Nitrate Contamination Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the... more

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the nitrate pollution problem, however, the Cadmium Reduction Method, the leading certified method to detect and quantify nitrate, demands the use of a toxic heavy metal. An alternative, the recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method, eliminates this problem but requires an expensive proprietary spectrophotometer. The development of an inexpensive portable, handheld photometer will greatly expedite field nitrate analysis to combat pollution. To accomplish this goal, a methodology for the design, development, and technical validation of an improved open-source water testing platform capable of performing Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method. This approach is evaluated for its potential to i) eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in water testing for nitrate and nitrite, ii) reduce the cost of equipment to perform this method for measurement for water quality, and iii) make the method easier to carryout in the field. The device is able to perform as well as commercial proprietary systems for less than 15% of the cost for materials. This allows for greater access to the technology and the new, safer nitrate testing technique.

The average level of nitrate in groundwater in Nigeria has increased in the last 20–30 years. This is based on the analyses of groundwater samples from over 2,200 wells (1985–2004) and 350 samples (pre-1970). The results of the survey... more

The average level of nitrate in groundwater in Nigeria has increased in the last 20–30 years. This is based on the analyses of groundwater samples from over 2,200 wells (1985–2004) and 350 samples (pre-1970). The results of the survey show that 33% of wells produced water with a nitrate concentration that is above the WHO guide limit of 45mg NO3/L. It was difficult to estimate the number of people drinking water with nitrate concentrations above the permissible limit, yet a significant percentage of the population is assumed to be at risk of ingesting high doses of nitrate through drinking water and food. The purpose of this paper is to present the occurrence of nitrate in groundwater for Nigeria and discuss the implication and sources of nitrate in groundwater from different aquifers within the various groundwater regions in Nigeria.

Elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water have been associated with adverse health effects. Most susceptible to nitrate toxicity are infants under six months of age and pregnant women. This study assesses the nitrate concentration of... more

Elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water have been associated with adverse health effects. Most susceptible to nitrate toxicity are infants under six months of age and pregnant women. This study assesses the nitrate concentration of 48 randomly selected wells in an urban-slum setting in Ibadan South East Local Government Area (IBSELGA), Nigeria. The coordinates of the wells were mapped with a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS). The nitrate concentration ranged between 0.00 and 42.80 mgL -1 with a mean of log 10 of 0.735 and a geometric mean of 5.43 mgL -1 ; and 0.00 and 93.30 mgL -1 with a mean of log 10 of 0.696 and a geometric mean of 4.97 mg L -1 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively. During the wet season, the levels of nitrate in all the wells were within the WHO permissible limit of 45 mg L -1 NO 3 . However, during the dry season, few of the wells; six (12.5%) dried up completely. Out of the remaining 42 wells, six (14.3%) had nitrate concentration which exceed...

Backgrounds: Nitrate contamination in well water is one of the environmental concerns. The major contribution of nitrate contamination is from the agricultural activities (e.g.; fertilizers and pesticide), wastewater treatment plant... more

Backgrounds: Nitrate contamination in well water is one of the environmental concerns. The
major contribution of nitrate contamination is from the agricultural activities (e.g.; fertilizers and
pesticide), wastewater treatment plant discharge, human or animal discharged in septic systems,
animal yard and manure storage lagoon. Nitrate is harmful to humans as it can form endogenous
nitrosamines which can cause cancer. Biomarkers such as urine and saliva can be used to determine
the occurrence and formation of nitrosamines in human body from nitrate ingestion. However,
limited research found that illustrate the relationship between nitrate and nitrosamine in human
biomarkers.
Results: This paper provides an overview of the nitrate occurrence in well water and the
assessment of nitrosamines excretory in human body using urine and saliva as biomarkers. The
information regarding mechanism of metabolism nitrosamines in human body and suitability of
urine and saliva as biomarker also discussed in this review. This review provides baseline
information of nitrate contaminated drinking water which can affect human health by formation
of carcinogenic compounds, nitrosamines.
Conclusion: This paper may be useful for future studies, especially in those exploring the relation
between exposure of nitrate and adverse health outcomes.
Keywords: Nitrate, Well Water, Nitrosamines, Urine, Saliva

Highly contaminated groundwater can affect the human health and constrain the economic development of a country. For this study 105 groundwater samples were collected in rock-dominant semi-arid (RDSA) region, India and analyzed for... more

Highly contaminated groundwater can affect the human health and constrain the economic development of a country. For this study 105 groundwater samples were collected in rock-dominant semi-arid (RDSA) region, India and analyzed for hydrochemical parameters including major ions, fluoride, and nitrate. The human health risks due to groundwater fluoride and nitrate contamination were also assessed. The analysis reveals
that most of the groundwater samples are alkaline in nature. Hydrochemical types of groundwater in the study area are mainly Ca∙Mg–HCO3 and Na–HCO3 types and a fewsamples belong to Ca∙Mg–Cl and Na–Cl types in the RDSA region. Fluoride concentration ranges from 0.5 to 3.5 mg/L, and predominantly eastern part of the study region has higher concentrations of fluoride with comparison to the western part. About 49% of the groundwater samples have fluoride concentration above
1.5 mg/L in groundwater, indicating a high health risk to residents. Eventually, water-rock interactions are the main processes to elevate the fluoride concentration in eastern part of the study area. Nitrate concentration ranges from 12 to 212 mg/L, and northern and southern
parts of the study region have much higher nitrate concentrations than the central region of the study area, where nitrate concentration is below 45 mg/L. In terms of nitrate, 55% and 17% of the groundwater samples are
under high risk and very high risk categories, respectively, which are not suitable for drinking purposes in the study region. Fertilizer application for
crop yields could be one of the reasons for elevated nitrate concentration. The total hazard index for adults ranges from 0.87 to 7.08, and for children 1.17 to 9.57, which suggests that children are at higher health risk than adults in the study region. Therefore, contaminants filters and rainwater harvesting are suggested as measures to reduce the health risk in the area.

