PLOS ONE: [sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST, filterJournals=PLoSONE, sort=Date, newest first, q=subject:"Hydrology"]PLOShttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/webmaster@plos.orgaccelerating the publication of peer-reviewed sciencehttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/search/feed/atom?sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST&filterJournals=PLoSONE&sort=Date,+newest+first&unformattedQuery=subject:%22Hydrology%22All PLOS articles are Open Access.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.icohttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.ico2024-03-28T21:28:41ZLow-cost IoT based system for lake water quality monitoringKartikay LalSanoj MenonFrazer NobleKhalid Mahmood Arif10.1371/journal.pone.02990892024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Kartikay Lal, Sanoj Menon, Frazer Noble, Khalid Mahmood Arif</p>
Water quality monitoring is a critical process in maintaining the well-being of aquatic ecosystems and ensuring growth of the surrounding environment. Clean water supports and maintains the health, livelihoods, and ecological balance of the ecosystem as a whole. Regular assessment of water quality is essential to ensure clean and reliable water is available to everyone. This requires regular measurement of pollutants or contaminants in water that can be monitored in real-time. Hence, this research showcases a system that consists of low-cost sensors used to measure five basic parameters of water quality that are: turbidity, total dissolved solids, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The system incorporates electronics and IoT technology that are powered by a solar charged lead acid battery. The data gathered from the sensors was stored locally on a micro-SD card with live updates that could be viewed on a mobile device when in proximity to the system. Data was gathered from three different bodies of water over a span of three weeks, precisely during the seasonal transition from autumn to winter. We adopted a water sampling technique since our low-cost sensors were not designed for continuous submersion. The results show that the temperature drops gradually during this period and an inversely proportional relationship between pH and temperature could be observed. The concentration of total dissolved solids decreased during rainy periods with a variation in turbidity. The deployed system was robust and autonomous that effectively monitored the quality of water in real-time with scope of adding more sensors and employing Industry 4.0 paradigm to predict variations in water quality.Assessing the quality of drinking water from selected water sources in Mbarara city, South-western UgandaCatherine N. AbaasaSavino AyesigaJulius B. LejjuMorgan AndamaImelda K. TamwesigireJoel BaziraFrederick Byarugaba10.1371/journal.pone.02977942024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Catherine N. Abaasa, Savino Ayesiga, Julius B. Lejju, Morgan Andama, Imelda K. Tamwesigire, Joel Bazira, Frederick Byarugaba</p>
This study assessed the physical, chemical, and microbiological quality with emphasis on risk score, source apportionment, geochemistry, feacal coliforms and water quality index of drinking water from selected water sources. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six villages in Mbarara city, south-western Uganda. Each selected source was inspected using a WHO-adopted sanitary inspection questionnaire. Each source’s risk score was calculated. Thirty-seven samples were taken from one borehole, nine open dug wells, four rain harvest tanks, and twenty-three taps. The values for apparent color and phosphate were higher than the permissible level as set by the World Health Organization and Ugandan standards (US EAS 12). The isolated organisms were <i>Klebsiella spp</i>. (8.11%), <i>Citrobacter divergens</i> (62.16%), <i>Citrobacter fluendii</i> (2.7%), <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> (35.14%), <i>Enterobacter aerogenes</i> (8.11%), <i>Enterobacter agglomerus</i> (5.4%), <i>Proteus spp</i>. (2.7%), <i>Enterobacter cloacae</i> (13.5%), and <i>Proteus mirabilis</i> (2.7%). Twelve water sources (32.4%) had water that was unfit for human consumption that was unfit for human consumption (Grade E), Five sources (13.5%) had water that had a very poor index (Grade D), nine (24.3%) had water of poor index (Grade C), eight (21.6%) had water of good water index (Grade B), and only three (8.1%) had water of excellent water quality index (Grade A). The piper trilinear revealed that the dominant water type of the area were Mgso<sub>4</sub> and Caso<sub>4</sub> type. Gibbs plot represents precipitation dominance. PCA for source apportionment showed that well, tap and