emerge across China’s northeast–southwest divide, reflecting variations in grain crop impacts and climatic responses. The study proposes three mitigation approaches: precision fertilization, adaptive irrigation management, and crop structure optimization. These strategies provide actionable pathways for China to meet agricultural emission reduction targets while advancing sustainable development goals. Full article

This study comprehensively evaluates heavy metal (HM) contamination and associated health risks in 31 groundwater samples from Wadi Al-Hamd, northwest Saudi Arabia. Cd, Pb, Zn, As, Cr, Cu, Ba, and Ni showed variable concentrations, some elements approaching WHO guideline values in localized samples. The analyzed HMs showed variable concentrations, with As reaching 5.02 µg/L (50% of WHO guideline) in sample M27. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) ranged from 0.15 (M29) to 10.07 (M27), with values below 15 indicating low pollution overall, while the metal index (MI) ranged from 0.022 (M29) to 0.621 (M27), all below the threshold of 1 for safe water, indicating geogenic enrichment, particularly in arsenic and nickel. Principal component analysis identified three PCs explaining 73.58% of total variance, with PC1 (35.50%) dominated by Zn-Cu-Ni (geogenic weathering) and PC2 (23.62%) by As-Cd (redox-driven dissolution). Health risk assessment via chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) models confirmed negligible non-carcinogenic risks (HI < 1) for both adults and children, though children exhibited 1.5–2 times higher exposure. The highest HQ values were observed for As (HQoral-child: 0.365 in M27), approaching but not exceeding safety thresholds. Dermal exposure contributed minimally (<1% of total risk). The average lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) due to exposure to arsenic through drinking water aligns with the US EPA’s acceptable risk range of 1 × 10⁻⁶ to 1 × 10⁻⁴ (average 1.18 × 10⁻⁵ for adults, 2.06 × 10⁻⁵ for children). These findings align with regional studies, but highlight localized As high values for few samples. The study underscores the dominance of natural weathering in HM release and provides a framework for targeted groundwater management in arid regions. Full article

This paper aims to assess the water quality of the Ismailia Canal, Egypt, in accordance with Article 49 of Law 92/2013. QUAL2K and Convolutional Neural Networks and Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-LSTM) are utilized to simulate the water quality parameters of dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N), and ammonium (NH₃-N) in winter and summer 2023. The parameters of the QUAL2K and CNN-LSTM models were calibrated and validated in both winter and summer through trial and error, until the simulated results agreed well with the observed data. Additionally, the model’s performance was measured using different statistical criteria such as mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square (RMS), and relative error (RE). The results showed that the simulated values were in good agreement with the observed values. The results show that all parameter concentrations follow and did not exceed the limit of Article 49 of Law 92/2013 in winter and summer, except for dissolved oxygen concentration (8.73–4.53 mg/L) in winter and summer, respectively, which exceeds the limit of 6 mg/L, and in June, biological oxygen demand exceeds the limit of 6 mg/L due to increased organic matter. It is imperative to compare QUAL2K and CNN-LSTM models because QUAL2K provides a physics-based simulation of water quality processes, whereas CNN-LSTM employs deep learning in modeling complex temporal patterns. The two models enhance prediction accuracy and credibility towards enabling enhanced decision-making for Ismailia Canal water management. This research can be part of a decision support system regarding maximizing the benefits of the Ismailia Canal. Full article

Sewage sludge, a byproduct of wastewater treatment, can be converted into biochar, offering a sustainable solution for waste management and water treatment. Although biochars from biomass have been widely studied, sewage sludge-derived biochars remain underexplored. This study investigated the use of alkaline-treated sewage sludge-derived biochar (AlBC) as an adsorbent for three water pollutants: caffeine (CAF), carbamazepine (CBZ), and 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2). A comprehensive analysis was conducted to explore the kinetic and thermodynamic behaviors of these pollutants under varying conditions, such as different adsorbent dosage, temperature, and water matrix values. The AlBCSS showed enhanced surface area and improved adsorption capacity, with EE2 being preferentially adsorbed (q_e: 9.51 mg g⁻¹), followed by CAF (6.12 mg g⁻¹) and CBZ (4.58 mg g⁻¹). Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm for CAF and CBZ, and the Freundlich isotherm for EE2, while kinetics were best described by the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous, primarily driven by physical interactions. Factors such as dosage, temperature, and pollutant concentration influenced adsorption, with no saturation observed at higher concentrations. The natural water matrix had a minimal effect on removal efficiency (40–100%), whereas AlBC exhibited promising results after four adsorption cycles. These results highlight the potential of sewage sludge-derived biochar as a sustainable adsorbent for emerging water pollutants, supporting circular economy practices in wastewater management. Full article