Mounding often occurs beneath engineering structures designed to infiltrate reuse water. AQTESOLV software and a spreadsheet solution for Hantush, together with soil moisture water balance (SWAGMAN farm model), were used for... more

Mounding often occurs beneath engineering structures designed to infiltrate reuse water. AQTESOLV software and a spreadsheet solution for Hantush, together with soil moisture water balance (SWAGMAN farm model), were used for quantitatively predicting the height and extent of groundwater mounding underground to assess the groundwater-flow simulations of infiltration from a hypothetical irrigation site. Horizontal and vertical permeability, aquifer thickness, specific yield, and basin geometry are among the aquifer and recharge properties inputs. For 2.2 ha sites, the maximum heights of the simulated groundwater mound ranges up to 0.29 m. The maximum areal extent of groundwater mounding measured from the edge of the infiltration basins of 0.24 m ranges from 0 to 75 m. Additionally, the simulated height and extent of the groundwater mounding associated with a hypothetical irrigation infiltration basin for 2.2 ha development may be applicable to sites of different sizes, using the recharge rate estimated from the SWAGMAN farm model. For example, for a 2.2 ha site with a 0.0002 m/day recharge rate, the irrigation infiltration basin design capacity (and associated groundwater mound) would be the same as for a 1.1 ha site with a 0.0004 m/day recharge rate if the physical characteristics of the aquifer are unchanged. The study claimed that the present modelling approach overcomes the complications of solving the Hantush equation for transient flow. The approach utilised in this study can be applied for other purposes such as measuring the feasibility of infiltrating water, attenuation zone, risk mitigation essential for decision-makers and planning regulators in terms of environmental effects and water use efficiency.

This paper highlights the progress of developing a low-cost system for detection of nitrate and contamination in natural water resources based on a planar electromagnetic sensor which consists of meander and interdigital structure. The... more

This paper highlights the progress of developing a low-cost system for detection of nitrate and contamination in natural water resources based on a planar electromagnetic sensor which consists of meander and interdigital structure. The sensor has been operated and evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) approach, based on estimated electrical model; the results obtained from the experiments were interpreted. The objectives of the present work are to conduct simulation, experiments and analysis of a new nitrate detection method using novel planar electromagnetic sensors by means of electrochemical spectroscopy analysis. The sensor was tested with two aqueous solutions of nitrates forms namely, sodium nitrates (NaNO3) and ammonium nitrates (NH4NO3), each of different concentration between 5 mg and 20 mg dissolved in 1 litre of distilled water to observe their response. Furthermore, the sensor was tested with various kinds of prepared samples and natural water samples taken from natural sources around New Zealand. The simulation results using COMSOL have assisted in understanding the characteristic and response of the sensor to the change of properties in the aqueous solution. The experimental results have authenticated the results obtained from the simulation and show the sensor can well detect the presence of nitrate added in distilled water and distinguish the concentration level from the calculated sensitivities. The experiment results with the water sample taken from various places around New Zealand show a very good correlation of contamination level, translated from the qualitative and quantitative results. The work and improvement for future consideration are also discussed in this chapter.

The increasing demands for environmental protection and sustainable food production require an increase in the use of natural and non-toxic materials for agriculture. In this study, the feasibility of using surfactant-modified zeolite... more

The increasing demands for environmental protection and sustainable food production require an increase in the use of natural and non-toxic materials for agriculture. In this study, the feasibility of using surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) in comparison with zeolite clinoptilolite (Cp) application to reduce nitrate leaching and enhance crop growth was investigated. The effects of size (millimeter and nanome-ter) and application rate (20 g kg −1 and 60 g kg −1) of Cp and SMZ on nitrate leaching and crop response were also evaluated. Using soil lysimeters, it was determined that the maximum and mean nitrate concentration in the leachate of SMZ-amended soil were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of Cp-amended soil. The amount of NO 3-N leached from SMZ-and Cp-amended lysimeters at the higher application rate (60 g kg −1) was approximately 26% and 22% lower, respectively, than that from the control system. The mean grain yield, grain nitrogen content, stover dry matter, and N uptake were significantly greater in Cp-amended than SMZ-amended lysimeters. There was no significant effect due to the particle size of the two soil amendments. The results implicitly suggest that plants may have a better response if Cp is used as a fertilizer carrier rather than SMZ when applied at a rate of 60 g kg −1 .

The study area generally falls within the broad region of Nigeria known as the grass plains, where the land is heavily farmed with limited area of forest reserve. Offa, the headquarters of the present Offa Local Government has long been... more

The study area generally falls within the broad region of Nigeria known as the grass plains, where the land is heavily farmed with limited area of forest reserve. Offa, the headquarters of the present Offa Local Government has long been the largest commercial centre in the entire Oyun re- gion and next in size and population to the capital city of Kwara State in Nigeria. A survey was made of nitrate concentrations in potable groundwater sources in this area. Analytical results reveal that 53% of the water samples had nitrate concentration above 45 mg/L (the international drinking-water stan- dard). In virtually all the sampling campaigns up to 33% of the water samples were recorded with con- centrations between 120 - 225 mg NO 3-/L. Unlined pit toilets and indiscriminate disposal of human and animal wastes characterize the study area. Measurements in over 48 wells mostly completed within the weathered regolith and fractured basement aquifers around the township showed nitrate enrichment up to 225 mg/L, indicating groundwater pollution by nitrate. This situation is bound to constitute a major quality problem to the potable water sources in the area. However, the measured nitrate values gener- ally do show some depth control and were observed to be less for non-residential areas and boreholes in residential buildings only within the Government Reserved Areas (GRA). Moreover, nitrate showed good correlation with electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total hardness, bicarbonate alkalinity and sulphate concentrations. The implication of these results to water protection and management in the area is also discussed.

Historically in Argentina, cattle grazing occurred in extensive lands, in natural pastures. However, in the last few decades the advancement of soy-cultivated land reduced land surfaces devoted to cattle grazing. From the 90´s, cattle... more