borehole water account for the highest variations in the quality of drinking water. These results suggest that drinking water from sources in Mbarara city is not suitable for direct human consumption without treatment. We recommend necessary improvements in water treatment, distribution, and maintenance of all the available water sources in Mbarara City, South Western Uganda.Prevalence and concentration of pesticides in European waters: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysisManuel Serrano ValeraNuria VelaGrasiela PiuvezamFrancisco Mateo-RamírezIsac Davidson Santiago Fernandes PimentaIsabel Martínez-Alcalá10.1371/journal.pone.02823862024-03-26T14:00:00Z2024-03-26T14:00:00Z<p>by Manuel Serrano Valera, Nuria Vela, Grasiela Piuvezam, Francisco Mateo-Ramírez, Isac Davidson Santiago Fernandes Pimenta, Isabel Martínez-Alcalá</p>
There is currently a growing interest in the so-called emerging pollutants, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene care products, drugs, etc., whose presence in natural ecosystems is not necessarily recent, but the development in latest years of new and more sensitive methods of analysis has allowed their detection. They can be present in the natural environment, food, and many products of everyday origin, which suggests that human exposure to them is massive and universal. Therefore, the study of this type of substances is becoming one of the priority lines of research of the main agencies dedicated to the protection of public and environmental health, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or European Union (EU). In this sense, it is of vital importance to know the nature and quantity of this type of contaminants, to establish preventive mechanisms that minimize its presence in aquatic systems, with special requirements for human consumption. This study aimed to describe a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the status of pesticides in European waters. We will search for original studies in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, ScienceDirect databases. Prevalence studies of emerging contaminants (pesticides) in water resources (watersheds, aquifers, rivers, marine and springs), wastewaters (influent and effluent), and drinking water should be included. Two reviewers will independently screen and assess the included studies, with any disagreements being resolved by a third reviewer. We will summarize the findings using a narrative approach and, if possible, conduct a quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). We will conduct the protocol following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. The review will summarize the current evidence on the presence of pesticides in European waters such as glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroid pesticides, neonicotinoid pesticides, and/or fungicides, in samples of different water resources like wastewaters and drinking water. We expect that this systematic review will establish preventive mechanisms that minimize the presence of pesticides in water in the environment.Characterization of geological and lithological features in the area proximal to tritium-contaminated groundwater at the Semipalatinsk test siteMedet AktayevSergey SubbotinAssan AidarkhanovAlmira AidarkhanovaLyubov TimonovaNatalya Larionova10.1371/journal.pone.03009712024-03-22T14:00:00Z2024-03-22T14:00:00Z<p>by Medet Aktayev, Sergey Subbotin, Assan Aidarkhanov, Almira Aidarkhanova, Lyubov Timonova, Natalya Larionova</p>
The article presents the results of a study of groundwater contaminated with tritium in the vicinity of the ‘Atomic Lake’ - a crater filled with water as a result of a thermonuclear explosion on the territory of the former Semipalatinsk test site. This crater was created as part of an experimental thermonuclear explosion in 1965 with the aim of creating an artificial reservoir in arid areas. The study was carried out to identify the source of groundwater contamination near the crater formed from a thermonuclear test. There were two possible factors of pollution: the influence of contaminated water from the crater on the groundwater of the adjacent area, or groundwater polluting the water in the crater. It was necessary to find out the source of groundwater contamination and its connection with the water in the funnel. For this purpose, a study of the geological and lithological conditions of the territory adjacent to the funnel was carried out, which was carried out using drilling operations and hydrological measurements. Drilling work made it possible to study the depth of distribution of groundwater, hydrological work made it possible to determine the conditions of distribution of groundwater, as well as to take samples of groundwater. The