Environmental Engineering

In this paper we estimate measurement of uncertainty for determination of Fe, Pb and Zn in natural water samples by solid-phase extraction and i nductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (SPE-ICP-OES). The procedure is based on the retention of analytes in the form of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) complexes on a mini column of XAD-4 resin and subsequent elution with nitric acid. The infl uence of various analytical parameters including the amount of solid phase, pH, elution factors (concentration and volume of eluting solution), volume of sample solution, and amount of ligand on the extraction effi ciency of analytes was investigated. To estimate the uncertainty of analytical result obtained, we propose assessing trueness by employing spiked sample. Two kinds of bias (proportional bias and constant bias) estimated. We applied Nested design for calculating proportional bias and Youden method to calculate the constant bias. The results we obtained for proportional bias are calculated from spiked samples. Estimated uncertainty in Karaj water is: (1.0198 ± 0.0075) for Fe, (0.999 ± 0.010) for Pb and (1.0321 ± 0.0137) for Zn.

Transport processes in heterogeneous media such as ionized plasmas, natural porous media, and turbulent atmosphere are often modeled as diffusion processes in random velocity fields. Using the Itô formalism, we decompose the second spatial moments of the concentration and the equivalent effective dispersion coefficients in terms corresponding to various physical factors which influence the transport. We explicitly define "ergodic" dispersion coefficients, independent of the initial conditions and completely determined by local dispersion coefficients and velocity correlations. Ergodic coefficients govern an upscaled process which describes the transport at large tine-space scales. The non-ergodic behavior at finite times shown by numerical experiments for large initial plumes is explained by "memory terms" accounting for correlations between initial positions and velocity fluctuations on the trajectories of the solute molecules.

Evolution equations for probability density functions (PDFs) and filtered density functions (FDFs) of random species concentrations weighted by conserved scalars are formulated as Fokker-Planck equations describing stochastically equivalent processes in concentration-position spaces. This approach provides consistent numerical PDF/FDF solutions, given by the density in the concentration-position space of an ensemble of computational particles governed by the associated Itô equations. The solutions are obtained by a global random walk (GRW) algorithm, which is stable, free of numerical diffusion, and practically insensitive to the increase of the number of particles. The general FDF approach and the GRW numerical solution are illustrated for a reduced complexity problem consisting of the transport of a single scalar in groundwater. Randomness is induced by the stochastic parameterization of the hydraulic conductivity, characterized by short range correlations and small variance. The objective is to infer the statistics of the random concentration sampled at the plume center of mass, integrated over the transverse dimension of a two-dimensional spatial domain. The PDF/FDF problem can therefore be formulated in a two-dimensional domain as well, a spatial dimension and one in the concentration space. The upscaled drift and diffusion coefficients describing the PDF transport in the physical space are estimated on singletrajectories of diffusion in velocity fields with short-range correlations, owing to their self-averaging property. The mixing coefficients describing the PDF transport in concentration spaces are parameterized by the trend and the noise inferred from the statistical analysis of an ensemble of simulated concentration time series, as well as by classical mixing models. A Gaussian spatial filter applied to a Kraichnan velocity field generator is used to construct coarse-grained simulations (CGS) for FDF problems. The purposes of the CGS simulations are two-fold: first to understand the significance of the FDF approach from a practical point of view and its relation to the PDF approach; second to investigate the limits of the mixing models considered here and the desirable features of the mixing models for groundwater systems.

Longitudinal dispersion coefficients in given realizations of the transport computed by two currently used approximations of the first-order in velocity variance are compared with accurate global random walk simulations. The comparisons are performed for the same ensemble of realizations of the Darcy velocity field, approximated by a quasi-periodic random field, for log-normal hydraulic conductivity with small variance and finite correlation lengths. The results show that, at finite times of about one dispersion time scale, the mean coefficient is underestimated by ≈ 20% and the fluctuations are overestimated by ≈ 80%. At larger times the errors decrease monotonously and the first-order approximations yield fairly good predictions for the mean and the fluctuations of the dispersion coefficient.

The Global Random Walk algorithm (GRW) performs a simultaneous tracking on a fixed grid of huge numbers of particles at costs comparable to those of a single-trajectory simulation by the traditional Particle Tracking (PT) approach. Statistical ensembles of GRW simulations of a typical advection-dispersion process in groundwater systems with randomly distributed spatial parameters are used to obtain reliable estimations of the input parameters for the upscaled transport model and of their correlations, input-output correlations, as well as full probability distributions of the input and output parameters.

Transport processes in heterogeneous media such as ionized plasmas, natural porous media, and turbulent atmosphere are often modeled as diffusion processes in random velocity fields. Using the Itô formalism, we decompose the second spatial moments of the concentration and the equivalent effective dispersion coefficients in terms corresponding to various physical factors which influence the transport. We explicitly define "ergodic" dispersion coefficients, independent of the initial conditions and completely determined by local dispersion coefficients and velocity correlations. Ergodic coefficients govern an upscaled process which describes the transport at large tine-space scales. The non-ergodic behavior at finite times shown by numerical experiments for large initial plumes is explained by "memory terms" accounting for correlations between initial positions and velocity fluctuations on the trajectories of the solute molecules.