Historically in Argentina, cattle grazing occurred in extensive lands, in natural pastures. However, in the last few decades the advancement of soy-cultivated land reduced land surfaces devoted to cattle grazing. From the 90´s, cattle production increased but to the expense of a new production type, feedlots-FL or animal feeding operation (AFO), which is used in intensive animal farming for finishing livestock, notably beef cattle, prior to slaughter
The steady and widespread growth of FLs has generated environmental concerns not only in Argentina.
As a consequence of cattle manure accumulation on FLs pens and uncontrolled effluents flows, FLs constitute potential point and diffuse contamination sites for soils and waters. Manure produces contamination within the pens as well as in nearby land as manure is flushed by precipitation
water and runoff. The effluent so generated is composed of particulate and dissolved substances that can infiltrate into the soil profile and move downward towards the saturated zone, jeopardizing its preservation as a potable water resource. The effluent is a hiper-concentrated source of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, potassium, among other constituents.
High NO3--N concentrations found in soils and waters around FLs , its evaluation and the analysis of processes associated to its transformations constitute an issue of great interest for groundwater resources protection. Consequently, the objective of this thesis was to identify how the interaction between physical processes (dilution from infiltrating water, salts concentration from evapotranspiration) and biological processes (nitrification, desnitrification) interact and affect the dynamics of NO3--N and other solutes in fined-textured soils, under different hydrologic conditions at the surface and soil moisture conditions within the soil profile. Specific objectives were aimed at designing appropriate spate/time monitoring strategies in order to capture the fundamental processes that affect NO3--N concentrations within soils.
A FL in Santa Fe State, Argentina, was selected for the investigation. In order to fulfill the objectives, three point sites located adjacent to a feedlot pen were instrumented with suction lysimeters, soil matric potential sensors and temperature sensors up to 1 m depth.
First, physical variables for each soil horizon were determined. Afterwards, numerous field campaigns
were undertaken. The monitoring period spanned for about 28 months, during which soil solution samples were extracted in coincidence with precipitation events. Hydrodynamic and meteorological variables were continuously recorded along the study period.
Water samples collected at the suction lysimeters were analyzed in-situ for certain physicochemical parameters and later transported to the lab for analytical determination of nitrates NO3--N, chloride Cl- and hardness. Finally, numerical simulations for flow and Cl- , NO3--N transport in the unsaturated zone in a 1D/ 2D configuration were performed with HYDRUS.
For flow a single porosity approach was used, while for solute transport, and due to the very fined structure soil prone to cracks/macropores formation, a mobile/immobile zone approach was implemented.
Field observations/interpretation and numerical simulations allowed identifying the relative role of specific processes affecting water movement through the soil profile, the dynamics of nitrate due to mixing processes, dilution, physical dispersion, vegetation consumption and biological processes, as well as the difficulties derived from structural changes associated to fine-textured soils in relation
to the aforementioned processes.

Nitrate is harmful to humans as it can form endogenous nitrosamines which can cause cancer. The major contribution of nitrate contamination in well water is largely from agricultural activities (e.g.; fertilizers and pesticide),... more

Nitrate is harmful to humans as it can form endogenous nitrosamines which can cause cancer. The major contribution of nitrate contamination in well water is largely from agricultural activities (e.g.; fertilizers and pesticide), wastewater treatment plant discharge, animal yard and manure storage lagoons. Biomarkers such as urine and saliva can be used to determine the occurrence and formation of nitrosamines in the human body. This paper provides an overview of nitrate occurrence in groundwater and the mechanism of nitrosamines formation and its excretion from human body via urine and saliva. The suitability of urine and saliva as biomarkers of endogenous nitrosamines formation were also discussed in this review.

Nitrate pollution of water is a major environmental problem all over the world. Consequently, numerous techniques have been developed to remove or reduction of nitrate in water. A review of removal techniques of nitrate from water has... more

Nitrate pollution of water is a major environmental problem all over the world. Consequently, numerous techniques have been developed
to remove or reduction of nitrate in water. A review of removal techniques of nitrate from water has been carried out in this paper. Recent
literatures related to various techniques including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, electrodialysis, biological denitrification, chemical
denitrification, adsorption methods using different adsorbents like carbon base, agricultural waste, natural materials are systematically
review to assess their performance. The paper reveals that adsorption could be the most promising technique of removal of nitrate from
water in near future.

Face aux nombreuses pressions anthropiques dont la lagune Aby fait l'objet, l'objectif de ce travail a été de rechercher les esters de l'acide phtalique dans les sédiments de cette lagune. Pour ce faire, des campagnes saisonnières de... more

Face aux nombreuses pressions anthropiques dont la lagune Aby fait l'objet, l'objectif de ce travail a été de rechercher les esters de l'acide phtalique dans les sédiments de cette lagune. Pour ce faire, des campagnes saisonnières de prélèvement d'échantillons de sédiments ont été faites de septembre 2007 à juillet 2009. Les analyses des échantillons ont été possibles grâce à l'usage du chromatographe en phase gazeuse couplé au spectromètre de masse (GC/MS). La détermination des concentrations des molécules trouvées a été réalisée par la méthode de calibration interne. L'étalon interne utilisé est l'imidaclopride de concentration 2 mg/mL. L'analyse des échantillons de sédiments de la lagune Aby a révélé la présence de huit phtalates. Ce sont les phtalates de dibutyle (DBP), de di (2-éthylhexyle) (DEHP), de di (2-méthoxyéthyle) (DMEP), de di-isobutyle (DIBP), de dihexyle (DHP), de di-isodécyle (DIDP), de butyloctyle (BOP) et de didécyle (DDcP). Le DBP, le DIBP, le DEHP et le DMEP sont successivement les phtalates les plus abondants dans les sédiments lagunaires ; le DHP, le DIDP, le BOP, et le DDcP sont faiblement représentés. Mots clés-Contamination, Esters de l'acide phtalique, Phtalates, Sédiments, Lagune Aby, Côte d'Ivoire Abstract-Aby lagoon is facing various anthropogenic pressures. The aim of this work is to look for phthalic acid esters in sediments of this lagoon. For this purpose, seasonal campaigns of sampling of sediments were done from. Samples analyses were possible thanks to use of chromatograph in gas phase with mass spectrometer (GC/MS). Determination of found molecules concentrations was realised by the method of internal calibration. The used internal standard is imidaclopride concentration of 2 mg/mL. Sediments samples analyses of Aby lagoon revealed the presence of eight phtalates. They are dibutyle (DBP), di (2-ethylhexyle) (DEHP), di (2-methoxyethyle) (DMEP), di-isobutyle (DIBP), di-isodecyle (DIDP), butyloctyle (BOP) and didecycle (DDcP) phtalates. DBP, DIBP; DEHP and DMEP are successively the most abundant phthalates in lagoon sediments; DHP, DIDP, BOP, and DDcP are poorly represented.

Abstract—Removal of nitrate (NO3-) by Eichhornia Crassipes sp. in landfill leachate was investigated in this study. Characterization study on the leachates collected from Jeram Sanitary Landfill (young landfill) and Ayer Hitam Sanitary... more

Abstract—Removal of nitrate (NO3-) by Eichhornia Crassipes sp. in landfill leachate was investigated in this study. Characterization study on the leachates collected from Jeram Sanitary Landfill (young landfill) and Ayer Hitam Sanitary Landfill (old landfill) show interesting pattern in concentration of NO3- . This study shows that concentration of NO3- was higher in young landfill (27 mg/L) than that in old landfill (9 mg/L) at neutral pH. Finding of these results indicate that Eichhornia Crassipes sp. has the ability to remove NO3- at different concentrations in three days. Approximately 69% and 64% of NO3- that present in leachate from young landfill was removed in sample without dilution and 50% dilution, respectively. While approximately 28% and 33.6% of NO3- present in leachate collected from old landfill was removed in similar dilution samples. This study is very significant to identify the capability of Eichhornia Crassipes sp. to remove NO3- in landfill leachate.