assessment of the degree of groundwater contamination was carried out through water sampling and laboratory analysis. As a result, it was established that the geological and lithological conditions of the area limit the flow of contaminated groundwater to the water in the crater - the ‘Atomic Lake’. Despite the fact that the waters in the crater from a thermonuclear explosion and the groundwater of the adjacent territory are contaminated with the radionuclide tritium, they have different sources of contamination and are not interconnected. Radionuclide analysis of groundwater showed that increased concentrations of tritium with a specific activity of up to 95 000 Bq/l are found in groundwater near the river bed. Shagan and this is due to the influence of the flow of groundwater coming from other parts of the landfill.Study on the methodology of emergency decision-making for water transfer project contingencies: A case-based reasoning and regret theory approachFeng LiXuewan DuXin HuangXiaoxia Fei10.1371/journal.pone.03002722024-03-21T14:00:00Z2024-03-21T14:00:00Z<p>by Feng Li, Xuewan Du, Xin Huang, Xiaoxia Fei</p>
To tackle the global water imbalance problem, a multitude of inter-basin water transfer projects have been built worldwide in recent decades. Nevertheless, given the complexity and safety challenges associated with project operation, effective emergency decision-making is crucial for addressing unforeseen incidents. Hence, this research has developed a two-stage emergency decision-making framework to tackle the uncertainty in the development trends of emergencies in inter-basin water transfer projects. (1) The first stage mainly utilizes case-based reasoning techniques to extract historical case information and disposal plans for inter-basin water transfer projects. Subsequently, a holistic similarity model is built by employing structural similarity and local attribute similarity algorithms to identify highly similar historical cases. (2) The second stage involves the optimization and adjustment of decision-making plans based on the dynamic evolution characteristics of emergencies. It utilizes the theory of decision-makers regret psychology and combines it with practical case studies to verify the scientific rationality of the method. This enables it to achieve effective multidimensional expression and rapid matching of scenarios, satisfying the decision-making requirements of "scenario response". Finally, this study compares the results obtained from this method with those computed using the traditional TOPSIS method and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, further validating its feasibility and effectiveness. In practice, this method can provide effective support for decision-makers work.Natural disasters, livelihood, and healthcare challenges of the people of a riverine island in Bangladesh: A mixed-method explorationAhmed HossainAnika Tasneem ChowdhuryMasum MahbubMahmuda KhanTaifur RahmanAzaz Bin SharifHeba HijaziMohamad Alameddine10.1371/journal.pone.02988542024-03-21T14:00:00Z2024-03-21T14:00:00Z<p>by Ahmed Hossain, Anika Tasneem Chowdhury, Masum Mahbub, Mahmuda Khan, Taifur Rahman, Azaz Bin Sharif, Heba Hijazi, Mohamad Alameddine</p>
Background <p>Bangladesh’s islands, because of their geographical location, frequently encounter crises like floods and river erosion, which pose significant threats to the residents’ well-being and livelihoods. To delve into the effects of these disasters on livelihood and healthcare challenges, a mixed-method study was undertaken in a riverine-island near a major river of Bangladesh.</p> Methodology <p>Between February 15th and February 28th, 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted on an island in Bangladesh. The quantitative method involved conducting a survey of 442 households, with a total of 2921 participants. Additionally, 10 in-depth interviews and 10 key-informant interviews were conducted using semi-structured guidelines. Qualitative interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis. Triangulation was employed in this study through the integration of qualitative and quantitative analysis, resulting in the presentation of findings that offer an in-depth comprehension of the phenomenon being investigated.