scholarly journals Results of the First Improvement Step Regarding Removal Efficiency of Kanchan Arsenic Filters in the Lowlands of Nepal—A Case Study

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1765
Author(s):  
Barbara Mueller

In Nepal as well as in other countries in Southeast Asia, the World Health Organization drinking water guideline of 10 µg/L concerning arsenic concentrations in ground water hosted in Quaternary alluvial sediments is often regionally exceeded. The commonly accepted theories include that arsenic in ground water stems from reductive dissolution of As-rich Fe(III)hydr(oxides) including microbial degradation of sedimentary organic matter. On the contrary, the influence of clay minerals in the sediments as hosts for As was clearly underestimated, as geochemical analysis depicted that As was generally associated with specific elements such as Na, K, Al, and Li. Moreover, there was a very weak correlation or decoupling between As and Fe in the ground water in Nepal, and this fact points to consequences for water treatment. The so-called Kanchan filters, used for the removal of As, installed in the lowlands of Nepal often exhibited effluent As concentrations well above Nepal’s drinking water quality standard value (i.e., 50 μg/L). Ground water concentrations of Fe and As proved to be the most important geochemical factors regarding the performance of the filters. Moreover, the flow rate as well as the contact time to the rusty nails in the filter, intended to adsorb As on their surface, influenced the removal efficiency. The removal rate was severely influenced by the handling of the filters, too. This short communication provides an overview of the removal efficiency of 30 filters, their drawbacks, the influence of the aging material in the filters as well as measures of improvements to enhance the efficiency of the filters. Proper instruction for users of Kanchan filters is a major point that needs to be addressed in the future.

2020 ◽  
pp. 01-09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Mueller

In the Terai region of Nepal (the southern lowlands of the country) the arsenic concentration of extracted ground water used as drinking water frequently exceeds the actual World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guideline concentration of 10 μg/L. Single household filters (so called Kanchan filters) are employed to eliminate as from the well water. Being assembled to remove as utilizing zero-valent (ZVI) media, their efficiency was observed to vary to a high degree depending on design, ground water composition and the current operating conditions. Based on these concerns three field campaigns were organized in order to test ground water composition and filter handling on spot. This report depicts for the first time the results of this screening regarding removal efficiencies and clearly disclose future adaptation of the design and enhancement of the Kanchan filters uniquely used in Nepal. Removal efficiency varied between 5.81 % to 97.1 % depending on material, usage and mode of operation. The measurements of improvement include the replacement of nails and sand regularly; increasing the contact time between ground water and nails; preventing the nails from drying in order to maintain oxidizing settings; proper and regularly repeated instructions of the users. Keywords: Arsenic; Kanchan filters; Removal efficiency


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrisna Adhi Suryono

Pesatnya perkembangan industri dan aktivitas domestic di daerah pantai utara Jawa mendorong untuk perlunya dilakukan penelitian tentang kemungkinan adanya pencemaran logam Arsen (As) di akifer dangkal kota-kota Jakarta, Semarang dan Surabaya. Sebanyak 30 contoh air dari sumur-sumur yang berasal dari zona pemukiman di daerah pesisir dianalisis kandungan logam As dengan menggunakan teknik Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Hasil analisis menunjukkan adanya kandungan logam As sebesar 59.65 μg L−1 di Jakarta. Rerata dan simpangan baku dari logam As di Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya adalah 15.47 ± 18.79, 1.25 ± 2.05 and 0.59 ± 0.26 μgL-1. Terdapat korelasi yang nyata antara logam As dan Fe di airtanah. Dari hasil ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa tingkat kandungan logam As dan Fe di daerah akifer pantai utara Jawa masih berada di bawah ambang yang dipersyaratkan oleh Indonesian Drinking & Domestic Water Quality Standard for Ground Water and WHO’s (World Health Organization) Guideline Values for Drinking Water, kecuali untuk stasion 5 dan 6 dari Jakarta.Kata kunci: Arsen (As), AAS, akifer pantaiA study was conducted to assess the Arsenic (As) metal contamination of the shallow aquifers in Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya city of Java and its relation to the highly developed industrial and domestic activities in the coastal region. Arsen was assayed in the waters of 30 wells throughout the terrestrial cities, in residential zones using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) technique. Analysis of the As level revealed that high As contents were found primarily in Jakarta, to a maximum of 59.65 μg L−1. The mean and standard deviation of As in Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya were 15.47 ± 18.79, 1.25 ± 2.05 and 0.59 ± 0.26 μgL-1, respectively. The groundwater As concentration shows a correlation with Fe significantly. It was concluded that the levels of As in some investigated 3 Indonesian metropolis cities were below the maximum allowable concentrations of metals recommended by Indonesian Drinking & Domestic Water Quality Standard for Ground Water and WHO’s (World Health Organization)Guideline Values for Drinking Water, except for station 5 and 6 of Jakarta.Keywords: Arsenic (As), AAS, coastal aquifer


