Lucas M Goodman, Durelle T Scott, Mina S Behrouz
et al.
Eutrophication of inland and coastal waters from excess nutrients impacts human and ecosystem health. River restoration is used to reverse such impacts but the effects of multiple restoration projects at large temporal and spatial scales are poorly understood. A key need is understanding controls on restoration effects, particularly controls relevant at larger spatial and temporal scales such as Strahler stream order, hydrologic flow condition, and season of the year. We conducted a literature review to gather nitrate removal rates from field studies of stream restoration projects that included both ‘actual’ (measured in-situ under field conditions) and ‘potential’ (maximum values measured ex-situ in labs) rates. We then used a random forest (RF) machine learning approach to determine which controls are most important, and how predicted nitrate removal varies with key controls. Literature review results indicate that field data were relatively sparse, with studies heavily concentrated in smaller streams, highlighting the need for systematic data from larger watersheds. RF results for actual rates indicate that hydrologic condition was the most important control, confirming the importance of lateral connectivity in river systems to excess nitrate processing. Mean predicted nitrate removal rates were higher for baseflow than stormflow conditions, consistent with differences in residence time. Steam order was of moderate importance, with predicted nitrate removal rates higher in smaller streams. Overall, nitrate removal rates were variable in space and time, underscoring the importance of analyzing the effects of stream restoration on watershed nitrogen budgets in spatially and temporally explicit ways at watershed scales.
Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes, Technology
Abstract Biogas slurry, a liquid by-product of anaerobic digestion, is increasingly reused in agriculture, but its low phosphorus content often requires external supplementation. When phosphorus is introduced into slurry fertigation, it interacts with Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, bicarbonates, and organic matter, creating conditions that can accelerate pipeline clogging. In this study, we combined a 60-day accelerated pipeline experiment with mineralogical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and high-throughput sequencing to examine how wastewater–phosphorus coupling influences fouling. Slurry alone caused little short-term clogging, but the addition of phosphorus led to sharp increases in fouling mass (up to 130%) and flow reduction (up to 90%). Mineralogical analyses identified secondary phosphate precipitates such as brushite, baricite, and apatite, while microbial community profiling showed greater diversity, persistence, and biofilm-forming capacity under phosphorus conditions. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling demonstrated that precipitates provided scaffolds for biofilm growth, particulates enhanced microbial attachment, and biofilms linked physical and chemical processes to hydraulic decline. These results show that pipeline fouling under wastewater–phosphorus coupling arises from the synergy of biofilms, minerals, and particulates, and they offer mechanistic guidance for designing fouling control systems that support sustainable reuse of livestock wastewater.
O. Dakhova, Gennady V. Kupovykh, Z. Kerefova
et al.
Among water resources, groundwater occupies a leading position when used for various water use purposes. One of the leading areas of their use is drinking, due to the better protection compared to surface waters from various types of pollution. The study of the state of groundwater in general is currently still relevant due to the increased interest in groundwater as a tourist and recreational facility and balneological resource. The Kabardino-Balkar Republic ranks first in terms of the volume of predicted groundwater resources among the regions of the federal district. The territory of Kabardino-Balkaria is characterized by a variety of hydromineral resources, which are represented by fresh, mineral and thermal energy waters. Technogenic load on hydromineral resources was studied in the study. The results of the study are presented in the form of cartographic material. Based on the results of this work, a conclusion can be made about the relatively favorable state of groundwater in the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. On the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria, as of 01.01.2022, 81 deposits and sites of deposits with total exploitable reserves of 1167.8 thousand m3/day have been explored. Of the 81 deposits and sites of deposits, 50 are exploited for domestic and drinking and industrial and technical water supply of cities and settlements. The quality of groundwater is quite high, mineralization does not exceed 1 g/dm3, the content of standardized components in the overwhelming majority of cases is within the requirements of state standards, in terms of chemical composition, hydrocarbonate, sulfate-hydrocarbonate, magnesium-sodium-calcium predominate.
Jorge Sánchez Canales, Alice Lixuan Xu, Chiara Fusar Bassini
et al.