</p> Results <p>River erosions and floods are common and recurring natural disasters that significantly impact the lives of the riverine island inhabitants. These disasters often disrupted their livelihoods, forced many residents to endure substandard living conditions or relocated during flood events. The island faced a low diagnostic prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g., 5.1% of adults were hypertension and 2.5% are diabetes) because of the absence of diagnostic facilities and a shortage of certified doctors. A significant number of chronic illness people in the community turned to alternative medicine sources (39.3%) such as homeopathy, Kabiraj, and Ayurvedic medicine, especially it gets increased during periods of natural disasters. Moreover, reproductive aged women revealed that 79.4% of them gave birth at home, with 6.0% of these home deliveries resulting in miscarriage or infant death. The destruction of crops, unstable job opportunities, an inadequate educational system, and a deficient healthcare delivery system exacerbated the hardships faced by the population affected by these disasters.</p> Conclusion <p>The failure to seek treatment for chronic diseases and undiagnosed diseases is a significant health issue among the aging adults on the island. Island residents face the challenge of establishing effective prevention strategies for the well-being of older adults especially at the period of natural disasters. It is crucial for the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to collaborate to prevent the negative effects of floods and river erosions. This should include efforts to enhance the quality of education, healthcare services, job opportunities, and financial assistance for rebuilding homes.</p>Persistent long-term habitat use by Florida manatees at Fort Pierce, Florida from 1997 to 2020Rachel TennantBeth BradyKim LoveEric RamosRyan Schloesser10.1371/journal.pone.02976362024-03-21T14:00:00Z2024-03-21T14:00:00Z<p>by Rachel Tennant, Beth Brady, Kim Love, Eric Ramos, Ryan Schloesser</p>
To survive cold winters, Florida manatees (<i>Trichechus manatus latirostris</i>) depend on artificial (i.e., power plants) and natural warm water sources such as springs and passive thermal basins. Passive thermal basins can provide critical habitat for manatees for short or extended periods of time. The Henry D. King Powerplant in Fort Pierce, Florida discharged warm water into Moore’s Creek until it went offline in 1995. However, it is unknown to what degree manatees continue to occupy this area and how environmental factors influence their occurrence in the creek. To explore this, we examined the habitat use of Florida manatees in Moore’s Creek after the shutdown from November 1997 to March 2020 from daily counts of manatees. In addition, we correlated local environmental data (ambient air, temperature, salinity) to assess if Moore’s Creek had properties indicative of a passive thermal basin. Results indicated there was not an increase or decrease in habitat use over twenty years in the Creek. The consistent use of Moore’s Creek over the study period suggests that this habitat possesses thermal and freshwater resources to support manatee occurrence long-term. These findings provide robust support for the importance of this habitat and passive thermal basins for Florida manatees.The first Neolithic boats in the Mediterranean: The settlement of La Marmotta (Anguillara Sabazia, Lazio, Italy)Juan F. GibajaMario MineoFrancisco Javier SantosBerta MorellLaura Caruso-FerméGerard RemolinsAlba MasclansNiccolò Mazzucco10.1371/journal.pone.02997652024-03-20T14:00:00Z2024-03-20T14:00:00Z<p>by Juan F. Gibaja, Mario Mineo, Francisco Javier Santos, Berta Morell, Laura Caruso-Fermé, Gerard Remolins, Alba Masclans, Niccolò Mazzucco</p>
Navigation in the Mediterranean in the Neolithic is studied here through the boats that were used, the degree of technical specialisation in their construction and, above all, their chronology. After a brief explanation of the exceptional site of La Marmotta, the characteristics and chronology of the five canoes found at the settlement and one of the nautical objects linked to Canoe 1 are discussed. This will allow a reflection on the capability of Neolithic societies for navigation owing to their high technological level. This technology was an essential part in the success of their expansion, bearing in mind that in a few millennia they occupied the whole Mediterranean from Cyprus to the Atlantic seaboard of the Iberian Peninsula.Description of <i>Saprolegnia velencensis</i> sp. n. (Oomycota), a novel water mold species from Lake Velence, HungaryViktória VerebélyiNoémi ErdeiTímea HardyEdit Eszterbauer10.1371/journal.pone.02988142024-03-20T14:00:00Z2024-03-20T14:00:00Z<p>by Viktória Verebélyi, Noémi Erdei, Tímea Hardy, Edit Eszterbauer</p>