The carbon footprint (CFP) assessment of smallholders offers key information on the capacities and challenges for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation at farm scale. This allows prioritizing the practices that ensure both the food security of farmers and the low carbon impact associated to climate change. To tackle food security challenges and to maintain sustainable environment production, agroecological practices were planned for farmers in the Itasy region, Central Highlands of Madagascar. The project consisted of agroforestry and forestry systems, composting of organic matters, and system of rice intensification. The goals of this study were (i) to assess the CFP of farms in the Itasy region Central Madagascar, (ii) to assess the impact of agroecological practices adopted by farmers on farms CFP, and (iii) to compare the impact of Tier 1 and Tier 3 factors for carbon removal in woody biomass and in cropland soils on farms CFP. For these purposes, a survey of 192 representative farms was realized during the years 2012e2013. Agroecological practices integrated at farm scale reduced significantly farms CFP up to 364% in terms of land surface and up to 578% in terms of food production, suggesting an important GHG sequestration at farm scale. Main sources of GHG at farms scale were: nitrous oxide from soil management (25%), methane from rice cultivation (24%), livestock manure management (24%), and enteric fermentation (23%). Trees planted in agroforestry and forestry systems offered the highest GHG mitigation benefits. Tier 1 factors overestimated up to 7 times higher the farms CFP compared to Tier 3 factors. This study highlights that the integration of agro-ecological practices at farm scale offers significant GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration in Malagasy context, thus giving an alternative for climate change mitigation.

This study has been undertaken to examine the feasibility analysis of Industrial waste unlike Foundry sand, Ferromanganese slag and Tyre Chips in Wet Mix Macadam (WMM) by partial replacement to the natural aggregates and stone dust used in WMM. Various mix designs were conducted using different proportions of the Industrial waste and aggregated mix together by partial replacement of industrial waste products to the natural aggregates especially fine aggregates and stone dust. Various laboratory tests i.e. Grain Size Analysis, Standard Proctor Test to determine the MDD and OMC of the mix, Permeability Test, California Bearing ration (CBR) were carried out to analyze the properties of the newly formulated mix in accordance with the conventional mix design of WMM. Further field applications and field results were conducted to analyze the practicability of the mix.

Clean drinking water is an essential component to maintaining public health. Methods used to purify drinking water include the addition of disinfectants, chemical methods of control, such as ozone or ultraviolet radiation, and physical methods of control, such as filtration. Disinfectants and filtration are the most widely used methods to ensure high-quality drinking water. However these methods do not sterilize the water, and there are still concerns as to whether or not some methods are better than others at reducing bacterial loads. This study tested water from traditional drinking fountains, Poland Springs® water cooler dispensers, and from Halsey-Taylor Filtered Single HAC Coolers with Hydroboost® Bottle Fillers. Water samples were collected from each source types on various days, plated onto Nutrient agar, and analyzed to count CFUs/mL for each source. We found that there is no statistical difference in the mean bacterial CFUs/mL among the three water sources tested. We conclu...

A four-week mini-project for teaching is described for an experimental physical chemistry or organic chemistry course. The activities included synthesis of a Pd catalyst, PdCl 2 supported on calcined coconut shell fiber, and its use in the preparation of 4-methylbiphenyl via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The technical skills and concepts that are typically presented in practical chemistry courses were covered, including notions of surface chemistry e development of new catalysts, modern organic synthesis, gas chromatography techniques, separation of mixtures, and stoichiometric calculations.

The demand for interdisciplinary research is increasing in the new millennium to help us understand complex problems and find solutions by integrating the knowledge from different disciplines. The present review is an excellent example of this and shows how unique combination of physics, chemistry, and biological techniques can be used for the evaluation of Indian medicinal herbs used for treating diabetes mellitus. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a sensitive optical technique that is widely used for its simplicity and versatility. This review presents the most recent application of LIBS for detection of glycemic elements in medicinal plants. The characteristics of matrices, object analysis, use of laser system, and analytical performances with respect to Indian herbs are discussed.

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The increasing price of energy, the security of supply, the reduction of green house gases, and the scarcity of oil and gas urge the use of more and more renewable energy. An important renewable energy source is the biomass which can be applied for heat, electricity, and transportation fuel production. The heat and electricity production are the so called ''direct utilisation'' alternatives and the transportation fuel production alternatives are the ''indirect utilisation'' alternatives of biomass energy. If efficient land use is considered, the alternatives can be compared on the basis of the utilisable energy produced from the biomass per hectare. It is shown that the bioethanol production from corn has about 89-99% less energy production capability than that of the direct utilisation alternatives. The cellulosic type bioethanol production technologies, since these partially directly utilise the biomass energy, have better energy utilisation potential, that is about 40-50% of direct alternatives.