The main objective of the present work is to develop a low-cost system for detection of nitrate and contamination in natural water resources based on a planar electromagnetic sensor. The functions and attributes of the low cost system... more

The main objective of the present work is to develop a low-cost system for detection of nitrate and contamination in natural water resources based on a planar electromagnetic sensor. The functions and attributes of the low cost system based on planar meander and interdigital structure are discussed. The performance of the system was observed where the sensor was tested with two aqueous solutions of nitrates forms namely, sodium nitrates (NaNO3) and ammonium nitrates (NH4NO3 Keywords-component; low cost system; nitrate detection; contamination detection; planar electromagnetic sensors; style;
water supply;), each of different concentration between 5 mg and 20 mg dissolved in 1 litre of mili-q water. Furthermore, it was also tested with various kinds of natural water samples taken from natural sources around New Zealand. The results from the first set of experiments show good linear correlations with the amount of concentration of nitrate forms in mili-q water. Favourably, the second experiment’s outcomes involving the water sample taken from various places around New Zealand also show a good correlation of contamination level as compared with results obtained from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurement. The improvements for future consideration are also discussed.

Groundwater flow modelling andmass transport simulation were carried out to determine the Nitrate and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) migration within the shallow unconfined aquifer of the upper Anga’a river watershed of Yaoundé city,... more

Groundwater flow modelling andmass transport simulation were carried out to determine the Nitrate and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) migration within the shallow unconfined aquifer of the upper Anga’a river watershed of Yaoundé city, Cameroon. The MODFLOW code calibrated for February 2008 groundwater levels wasused to simulate the steady state distribution of hydraulic head. Simulated hydraulic heads were similar toobserved values along the watershed in model validation. The nitrate and TDS transport were described by theconvection equation and solved using MT3D. The pollutant fate and transport model (MT3D) reproduced the spatial pattern of observed nitrate concentrations in model calibration and validation. Groundwater and plumevelocities were 0.26 and 0.21 m per day respectively. Simulating the contaminant migration from the recharge area shows that the plume may take more than 50years travel time to reach the central part of the basin fromwhich decision analysis can be made for gen...

High concentrations of nitrate through drinking water have been associated with health problems. This cross sectional study sought to determine the level of nitrate concentrations in private well water and the association to the disease... more

High concentrations of nitrate through drinking water have been associated with health problems. This cross sectional study sought to determine the level of nitrate concentrations in private well water and the association to the disease caused by nitrate among population of Bachok, Kelantan. The concentrations of nitrate in 256 wells were sampled from September to October 2015. About 126 respondents from the agricultural area and 130 respondents from the non-agricultural area were participated in the study. The human health risk associated with ingesting nitrate were assessed by Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Odd Ratio (OR). The physicochemical characteristics of well water in both areas (i.e., pH, ammonia, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), conductivity, turbidity, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and salinity) were within the acceptable limits of Malaysian Drinking Water Quality Standard. The mean ± SD levels of nitrate in the agricultural area was 13.04±14.39 mg L −1 NO 3-N, exceeding the maximum acceptable limits of Malaysia NDWQS (10 mg L −1 NO 3-N) and were two fold higher than the non-agriculture area (6.31±5.22 mg L −1 NO 3-N). 52 wells (41.27%) in the agricultural area and 35 wells (26.9%) in the non-agricultural area had nitrate level above the maximum acceptable nitrate (10 mg L −1 NO 3-N). The HQ associated with the potential non-carcinogenic risk of drinking nitrate contaminated groundwater ranged from 0.007 to 1.143×10 −6 in the agricultural area, slightly higher than in the non-agricultural area (0.002 to 0.468×10 −6). The OR for disease such as diabetes, goitre and gastric were not significant with high levels of nitrate in the well water. The results of the present study showed that there was no statistically significant association between nitrate in well water and the risk of related health disease such as diabetes, goitre and gastric in this study.

This paper introduces a novel sensor based on the combination of meander and interdigital planar electromagnetic sensors for monitoring the level of contamination in water sources. Sensor modelling has been accomplished using COMSOL and... more

This paper introduces a novel sensor based on the combination of meander and interdigital planar electromagnetic sensors for monitoring the level of contamination in water sources. Sensor modelling has been accomplished using COMSOL and the results are discussed herein. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the sensors characteristics and to observe the sensor response to materials involving distilled water
and nitrates-forms solutions with different concentrations. The work and improvement for future consideration are also discussed in this paper.

Elevated nitrate concentration in groundwater is a worldwide problem. Continuous exposure to high levels of nitrate in groundwater may cause adverse health effects among residents who use groundwater for consumption. Therefore, this study... more

Elevated nitrate concentration in groundwater is a worldwide problem. Continuous exposure to high levels of nitrate in groundwater
may cause adverse health effects among residents who use groundwater for consumption. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the nitrate distribution and its potential health risk assessment
from the semi-arid region of Peddavagu in Central Telangana (PCT),
South India. Groundwater samples were collected from thirty-five
locations and analyzed for nitrate and other water quality parameters. Nitrate (NO3-) in groundwater was observed to vary from 17 to
120 mg/L, with a mean of 58.74 mg/L. About 57% of samples
exceeded the maximum acceptable limit of Indian drinking water
standard. About, 40% of groundwater samples drinking water quality
index (DWQI) is good, while 60% of groundwater falls in poor quality
for drinking purposes. Health risk maps were created based on hazard quotient to quantify the potential health risk of the residents
using US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) health risk
assessment model. Health risk assessment revealed that mean total
hazard index (HItotal) for men, women, and children were found as
1.42E þ 00, 1.67Eþ 00, and 1.95E þ 00, respectively. Results exhibited
that children are at high health risk than men and women in the
PCT. Further, the human exposure to the NO3- contaminated water was above the critical limit of non-carcinogenic risk.

The presence of different pollutants in wastewater hinder microbial growth, compromise enzymatic activity or compete for electrons required for bioremediation pathway. Therefore, there is a need to use a single microorganism that is... more

The presence of different pollutants in wastewater hinder microbial growth, compromise enzymatic activity or compete for electrons required for bioremediation pathway. Therefore, there is a need to use a single microorganism that is capable of tolerating different toxic compounds and can perform simultaneous bioremediation. In the present study, nitrate reducing bacteria capable of decolorizing azo dye was identified as Bacillus subtillis sp. DN using protein profiling, morphological and biochemical tests X-ray diffraction pattern, Raman spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry confirm that the bacterium under study possesses membrane-bound nitrate reductase and that is capable of direct electron transfer. The addition of nitrate concentrations (0-50 mM) resulted

The Radial Basis Function (RBF) Neural Network has shown its strong capability in pattern recognition, classification and function approximation problems. In this paper, the RBF neural network is used to classify different levels of... more

The Radial Basis Function (RBF) Neural Network has shown its strong capability in pattern recognition, classification and function approximation problems. In this paper, the RBF neural network is used to classify different levels of nitrate contamination in river water. The planar electromagnetic sensors have been subjected to different water samples contaminated by nitrate and output signals have been extracted. These signals are derived and its suitable features are extracted by using three different features; energy, mean and skewness. These features are inputted to the RBF neural network consequently, for the classification of different levels of nitrate concentration in water. The result shows that the planar electromagnetic sensor with the assistance of the RBF neural network can be a good alternative to current laboratory testing methods.

