scholarly journals The RiBaTox web tool: selecting methods to assess and manage the diverse problem of chemical pollution in surface waters

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kees J. M. Kramer ◽  
Frank Sleeuwaert ◽  
Guy Engelen ◽  
Christin Müller ◽  
Werner Brack ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
End Users ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Web Tool ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Local Water

Abstract Chemical pollution of water bodies is a complex problem around the globe. When described by the extremes of the range of problem definitions, water bodies can be chemically polluted by a single compound that is emitted from a point source or an incidental spill, or by chronic diffuse emissions from local and upstream land uses. The resulting mixture exposures can vary in space and time, e.g. due to the use of pesticides in the crop growing season. The environmental management objectives are commonly to protect and restore surface waters against human influences. Currently, chemical pollution is globally judged for a selected set of compounds, by judging each of these individually in comparison with protective environmental quality standards. Research has provided a novel assessment paradigm (solution-focused risk assessment) and novel data, measurement methods and models to improve on current practices. Their adoption and application require establishing novel linkages between the diverse problem definitions and the novel approaches. That would assist water quality professionals to select the most effective option or options to protect and restore water quality. The present paper introduces the RiBaTox (River Basin Specific Toxicants assessment and management) web tool. It consists of short descriptions of the novel approaches (made available as Additional file 1) and a decision tree for end-users to select those. The overview of novel approaches collated in RiBaTox is relevant for end-users ranging from local water quality experts up till strategic policy developers. Although RiBaTox was developed in the context of European water quality problems, the methods provided by RiBaTox are relevant for users from (inter)national to local scales. This paper is part of a series of Policy Briefs from the EU-FP7 project SOLUTIONS (http://www.solutions-project.eu), which provide backgrounds on chemical pollution of surface waters and policy practices and proposed improvements.

scholarly journals Methodological aspects of assessment of the state of chemical pollution and water quality of surface waters in Ukraine

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (66) ◽  
pp. 33-61
Author(s):  
V Kozak ◽  
◽  
A Tovmachenko ◽  
M Gertsiuk ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Ecological Condition ◽  
The State ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Surface Water Bodies ◽  
Micro Pollutants

The main sources of chemical pollution of surface water bodies of Ukraine are shown and it is noted that the ecosystem of the environment and water resources, being under constant man-caused load, tend to steadily deteriorate the ecological condition. Methods for assessing the quality of surface waters using the maximum allowable concentrations of harmful substances in water and a comprehensive assessment of the ecological status of surface water by integrated hydrochemical parameters are described. International approaches to the assessment of the state of surface water bodies are considered. It is noted that the most complete information on the state of the aquatic ecosystem can be obtained using a set of physicochemical and biological parameters. There are shortcomings in the monitoring of organic micro-pollutants in surface waters. The analysis of the international experience of determination of water quality and parameters of toxicological action of organic micro-pollutants with application of chemo-informative methods for modeling of an ecological condition of water systems is carried out.

scholarly journals Mixtures of chemicals are important drivers of impacts on ecological status in European surface waters

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Posthuma ◽  
Werner Brack ◽  
Jos van Gils ◽  
Andreas Focks ◽  
Christin Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Chemical Mixtures

Abstract The ecological status of European surface waters may be affected by multiple stressors including exposure to chemical mixtures. Currently, two different approaches are used separately to inform water quality management: the diagnosis of the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems caused by nutrient loads and habitat quality, and assessment of chemical pollution based on a small set of chemicals. As integrated assessments would improve the basis for sound water quality management, it is recommended to apply a holistic approach to integrated water quality status assessment and management. This allows for estimating the relative contributions of exposure to mixtures of the chemicals present and of other stressors to impaired ecological status of European water bodies. Improved component- and effect-based methods for chemicals are available to support this. By applying those methods, it was shown that a holistic diagnostic approach is feasible, and that chemical pollution acts as a limiting factor for the ecological status of European surface waters. In a case study on Dutch surface waters, the impact on ecological status could be traced back to chemical pollution affecting individual species. The results are also useful as calibration of the outcomes of component-based mixture assessment (risk quotients or mixture toxic pressures) on ecological impacts. These novel findings provide a basis for a causal and integrated analysis of water quality and improved methods for the identification of the most important stressor groups, including chemical mixtures, to support integrated knowledge-guided management decisions on water quality.