Background, aim, and scope Impact assessment can be completed with the help of Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) as a part of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and External Cost Assessment methods. These methods help, for project and product classifications, to protect human health and the environment. Comparison of different impact assessment methods along parallel evaluations of real air pollution case studies helps to detect similarities and dependencies between them. The comparison helps and supports the work in both areas by mutually exploiting the merits of both methods. On the other hand, the detected similarities and dependencies also support the accuracy of the assessment work. Materials and methods Two impact assessment methods are compared to detect the dependencies between them. These are: the damage-oriented Life Cycle Impact Assessment method Eco-indicator 99 (EI99) and the Cost-Benefit Analysis (CAFE CBA) carried out within the framework of the Clean Air for Europe Programme of the European Union. Arithmetic comparison of the two methods' impact indicators is carried out in order to show how differently they assess and evaluate the environmental impacts of the same pollutants. Moreover, air pollution inventories of five industrialized cities in Poland are evaluated in parallel with the two impact assessment methods. The uncertainties of the two methods are also considered and Monte Carlo simulations are completed to obtain probability intervals of impact indicators and overall mean values of the generated populations. The arithmetic comparison of the impact indicators shows a strict correlation between the two impact assessment methods. This correlation is confirmed by results of the parallel evaluation of the real case studies. The comparison of the overall mean values obtained by the Monte Carlo simulations also shows a clear dependency between the results of the two impact assessment methods. After detecting the dependencies between the two methods, the best guess values of the EI99 indicator are selected and applied to make a ranking of the air pollutants and their emission sources for an industrialized Polish city. Conclusions It can be concluded that the detected correlation between the two methods (EI99 and CAFE CBA) supports and helps the accuracy of the impact assessment. If the uncertainties of the methods are also considered, it is proved for the examples of real case studies that they correlate in their results. On the other hand, the best guess of the EI99 indicators can be used to rank emissions according to their relative damage to human health and the ecosystem, and to locate emission sources. These results help decision-makers to conclude an efficient environmental conscious policy.

Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) is a developing region characterized for its importance for global food security, producing 23 and 11% of the global beef and milk production, respectively. The region's ruminant livestock sector however, is under scrutiny on environmental grounds due to its large contribution to enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions and influence on global climate change. Thus, the identification of effective CH 4 mitigation strategies which do not compromise animal performance is urgently needed, especially in context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined in the Paris Agreement of the United Nations. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to: 1) collate a database of individual sheep, beef and dairy cattle records from enteric CH 4 emission studies conducted in the LAC region, and 2) perform a meta-analysis to identify feasible enteric CH 4 mitigation strategies, which do not compromise animal performance. After outlier's removal, 2745 animal records (65% of the original data) from 103 studies were retained (from 2011 to 2021) in the LAC database. Potential mitigation strategies were classified into three main categories (i.e., animal breeding, dietary, and rumen manipulation) and up to three subcategories, totaling 34 evaluated strategies. A random effects model weighted by inverse variance was used (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.3.070). Six strategies decreased at least one enteric CH 4 metric and simultaneously increased milk yield (MY; dairy cattle) or average daily gain (ADG; beef cattle and sheep). The breed composition F1 Holstein × Gyr decreased CH 4 emission per MY (CH 4 I Milk ) while increasing MY by 99%. Adequate strategies of grazing management under continuous and rotational stocking decreased CH 4 emission per ADG (CH 4 I Gain ) by 22 and 35%, while increasing ADG by 22 and 71%, respectively. Increased dietary protein concentration, and increased concentrate level through cottonseed meal inclusion, decreased CH 4 I Milk and CH 4 I Gain by 10 and 20% and increased MY and ADG by 12 and 31%, respectively. Lastly, increased feeding level decreased CH 4 I Gain by 37%, while increasing ADG by 171%. The identified effective mitigation strategies can be adopted by livestock producers according to their specific needs and aid LAC countries in achieving SDG as defined in the Paris Agreement.

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a semi volatile organic compound used as a gasoline additive, has been extensively detected in surface and groundwater and therefore became a major issue as an environmental pollutant. The removal of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) from water by high-silica zeolite, high-silica zeolite composites, and by granular activated carbon (GAC) was investigated in suspension and by filtration. The Langmuir model yielded good simulation and prediction of MTBE removal. The removal of MTBE from water was more efficient by composites of polyacrylamide (PAM)-zeolite designed in this study than by untreated zeolite or GAC. Even in the presence of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene) MTBE removal was very efficient by the PAM-zeolite composites, in comparison to its removal by the zeolite or GAC, reaching 2.5-and 75-fold higher removal, respectively. Filtration of MTBE solution through columns filled with GAC mixed with a PAM-zeolite composite (5:1 w/w ratio) demonstrated several-fold enhanced removal relative to a control which included only GAC. We suggest that the enhanced removal by the PAM-zeolite composite is attributed to (a) the displacement of water from the zeolite surface upon PAM adsorption, which promotes MTBE adsorption and (b) hydrogen binding between the polymer and MTBE.

Horizonation reflects soil processes. -Horizons are differentiated by chemistry, texture, organic matter. -Chemical properties should be relatively consistent for a given horizon. -Depth layers incorporate multiple horizons. -Presence/absence of horizons varies in the landscape. -Data derived from horizon sampling should be less variable than data derived from depth layers.