Here, we describe a novel water mold species, <i>Saprolegnia velencensis</i> sp. n. from Lake Velence, in Hungary. Two strains (SAP239 and SAP241) were isolated from lake water, and characterized using morphological and molecular markers. In addition, phylogenetic analyses based on ITS–rDNA regions and on the RNA polymerase II B subunit (RPB2) gene complemented the study. The ITS–rDNA of the two strains was 100% identical, showed the highest similarity to that of <i>S</i>. <i>ferax</i> (with 94.4% identity), and they formed a separate cluster in both the ITS–rDNA and RPB2-based maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees with high bootstrap support. Although mature oogonia and antheridia were not seen under <i>in vitro</i> conditions, the <i>S</i>. <i>velencensis</i> sp. n. could be clearly distinguished from its closest relative, <i>S</i>. <i>ferax</i>, by the length and width of sporangia, as the new species had shorter and narrower sporangia (163.33±70.07 and 36.69±8.27 μm, respectively) than those of <i>S</i>. <i>ferax</i>. The two species also differed in the size of the secondary cysts (11.63±1.77 μm), which were slightly smaller in <i>S</i>. <i>ferax</i>. Our results showed that <i>S</i>. <i>velencensis</i> sp. n. could not be identified with any of the previously described water mold species, justifying its description as a new species.CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> dynamics in a eutrophic tropical Andean reservoirEliana Bohórquez-BedoyaJuan Gabriel León-HernándezAndreas LorkeAndrés Gómez-Giraldo10.1371/journal.pone.02981692024-03-20T14:00:00Z2024-03-20T14:00:00Z<p>by Eliana Bohórquez-Bedoya, Juan Gabriel León-Hernández, Andreas Lorke, Andrés Gómez-Giraldo</p>
We studied the dynamics of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) in a eutrophic tropical reservoir located in the Colombian Andes. Temporal and spatial dynamics were addressed through sampling during six field campaigns conducted throughout a two-year period. We monitored fluxes at the air-water interface, dissolved gas concentrations, physical and chemical properties of the water column, microstructure profiles of turbulence, and meteorological conditions. Throughout the study period, the reservoir was a persistent source of CH<sub>4</sub> to the atmosphere with higher emissions occurring in the near inflow region. During periods of low water levels, both the emissions and surface concentrations of CH<sub>4</sub> were higher and more spatially heterogeneous. The measured CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes at the air-water interface changed direction depending on the time and location, showing alternating uptake and emissions by the water surface. Mass balances of dissolved CH<sub>4</sub> in the surface mixed layer revealed that biochemical reactions and gas evasion were the most significant processes influencing the dynamics of dissolved CH<sub>4</sub>, and provided new evidence of possible oxic methane production. Our results also suggest that surface CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations are higher under more eutrophic conditions, which varied both spatially and temporally.Obtaining accurate population estimates with reduced workload and lower fish mortality in multi-mesh gillnet sampling of a large pre-alpine lakeSteffen BaderJulia Gaye-SiesseggerBarbara ScholzMário Mota-FerreiraAlexander Brinker10.1371/journal.pone.02997742024-03-18T14:00:00Z2024-03-18T14:00:00Z<p>by Steffen Bader, Julia Gaye-Siessegger, Barbara Scholz, Mário Mota-Ferreira, Alexander Brinker</p>
The EU Water Framework Directive requires monitoring of the ecological status of lakes, with fish as a relevant class of biotic quality indicator, but monitoring fish populations in large lakes is demanding. This study evaluated use in Lake Constance of a novel multi-mesh gillnet modified to reduce catch numbers. In direct comparison with conventional European Committee for Standardization (CEN) nets we achieved 48% reduction in fish mortality with 38% less labour for tasks directly influenced by fish catch numbers, while maintaining comparable species composition and catch per unit effort. Comparison of mesh sizes indicated no significant reduction in species detection in area-reduced panels of the small mesh sizes, while total observed species richness was greater when using the modified nets. Differences in benthic species communities among depth strata were common, while those of pelagic zones were more homogeneous and did not differ significantly with depth. Catches of different net types from the same depth stratum did not exhibit significant differences. The dominance structure of the most common species, relevant to lake assessment, was similar in catches of both net types, suggesting overall superiority of the modified nets in Lake Constance. Sampling conducted according to standard European CEN protocol, while deploying 60% fewer nets, yielded sufficiently precise abundance estimates for monitoring shallow areas of the benthic zone. A 50% difference in the abundance of dominant species was detected among sampling events with a certainty of 95%. The sample did not provide