Researchers and electricity sector practitioners frequently require the supply curve of electricity markets and the price elasticity of supply for purposes such as price forecasting, policy analyses or market power assessment. It is common practice to construct supply curves from engineering data such as installed capacity and fuel prices. In this study, we propose a data-driven methodology to estimate the supply curve of electricity market empirically, i.e. from observed prices and quantities without further modeling assumptions. Due to the massive swings in fuel prices during the European energy crisis, a central task is detecting periods of stable supply curves. To this end, we implement two alternative clustering methods, one based on the fundamental drivers of electricity supply and the other directly on observed market outcomes. We apply our methods to the German electricity market between 2019 and 2024. We find that both approaches identify almost identical regimes shifts, supporting the idea of stable supply regimes stemming from stable drivers. Supply conditions are often stable for extended periods, but evolved rapidly during the energy crisis, triggering a rapid succession of regimes. Fuel prices were the dominant drivers of regime shifts, while conventional plant availability and the nuclear phase-out play a comparatively minor role. Our approach produces empirical supply curves suitable for causal inference and counterfactual analysis of market outcomes.
Despite the rapid proliferation of generative AI in higher education, students in China face significant barriers in accessing global tools like ChatGPT due to regulations and constraints. Grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model, this study employs qualitative interviews to investigate how Chinese university students interact with both global and domestic generative AIs in the learning process. Findings reveal that engagement is shaped by accessibility, language proficiency, and cultural relevance. Students often employ workarounds (e.g., VPNs) to access global generative AIs, raising ethical and privacy concerns. Domestic generative AIs, while offering language and cultural advantages, are limited by content filtering and output constraints. This research contributes to understanding generative AI adoption in non-Western contexts by highlighting the complex interplay of political, linguistic, and cultural factors. It advocates for human-centered, multilingual, domestic context-sensitive AI integration to ensure equitable and inclusive digital learning environments.
Nicola Savelli, Ali R Khojasteh, Abel-John Buchner
et al.
We verify a recent prediction (Eq. 3.50 in G. L. Eyink, Phys. Rev. X 11, 031054 (2021)) for the drag on an object moving through a fluid. In this prediction the velocity field is decomposed into a nonvortical (potential) and vortical contribution, and so is the associated drag force. In the Josephson-Anderson relation the vortical contribution of the drag force follows from the flux of vorticity traversing the streamlines of the corresponding potential flow. The potential component is directly determined by the plate acceleration and its added mass. The Josephson-Anderson relation is derived from the quantum description of superfluids, but remarkably applies to the classical fluid in our experiment. In our experiment a flat plate is accelerated through water using a robotic arm. This geometry is simple enough to allow analytic potential flow streamlines. The monitored plate position shows an oscillatory component of the acceleration, which adds an additional test of the Josephson-Anderson relation. The instantaneous velocity field is measured using particle image velocimetry. It enables us to evaluate Eq. 3.50 from [1] and compare its prediction to the measured drag force. We find excellent agreement, and, most remarkably find that the added mass contribution to the drag force still stands out after the flow has turned vortical. We finally comment on the requirements on the experimental techniques for evaluating the Josephson-Anderson relation.
Spring discharge decline induced by increasing groundwater pumping under the background of increasing water demand for agricultural, industrial, and domestic utilizations has been recognized as a significant geo-environmental issue which poses a great threat to springshed eco-environmental safety. In this study, numerical approach was utilized and a series of 3D groundwater flow models based on the MODFLOW module were developed to simulate current-stage and future trends of spring discharges under the impacts of increasing groundwater pumping due to the rapid development of tourism in the BL spring located in Xilin Gol League in east Inner Mongolia (China), for the purpose of understanding the responses of spring discharges to various groundwater pumping scenarios in future. Simulation results indicated that: (1) spring discharge has reduced from 201.4 m3/d to 193.7 m3/d (reduction ratio of 3.80%) under current-stage pumping scheme; (2) the spring-discharge-affected zone is 2.025 km2 under current-stage pumping scheme and groundwater pumping within this zone contributes to spring discharge decline; (3) impact of the pumping well located nearest to the BL spring is the most significant while impact of the pumping well located farthest to the BL spring is negligible; and (4) spring discharge would reduce 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% if total pumping rate of the seven abstraction wells would increase from 45.8 m3/d (current-stage pumping scheme) to 297.7, 586.2, 888.5, and 1,176 m3/d, respectively. The outcome of this study can provide useful references for advising sustainable groundwater exploitation strategies to meet the requirement of groundwater supply under the premise of spring discharge management and eco-environmental protection.
