Soil management is a crucial aspect of sustainable agriculture, and traditional knowledge has played a pivotal role in shaping practices that maintain soil health over time. This study examines the significance of traditional soil management techniques used in Uttar Pradesh, India, and assesses their effectiveness in addressing modern agricultural challenges. The primary objective of this analysis is to investigate how indigenous practices, such as crop rotation, intercropping, organic manure application, and traditional water conservation techniques, contribute to soil fertility and sustainability. By examining these traditional methods, the study aims to assess their potential for integration with contemporary agricultural practices to enhance overall soil health and agricultural productivity. A comprehensive analysis of existing literature was conducted to synthesize findings from various studies on traditional soil management practices in Uttar Pradesh. The analysis highlights the mechanisms by which these practices affect soil properties and fertility and identifies the strengths and limitations associated with their use. The findings reveal that traditional methods offer significant benefits, including enhanced soil structure, improved nutrient availability, and increased moisture retention. However, challenges such as limited adoption of modern technologies and varying regional practices are also noted. The integration of traditional knowledge with modern techniques is evaluated as a means to address these challenges and optimize soil management strategies. This analysis bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and contemporary agricultural practices, providing valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. The study underscores the importance of integrating traditional soil management practices with modern approaches to foster sustainable agriculture in Uttar Pradesh and similar regions.
The World Health Organization has underscored swimming as a significant exercise for attaining health, and it is also recognized as a competitive sport in many nations. Individuals across all age groups choose swimming as a means to enhance their fitness levels. Maintaining the cleanliness of the swimming pool is imperative to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases. Despite regular weekly or monthly maintenance, cleanliness is often compromised due to service provider limitations. In the contemporary landscape, artificial intelligence technologies are progressively assuming roles where human providers fall short. This article proposes the integration of ethical robots to augment cleaning services both within and around swimming pools. These waterproof robots are designed to navigate within the pool environment, efficiently collecting debris and waste into their attached receptacles. The deployment of such ethical robotics marks a significant advancement in swimming pool maintenance, promising enhanced efficiency and hygiene standards. This work presents the design and implementation of an autonomous swimming pool cleaning robot, integrating multiple functional units: Power, sensor, wireless communication, motor, and water quality monitoring. After the power is on, the robot starts calibrating its sensors and establishes a connection with a remote human-machine interface to transmit the initial operational status. By utilizing advanced image processing algorithms, specifically color moments, the robot identifies and classifies floating debris while continuously monitoring water quality parameters. When debris is detected, the robot calculates its trajectory based on X and Y coordinates, adjusting its movement accordingly to collect the debris with a salvage net. It incorporates ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection, employing a threshold-based avoidance algorithm to navigate around obstacles effectively. The cleaning process is repeated until the pool is cleared, after which the robot returns to its charging station, powering down non-essential systems in preparation for the next cycle. This study highlights the efficiency and effectiveness of robotic automation in pool maintenance, demonstrating significant advancements in the integration of robotics, sensor technology, and real-time data communication. The findings contribute valuable insights into future developments in robotic cleaning systems and their applications in various environments.
Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for the remediation of heavy metals from contaminated environments. However, its effectiveness can be influenced by various factors, particularly the structure and diversity of soil microbial communities, which play a crucial role in enhancing or hindering the phytoremediation process. In this study, the remediation of cadmium-contaminated soil was investigated through the cultivation of Vetiveria zizanioides, examining its effects on the diversity of soil microbial communities. The concentration of Cd in roots and leaves reached more than 600 mg/kg DW and 400 mg/kg DW, respectively, at 60 mg/kg Cd treatment. Next-generation sequencing was used to characterize the soil microbial community. It was shown that the increased Cd contaminant from 20 mg/kg to 60 mg/kg of soil noticeably reduced the microbial count. A significant increase in species numbers was observed in the clean soil containing the V. zizanioides plants. In addition, soil samples from Cd-contaminated soil showed a considerable change in microbial structure at the genus level with the Sphingomonas bacteria becoming the most dominant genus against Cd-contamination.