Conservation management practices such as reduced tillage, fertilizer management, and buffer strips are well-established means by which to control erosion and nutrient losses from fields planted in annual row crops. However, agricultural... more

Conservation management practices such as reduced tillage, fertilizer management, and buffer strips are well-established means by which to control erosion and nutrient losses from fields planted in annual row crops. However, agricultural systems which include perennial plant cover, such as the perennial forages found in grazing systems, may represent an alternative way to reduce these losses. In this study, management intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) was tested as a means by which to improve water quality on highly vulnerable row crop land, compared to more traditional conservation management schemes in the south branch of the Root River Watershed (a karst-influenced watershed in Southeastern Minnesota). The effects of both sets of alternative scenarios were evaluated with a watershed-based modeling approach using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. Alternative conservation management practices included conservation tillage, cover crops, and filter strips. Conversion of row crop production to management-intensive rotational grazing of beef cattle was selected to occur on 2.6% of the total watershed area. Both the conservation management practices and land use changes were targeted to reduce contributions of sediment and phosphorus (P) loads from cropped upland areas. Watershed-wide implementation of all conservation management practices resulted in the greatest reductions in sediment (52%) and total P (28%) loads from upland crop areas, but had the largest land area requirements to achieve these results. Cover crops or filter strips on areas of high slope also showed large cumulative reductions across the watershed and also had the greatest reductions per-unit treated area of all conservation management practices. However, changing land use from row crop production to pasture for grazing was most effective at reducing total sediment and P loads on those acres changed, reducing sediment and P by greater than 85% on targeted areas. Simulation results indicate that utilizing alternative conservation management practices or MIRG, when targeted to areas of steeper slope (greater than 4%), could appreciably reduce sediment and P loads in this watershed, with limited reductions in row crop agriculture acreage.

Elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water have been associated with adverse health effects. Most susceptible to nitrate toxicity are infants under six months of age and pregnant women. This study assessed the nitrate concentration of... more

Elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water have been associated with adverse health effects. Most
susceptible to nitrate toxicity are infants under six months of age and pregnant women. This study
assessed the nitrate concentration of 48 randomly selected wells in an urban-slum setting in Ibadan
South East Local Government Area (IBSELGA), Nigeria. The coordinates of the wells were mapped with
a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS). The nitrate concentration ranged between 0.00 and 42.80
mgL-1 with a mean of log10 of 0.735 and a geometric mean of 5.43 mgL-1; and 0.00 and 93.30 mgL-1 with a
mean of log10 of 0.696 and a geometric mean of 4.97 mg L-1 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively.
During the wet season, the levels of nitrate in all the wells were within the WHO permissible limit of 45
mg L-1 NO3. However, during the dry season, few of the wells 6(12.5%) dried up completely. Out of the
remaining 42 wells, 6 (14.3%) had nitrate concentration which exceeded the permissible limit. This same
set of wells lacked sanitary features such as lining and cover. Out of the 48 wells, 30 (62.5%) and 24
(50%) were located at ≤10 m from the septic tank/pit latrine and refuse dumps, respectively. Nitrate
maps were developed using Georeferenced data for the water points. The nitrate exceedence map
produced showed water sources within the study area with nitrate concentration exceeding the
recommended limit and therefore requiring urgent intervention. The results of this study will serve as
indicator for determining risk areas with respect to nitrate concentration in drinking water and therefore
help in decision making activities.

This work aims to analyze the concentration of nitrates and to assess the water pollution status with respect to four nitrogen compounds (N-NH4, N-NO3, N-NO2 and N-total) measured at five water sampling points during the period 2015–2018.... more

This work aims to analyze the concentration of nitrates and to assess the water pollution status with respect to four nitrogen compounds (N-NH4, N-NO3, N-NO2 and N-total) measured at five water sampling points during the period 2015–2018. Study area includes three river basins situated in the Dobruja region (Northeastern Bulgaria) that are covered by spacious arable lands and defined as “a nitrate vulnerable zone”.
The analysis is conducted in compliance with the reference values for surface water bodies of type R9 stated in Regulation 4/2012. Descriptive statistics are presented, i.e. minimum, maximum and average values. The assessment of water pollution is performed by using two selected indices (British Columbia Water Quality Index – BCWQI and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index – CCME WQI). Results show continuous exceeds in the levels of nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3) and total nitrogen (N-tot) – up to 7 times above the thresholds for “Good status”. CCME WQI ratings vary from “Poor” (17.19) to “Marginal” (48.46). BCWQI values range from “Bad” (89.03) to “Medium” (51.67). These assessments indicate serious pollution and suggest health risks. In order to limit the inflow of nitrates in rivers, it is necessary to reduce the excessive use of artificial fertilizers and plant protection products and to adopt codes of good agricultural practices.

Groundwater forms the major source of drinking water in the rural areas of most of the developing nations of the world. Presence of high concentration of fluoride and nitrate in groundwater is a major problem in many countries as it... more

Groundwater forms the major source of drinking water in the rural areas of most of the developing nations of the world. Presence of high concentration of fluoride and nitrate in groundwater is a major problem in many countries as it causes health related problems. The present study was carried out with the objective of determining the causes for higher fluoride and nitrate concentration in groundwater in parts of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Fluoride and nitrate concentration in groundwater of this area was analysed by collecting groundwater samples from forty six representative wells. Samples were collected once in two months from March 2008 to January 2009. The fluoride and nitrate concentration was analysed in the laboratory using Metrohm 861 advanced compact ion chromatograph. Fluoride concentrations in groundwater samples varied from 0.1 mg/l to 8.8 mg/l. Nearly 29.5% of the groundwater samples have fluoride content greater than that of the maximum permissible limit of 1.5 mg!l prescribed for drinking purpose while 15.80/0 of the samples possessed fluoride less than the minimum required limit of 0.6 mg/I. Possible source of fluoride in groundwater are weathering and leaching of fluoride bealing nlinerals from the basement granitic rocks of this region under alkaline environment. By nature, the granitic rocks of this area possess fluoride greater than the world average of fluoride content in granitic rocks. The highest concentration of nitrate recorded during the sampling period was 879.65 mg/l and the lowest concentration was below detection limit. Taking into consideration 45mg/l of nitrate as the maximum permissible limit for drinking water set by BIS, it was found that 13.78% of the groundwater samples collected from this study area possessed nitrate concentration beyond the lilH.KL Overall, wells present in agricultural fields had nitrate levels within permissible limits when compared to those groundwater samples from wells present in settlements which were used for domestic purpose. This indicates that the high nitrate concentration in groundwater of this area is due to leaching from indiscriminate dumping of animal waste. Anthropogenic activities like application of fertilizers for agriculture contribute only little to the groundwater nitrate as well as fluoride. The wells in the investigated region have been demarcated into safe and unsafe wells for consumption of water with respect to fluoride and nitrate.