Emmanuel Padmore Mantey, Rameshwar S. Kanwar, Eugene Appiah-Effah
Access to reliable water supply is critical for sustainable development and public health, yet many peri-urban and rural communities in the developing world face challenges such as poor maintenance, faulty infrastructure, and inadequate governance of water services, hindering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In Emina-Boadi, a small town in Kumasi, Ghana, residents increasingly rely on boreholes due to substandard service from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). This shift highlights concerns about water reliability, quality, and affordability, impacting public health and hindering progress toward SDG 6. This case study assesses water service levels using key performance indicators (KPIs) such as quantity, quality, affordability, accessibility, and reliability, focusing on sources like boreholes, hand pumps, piped water, hand-dug wells, rainwater, and surface waters. The study aims to delineate the roles of different water providers, understand community dynamics, and evaluate contributions to rural development and SDG 6 through stakeholder interviews and questionnaires. Leveraging the WASHCost framework, which aims to improve planning methods and provision of water and sanitation services by addressing the lack of cost information in rural and peri-urban areas, and the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) framework, which monitors progress toward global targets related to water, sanitation, and hygiene, the study categorizes indicators and draws connections among them. Findings reveal a significant preference for borehole services, with 87% usage and an 83% reliability rate compared to 13% for GWCL. Daily water consumption averages 60.75 liters per person, with on-premises access improving water collection efficiency to 7 minutes. Dissatisfaction with GWCL services highlights the need for improved delivery aligned with community needs and SDG targets. Adopting sustainable management practices, enhancing infrastructure, and improving governance are crucial for ensuring safe and affordable water access for all residents of Emina-Boadi and similar communities.
Branly Olivier Salomé, Jacqueline Zeferino Torres, Silberio García Sanchez
et al.
La gestión del agua en el valle de la Sabana y sus cuencas aledañas en el área periurbana de la ciudad de Acapulco se ha realizado sin considerar las condiciones socioambientales que subyacen entre la pobreza, la marginación y su interacción con los recursos naturales, por lo que continúan persistiendo la construcción de riesgos por déficit en los servicios de agua potable y su saneamiento en un contexto de vulnerabilidad socioambiental de sus habitantes. El objetivo fue determinar los factores preponderantes que inciden en la vulnerabilidad socioambiental ante la falta de servicios de agua potable y saneamiento en la microcuenca Arroyo Las Cruces. Se aplicó el enfoque sistémico y de cuenca, así como la técnica multivariante análisis de correspondencias múltiples (ACM). Con base en el análisis relacional de los resultados del ACM, los factores que determinan la vulnerabilidad socioambiental son la carencia de servicios públicos, dependencia de la población por recursos naturales contaminados y baja participación comunitaria para hacer frente a sus problemas comunitarios ante la prevalencia de conflictos. La relación sistémica entre estos factores limita las capacidades socioorganizativas, lo que podría incidir en los procesos participativos para la gestión del agua bajo un esquema local de gobernanza que contribuya en asegurar el abastecimiento de agua y saneamiento en áreas marginales en este espacio periurbano.