The detection and identification of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are critical to safeguarding global security, as these toxic substances pose significant threats to human health and the environment. Effective monitoring and control of CWAs are essential for compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. Contamination of water sources with CWAs or their degradation products can have long-lasting ecological and public health implications. Dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a chemical simulant with structural similarities to hazardous organophosphorus agents, was selected for this study due to its relevance in proficiency testing (PT) and method validation. Here, we present the development and validation of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique for the determination of DMMP. The QuEChERS extraction method was utilized to enhance sample preparation efficiency. The results obtained from the validated method revealed excellent linearity (R² = 0.9998), a low limit of detection of 0.0167 ppm, and high accuracy and precision, with recovery values between 95.7% and 97.3%, and low relative standard deviations at 3.5% for intraday and 3.7% for interday. The method was successfully applied in an Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons PT, achieving a recovery value of 95.6% for DMMP. These results demonstrate the reliability of the method, underscoring its potential for use in international efforts to monitor and control CWAs, thereby preventing their misuse.
The study aims to identify seasonal fluctuations in groundwater quality concerning heavy metal contamination. Specifically, it assesses heavy metal concentrations in groundwater in Wadi Al-Samen, evaluates its suitability for drinking purposes, and compares these levels with the World Health Organization standards. Groundwater samples were collected from 20 wells over two seasons and analyzed for 16 trace elements using atomic absorption spectrometry. The metals analyzed include barium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, cadmium, chromium, boron, lithium, aluminum, arsenic, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc, lead, and selenium. Results showed that four samples exceeded the permissible limits for barium and lithium in both seasons, three samples exceeded the recommended zinc limits in both seasons, 17 samples exceeded the permissible selenium limit in the dry season, and 15 in the wet season, while one sample exceeded the recommended copper limit in both seasons. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and metal index (MI) were used to assess contamination levels. HPI values exhibited significant spatial variations, with recorded values of 17.2 in the dry season and 11.99 in the wet season, both below the critical threshold of 100. Groundwater quality was classified as poor in the Al-Hejreh well and very poor in the Al-Fawwar1 well, rendering it unsuitable for drinking. MI results indicated moderate heavy metal contamination, with mean MI values of 2.3 in the dry season and 2.2 in the wet season. The heavy metals detected in the study area were categorized into toxic elements, alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, transition metals, other metallic elements, and non-metallic elements. This research highlights groundwater contamination in Wadi Al-Samen and underscores the need for mitigation measures to reduce health risks for local residents.
Floods are events where areas or lands become submerged due to an excessive volume of water, leading to various impacts, such as human casualties; property damage; and social, economic, and environmental losses. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing flood hazard modeling using statistical models (e.g., frequency ratio, Shannon entropy) to identify flood-prone areas and assess the flood risk in villages within the Barak River basin for effective flood management. Among the states in India, Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are among those that are highly affected by floods. In Assam, the Barak and Brahmaputra River valleys are particularly vulnerable to flooding, with Barak Valley being extremely prone to flood following monsoonal downpours and breaches in river embankment. This study’s findings reveal that the entire Barak River floodplain (Barak Valley) exhibits high to very high flood susceptibility. All districts within Barak Valley show more than 50% of their area as flood-prone, with Karimganj district having the highest flood susceptibility, as 70% of its area is in the very high-risk category, which is the highest among the districts. A total of 866 villages in the study area are highly vulnerable to floods, accounting for 46% of the villages in the region. These villages are mostly located along the riverbanks and low-lying areas surrounding water bodies. These findings emphasize the need for targeted flood management strategies such as forecasting, early warning systems, and land use planning in these villages.
Mining activities can significantly impact water quality by introducing various contaminants into water sources. The purpose of this study is to assess heavy metal concentrations and other elemental contaminants in water from the Prek Te area across two seasons and evaluate the potential health risks associated with drinking contaminated water. Surface water samples were collected twice in 2023: from March 5 - 11 (dry season) to October 20 - 26 (rainy season). A total of 21 surface water samples were collected from different locations along the Prek Te area. On-site measurements included pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and total dissolved solids, while laboratory analyses determined arsenic (As), chromium, nickel (Ni), copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead concentrations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results indicated that most parameters were within the World Health Organization guidelines and Cambodia Drinking Water Quality Standards, except for As and Ni. During the rainy season, the highest As concentration was 58.1 μg/L, followed by 22.0 μg/L and 10.8 μg/L. Health risk assessments revealed that the hazard index and hazard quotient for children exceeded 1, indicating potential non-carcinogenic health risks. In addition, children exhibited the highest lifetime cancer risk for As (>1.8 × 10−1), followed by women (>1.2 × 10−1) and men (>1 × 10−1). These findings suggest that children are more vulnerable to health risks associated with drinking contaminated water compared to adults. To ensure safe drinking water for communities along the Prek Te area, an urgent monitoring program and appropriate water treatment measures—particularly to remove As contamination—are recommended.
