Impact of Climatic Changes on Earth's Survival

Every species' survival on earth is dependent on each other for their demand and dependent on the environment and various other sources. These resources include fresh food, clean drinking water, timber for construction, natural gas and coal for industries, fibers for clothing. All the human activity affects the environment severely in different ways. The biggest threats to the environment are climatic changes. Climate is an important factor that affects all survival on earth. The different pollutants, transport, dispersion, chemical transformation, as well as the deposition can be affected by meteorological variable such as humidity, wind, temperature. Climatic changes are expected to worsen the quality of air and water by changing the atmospheric processes and chemistry. Not only human beings but every aspect of the ecosystem is affected due to the changing climate. This chapter will explore the impacts of climatic changes on biodiversity by various activities of humans. Additionally, it will sketch how the impacts can be reduced by plants.

A Hybrid Model for Achieving Universal Safe Drinking Water in the Medium-Sized City of Bangangté (Cameroon)

Providing everyone with safe drinking water is a moral imperative. Yet, sub-Saharan Africa seems unable to achieve “safe drinking water for all” by 2030. This sad situation calls for a closer examination of the water supply options for both rural and urban populations. Commonly, two main aspects are considered: (1) behavioural responses to available or potential water supply options, and (2) socio-economic acceptability. These aspects determine the feasibility and the affordability of bringing safe drinking water as a basic good and human right to everyone. There is a broad consensus that achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 is mostly a financial issue, especially in low-income settings. This communication challenges this view as water is available everywhere and affordable treatment options are well-known. It considers the decentralized water supply model as a reference or standard approach in low-income settings rather than as an alternative. Here, the medium-sized city of Bangangté in the western region of Cameroon is used to demonstrate that universal safe drinking water will soon be possible. In fact, during the colonial period, the residences of the elite and the main institutions, including the administrative quarter, churches, and hospital, have been supplied with clean water from various local sources. All that is needed is to consider everyone as important or accept safe drinking water as human right. First, we present a historical background on water supply in the colonial period up to 1980. Second, the drinking water supply systems and water demand driven by population growth are discussed. Finally, a hybrid model for the achieving of universal access to clean drinking water, and preconditions for its successful implementation, are presented. Overall, this communication calls for a shift from safe drinking water supply approaches dominated by centralized systems, and presents a transferable hybrid model to achieve universal clean drinking water.

Toxocara Seroprevalence and Risk Factor Analysis in Four Communities of the Wiwa, an Indigenous Tribe in Colombia

The life of the indigenous Wiwa tribe in northeast Colombia is characterized by lacking access to clean drinking water and sanitary installations. Furthermore, free-roaming domestic animals and use of yucca and/or manioc as a primary food source favor the transmission of soil-transmitted helminths, e.g., Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, the roundworms of dogs and cats. Infection may result in the clinical picture of toxocarosis, one of the most common zoonotic helminthoses worldwide. To estimate the Toxocara seroprevalence in four different villages of the Wiwa community, serum samples from 483 inhabitants were analyzed for anti-Toxocara-antibodies. Overall, 79.3% (383/483) of analyzed samples were seropositive. Statistically significant differences were observed between the four villages, as well as age groups (adults > adolescents > children), while sex had no effect. The high seropositivity rate demonstrates the risk of zoonotic roundworm infections and potential clinical disease in vulnerable indigenous inhabitants.

Provision of Population with Drinking Water in OSH

The underground waters of the Ak-Buura valleys located among the mountains and the Mady underground water deposit located on the southern out skirts of the Mady village are of great value in providing clean drinking water to the city of Osh. The water horizons of the alluvial-proluvial plains in the Ak-Buura river valley and the Mady ground water deposit are of great importance to the use of ground water to provide the population with clean drinking water.