Hydraulic engineering, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Aleksandr Kolbikov, O. Suvorova, Anastasiya Fedoseenko
Purpose: assessing the effectiveness of peat groundwater purification using a combination of two methods of ultrafiltration and membrane purification. Identify specific characteristics of the composition of peat or groundwater, determine possible possible methods of treating these waters to ensure compliance with the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.3684–21 “Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the maintenance of territories of urban and rural settlements, for water bodies, drinking water and drinking water supply to the population, atmospheric air, soil, residential premises, operation of industrial and public premises, organization and implementation of sanitary and anti-epidemic (preventive) measures” to the quality of drinking water. Determine the list of composition indicators that require cleaning. Conduct an assessment of wastewater treatment methods used to treat peat groundwater. Togo, Conduct research on the composition of purified groundwater before and after treatment, determine the effectiveness of the treatment methods used according to various indicators. Determination of the concentrations of groundwater composition components was carried out using approved methods in accordance with GOST R 57164-2010 clause 5; GOST R 57164-2010 clause 6; PND F 14.1:2:4.207-04; PND F 14.1.2:3:4.121-97; PND F 14.1:2:4.114-97; GOST 31594-2012 Method A; PND F 14.1:2:4.50-96; PND F 14.1.2:3:4.111-97; PND F 14.1.2:3:4.111- 97; PND F 14.1.2:3.154-99; PND F 14.1.2:3:4.123-97; GOST 31859-2012; PND F 14.1.2:3:4.4-95; GOST 31940-2012 clause 6; PND F 14.1.2:4.178-02; PND F 14.1.2:4.214-06. An analysis of the results of laboratory studies of the composition of peat groundwater before and after treatment was carried out, and the effectiveness of ultrafiltration and membrane water purification methods was determined. The results of studies of the effectiveness of purification of peat groundwater using ultrafiltration and membrane purification methods show that purified groundwater meets the sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the quality of drinking and domestic water supply established by SanPiN 2.1.3684-21. Practical significance: the results obtained from studies of the effectiveness of peat groundwater treatment using ultrafiltration and membrane treatment methods indicate the possibility of using these methods, because they ensure that water quality meets the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.3684-21.
Rahime Belen Saglam, Jason R. C. Nurse, Lisa Sugiura
Objective: Domestic abuse cases have risen significantly over the last four years, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges for victims and survivors in accessing support. In this study, we investigate the role that chatbots - Artificial Intelligence (AI) and rule-based - may play in supporting victims/survivors in situations such as these or where direct access to help is limited. Methods: Interviews were conducted with experts working in domestic abuse support services and organizations (e.g., charities, law enforcement) and the content of websites of related support-service providers was collected. Thematic content analysis was then applied to assess and extract insights from the interview data and the content on victim-support websites. We also reviewed pertinent chatbot literature to reflect on studies that may inform design principles and interaction patterns for agents used to support victims/survivors. Results: From our analysis, we outlined a set of design considerations/practices for chatbots that consider potential use cases and target groups, dialog structure, personality traits that might be useful for chatbots to possess, and finally, safety and privacy issues that should be addressed. Of particular note are situations where AI systems (e.g., ChatGPT, CoPilot, Gemini) are not recommended for use, the value of conveying emotional support, the importance of transparency, and the need for a safe and confidential space. Conclusion: It is our hope that these considerations/practices will stimulate debate among chatbots and AI developers and service providers and - for situations where chatbots are deemed appropriate for use - inspire efficient use of chatbots in the support of survivors of domestic abuse.
Zhipeng Ma, Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen, Zheng Grace Ma
Advanced machine learning algorithms are increasingly utilized to provide data-based prediction and decision-making support in Industry 4.0. However, the prediction accuracy achieved by the existing models is insufficient to warrant practical implementation in real-world applications. This is because not all features present in real-world datasets possess a direct relevance to the predictive analysis being conducted. Consequently, the careful incorporation of select features has the potential to yield a substantial positive impact on the outcome. To address the research gap, this paper proposes a novel hybrid framework that combines the feature importance detector - local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) and the feature interaction detector - neural interaction detection (NID), to improve prediction accuracy. By applying the proposed framework, unnecessary features can be eliminated, and interactions are encoded to generate a more conducive dataset for predictive purposes. Subsequently, the proposed model is deployed to refine the prediction of electricity consumption in foundry processing. The experimental outcomes reveal an augmentation of up to 9.56% in the R2 score, and a diminution of up to 24.05% in the root mean square error.
Adrián Pérez-Resa, Miguel García-Bosque, Carlos Sánchez-Azqueta
et al.