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Rahmanian ◽  
Siti Hajar Bt Ali ◽  
M. Homayoonfard ◽  
N. J. Ali ◽  
M. Rehan ◽  
...  

The drinking water quality was investigated in suspected parts of Perak state, Malaysia, to ensure the continuous supply of clean and safe drinking water for the public health protection. In this regard, a detailed physical and chemical analysis of drinking water samples was carried out in different residential and commercial areas of the state. A number of parameters such as pH, turbidity, conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mg, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cr, As, Hg, and Sn were analysed for each water sample collected during winter and summer periods. The obtained values of each parameter were compared with the standard values set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and local standards such as National Drinking Water Quality Standard (NDWQS). The values of each parameter were found to be within the safe limits set by the WHO and NDWQS. Overall, the water from all the locations was found to be safe as drinking water. However, it is also important to investigate other potential water contaminations such as chemicals and microbial and radiological materials for a longer period of time, including human body fluids, in order to assess the overall water quality of Perak state.


Author(s):  
Dora Cardona Rivas ◽  
Militza Yulain Cardona Guzmán ◽  
Olga Lucía Ocampo López

Objective: To characterize the burden of intestinal infectious diseases attributable to drinking-water quality in 27 municipalities in the central region of Colombia. Materials and methods: A time-trend ecological study. The drinking-water quality of the National Institute of Health and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies was identified. The disease burden was calculated based on the mortality registered in the National Department of Statistics and the records of morbidity attended by the Social Protection Integrated Information System. The etiological agents reported in morbidity records and the observation of environmental conditions in the municipalities of the study were included. The disease burden was determined according to the methodology recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molla Rahman Shaibur ◽  
Mohammed Sadid Hossain ◽  
Shirina Khatun ◽  
F. K. Sayema Tanzia

AbstractThis study aimed to determine the quality of drinking water supplied in different types of food stalls in Jashore Municipality, Bangladesh. A total of 35 water samples were collected from different tea stalls, street side fast food stalls, normal restaurants and well-furnished restaurants. The water quality was evaluated by determining the distinct physical, chemical and biological parameters. The results revealed that the water used in the food stalls and restaurants for drinking purpose was in desired quality in terms of turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, nitrate (NO3−), sulfate (SO42−), phosphate (PO43−), chloride (Cl−), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) concentrations. The values were within the permissible limit proposed by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the World Health Organization. Concentrations of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) found in several samples were higher than the World Health Organization standard. Iron (Fe) concentrations were higher than the permissible limit of the World Health Organization. Only 46% exceeded the permissible limit of Bangladesh Bureau Statistics. The threatening result was that the samples were contaminated by fecal coliform, indicating that the people of Jashore Municipality may have a greater chance of being affected by pathogenic bacteria. The drinking water provided in the street side fast food stalls was biologically contaminated. The findings demonstrate that the drinking water used in food stalls and restaurants of Jashore Municipality did not meet up the potable drinking water quality standards and therefore was detrimental to public health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 232 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Chabuk ◽  
Zahraa Ali Hammood ◽  
Nadhir Al-Ansari ◽  
Salwan Ali Abed ◽  
Jan Laue