This study was carried out to determine the levels of nitrate in homemade brews, spirits and the used raw materials using the UV-Visible spectroscopy. These were analyzed using, a SHADZU (Model No. UV-2550) UV-Visible spectrophotometer.... more

This study was carried out to determine the levels of nitrate in homemade brews, spirits and the used raw materials using the UV-Visible spectroscopy. These were analyzed using, a SHADZU (Model No. UV-2550) UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The measurement was based on ISO Method (N0.6635). This was done by reducing the nitrate to nitrite in the presence of Zn/NaCl. Nitrite produced was subsequently diazotized with sulphonilic acid then coupled with anthranilate to form an azo dye which was then measured at 493 nm. Four hundred and forty (440) home - made alcoholic beverages, one hundred and ten (110) tap water and eighteen (18) raw materials (maize, millet, for sorghum, honey, jaggery and muratina) samples obtained from various parts of Nairobi slums and its environs were analyzed. Some samples contained high levels of nitrate though slightly lower than the limits. The concentrations of nitrate varied from non detectable (ND) to 46.3 ± 1.404 mg/l (the detection limit and analitation limit of nitrite determination were found to be 0.93 μg/ml and 2.82 μg/ml respectively). The recommended maximum contamination levels set by Kenya Bureau of Standards/World Health Organization for nitrate in alcohols is nitrate 50 mg/l. Most of the homemade brews and spirits analyzed in this study had values slightly lower than the levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Values of nitrate were observed to be generally high in the brews/spirits and the raw materials used. These raw materials may have contributed in elevating the levels of these pollutants in the brews. The results indicate that the UV-Visible spectroscopy method is suitable for analyzing the presently studied samples. This is a reliable and cheap method for routine analysis of a large number of homemade brews/spirits samples.

Groundwaters at nuclear sites are often characterised by low pH and high nitrate concentrations (10-100 mM). These conditions are challenging for bioremediation, often inhibiting microbial Fe(III)-reduction that can limit radionuclide... more

Groundwaters at nuclear sites are often characterised by low pH and high nitrate concentrations (10-100 mM). These conditions are challenging for bioremediation, often inhibiting microbial Fe(III)-reduction that can limit radionuclide migration. Here, sediment microcosms representative of the UK Sellafield site were used to study the influence of variable pH and nitrate concentrations on microbially-mediated TEAP (terminal electron accepting processes) progression. The rate of bioreduction at low pH (~ 5.5) was slower than that in bicarbonate-amended systems (pH ~ 7.0), but in the low pH systems, denitrification and associated pH buffering resulted in conditioning of the sediments for subsequent Fe(III) and sulfate reduction. Under very high nitrate conditions (100 mM), bicarbonate amendment (pH ~ 7.0) was necessary for TEAP progression beyond denitrification and the reduction of 100 mM nitrate created alkaline conditions (pH 9.5). 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that close relatives of known nitrate reducers Bacillus niacini and Ochrobactrum grignonense dominated the microbial communities. In the 100 mM nitrate system, close relatives of the Fe(III)-reducing species Alkaliphilus crotonatoxidans and Serratia liquifaciens were observed. These results highlight that denitrification can support bioreduction via pH conditioning for optimal metal reduction and immobilization.

The conversions of forests and grass land to urban and farmland has exerted significant changes on terrestrial ecosystems. However, quantifying how these changes can affect the quality of water resources is still a challenge for... more

The conversions of forests and grass land to urban and farmland has exerted significant changes on terrestrial ecosystems. However, quantifying how these changes can affect the quality of water resources is still a challenge for hydrologists. Nitrate concentrations can be applied as an indicator to trace the link between land use changes and groundwater quality due to their solubility and easy transport from their source to the groundwater. In this study, 25year records (from 1989 to 2014) of nitrate concentrations are applied to show the impact of land use changes on the quality of groundwater in Northern Kelantan, Malaysia, where large scale deforestation in recent decades has occurred. The results from the integration of time series analysis and geospatial modelling revealed that nitrate (NO3-N) concentrations significantly increased with approximately 8.1% and 3.89% annually in agricultural and residential wells, respectively, over 25years. In 1989 only 1% of the total area had ...

Il Regolamento N. 1881/2006/CE stabilisce i limiti per le concentrazioni di nitrato nei vegetali a foglia, mentre i nitriti dovrebbero essere assenti. Tuttavia, alcuni studi recenti hanno dimostrato che non è raro riscontrare... more