Urban green spaces function as biological filters in reducing atmospheric particles. Yet there is a profound requisite to identify the most effective plant species by their leaf traits that can enhance particle capture and improve ambient air quality. In this study, we investigated leaves of 96 perennial urban plant species consisting of 43 deciduous broadleaf trees, 32 deciduous broadleaf shrubs, 14 deciduous and evergreen needle/scale-like, 5 evergreen broadleaves, and 2 climber species for their differences in net particle accumulation. Leaf saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), a proxy for traffic and industry induced particle accumulation, along with morphological and anatomical leaf traits were analyzed in a common garden experiment in June and September 2016. Leaf SIRM varied significantly between plant species. The most effective net particle accumulating plant species with a median value of 23.0 µA were Buddleja davidii, Viburnum opulus, Carpinus betulus, Quercus ilex, Viburnum lantana, Rosa rugosa, Sorbus aria, Aesculus hippocastanum, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Acer campestre. The least effective net particle accumulating plant species with a median value of 10.4 µA were Populus alba, Alnus glutinosa, Larix kaempferi, Larix decidua, Plantanus x acerilifolia, Acer pseudoplatanus, Robinia pseudoacacia, Quercus palustris, Rosa canina, Liquidambar styraciflua. The "variable importance" in net particle accumulation for the investigated plant species was achieved using ®randomForest. The presence of leaf trichomes and specific leaf area were identified as important leaf traits for categorization of the selected plant species in low, medium, and high net particle accumulators. The extensive analysis of plant species at leaf-level with distinct micro-morphology contributes to a better understanding of plant species behavior in net particle capture and their contribution in reducing atmospheric particulate matter. Furthermore, this study has practical implications for policymakers in making informed choices when planning urban green infrastructures. Lastly, our study can become a basis to validate atmospheric deposition model using species-specific information.

In the highly competitive modern-day industrial landscape, characterized by globalization and resource scarcity, manufacturers are striving to improve economic and environmental performance. Innovation that enables self-adjustment, control and optimization of the energy consumption of individual machines continues. However, more research is needed if such systems are to be deployed successfully, especially considering the complex characteristics of the energy flows in the factory. In this paper we propose a novel approach to the coordination of information, processing and sensing systems for energy and resource efficient production systems. By leveraging on a recently-developed framework focusing on physical flows of energy, materials and waste we propose a solution based on specific energy efficiency KPIs and an online data acquisition/processing system, that enables real-time monitoring of the current status of the machining process and lagging assessment of system energy efficiency. The proposed solution allows the identification of abnormal energy consumption during the operational machine cycle, caused by incorrect part dimensioning or erroneous cutting conditions programmed by the process engineer, enabling identification of potential disruptions with different gravity levels, and delivery of meaningful alarms for the operator. Adaptive control of the machine cutting conditions or even trajectory reprogramming is then possible, by correlating the energy-consumption data with other data, such as head temperature. Furthermore, by analysing the energy consumption of value and non value adding activities over complete production cycles (such as a shift or day), it is possible to monitor the progress of production systems toward achieving energy efficiency targets and to conduct root-cause analysis of inefficient energy usage for continuous improvement programs. We tested the proposed solution, modeling, index system ad online data acquisition/processing platform, through an industrial case study by deploying the developed hardware and software modules on a Nicolás Correa S.A. VERSA milling machine.

In this paper we describe a procedure for disaggregating agricultural land use choices at NUTS 2 level to about 18.000 homogeneous spatial units completely covering the usable agricultural area of the EU. The disaggregation procedure uses 40.000 sampling points and aggregate data from administrative regions and requires two steps: First, we employ crop specific, spatial binary choice models to regress land use decisions on local natural conditions (soil, relief, climate) based on the sample information. Results allow predicting crop shares in each spatial unit. Second, consistency with data from administrative regions is achieved by maximising the posterior density of crop shares subject to aggregating equations using the forecast distributions as prior information. Comparison with actual crop shares shows the validity of the procedure.

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Amounts of residual wastes, such as plastics, paper, and textiles, in urban areas have drastically increased over the years, which hence requires sustainable waste management schemes. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) provides a solution in addressing minimizing waste disposal in landfills and providing energy, particularly in developing nations. In this study, waste-to-energy (WtE) potential from residual wastes in Baguio City was assessed. With an experimental value of 13.738 MJ/kg, it revealed a percentage error of 20.748% when compared with predicted values from an energy regression model. However, ANOVA results revealed that the energy, moisture, and ash content were all statistically comparable to reports across RDF-related studies.

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) posed an environmental risk to surface water and groundwater quality. Population relies on the quality of water for basic needs. The objective of the study is to use cluster spatial and slope analysis to determine the HF impact in Bradford County, Pennsylvania environments. Spatial cluster produces an array of fundamental public health questions relating to the effects of HF on the environment. The slope analyzes the elevation of HF to surface water and groundwater. Base on the increase of HF activities, the surface water, and groundwater may be polluted from spill, leakage, and intrusion of fracking fluid. The geospatial information data for the study were collected from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), and the National Bureau of Census. The methods used to analyze the data to determine the spatial cluster in the environment are spatial autocorrelation (Moran's Index), Hotspot analysis (G statistic), Cluster and Outlier analysis (Anselin's Local Moran's Index) and the Empirical Bayesian Kriging. The results were interpreted from high or low G statistic, Moran's Index value, Z-score, and p-value. Pennsylvania Moran's Index 0.29, and Z-score, p-value (37.9, 0.0001) indicate a tendency toward clustering a statistically significant. A positive G statistic & large Z-score indicate a more intense clustering of areas of high values -hotspot and a significantly smaller negative G statistic & Z-score indicates more extreme low values -cold spot. Therefore, Albany, Wilmot, Overton, Terry, and Monroe municipalities have high positive G-statistic and statistically significant (p < 0.05) Z-values indicating hot spot of hydraulic fracturing operation in the county.