AbstractIraq currently undergoing the problem of water shortage, although Iraq has two Rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) pass throughout most of its areas, and they have represented a major source of water supply. In the current research, to evaluate the quality of the Euphrates river in Iraq based on the values of total dissolved salts (TDS), the TDS concentrations were collected from sixteen sections along the river in the three succeeding years (2011, 2012, and 2013). The evaluation of the river was done depending on the classification of (W.H.O. (World Health Organization). (2003). Total Dissolved Salts in Drinking-water: Background document for development of W.H.O. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland). of rivers for drinking uses. Inverse Distance Weighting Technique (IDWT) as a tool in the GIS was employed to establish the maps of the river that using interpolation/prediction for the TDS concentrations to each selected year and the average values of TDS for these 3 years. Based on the five categories of rivers’ classification of the TDS concentrations according to the (W.H.O. (World Health Organization). (2003). Total Dissolved Salts in Drinking-water: Background document for development of W.H.O. Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland), the Euphrates river was classified, and the maps of classification for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the average values for 3 years were created. The average values for 3 years of TDS along the Euphrates river indicated that the sections from SC-1 to SC-4 as moderate-water-quality-Category-3, the sections from SC-5 to SC-10 as poor-water-quality-Category-4, while the sections between SC-11 to SC-16 as very poor-water-quality-Category-5. The interpolation maps showed that the Euphrates river in Iraq was ranged from moderate water quality (Category-3) to very poor water quality (Category-5).


Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Emma Woolley ◽  
Shirley Wyver

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuation of breastfeeding for up to two years. Formal child care has an important role in supporting breastfeeding, as many Australian infants commence care before two years of age. Currently, little is known about support or barriers in child care contexts. The present qualitative instrumental case study explores practices which protect, promote and support breastfeeding at a child care centre located in the Australian Capital Territory’s outer suburbs. Extending from a previously published collective case study, a cultural-institutional focus of analysis was used to explore the roles of proximity, flexibility and communication in supporting breastfeeding within a child care centre located close to an infant’s home. Interviews with centre staff and mothers, triangulated with observations of the centre environment and policy documents provide insight into the environment. Affirming the roles of flexibility in routine and staff rostering and two-way communication, findings suggest longer-term benefits may be derived from selecting a child care centre close to an infant’s home, provided mothers can overcome barriers to breastmilk expression in the workplace. The study recognises the role of non-lactating caregivers in the transition to formal child care, and of the support culture for educators who breastfeed. This study extends the knowledge base of breastfeeding support interventions in the child care setting to inform future research and policy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Roselyn Naidu ◽  
Lionel Joseph ◽  
Syed Sauban Ghani

The current study investigated drinking water quality of samples taken from Arolevu village, a locality situated in Nadi, Fiji. The groundwater samples were collected and subjected to a comprehensive physicochemical and biological analysis. The analysis for the drinking water sample was conducted seasonally, six times a year, that is, three for the dry season and three for the wet season. The results retrieved from the analysis were compared to its maximum contamination levels (MCLs) based on the health-based guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO standards were used as an attribute to determine the sources of contaminants likely to be present at the study site. A degradation trend in drinking water quality in the context of climate change may lead to potential health impacts. Hence, it is important to understand seasonal variations in drinking water quality. A proper understanding of the drinking water quality through seasonal water analysis for nitrate, nitrite, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chlorine content as well as its microbiological presence to reduce preventable risks such as using calculated amounts of fertilisers and upgrading the sewerage system to alleviate drinking water contamination is devised through this study.


Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Adamantia Efstratiou ◽  
Marina Bountouni ◽  
Efthimios Kefalas

The aim of this study was to gather information on the spread of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from wells, boreholes and untreated drinking water in islands of Greece. We analyzed for antibiotic resistance 235 E. coli strains isolated from untreated drinking water of small rural communities, and ground water from 4 islands. Resistance was tested against Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Amoxicillin and Cefaclor. More than half (54.9%) were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested. Of these 26.3% showed multiple resistance (to two or more antibiotics). Strains from drinking water sources were overall more sensitive. Frequent resistance was observed for Amoxicillin (38.3%) and Levofloxacin (28.5%), low for Norfloxacin (5.5%).


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