Whether Households are Willing to Pay for Clean Water Supply in Sialkot, Pakistan? An Elucidation

Waterborne diseases due to contaminated water remain a severe problem in most of the developing world. The situation is serious in Sialkot the district of Punjab where groundwater is contaminated due to effluents' improper disposal. The current study is designed to find the determinants of willingness to pay (WTP) by households for clean drinking water supply in the affected area. A contingent valuation survey approach and a stratified random sampling technique have been applied. A double bounded dichotomous choice question followed by an open-ended question format has been used to elicit WTP and maximum willingness of the respondents for clean drinking water supply. Logit and Multiple Linear Regression Model is used as an econometric tool to analyze the data. The results reveal that as the income of the respondent increases, the WTP for the clean water supply also increases. While multiple regression reveals a monthly mean WTP of Rs. 234.54 which is greatly affected by age, household income, education, and environmental awareness i.e. respondents with higher household income and a higher level of education are willing to pay more for a clean water supply. Residents who are living closer to the tanneries are more affected and their WTP is higher.

Treatment of Alkaline Water using Reverse Osmosis System with the Help of Renewable Solar Energy

The aim of this project is to develop a low-cost water purification system that provides clean drinking water. The project has a broad reach since drinking water pollution is a big global problem. This device would provide a solution to contaminated drinking water. Electric current is used to power the purifier during the water treatment process, reducing fluoride, chloride, and increasing the pH content of salty water, resulting in potable drinking water. To achieve this aim, a project management plan has been devised that divides the tasks amongst the community. The ultimate goal of designing this project is to provide clean drinking water at a low cost. The aim of this project is to develop and build a small-scale water purification system that needs little maintenance and is inexpensive. Initially, solar power would be used to power the purification system and to transition the system to renewable energy.

Design and Fabrication of Thermosyphon Water Purification System

Lack of clean drinking water in rural areas is a huge problem during the occurrences of floods and other environmental disasters. Often, it takes a long time to transport potable water to these areas resulting in health issues for the residents. In this research, a solar power-based water purification system using PCM to produce clean drinking water in flood-affected areas or remote areas where potable water is difficult to obtain is proposed. Purification reduces the concentration of particulate matter including suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, and fungi as well as reduces the concentration of a range of dissolved and particulate matter. The purification system available is not easy to get for poor people. So we are using a different technique for water purification system is solar distillation technique, which is very cheap and convenient. These Thermosyphon purification system is a modification of conventional solar still but the efficiency achieved is much higher then the conventional solar still. There are 5 major components in our design consists of Upper basin, Lower basin, Thermosyphon system, Diffusion still, and PCM chamber. The dirty water inlet is taken into Lower basin, upper basin, and diffusion still. Initially the temperature of water in the lower basin is low, so to increase the temperature of the water, thermosyphon loop system is connected with the lower basin. The energy from the lower basin is transferred to the condensing cover and the side walls of the tank which is been wasted to surroundings will be captured by upper basin and diffusion still. In diffusion still, there will be a successive plate, so energy from sidewalls will be evaporated and will be diffuse in a thin gap and it will get condense of the facing surface and that water will be collected in the outlet. We will be adding phase-changing material, which helps the purification to work on in absence of sunlight. So our basic design of the project is to increase the rate of evaporation and condensation process.

Protein nanofibrils for next generation sustainable water purification

Water scarcity is rapidly spreading across the planet, threatening the population across the five continents and calling for global sustainable solutions. Water reclamation is the most ecological approach for supplying clean drinking water. However, current water purification technologies are seldom sustainable, due to high-energy consumption and negative environmental footprint. Here, we review the cutting-edge technologies based on protein nanofibrils as water purification agents and we highlight the benefits of this green, efficient and affordable solution to alleviate the global water crisis. We discuss the different protein nanofibrils agents available and analyze them in terms of performance, range of applicability and sustainability. We underline the unique opportunity of designing protein nanofibrils for efficient water purification starting from food waste, as well as cattle, agricultural or dairy industry byproducts, allowing simultaneous environmental, economic and social benefits and we present a case analysis, including a detailed life cycle assessment, to establish their sustainable footprint against other common natural-based adsorbents, anticipating a bright future for this water purification approach.

Hydrogels: Next Generation Atmospheric Water Harvesting Materials

Hydrogels could harvest atmospheric moisture to produce clean drinking water mitigating the global water scarcity woes in future.