The production of sugars by the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is a two‐step process that includes conversion of the intermediate cellobiose to glucose by β‐glucosidase. The hydrolysis was followed by analyzing the two sugar products (cellobiose and glucose). The enzyme showed maximum activity at pH 4.8. Thermal deactivation was significant at temperatures above 45°C. At 50°C (optimum temperature) thermal deactivation was found to follow first‐order kinetics. Several models were tested by modeling the kinetics of the reaction. Their parameter values were determined by numerical optimization, including temperature dependence. The best fitting model was a competitive product inhibition for the two reactions in the operational range.

Two new copolymers containing pendant calix[4]arene units with nitrile functionalities at their lower rim have been synthesized via nucleophilic substitution reactions involving 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis(cyanomethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxy-calix[4]arene (3) or 25,27-bis(cyanometh oxy)-26,28-dihydroxy-calix[4]arene (4) with 1,5-dibromopentane and bisphenol-A. The phase transfer studies were performed by using liquid–liquid extraction procedures. It has been deduced from the observations that both copolymers show a good phase transfer affinity toward

The central component of mosquito and vector surveillance programs globally is the adult mosquito trap, which is intended to collect host-seeking mosquitoes. The miniature CDC trap is a widely distributed trap style in part due to its relative affordability and compact nature. Despite already being a simple trap, in-house production methods, such as 3D printing, could improve the accessibility of the CDC trap by eliminating some of the supply chain variables. We present here several trials with the Salt Lake City (SLC) trap, a three-dimensional (3D) printed trap design. Functional assessments were made on secondary components and found no statistically significant differences when comparing CO 2 line height (above vs. below fan), battery types (sealed lead acid vs. USB battery pack), and trap body collection shape (funnel body vs. simple/straight body). The SLC trap was compared directly to a commercial equivalent, the ABC trap, with comparative assessment on species diversity and evenness in collections and found to be statistically equivalent on all metrics. Methods also detail an accompanying optional transport system for a pressurized CO 2 /regulator set-up, should a practitioner elect not to use dry ice. Our final design is presented here with the publicly published stereolithography (STL) files and a detailed outline of the transport container system. Alternative models are available for in-house manufacture of mosquito traps, and we contribute these designs in an effort to stimulate further growth in vector surveillance.

Handbook developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The linear programming model is used to maximize net farm revenue using optimal combinations of crop rotations and tillage practices for each region of the United States given natural resource constraints. The LEACH handbook is used to determine the relative potential for pesticides to leach below the root zone for different soil types, hydrologic conditions, pesticides used, and tillage practices. The results indicate that imposing a surface water quality erosion constraint aimed at reducing sediment concentrations results in a larger decrease in farm income than imposing a uniform 5 ton per acre per year erosion constraint. Both constraints could result in regional improvement in ground water quality in some regions of the country while decreasing ground water quality in other regions.

The complete evaluation of the offsite effects of national policies or programs that affect levels of agricultural nonpoint source pollution requires linking extensive water quality changes to changes in recreational activity. A sequential decision model is specified to describe an individual's decisions about fishing. A participation model for recreational fishing that includes a water quality index reflecting regional water quality is developed and estimated as a logit model with national level data. A visitation model for those who decide to fish that also includes the water quality index is estimated using ordinary least squares. The water quality index is found to be significant in the participation model but not in the visitation model. Together, the two models provide a means of estimating how changes in water quality might influence the number of recreation days devoted to fishing. The model is used to estimate changes in fishing participation for the Conservation Reserve Program. WATER QUALITY IMPACTS ON RECREATIONAL FISHING Benefits to water-based recreation are one aspect of the offsite benefits from national soil conservation programs or other agricultural programs or policies that reduce agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Studies have indicated that water pollution damages to recreation are substantial and that large benefits could result from improving water quality [Freeman, 1982; Heintz et al., 1976; Unger, 1975; Feenberg and Mills, 1980]. If reducing agricultural sources of pollution can substantially improve overall water quality, then sizable benefits in terms of improved recreational opportunities can be gained. In this paper a model for estimating recreational fishing benefits from a national agricultural conservation program is developed. A water quality index representing regional water quality is used to drive changes in demand for fishing. The resulting model was used to estimate changes in fishing participation brought about by the Conservation Reserve Program. Decisions about agricultural production at both the micro and macro levels can influence water quality. At the farm level, farmers can choose crop management, tillage, soil conservation, and chemical management techniques. Their choices affect the amounts of sediments and chemicals washing off the land and into water resources. Of interest here are the national policy decisions that can influence the production decisions of a large percentage of the nation's farmers. Policies include conservation policies but also price support and acreage reduction programs. Such programs or policies can have a substantial impact on national water quality by influencing acreage in production, intensity of production, and degree of conservation. Assessing the offsite water quality impacts of such national policies requires some way of linking water quality to This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. Published in 1991 by the American Geophysical Union. Paper number 91 WR00798. recreational behavior at the national level. A site-by-site approach would be extremely difficult, since national policies or programs influence water quality in many areas simultaneously. Also, the number of site studies required to analyze such changes would be prohibitively large. Even multisite or regional recreation visitation models such as those used by Sutherland [1982], Morey [1981], and Donnelly et aI. [!985] would be extremely cumbersome to use for a truly national policy analysis. Alternatively, a national model can be developed that does not rely on site data. The primary problem in estimating a national model is the availability of the necessary data.