comparable accuracy in deep benthic strata or the pelagic zone, but was adequate to record complete inventories of species present. Based on this trial data, a new stratified sampling design is proposed for monitoring large lake fish communities for ecological assessment. Depth-dependent fish communities were used to calculate the required number of nets, which resulted in a 69% reduction for the entire lake compared to the CEN calculation method. Using the modified nets increases the feasibility of performing WFD surveys, by reducing effort and cost, while the simultaneous halving of fish mortality minimises the negative impact of fish surveys.Design and implementation of a Li River water quality monitoring and analysis system based on outlier data analysisQirong LuJian ZouYingya YeZexin Wang10.1371/journal.pone.02994352024-03-18T14:00:00Z2024-03-18T14:00:00Z<p>by Qirong Lu, Jian Zou, Yingya Ye, Zexin Wang</p>
The detection of water quality indicators such as Temperature, pH, Turbidity, Conductivity, and TDS involves five national standard methods. Chemically based measurement techniques may generate liquid residue, causing secondary pollution. The water quality monitoring and data analysis system can effectively address the issues that conventional methods require multiple pieces of equipment and repeated measurements. This paper analyzes the distribution characteristics of the historical data from five sensors at a specific time, displays them graphically in real time, and provides an early warning of exceeding the standard; It selects four water samples from different sections of the Li River, based on the national standard method, the average measurement errors of Temperature, PH, TDS, Conductivity and Turbidity are 0.98%, 2.23%, 2.92%, 3.05% and 3.98%.;It further uses the quartile method to analyze the outlier data over 100,000 records and five historical periods are selected. Experiment results show the system is relatively stable in measuring Temperature, PH and TDS, and the proportion of outlier is 0.42%, 0.84% and 1.24%. When Turbidity and Conductivity are measured, the proportion is 3.11% and 2.92%. In the experiment of using 7 methods to fill outlier, K nearest neighbor algorithm is better than others. The analysis of data trends, outliers, means, and extreme values assists in making decisions, such as updating and maintaining equipment, addressing extreme water quality situations, and enhancing regional water quality oversight.The impact of rivers and lakes on urban transportation expansion: A case study of the century-long evolution of the road network in Wuhan, ChinaRan PengKeyuan DingHaixu GuoXueliang LiuYehao LiuHuaiyang WengRui Li10.1371/journal.pone.02986782024-03-18T14:00:00Z2024-03-18T14:00:00Z<p>by Ran Peng, Keyuan Ding, Haixu Guo, Xueliang Liu, Yehao Liu, Huaiyang Weng, Rui Li</p>
Throughout history, rivers and lakes have wielded a profound influence on the dynamics of urban transportation expansion. To illustrate this phenomenon, we turn to the century-long evolution of the road network in Wuhan, China, as a case study. The study aims to explore the relationship framework between water bodies and urban transportation, characterized by the sequence of “strong connection” to “weakened connection”, then to “mutual restriction”, and ultimately to “mutual benefit”. Additionally, the analysis of the impact mechanisms of rivers and lakes on urban transportation at different stages of development is also a key research objective. To facilitate our exploration, we select the road networks in Wuhan from four years of 1922, 1969, 1995, and 2023 as the primary research subjects. By establishing water buffers, we scrutinize the evolving characteristics of riverside and lakeside transportation amidst the city’s expansion. Based on the modified shortest path model, we introduce the innovative concepts of “Detour Index” and “Weighted Detour Index” to assess the road accessibility of each node in the city based on its inherent environmental conditions. This allows for the effective analysis of the potential impact of water bodies as “obstacles” on the road network at different stages of urban development. The study found that in the areas adjacent to the rivers and lakes in Wuhan, there is insufficient road accessibility based on their inherent environmental conditions. Particularly, some areas along the rivers may become “terminals” in the urban road network. Furthermore, during the process of urban expansion, the correlation between the urban road network and rivers continues to weaken, while the correlation with lakes continues to strengthen. These conclusions can provide valuable insights for the planning of urban roads near water bodies.Spatiotemporal mapping of rice acreage and productivity growth in BangladeshMd. Abdullah Al MamunSheikh Arafat Islam NihadMou Rani SarkerMd Abdur Rouf SarkarMd. Ismail HossainMd. Shahjahan Kabir10.1371/journal.pone.03006482024-03-15T14:00:00Z2024-03-15T14:00:00Z<p>by Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Sheikh Arafat Islam Nihad, Mou Rani Sarker, Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar, Md. Ismail Hossain, Md. Shahjahan Kabir</p>