Industrial Ethernet is a technology widely spread in factory floors and critical infrastructures where a high amount of data need to be collected and transported. Fiber optic networks at gigabit rates fit well with that type of environments where speed, system performance and reliability are critical. In this work a new encryption method for high speed optical communications suitable for such kind of networks is proposed. This new encryption method consists of a symmetric streaming encryption of the 8b/10b data flow at PCS (Physical Coding Sublayer) level. It is carried out thanks to an FPE (Format Preserving Encryption) blockcipher working in CTR (Counter) mode. The overall system has been simulated and implemented in an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Thanks to experimental results it can be concluded that it is possible to cipher traffic at this physical level in a secure way. In addition, no overhead is introduced during encryption, getting minimum latency and maximum throughput.
Este trabajo presenta una investigación sobre la situación de los humedales como unidad de planificación y gestión, a partir de un estudio de casos en Argentina. Se basa conceptualmente en el planteo observado en Traba (2020), que es repasado de forma sintética, porque además otorga el marco metodológico al relevamiento realizado. Ese planteo parte de la gobernanza como enfoque para las políticas públicas y los procesos de participación socioinstitucional, aplicado esto a escenarios socioambientales; en este caso, los humedales como unidad territorial-ambiental en el marco de una cuenca.
El proceso consistió en un relevamiento de sitios de interés con un formulario web confeccionado con base en los criterios de análisis de esos procesos que emergen del citado trabajo. Los contactos fueron referentes locales ―un nivel de gestión central en estos temas― que estaban a cargo o participaban de espacios o dispositivos institucionales donde se lleva a cabo la gestión de los mismos.
Los emergentes detectados terminan de afirmar, por presencia o ausencia, la pertinencia de los factores de “éxito” en esos escenarios, es decir, aquellas condiciones que permiten lograr los objetivos de la sociedad en su conjunto, donde se destaca en particular la importancia de las cuestiones metodológicas para el tratamiento de lo sustantivo en todos los órdenes. Esta situación no es precisamente común, son escenarios ambientales complejos que hoy son eje de preocupación en todos los ámbitos y donde debería jerarquizarse el nivel local de gestión como eje de las acciones en el territorio.
Hydraulic engineering, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Kussainova M.D. , Toishimanov M.R. , Tamenov T.B.
et al.
The relevance of the research lies in the application of the Li-8100 (Campbell Scientific) automated system for continuousmeasurement of CO2 emissions from soil corresponding to various cultivation techniques (no tillage, application of manure-based and mineral fertilizers) and various main crops (corn, wheat, rye) in Almaty Region. The article presents the field research data obtained in the foothill zone with the aim of assessing GHG emissions from arable light-dark chestnut soils while using different fertilizers, types of basic tillage, and crops. In accordance with the data presented, it can be argued that of the scientifically substantiated types of crops and soil cultivation methods studied within the framework of this research, all manure based options demonstrated high GHG emission values. The use of mineral fertilizers showed insignificant association between greenhouse gas emission reduc-tion and the no tillage option. Different crops showed varying degrees of GHG emission reduction depending on fertilizer application; yet, wheat responded most strongly due to additional biomass and yield growth. The research suggests the application of mineral fertilizers as a potential appropriate way to cut GHG emissions. However, further investigation is necessary to study the underlying mechanisms and processes influencing GHG and better understand the feedback effects in resource efficient (conservation) agriculture.
Edwin Jonathan Pastrana, Ariosto Aguilar-Chávez, Ángel Mendoza-González
En un cauce natural o artificial es usual la presencia de vegetación en el fondo y en la pared. Los efectos que produce la presencia de ésta es una alteración en el campo de flujo. La magnitud de las alteraciones en el campo del flujo depende de la extensión, altura, densidad y flexibilidad de la vegetación. Para analizar a detalle las estructuras turbulentas, en este trabajo se realizó un estudio experimental en laboratorio en un canal de sección rectangular con un tramo de vegetación sumergida, flexible y artificial. La región de medición se ubicó aguas arriba de la zona de vegetación hasta el final de esta misma, además se determinó la asimetría que puede inducir la presencia de la pared del canal. Las mediciones se realizaron con equipo de velocimetría acústica de efecto Doppler (ADV). Los resultados obtenidos identifican el desarrollo de la capa de mezcla a partir de los patrones de velocidad media y los esfuerzos de Reynolds. En el caso de los perfiles de velocidad media sobre la capa de vegetación fue posible identificar un punto de inflexión donde se identificaron inestabilidades tipo Kelvin-Helmholtz. Con el fin de analizar los procesos en la capa de mezcla se propone un modelo fenomenológico basado en el análisis de la curvatura de las velocidades promediadas. Además, se determinó la aportación en el transporte de momento de las estructuras turbulentas con un análisis de cuadrantes con las velocidades fluctuantes.