An evaluation of the intermedia movement of pesticides applied under various land management systems already in place, or to be implemented, under the Conservation Reserve and Conservation Compliance programs is presented. The simulation modeling approach followed in this analysis consists of a mathematical programming model and leaching/surface runoff, Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM) models. Special care was taken to ensure that the physical model was sensitive to the chemical characteristics of individual pesticides and the important physical changes brought about by different agricultural practices. Results show that, although these programs as now planned, increase farm income and achieve soil conservation goals, they may adversely affect ground water quality. Also, depending on soil and location characteristics, there are tradeoffs between surface and ground water quality implications. Hence, if these programs are to address water quality problems, the recommended practices must be evaluated for their impact on water quality, particularly in potentially vulnerable areas.

ABSTRACT: Many water systems in small cities and rural areas throughout the United States are facing water quality and supply problems. These problems are typically not the result of an unexpected event, but are the result of growth trends or decreasing water quality experienced over several years. This analysis uses the contingent valuation and benefit transfer methods to evaluate the willingness to pay for a rural water system in northcentral Montana. Both of the procedures resulted in similar values, ranging from about $4.05 to $7.50 per household per month for urban residents and $5.40 to $11.50 per household per month for rural residents, which is equal to 11 percent to 23 percent of current average water costs. The willingness to pay estimates do not include non‐household water users. This analysis shows that useful planning information can be obtained from relatively inexpensive contingent valuation mail survey data and the benefit transfer method as long as the limitations o...

ABSTRACT: An evaluation of the intermedia movement of pesticides applied under various land management systems already in place, or to be implemented, under the Conservation Reserve and Conservation Compliance programs is presented. The simulation modeling approach followed in this analysis consists of a mathematical programming model and leaching/surface runoff, Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM) models. Special care was taken to ensure that the physical model was sensitive to the chemical characteristics of individual pesticides and the important physical changes brought about by different agricultural practices. Results show that, although these programs as now planned, increase farm income and achieve soil conservation goals, they may adversely affect ground water quality. Also, depending on soil and location characteristics, there are tradeoffs between surface and ground water quality implications. Hence, if these programs are to address water quality problems, the recommended pr...

The complete evaluation of the offsite effects of national policies or programs that affect levels of agricultural nonpoint source pollution requires linking extensive water quality changes to changes in recreational activity. A sequential decision model is specified to describe an individual&#39;s decisions about fishing. A participation model for recreational fishing that includes a water quality index reflecting regional water quality is developed and estimated as a logit model with national level data. A visitation model for those who decide to fish that also includes the water quality index is estimated using ordinary least squares. The water quality index is found to be significant in the participation model but not in the visitation model. Together, the two models provide a means of estimating how changes in water quality might influence the number of recreation days devoted to fishing. The model is used to estimate changes in fishing participation for the Conservation Reserv...

This analysis evaluates the extent to which water quality influences the cost of supplying domestic water and the extent to which finished water quality affects household water demand from price impacts. The water demand and cost models are based on nationwide data for individual systems collected by the American Water Works Association [1996]. The water cost model estimated in this analysis indicates that factors such as the size of the water supply system, the population density of the service area, the source of water supplies, and water quality all significantly affect the cost per unit of water delivered. The water use model indicates water demand is influenced significantly by household income, household size, temperature, precipitation, the price of water, and finished water quality. Combining the results of the models allows an analyst to evaluate the full impacts of water quality benefits on municipal water supplies.

ABSTRACT: The potential surface water and ground water quality tradeoff implications from the nonpoint source provisions of the 1987 Water Quality Act are investigated in this paper using a national linear programming model developed at Iowa State University and modified by the Economic Research Service and the Leaching Evaluation of Agricultural Chemicals (LEACH) Handbook developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The linear programming model is used to maximize net farm revenue using optimal combinations of crop rotations and tillage practices for each region of the United States given natural resource constraints. The LEACH handbook is used to determine the relative potential for pesticides to leach below the root zone for different soil types, hydrologic conditions, pesticides used, and tillage practices. The results indicate that imposing a surface water quality erosion constraint aimed at reducing sediment concentrations results in a larger decrease in farm income ...