scholarly journals Chemical pollution imposes limitations to the ecological status of European surface waters

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Posthuma ◽  
Michiel C. Zijp ◽  
Dick De Zwart ◽  
Dik Van de Meent ◽  
Lidija Globevnik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Water Quality Assessment ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Applied Ecology ◽  
Good Ecological Status

Abstract Aquatic ecosystems are affected by man-made pressures, often causing combined impacts. The analysis of the impacts of chemical pollution is however commonly separate from that of other pressures and their impacts. This evolved from differences in the data available for applied ecology vis-à-vis applied ecotoxicology, which are field gradients and laboratory toxicity tests, respectively. With this study, we demonstrate that the current approach of chemical impact assessment, consisting of comparing measured concentrations to protective environmental quality standards for individual chemicals, is not optimal. In reply, and preparing for a method that would enable the comprehensive assessment and management of water quality pressures, we evaluate various quantitative chemical pollution pressure metrics for mixtures of chemicals in a case study with 24 priority substances of Europe-wide concern. We demonstrate why current methods are sub-optimal for water quality management prioritization and that chemical pollution currently imposes limitations to the ecological status of European surface waters. We discuss why management efforts may currently fail to restore a good ecological status, given that to date only 0.2% of the compounds in trade are considered in European water quality assessment and management.

scholarly journals Integrated Evaluation of Urban Water Bodies for Pollution Abatement Based on Fuzzy Multicriteria Decision Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Sarfraz Hashim ◽  
Xie Yuebo ◽  
Muhammad Saifullah ◽  
Ramila Nabi Jan ◽  
Adila Muhetaer
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Pollution Abatement ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Water Quality Parameter ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Rivers ◽  
Relative Significance ◽  
Multicriteria Decision

Today’s ecology is erected with miscellaneous framework. However, numerous sources deteriorate it, such as urban rivers that directly cause the environmental pollution. For chemical pollution abatement from urban water bodies, many techniques were introduced to rehabilitate the water quality of these water bodies. In this research, Bacterial Technology (BT) was applied to urban rivers escalating the necessity to control the water pollution in different places (Xuxi River (XXU); Gankeng River (GKS); Xia Zhang River (XZY); Fenghu and Song Yang Rivers (FSR); Jiu Haogang River (JHH)) in China. For data analysis, the physiochemical parameters such as temperature, chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3N) were determined before and after the treatment. Multicriteria Decision Making (MCDM) method was used for relative significance of different water quality on each station, based on fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). The overall results revealed that the pollution is exceeding at “JHH” due to the limit of “COD” as critical water quality parameter and after treatment, an abrupt recovery of the rivers compared with the average improved efficiency of nutrients was 79%, 74%, 68%, and 70% of COD, DO, TP, and NH3N, respectively. The color of the river’s water changed to its original form and aquatic living organism appeared with clear effluents from them.

scholarly journals A holistic approach is key to protect water quality and monitor, assess and manage chemical pollution of European surface waters

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Posthuma ◽  
John Munthe ◽  
Jos van Gils ◽  
Rolf Altenburger ◽  
Christin Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Water System ◽  
Basic Feature ◽  
System Level ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Large Set ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Water Quality Protection

Abstract Chemical pollution of surface waters is a societal concern around the globe. Key problems in current water quality protection, assessment and management are the narrow focus on a small fraction of the chemicals in commerce, concerns for increasingly diverse chemical emissions, and lack of effective diagnosis and management approaches. In reply, three key concepts to address these challenges were developed and tested. The approaches were developed in the context of the European Union Water Framework Directive, based on principles such as the DPSIR-causal framework (Drivers, Pressure, Status, Impact and Response) and the basic feature that water protection and management should be based on a water-system level approach. Collaborative actions of researchers and stakeholders resulted in: (1) an operationalization and implementation of the solution-focused risk assessment paradigm as proposed in 2009, to improve the utility of risk assessments, (2) the provision of a large set of tools and services to prevent, monitor, assess and manage complex mixture pollution problems, and (3) a strategy and a database on intervention options. These three elements were recognized as core elements to help protecting and improving water quality. Although the methods were developed in the context of water quality problems in Europe, the three elements can be applied globally in water quality protection and management.