Il Regolamento N. 1881/2006/CE stabilisce i limiti per le concentrazioni di nitrato nei vegetali a foglia, mentre i nitriti dovrebbero essere assenti. Tuttavia, alcuni studi recenti hanno dimostrato che non è raro riscontrare concentrazioni insolitamente elevate di nitriti in questi prodotti. In tale contesto si inserisce il presente studio sui livelli di nitriti e nitrati nelle verdure a foglia come spinaci, lattuga, bietola e rucola. In questo monitoraggio sono stati analizzati 230 campioni, ovvero lattuga (75), spinacio (75), bietola (50) e rucola (30). Le analisi sono state effettuate mediante una tecnica validata ed accreditata in HPLC di scambio ionico, ed i risultati più interessanti sono stati confermati mediante una tecnica alternativa, sempre validata ed accreditata, di cromatografia ionica capillare. Lattuga. I livelli di nitrato nei campioni di lattuga sono risultati elevati (concentrazione massima: 5101,0 mg/kg). Concentrazioni superiori ai limiti vigenti sono state registrate in 5 campioni, ovvero un campione di lattuga “Cappuccio”, Trocadero” e “Scarola” e 2 campioni di lattuga “Romana”. Per quanto concerne i nitriti, sono stati quantificati solo in un campione di lattuga “Romana” (66,5 mg/kg). Spinacio. Anche per gli spinaci sono stati registrati livelli elevati, fino a 2978,1 mg/kg in un campione di spinaci surgelati. Concentrazioni superiori al limite di legge sono state accertate in 4 campioni (3 spinaci surgelati ed un IV gamma). Concentrazioni elevate di nitriti sono state quantificate in 3 campioni: 173,7, 197,5 e 106,8 mg/kg in 2 campioni di IV gamma ed un surgelato. Bietola. La concentrazione media di nitrato quantificata nei campioni di bietola (2217,3 mg/kg) è risultata superiore rispetto a quella relativa ai campioni di lattuga e spinaci (rispettivamente 976,6 e 953,4 mg/kg). Questo primo dato è significativo in quanto attualmente non sono previsti limiti per i nitrati nelle bietole. Riguardo i nitriti, solo in un caso sono stati quantificati livelli elevati (un campione in busta – IV gamma: 131,6 mg/kg). Rucola. La concentrazione media di nitrato nei campioni di rucola (4860,9 mg/kg) è risultata ben più elevata rispetto alle altre matrici oggetto di indagine, in quanto tale accumulo è caratteristico della famiglia delle Brassicaceae. In questa indagine, un campione ha fatto registrate una concentrazione di nitrato più elevata
rispetto al limite (7206,4 mg/kg), mentre per i nitriti vi è stata una
quantificazione di concentrazioni elevate (fino a 219,5 mg/kg) in 2
campioni. Il monitoraggio dei nitriti e nitrati nei vegetali a foglia di
ampio consumo (lattuga, spinacio, bietola e rucola) ha permesso di
tratte importanti conclusioni, quali: 1) Sono state quantificate concentrazioni di nitrato più elevate rispetto ai limiti di legge in 10 cam-
pioni, confermando la necessità dei controlli ufficiali. 2) Date le elevate concentrazioni di nitrati quantificate nei campioni di bietola è possibile suggerire l’introduzione di un limite massimo anche per questo prodotto nell’attuale Normativa. 3) Le concentrazioni di nitriti in questi prodotti possono risultare particolarmente elevate, per cui è possibile suggerire l’introduzione di limiti di legge in Normativa. Inoltre è auspicabile lo studio dei meccanismi che portano allo sviluppo di nitriti nei vegetali a foglia.

The available research was managed to monitor the physicochemical and microbiological features of treatment plants. The wastewater treatment herb sewage is a straight pollution input source for anthropogenic pollution. The sediment... more

The available research was managed to monitor the physicochemical and microbiological features of treatment plants. The wastewater treatment herb sewage is a straight pollution input source for anthropogenic pollution. The sediment information ideas to an urban drainage trench as a secondary point pollution source while the organotins information highlights the presence of other spread sources, special to this material. wastewater re-use in urban has increased in many realms. The consequences of the study display that among the offered treatments, the best for asepsis and reducing microbial pollution of urban outlet effluent is that of the plus 0.25 weight percent Permanganate filter. Due to the amount of demand and need for the use of wastewater and circulated waters in agriculture, now most of wastewater treatment plants in the IRAN are designed and administered with the goal of reusing the wastewater produced in agriculture. Using wastewater increases the functioning of plants and does not have negative effects on the properties of the soil and its permeability. At the time in numerous cities of the IRAN the urban sewage and surface runoff which leave the cities, are used in farms downstream. The best option for the microbial disinfecting of the outlet wastewater in urban wastewater treatment plants among the treatments presented belonged to the plus 0.25 weight percent of potassium permanganate powder filter treatment. So that the percentage of the elimination of microbial pollution reached more than 99.99% Using this treatment in urban wastewater treatment plants can increase the microbial quality of wastewater to very high values, which can be utilized in farms, nutrition of groundwater resources, entrance to surface waters, Irrigating the green space, use in car-washes, etc.

The primary advantages of planar electromagnetic sensors can be listed as low cost, convenient, suitable for in situ measurement systems, rapid reaction, and highly durable. In this paper, the outputs of a planar electromagnetic sensors... more

The primary advantages of planar electromagnetic sensors can be listed as low cost, convenient, suitable for in situ measurement systems, rapid reaction, and highly durable. In this paper, the outputs of a planar electromagnetic sensors array were observed and analyzed after testing it with different types of water samples at different concentrations. The output parameters were derived to decompose by wavelet transform. The energy and mean features of decomposed signals were extracted and used as inputs for an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The analysis model was targeted to classify the amount of nitrate and sulfate contamination in water. Nitrates and sulfate samples in the form of KNO3 and K2SO4, each having different concentrations between 5 and 114 mg dissolved in 1 L of distilled water, were used. Furthermore, the analysis model was tested with seven sets of mixed KNO3 and K2SO4 water samples. A three-layer multilayer perceptron is used as a classifier. It is understood from the results that the model can detect the presence of nitrate and sulfate added in distilled water and is capable of distinguishing the concentration level in the presence of other types of contamination with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0132. The validity of the ANN model was verified by removing the ANN model in estimating the water contamination, where the RMSE rose to 0.0977. The system and approach presented in this paper have the potential to be used as a useful low-cost tool for water source monitoring.

Groundwater forms the major source of drinking water in the rural areas of most of the developing nations of the world. Presence of high concentration of fluoride and nitrate in groundwater is a major problem in many countries as it... more

Groundwater forms the major source of drinking water in the rural areas of most of the developing nations of the world. Presence of high concentration of fluoride and nitrate in groundwater is a major problem in many countries as it causes health related problems. The present ...

Introduction: This study determined nitrate concentration and identify the classifying sources of nitrate pollution in the alluvial deposit aquifer system in Bachok, Kelantan. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 groundwater samples were... more

Introduction: This study determined nitrate concentration and identify the classifying sources of nitrate pollution in the alluvial deposit aquifer system in Bachok, Kelantan. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 groundwater samples were collected in two different areas; agricultural area (150 samples) and non-agricultural area (150 samples). The samples were analyzed for nitrate and other parameters such as pH, EC, NH4+, TDS, turbidity and salinity. The multivariate analyses were used to identify factors that govern the groundwater quality and potential nitrate sources in the study area. Results: Samples in the agricultural area were slightly acidic (5.89 ± 0.67), contained high nitrate (15.10 ± 15.90 mg/L NO3-N), NH4+ (0.82 ± 1.24 mg/L) and turbidity (3.25 ± 2.78 NTU). The principal component analysis (PCA) have identified the groundwater quality in the study area was influenced by the natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Based on the hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA),...