Advanced oxidation processes utilizing both UV/H 2 O 2 and photo-Fenton UV/H 2 O 2 /Fe +3 systems were investigated using pilot-scale experiments for the degradation and mineralization of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). The experiments were conducted by using a photoreactor, which consists of three UV lamps fixed in staggered form. Three baffles were fixed vertically at the reactor side walls. These baffles reduce the presence of low radiation zones near the reactor walls. The study shows that the photo-Fenton process was the most effective treatment process under acidic conditions pH = 3, and produced a higher rate of degradation of 4-CP at a very short irradiation time. The reaction was found to follow the first order through both systems. A colored solution of benzoquinone can be observed through the first 5 min of irradiation time for the UV/H 2 O 2 system when a low concentration (0.01 mol/L) of H 2 O 2 was used. The colored solution of benzoquinone can also be observed through the first 5 min for the UV/ H 2 O 2 /Fe +3 system at a high concentration (100 ppm) of 4-CP. The experimental results show that the optimum reagents for complete degradation of 4-CP (50 ppm) were H 2 O 2 = 0.005 mol/ L, Fe +3 = 0.16 Â 10 À3 mol/L under acidic conditions (pH = 3), and irradiation time of 15 min for the UV/H 2 O 2 /Fe +3 system with a molar ratio of H 2 O 2 /Fe +3 /4-CP equals 13/0.4/1.

As a key component of global change, dam‐induced sediment reduction occurs in large rivers worldwide, which has profound implications on the fluvial systems. However, the systematic change of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and its dynamic processes are not well known. We summarize typical SSC changes and propose a new sediment modeling framework for heavily dammed fluvial systems with the Changjiang (Yangtze River) as a background. We find that the fluvial SSC has declined by an order of magnitude, i.e., from ∼1.0 to ∼0.1 kg/m3, and even to ∼0.01 kg/m3 locally. The SSC distribution pattern along the mainstream has changed remarkably, with the sediment source/sink being partially reversed. Downstream of the Three Gorges Dam, the SSC recovery capacity gradually decreases with the sediment erosion quantity accumulated over time, and the SSC contribution rate of a linked large lake (Dongting) will change from negative (ca. −39%) to positive (ca. 17%), in the coming decades.

Water is one of the major environmental factors limiting plant growth and survival in the Mediterranean region. Quercus suber L. woodlands occupy vast areas in the Iberian Peninsula, frequently under shallow water table conditions. The relative magnitude of soil and groundwater uptake to supply transpiration is not easy to evaluate under these circumstances. We recently developed a conceptual framework for the functioning of the root system in Q. suber that simulates well tree transpiration, based on two types of root behaviour: shallow connected and deep connected. Although this significantly improved knowledge on the functional traits of Mediterranean Q. suber, the approach has the limitation of requiring root sap flow data, which are seldom available. In this work, we present alternative methodologies to assess if trees are connected to groundwater and to estimate the soil and groundwater contributions to tree transpiration. We provide evidence on the tree unrestricted access to groundwater solely based on meteorological, stem sap flow and leaf water potential data. Using a soil mass balance approach, we estimated the yearly soil and groundwater contributions to tree transpiration: 69.7% and 30.3%, respectively. Groundwater uptake became dominant in the dry summer: 73.2% of tree transpiration. Results reproduce extremely well those derived from root modelling. Because of its simplicity both in formulation and data requirements, our approach is potentially liable to be adapted to other groundwaterdependent Mediterranean oak sites, where interactions between land use and water resources may be relevant.

Cheese considered as a well-known dairy product which is manufactured in many varieties according to its texture and flavors. Cheese is formed by coagulation of casein and having high protein contents. Due to increase awareness of modern consumers' fortification of dairy foods including fresh cheese are in demand. Cheese analogues are made for fulfilling the demand of cheese. Cheese analogues are processed cheese-like product and enriched in nutrients. It is healthy and seems to be attractive when it is rearranged and prepared by using ingredients coming from natural source. Cheese analogue produced from olive oil is used as an alternate of cheese. Olive oil improves cardiovascular risk factors, such as endothelial dysfunction, blood pressure, postprandial hyper-lipidemia, lipid profiles, antithrombotic profiles and oxidative stress. The objective of present study is to develop cheese analogue using olive oil and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Single step emulsification was done for fat stabilization. L. bulgaricus was isolated from yoghurt. Cheese analogue was subjected to physicochemical, microbiological and sensory analysis. Proximate analysis (moisture, pH, fat contents, ash, total solids and acidity) physicochemical analysis, sensory analysis and rheological analysis were performed. Physiochemical investigation has demonstrated that, with an increase in the olive oil level in cheese, non-significant pH, moisture, fat, total solids, total nitrogen and protein content were considerably influenced by olive oil amounts. Rheological research showed that olive oil quantity has a substantial effect on curd texture. Flavor and overall acceptance were significantly affected by days and concentration. Samples indicate more substantial results and general acceptance compared to other samples treated with minimum olive oil concentrations. The data obtained was analyzed statistically.

The Karhunen-Loeve (KL) decomposition and the polynomial chaos (PC) expansion are elegant and efficient tools for uncertainty propagation in porous media. Over recent years, KL/PC-based frameworks have successfully been applied in several contributions for the flow problem in the subsurface context. It was also shown, however, that the accurate solution of the transport problem with KL/PC techniques is more challenging. We propose a framework that utilizes KL/PC in combination with sparse Smolyak quadrature for the flow problem only. In a subsequent step, a Lagrangian Monte Carlo sampling technique is used for transport, where the flow field samples are calculated very efficiently based on the solutions at relatively few quadrature points. To increase the computational efficiency of the PC-based flow field sampling, a new reduction method is applied. Compared to a conventional full MC method that includes both flow and transport, the proposed PC/MC method (PCMCM) for flow/transport, respectively, saves on the computational cost of the flow problem. The applicability of PCMCM is demonstrated for transport simulations in multivariate Gaussian log-conductivity fields that are unconditional and conditional on conductivity measurements.