Technological advancements have long played crucial roles in rice productivity and food security in Bangladesh. Seasonal variation over time and regional differences in rice production, however, pose a threat to agricultural sustainability but remain unexplored. We performed a spatial-temporal mapping of rice cultivation area, production, and yield from 2006–2007 to 2019–2020 using secondary data for disaggregating 64 districts in Bangladesh. Growth and multivariate approaches were employed to analyze time-series data. Results showed that Mymensingh had the highest rice cultivated area and production, while Bandarban had the lowest. The 14 years highest average rice yield was found in Gopalganj and Dhaka (3.63 tons/ha), while Patuakhali (1.73 tons/ha) had the lowest. For the Aus, Aman, and Boro, the rice cultivation area in 19 districts, 11 districts, and 13 districts declined significantly. The overall rice production increased significantly in most districts. For the Aus, Aman, and Boro seasons, the rice yield in 54, 50, and 37 districts demonstrated a significant upward trend, respectively. The adoption rate of modern varieties has risen dramatically. However, there are notable variances between regions and seasons. A significant increasing trend in Aus (0.007% to 0.521%), Aman (0.004% to 0.039%), and Boro (0.013% to 0.584%) were observed in 28, 34, and 36 districts, respectively, with an increase of 1% adaptation of HYV. Predictions revealed that rice cultivation area and production of Aus, Aman, and Boro seasons will be increased in most of the regions of Bangladesh by 2030. Based on spatiotemporal cluster analysis, the five identified cluster groupings illustrated that clusters lack spatial cohesion and vary greatly seasonally. This suggests increasing rice production by expanding cultivable land, adopting high-yielding varieties, and integrating faster technological advancement in research and extension. The findings will assist scientists in developing region-specific production technologies and policymakers in designing decentral region-specific policies to ensure the future sustainability of rice production.Constructed wetland as a green remediation technology for the treatment of wastewater from underground coal gasification processŁukasz JałowieckiAleksandra Strugała-WilczekKatarzyna PonikiewskaJacek BorgulatGrażyna PłazaKrzysztof Stańczyk10.1371/journal.pone.03004852024-03-12T14:00:00Z2024-03-12T14:00:00Z<p>by Łukasz Jałowiecki, Aleksandra Strugała-Wilczek, Katarzyna Ponikiewska, Jacek Borgulat, Grażyna Płaza, Krzysztof Stańczyk</p>
The wastewater from underground coal gasification (UCG) process has extremely complex composition and high concentrations of toxic and refractory compounds including phenolics, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ammonia, cyanides, hazardous metals and metalloids. So, the development of biological processes for treating UCG wastewater poses a serious challenge in the sustainable coal industry. The aim of the study was to develop an innovative and efficient wetland construction technology suitable for a treatment of UCG wastewater using available and low-cost media. During the bioremediation process the toxicity of the raw wastewater decreased significantly between 74%—99%. The toxicity units (TU) ranged from values corresponding to very high acute toxic for raw wastewater to non-toxic for effluents from wetland columns after 60 days of the experiment. The toxicity results correlated with the decrease of some organic and inorganic compounds such as phenols, aromatic hydrocarbons, cyanides, metals and ammonia observed during the bioremediation process. The removal percentage of organic compounds like BTEX, PAHs and phenol was around 99% just after 14 days of treatment. A similar removal rate was indicated for cyanide and metals (Zn, Cr, Cd and Pb). Concluded, in order to effectively assess remediation technologies, it is desirable to consider combination of physicochemical parameters with ecotoxicity measurements. The present findings show that wetland remediation technology can be used to clean-up the heavily contaminated waters from the UCG process. Wetland technology as a nature-based solution has the potential to turn coal gasification wastewater into usable recycled water. It is economically and environmentally alternative treatment method.