At present nitrate toxicity is the major global concern for living organism. Faulty farming practices like excessive use of chemical fertilizers and others human induced practices causes water contamination and play major role in nitrate... more

At present nitrate toxicity is the major global concern for living organism. Faulty
farming practices like excessive use of chemical fertilizers and others human induced
practices causes water contamination and play major role in nitrate toxicity. So there is
urgent need to awaking the people about causes and sources of nitrate and find out the
appropriate control measure to solve the problem of nitrate toxicity. The article
containing the important sources of nitrate contamination in farming and their effect on
life of living organism and some mitigation and adaptation mechanism to overcome the
problem of nitrate toxicity.

RESUMO O presente trabalho aborda os principais aspectos relacionados ao estudo da vul-nerabilidade natural à contaminação do Sistema Aquífero Bauru (SAB) na área urbana do Município de Bauru (SP). A vulnerabilidade do SAB foi avaliada... more

RESUMO O presente trabalho aborda os principais aspectos relacionados ao estudo da vul-nerabilidade natural à contaminação do Sistema Aquífero Bauru (SAB) na área urbana do Município de Bauru (SP). A vulnerabilidade do SAB foi avaliada pelos métodos DRASTIC e GOD, em combinação com um Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG). Os resultados obtidos pelo método GOD permitiram identificar três classes de vul-nerabilidade: baixa-alta, moderada-baixa e moderada-alta. A classe moderada-baixa apresenta maior abrangência em área (79,3%), seguida da moderada-alta (20,0%) e baixa-al ta (0,7%). No método DRASTIC, a vulnerabilidade foi definida por três classes: baixa, moderada ou alta. As áreas com vulnerabilidade moderada perfazem 67,0% da área estudada, enquanto as de baixa e alta correspondem a 30,0% e 3,0%, respectiva-mente. Os mapas gerados por ambos os métodos mostraram que as áreas mais vulnerá-veis à contaminação do SAB são aquelas próximas às margens dos rios Bauru e Batalha e seus afluentes, coincidentes com as áreas de descarga deste sistema aquífero. Tal fato é corroborado pela correlação das concentrações de nitrato, provenientes de atividade antrópica, com os mapas de vulnerabilidade. As maiores concentrações deste contami-nante, muitas vezes excedendo o valor de alerta (5 mg/L N-NO 3-) e até o limite de pota-bilidade (10 mg/L N-NO 3-) situam-se, em geral, nas áreas de vulnerabilidade moderada a alta. Outro fator importante é que os bairros não contemplados pelas redes de água e esgoto compreendem, em sua totalidade, as áreas com vulnerabilidade moderada. Assim, visando a proteção do SAB, ressalta-se a necessidade de instalação de rede de esgoto nas áreas com vulnerabilidade moderada, bem como cuidados especiais quanto ao uso e ocupação do solo nestes locais e naqueles próximos à sua área de descarga.

In most of the water scarce country, greater parts of rural and urban water demands are fulfilled through groundwater supplies. Quality of groundwater is being deteriorated due to anthropogenic influences like mining activities, over... more

In most of the water scarce country, greater parts of rural and urban water demands are fulfilled through groundwater supplies. Quality of groundwater is being deteriorated due to anthropogenic influences like mining activities, over drafting etc. Presence of hardness and iron in water at high concentration has the potential to damage the water storage and conveyance systems. And excess of nitrate and fluoride concentration above the desirable concentration can cause serious human health problems. Common treatment methods such as coagulation, sedimentation, lime soda etc., are followed to reduce hardness, fluoride, nitrate and iron. These treatments are inconsistent and produce treatment byproducts which are hazardous in nature. The present study is contemplated on using Polystyrene (PS) beads (diameter 2, 4 & 6mm) to remove Total Hardness, Nitrate, Fluoride and Iron from real groundwater sample. Removal efficiency of parameters of concern with respect to each beads size was evaluated for flow rates of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 L/min to determine optimum flow rate. PS beads of diameter 2mm was highly efficient in removal Total Hardness, Fluoride, Nitrate and Iron. Therefore, PS beads can be considered feasible to remove groundwater pollutants.

Sampling was carried out during October 2008, with a view to understand the source of nitrate ions in the groundwater of Budgam District. Eleven sampling sites were selected and samples were taken for a baseline study and overall... more

Sampling was carried out during October 2008, with a view to understand the source of nitrate ions in
the groundwater of Budgam District. Eleven sampling sites were selected and samples were taken for
a baseline study and overall physico-chemical characteristics were studied. Results showed that NO3− concentration
ranged from 7.4 mg/L to 9.8 mg/L with an average of 8.2 mg/L. All the samples collected were having nitrate concentrations
below than 50 mg/L, the maximum acceptable nitrate concentration for drinking water.
Presence of nitrate in Ground waters can be attributed to anthropogenic impact as NO-3 that enters the water systems
originates as NO-3 in animal wastes or fertilizers applied to the land surface. These are designated as direct nitrate
sources. In other cases, NO-3 originates by conversion of organic nitrogen or NH+4, which occur naturally or are introduced
to the soil zone by man’s activities. There is a narrow spatial variation in the nitrate concentration in the groundwater,
lowest concentrations of nitrate were found at site 7 while the highest concentrations were found at site 5.
Nitrate water pollution is very hazardous to humans. The best-known health problem arising from nitrate consumption
is methemoglobinemia, a fatal disease characterized by cyanosis.

Pollution is a major concern in urban areas. Due to its biological significance, genotoxicity should be a main focus for pollution biomonitoring, due mainly to the increasing complexity of the chemical environment in which organisms are... more

Pollution is a major concern in urban areas. Due to its biological significance, genotoxicity should be a main focus for pollution biomonitoring, due mainly to the increasing complexity of the chemical environment in which organisms are exposed. Diluvio's Basin (Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil) is a heavily polluted urban ecosystem impacted by urban wastewater. Planarians are useful organism for evaluating environmental genotoxicity because of their high sensitivity, low cost, high proliferative rate and also because of their basal evolutionary position in relation to complex metazoans. Comet assay is a powerful and highly sensitive method of evaluating primary DNA lesions. Based on the unique features of planarians and the current environmental state of Diluvio's Basin, the aim of this work was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of this body of water using comet assay in planarians. Planarians were exposed to the water for 13 days in a laboratory and comet assay was performed in order to screen possible DNA damages. The results indicated an increasing gradient of damage towards basin's mouth. Such a gradient could be related to the gradual increase of pollutants among the different sample sites. Moreover, there seems to be a correlation between the urbanization gradient that exists within the watershed and the genotoxicity. Historical physical–chemical data was also gathered and examined for possible correlations with genotoxicity. Comet assay in planarians is a very promising test for environmental monitoring studies. Its application should be expanded.