The article deals with the transportation of lime slurry from the reservoir to a settler in a chosen industrial enterprise. The slurry is non-Newtonian and viscoplastic. Such a slurry emphasises high viscosity and is difficult to transport under a high solid concentration in a pipeline. The amount of specially designed deflocculant was developed on the basis of rheological measurements. The addition of deflocculant allowed the reduction of friction in the pipeline and, as a consequence, allowed transportation with a higher solid concentration. This resulted in a decrease in the power consumption of the pump motor and significant energy savings in the slurry transport process. The paper presents the determination of the parameters of the transition from laminar to turbulent flow of lime slurry with the addition of a certain amount of deflocculant. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the critical value of the Reynolds number in the slurry flow with a volume concentration...

The main problem facing Egypt recently is the shortage of available water resources. Therefore, farmers resort to use wastewater for irrigation. So, the present work aims to assess the impacts of wastewater irrigation on the productivity of three edible weeds (Cichorium endivia, Sonchus oleraceous and Beta vulgaris) and its effect on the nutritional value of plants and its risk on human health. This study will focus on Shibin Al Kanater region, and the physicochemical characteristics of drainage water, canal water, drainage water-irrigated soils and canal-irrigated soils were estimated. The vegetative and traits of edible weeds were determined including their photosynthetic pigments, organic and inorganic nutrients content, and heavy metals content. The health risk index (HRI) associated with consumption of polluted plants was created using the estimated exposure factor of a crop to the oral reference dosage of the toxic metal. The main results showed that biomass productivity of S. oleraceous, B. vulgaris and C. endivia increased due to drainage water irrigation with increasing percentage as 27.9, 19.6, and 19.1%, respectively. Irrigation with drainage water significantly increased the photosynthetic pigments of edible weeds. Irrigation with drainage water increased carbohydrate content, crude protein, total soluble sugar, and gross energy in all studied weeds. C. endivia, S. oleraceus and B. vulgaris plants irrigated with canal and drainage water could accumulate Fe, Zn, Cu, and Co in their roots. C. endivia, S. oleraceus and B. vulgaris plants irrigated with canal water indicated HRI more than the unit for Mn, Cu, Pb, and Cd. This research advises that regulation be put in place to prohibit irrigation using untreated drainage and to restrict the discharge of industrial, domestic, and agricultural wastewater into irrigation canals. Pollution refers to introducte contaminants into the natural environments and causes adverse change in ecosystem components 1 and affect soil, plant, ground and surface water, and consequently human health 2,3 . Three factors determine the severity of a pollutant like its chemical nature, concentration, and the persistence 4 . Urban areas have become seriously contaminated zones by heavy metals derived from high density population and intensive industry . Contamination with heavy metals is associated with the rapid development of urbanization, industrialization, manufacturing and mining, that pose increasing threat to human health 7 , and eventually destroying the sustainable development of environmental resources 8 . Transfer heavy metals through the food chains and their accumulation in the human body cause potential health hazards which may leads to death 9 . Water pollution with heavy metals is the most effective factor on all constituents of the agroecosystems and consequently on the food chain . Water pollution with heavy metals is interested issue for a lot of researchers 12 . Many authors interested in studying the effect of the heavy metals on plant crops , and others searching about plants have high potency in

This paper reports on the levels of fatty acids and selected sterols in effluents and nearby water bodies at Mufindi Paper Mill (MPM), southern Tanzania. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) was used for sample extraction, and analysis was performed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Fatty acids ranging from C11:0 to C25:0 were detected, with saturated fatty acids (SFA) being more abundant than unsaturated fatty acids (USFA). As for selected sterols, β-sitosterol and stigmastanol were more abundant than campesterol. The mean levels of

Removal of nitrogen and phosphorus is known to be somewhat problematic in vertical subsurface flow (VSSF)constructed wetlands. In this pilot-scale study, two planted (Typha latifolia L. [cattail]) VSSF-constructed wetlands A (with polypropylene pellets) and B (without polypropylene pellets) and one unplanted control C (without polypropylene pellets) were designed to test the contribution of polypropylene pellets to nitrogen and phosphorus removal in eutrophic river water in Tianjin, China. The ranking order of nutrient removal for above tested wetlands was A Ͼ B Ͼ C. In contrast to wetland B, polypropylene pellets in wetland A enhanced the ammonia-nitrogen, total nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphorus, and total phosphorus removal: 13.38%, 8.90%, 9.29%, and 8.25%, respectively. Analysis of the aboveground biomass and nutrient content of the stems and leaves of the T. latifolia indicated that the polypropylene pellets restrained the increase in biomass, but stimulated assimilation of nitrogen and phosphorus into stems and leaves. Additional total nitrogen and phosphorus removal of approximately 29.38 gN/m 2 and 13.47 gP/m 2 by aboveground T. latifolia biomass with polypropylene pellets, respectively, was observed. Outflow water quality of wetland with polypropylene pellets was generally better than without polypropylene pellets during the whole period of the test run. Polypropylene pellets improved nitrogen and phosphorus removal, especially in August, when it apparently stimulated wetland microbial activity.