scholarly journals Water Quality and Public Health Complaints in Surrounding Watoetoelis Sugar Mills

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
Yonar Trisna
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Pollution Control ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Health Complaints ◽  
Sugar Factory ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Industry as an integral part of the development of the country, more less having effect on the surrounding environment. Sugar factory as a part the industry also affects the quality of the surrounding environment through wastewater discharge at which water pollution control is required to achieve an ideal level of environmental health. PG Watoetoelis pollution control can be assessed from the water quality of its surrounding. This study aims to identify water quality and health complaints around PG Watoetoelis. This study is a descriptive observational study with cross sectional design. Primary data collection was conducted in July and August 2014, in the form of: interviews with questionnaires, environmental observation, inspection parameters of water samples of water bodies and wells in both upstream and downstream within 100 meters of the point of waste water discharge outlet Watoetoelis Sugar Factory. The results showed: the examination of water body samples found high levels of BOD5 in the amount of: 24.34 mg/L (upstream) and 24.15 mg/L (downstream), all wells water samples did not reveal any signs of physical and chemical pollution of water, respondents around PG Watoetoelis who with health complaints (9 of 17) experienced health complaints such as coughs of 7 people, and complained about the odor of the sugar factory pollution as many as 15 of 17 people. The conclusion of this study are bad water bodies quality, physical and chemical quality of the water samples of wells qualified, there are health complaints by respondents, but this can be due to other variables than physical and chemical parameters of the well water, such as; microbiology, hygiene and sanitation, or poor quality of the air in the environment, especially the residence location of the respondents.

scholarly journals Phosphorus and Emerging Micro-pollutants in Surface Waters: Challenges and Prospects for Water Quality Improvements

2014 ◽  
Vol 06 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
Phosphorus Recovery ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Micro Pollutants

An oversupply of Phosphorus in water bodies accelerates growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce undesirable impacts on overall water quality. Phosphorus inputs to surface waters arise from a variety of point and nonpoint sources. However much of the P is contributed by agricultural runoff and outfall of treated (or untreated) wastewater in receiving water-bodies. Point sourced-P inputs to waters have considerably decreased in recent years, at least partly driven by regulatory requirements, e.g. the EU Water Framework Directive. This has largely been achieved by removing P from treated wastewaters at sewage treatment works (STWs). Studies have shown that introducing an additional treatment step (“P-stripping”) can significantly reduce P in STW outfalls. Given P deposits are depleting, there is much interest in phosphorus recovery from wastewaters. A few STWs have already started to recover P as struvite (NH4MgPO4.6H2O) mineral – a substitute for commercially produced P-fertilizers. This requires major investment and is not economically viable at small STWs. Nonetheless it is a major breakthrough in terms of P recovery and its use. Effluents from sewage treatment works (STW) can often contain a complex mixture of residual microcontaminants, not removed during wastewater treatment. Organic micro-pollutants have been found in rivers receiving STW effluents. Such residual contaminants have become the focus of an emerging field of water quality study and are collectively referred to as pharmaceuticals and other personal healthcare products, PPHCPs. Many of these chemicals have the ability to effect the hormonal signaling of organisms and are called endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC). Such chemicals have shown some of the most damaging biological effects in aquatic organisms. Biological effects in the aquatic environment are typically related to the development of intersex in fish. Recent research shows the use of STW practices such as upgrading from using a combined trickling filter contact process to activated sludge treatment, ozonation, membrane filtration and use of suspended biofilm reactors reduces the amount of EDCs in waste effluent. It is thus possible to remove contaminants from STW effluents, but it will not be possible without major infrastructure improvements. This paper presents the challenges and prospects of P and micro-organic pollutants in surface waters.

scholarly journals Proximal VIS-NIR spectrometry to retrieve substance concentrations in surface waters using partial least squares modelling

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1204-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wagner ◽  
S. Hilgert ◽  
T. Kattenborn ◽  
S. Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Partial Least Squares ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Surface Water Bodies

