Public contestation over agricultural pollution: a discourse network analysis on narrative strategies in the policy process

The overuse of fertilizers in agriculture and their entry into freshwater has many negative impacts on biodiversity and poses problems for drinking water resources in Germany. In response to exceeding levels of nitrate concentrations in groundwater in parts of the country, an intense public dispute evolved and a significant policy change in fertilizer regulation occurred in 2020. Based on the German case of agricultural water pollution, this study demonstrates in an innovative way how discourse network analysis is a fruitful method for the integrated study of actor coalitions and their use of narrative strategies in public debate. Theoretically, the study draws on the narrative policy framework (NPF) to explain how actor coalitions use narrative strategies to attempt to influence policymaking on water pollution by agricultural activities. The empirical analysis builds on newspaper articles and press releases disseminated between 2010 and 2020. The results demonstrate how two opposing actor coalitions with congruent policy beliefs formed in the struggle over fertilizer regulation. These not only diverged in their policy beliefs but also differed in their use of narrative strategies to try to expand or contain the policy issue. More precisely, the coalitions adapted their narratives over time in response to changes in the likelihood to win or lose. Furthermore, the results suggest the coalition in favor of stricter fertilizer regulation was more sophisticated in its effort to mobilize specific target groups. Overall, the article provides a valuable contribution to the literature on the NPF by combining research on coalition formation and policy narratives.

Determinants of hand-hygiene practices in India: reflections from the 76th round National Sample Survey, 2018

This paper studies the differences and determinants of handwashing practices in India and identifies sections of the population with poor handwashing practices who are relatively more vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have used the data from the recent National Sample Survey (NSS, 76th round) for India (2018). Bivariate and logistic regression analyses have been performed to predict the determinants of handwashing practices across states and socio-economic groups. Levels of education of the household head, Usual Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (UMPCE) of the household, access to water (other than drinking water) resources and sanitation facilities, and the availability of water with soap in and around latrine are major socio-economic and demographic factors that impact handwashing practices. Higher access to principal sources of water for drinking and other purposes, access to bathroom and latrine with soap, and the availability of water in or around latrine increase the likelihood of handwashing among the people. Universal handwashing across different sections of population will be effective to prevent further infection. The available data help us to identify the vulnerable sections of the population which are towards the lower end of the handwashing compliance spectrum. The policymakers can outline specific planning and strategy implementation for them.

Stochastic Particle Tracking Application in Different Urban Areas in Central Europe: The Milano (IT) and Jaworzno (PL) Case Study to Secure the Drinking Water Resources

Urban areas are typically characterized by the presence of industrial sites, which are often sources of groundwater contamination, posing a serious threat for the groundwater. In such cases, a crucial step is to find a link between the contaminant sources and freshwater supply wells at risk. As a part of the AMIIGA Project, two different stochastic approaches were applied to assess drinking water supply wells vulnerability in Functional Urban Areas in the presence of several chlorinated hydrocarbons sources in an alluvial aquifer in Milano and a pesticide mega site in a complex geological setting in Poland. In the first case study, the innovative Pilot Point Null-Space Monte Carlo forward particle tracking was used, applying a forward solution instead of the classical backtracking, while in the second case was chosen the classical Monte Carlo methodology. Both case studies represent useful application examples, allowing an effective prioritization of expensive remediation actions in order to protect freshwater wells.

Foreign legislation in the field of drinking groundwater protection (literature review)

The need to protect underground sources of drinking and household water supply. Many reasons, including climatic changes, an increase in anthropogenic pressure, and an increase in the need for drinking water, dictate the need to protect underground sources of drinking and domestic water supply. The USSR was the pioneer in the field of drinking water protection in the world. Already in 1956, USSR put an instruction on the establishment of sanitary protection zones (SPZ) into effect. The United States took the first steps in resolving this issue only seven years later. Along with Soviet developments, the USA and German guidelines are still fundamental and contain fundamental recommendations for groundwater protection. The requirements related to the protection of water intakes in the legislative acts of various states have been implemented at the international level (Directive 2000/60 / EU, Directive 2006/118 / EU), nationally (Australian National Strategy, USA Safe Drinking Water Law, PRC Law on Drinking Water Pollution Prevention and Control) and Local Levels (New Jersey safeguard zone (SGZ) Guidelines). Among the standard features is the allocation of belts in the S with different permitted use regimes: belt I (strict regime) - 10-50 m, belt II -50 days -10 years, belt III - the entire catchment area. Conclusions. Despite the fact that each country uses different approaches to protecting groundwater, in general, there is a similarity in the establishment and organization of SGZ for groundwater intakes, in which certain activities are prohibited or restricted. In the Russian Federation, it seems important to formalize the results of scientific research and existing experience in the protection of underground sources of drinking water supply in the form of Guidelines to allow ensuring optimal management of drinking water resources and preserve the quality of drinking water, to guarantee their availability in the future.

Nonlinear Isotherm and Kinetic Modeling of Cu(II) and Pb(II) Uptake from Water by MnFe2O4/Chitosan Nanoadsorbents

Researchers are in continuous search of better strategies to minimize, if not prevent, the anthropogenic release of toxic heavy metals, such as Cu(II) and Pb(II), into drinking water resources and the natural environment. Herein, we report for the first time the low-temperature combustion synthesis of magnetic chitosan-manganese ferrite in the absence of toxic cross-linking agents and its removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) from single-component metal solutions. The nonlinear Langmuir model best described the isotherm data, while the nonlinear pseudo-second order model best described the kinetic data, signifying monolayer Cu(II) or Pb(II) adsorption and chemisorption as the rate-determining step, respectively. Adsorption capacities by magnetic chitosan-manganese ferrite obtained for both metals were consistently higher than those by manganese ferrite, indicating that chitosan enhanced the performance of the magnetic adsorbent. The maximum adsorption capacities of magnetic chitosan-manganese ferrite for Cu(II) and Pb(II) were 14.86 and 15.36 mg g−1, while that of manganese ferrite were 2.59 and 13.52 mg g−1, respectively. Moreover, the adsorbents showed superior binding affinity and sorption for Pb(II) than Cu(II) owing to the stronger ability of the former to form inner-sphere complexes with manganese ferrite and magnetic chitosan-manganese ferrite. Finally, thermodynamic studies revealed that the uptake of either Pb(II) or Cu(II) by magnetic chitosan-manganese ferrite was spontaneous and endothermic. The as-prepared adsorbent was characterized for morphology, elemental composition, surface functional sites, and particle size using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering technique, respectively.