Hydraulic engineering, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Azucelli Maythe Mauricio-Pérez, Ignacio Sánchez-Cohen, Aurelio Pedroza-Sandoval
et al.
La investigación se realizó en la Región Hidrológica 36 (ríos Nazas-Aguanaval), zona árida del norte de México. En 2017, parte de la cuenca fue alterada durante el establecimiento de pasto buffel (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) con rodillo aireador (RA). El objetivo de esta investigación fue proponer un marco metodológico para integrar y analizar la información experimental de una cuenca de zonas áridas. El impacto del RA se cuantificó mediante el uso de simulador de lluvia in situ en el área de la cuenca. Los resultados indican que el empleo de RA provoca un retraso en el inicio del escurrimiento. De igual manera, la producción de escurrimiento fue menor en la parcela donde se utilizó el RA, con una producción media de 0.000004 m3s-1, mientras que la producción media de escurrimiento en las parcelas bajo condiciones naturales (testigo) fue de 0.000016 m3s-1. Además, la producción de sedimentos en la parcela con paso de RA fue significativamente mayor en la producción de sedimentos, con un valor medio de 833 mgl-1; en tanto que en la parcela experimental bajo condiciones naturales, la producción media de sedimentos fue de 470 mgl-1. Se infiere que las microdepresiones causadas por el RA capturaron el agua de lluvia ejerciendo una mayor retención del líquido en el suelo, lo cual redujo la escorrentía y aumentó la infiltración de agua en la cuenca. Los hallazgos muestran que, debido al tamaño, la cuenca (158.87 ha) es muy sensible a los cambios en los regímenes de precipitación y la cubierta vegetal.
Hydraulic engineering, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Globalization has introduced many new challenges making Supply chain management (SCM) complex and huge, for which improvement is needed in many industries. The Internet of Things (IoT) has solved many problems by providing security and traceability with a promising solution for supply chain management. SCM is segregated into different processes, each requiring different types of solutions. IoT devices can solve distributed system problems by creating trustful relationships. Since the whole business industry depends on the trust between different supply chain actors, IoT can provide this trust by making the entire ecosystem much more secure, reliable, and traceable. This paper will discuss how IoT technology has solved problems related to SCM in different areas. Supply chains in different industries, from pharmaceuticals to agriculture supply chain, have different issues and require different solutions. We will discuss problems such as security, tracking, traceability, and warehouse issues. All challenges faced by independent industries regarding the supply chain and how the amalgamation of IoT with other technology will be provided with solutions.
D. Karunanidhi, T. Subramani, K. Srinivasamoorthy
et al.
Groundwater is a significant supply of freshwater for the world's population, being used for residence, agricultural, and industrial purposes. One-third of the world's population relies on groundwater for drinking applications. Groundwater pollution is a global issue with serious consequences for human health and the environment. It needs a thorough understanding because access to safe drinking water is a basic human right. However, groundwater quality is being threatened by urbanisation, agricultural activities, industrial activities, and climate change, among others. Pollutants like hydrocarbons, toxic metals, pesticides, microplastics, nanoparticles and other emerging contaminants mean a risk to human health and sustainable socioeconomic development. To ensure sustained groundwater usage to assess, monitor, and regulate groundwater quality issues is essential. Excess withdrawal alters groundwater flow together with contaminants like uranium, radon, radium, salinity, arsenic and fluoride, resulting in mediocre water quality. Consequently, chemical and biological contaminants owing to domestic, industrial, and agricultural practices alter water quality and threaten human health. Controlling and management of groundwater pollution and related health risks require developing vulnerability, hazard, and risk maps.