Abstract Many water quality parameters such as concentrations of suspended matter, nutrients and algae directly or indirectly change the electromagnetic reflectance and transmission properties of surface water bodies. Optical measurement approaches have shown great potential to partially substitute water sampling and laboratory analyses, but are obstructed by limited flexibility or high maintenance demands. In order to overcome these problems and to bridge the gap between in situ and remote sensing measurements, the use of close-range, above-surface reflectance measurements in the VIS-NIR domain to measure water quality parameters in surface water bodies was investigated. Remote sensing reflectance in a 1 m³ water tank with increasing, known concentrations of suspended solids was measured. A partial least squares model was trained to predict concentrations from reflectance curves, which performed well, considering the wide range of concentrations and illumination conditions (R²cal = 0.96, R²val = 0.97). The approach was then transferred to the field and further parameters were tested. Using a semi-autonomous spectrometer mounted to a boom stand on a motor boat, we traced substance concentrations in close intervals along a longitudinal gradient from inflow to dam in a drinking water reservoir in Brazil. The method is suitable for parameters directly influencing the reflection properties of the water body (e.g. suspended solids (R²cal = 0.93), chlorophyll-a (R²cal = 0.74)), or for parameters closely related to those (e.g. total phosphorus (R²cal = 0.97)). For chemical oxygen demand, the method is not well suited (R²cal = 0.14, R²val = 0.45). Once calibrated to the local conditions, the spectrometer can be used stationary or on moving platforms to map and monitor surface waters. The integration of the procedure into acoustic and imaging techniques is further investigated.

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF SURFACE WATERS OF THE RIVER DNIEPER FROM THE RECREATIONAL ZONES OF THE LEFT BANK OF ZAPORIZHZHIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (37) ◽  
pp. 132-137
Author(s):  
O. Troicka ◽  
K. Belokon ◽  
Y. Manidina ◽  
V. Ryzkov
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Environmental Safety ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Left Bank ◽  
The Impact

The problem of environmental safety is relevant for all water recreational facilities in Ukraine. The quality of the natural environment, and, accordingly, the scale of the recreational use of water bodies largely depends on the impact on natural complexes of various unfavorable anthropogenic factors. These include, first of all, the release of untreated and insufficiently treated wastewater, pollution of water bodies by wastewater from unsettled territories of industrial and agricultural use, air pollution by pollutants, etc. These anthropogenic influences limit the recreational possibilities of aquatorial natural complexes and are dangerous for the health of vacationers.In addition to physical and chemical pollution, biological pollution of surface waters has become widespread, in particular microbial, the test indicator of which is E. coli, saprophytic bacteria and enterococci. When ingested, they can cause acute intestinal infections, fever, nausea, etc.It was determined in the work that the average annual number of saprophytic bacteria, for five years of research, varied from 25.5 to 35.5 thousand cells/cm3, which within the ecological classification corresponds to the IV class and 6 categories of water quality , according to the degree of pollution «dirty»).The results of the assessment of bacterial contamination of the surface waters of the river. The Dnieper from the recreational zones of the Left Bank of Zaporizhzhia over a five-year period indicate an unstable ecological state of the studied waters according to such bacterial indicators as the PEC index and the number of saprophytic bacteria. This makes it necessary to carry out environmental protection measures in order to increase the level of environmental safety in the zones of water recreation.

scholarly journals Technological Norms and Quality Objectives for Surface Waters

2015 ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Water Body ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Best Available Techniques ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Surface Water Bodies

Analysis of the Russian legislation novels aimed at implementation of norms of impact upon environment at the best available techniques level applied to surface water bodies has been presented. It is noted that acting regulations do not completely secure realization of the combined approach to water resources management. In particular, there are no mechanisms to create incentives for further reduction of pollutants discharge to water bodies in case when the best available techniques do not secure attainment of water quality norms or the water body status objectives, when surface water bodies water quality norms accounting their natural and anthropogenic features stipulated by the acting Russian legislation are not yet developed. Proposals on accounting of objectives concerning the surface water body status in the process of regulating impacts upon it on the basis of technological norms and norms of permissible discharge have been made: to calculate surface water bodies water quality objective with taking into account natural and unavoidable anthropogenic factors according the proposed algorithm; when calculating norms of permissible impact to use objectives instead of water quality norms till up to development and approval of the latter (in accordance with the standing legislation); when delivering integrated environmental permissions it is necessary to take into account the norms of permissible impact but not only to observe the technological norms. The recommended procedure of obtaining an integrated environmental permission and setting of provisionally permitted discharge volume for water users discharging waste water to surface water bodies has been described. Proposals on elaboration of the legislative basis have been made.

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