The agricultural sector faces major challenges from increasing droughts and declining water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. The present study aims to simulate the effects of drought on socioeconomic, hydrological, and adaptive behavioral parameters at the basin level to identify drought-vulnerable areas and improve agricultural sector management under drought conditions. This study integrates water evaluation and planning, positive mathematical programming, and theory of planned behavior models to analyze hydrological, socioeconomic, and behavioral systems, respectively, under drought scenarios. To implement this integrated model, the Kowsar Dam basin in Iran was selected as the study area. The results showed that droughts significantly reduce crop yields, increase unmet water demand, alter cultivation patterns, and lower farmers’ profits, all driven by reduced rainfall, higher temperatures, and shrinking water resources. Attitudes, norms, and perceived control explained 74.1% of behavioral intention and 58.6% of farmers’ drought responses. Therefore, influencing psychological parameters can help foster the acceptance of drought adaptation strategies at the basin level. In conclusion, this integrated framework serves as a valuable tool for identifying drought-vulnerable areas and designing effective policies and interventions for drought management.
With only 0.5% of Earth’s water being potable and increasing demand driven by urbanization and construction, there is an urgent need to identify sustainable alternatives to freshwater for concrete production. This study examines the use of purified sewage water from a 10 million liters-per-day sewage treatment plant at Bambianwali, which employs sequential batch reactor technology, as a substitute for potable water in concrete mixing. An extensive analysis was conducted over a 3-year period (2021 - 2023) to evaluate the suitability of treated sewage water for concrete production. Water quality parameters analyzed included pH, temperature, total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, fecal coliform, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen. Plain cement concrete cubes were prepared and tested for compressive strength using three different water mixtures: 100% potable water, a 60:40 mixture of primary treated wastewater and potable water, and a 60:40 mixture of secondary treated wastewater and potable water. After 28 days of curing, the concrete cubes prepared with secondary treated wastewater in a ratio of 60:40 achieved a characteristic strength of 22.03 N/mm2, compared to 23.96 N/mm2 for cubes made with 100% potable water. In contrast, cubes made with primary treated wastewater showed a reduced strength of 17.30 N/mm2. These findings indicate that secondary treated sewage water can serve as a feasible substitute for potable water in concrete mixing, though the compressive strength of resulting concrete may vary depending on the extent of treatment applied to the water.
Humans are subjected to natural radiation from external sources, such as radionuclides on Earth and cosmic radiation, as well as internal radiation from radionuclides integrated into the body. Radionuclide intake occurs mostly through the ingestion of food and water, as well as inhalation. The natural radioactivity in the soils of Ali Al-Sharqi and Kumait, two cities in Misan province, Iraq, were measured. The soil samples were collected from 47 Ali Al-Sharqi and Kumait areas, and levels of natural radionuclide were analyzed using a high-purity germanium detector. The average activity concentrations of radionuclides, radium-226, thorium-232, and potassium-40, were found to be 15.1 ± 2.5, 14.7 ± 2.4, and 180.8 ± 7.9 Bq/kg, respectively, for Ali Al-Sharqi. In Kumait, the corresponding values were 13.6 ± 2.1, 17.2 ± 2.4, and 193.6 ± 8.6 Bq/kg, respectively. Radiation risk parameters were also evaluated for both cities. The average radium equivalent activities for Ali Al-Sharqi and Kumait were 50.2 Bq/kg and 53.2 Bq/kg, respectively. Internal and external hazard indices were 0.2 and 0.1, while the gamma level index was 0.2 in both cities. In Ali Al-Sharqi, the absorbed gamma dose rates in the air (Din, Dout, and Dtot) were 44.8, 23.5, and 68.3 nGy/h, the annual effective dose equivalents (AEDEin, AEDEout, and AEDEtot) were 0.2, 0.02, and 0.2 mSv/y, the excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCRin, ELCRout, and ELCRtot) were 0.8 × 10−3, 0.1 × 10−3, and 0.9 × 10−3, and the annual gonadal dose equivalent was 165.3 μSv/y. In Kumait, the corresponding values were 47.2, 24.8, and 72 nGy/h, 0.2, 0.03, and 0.3 mSv/y, 0.8 × 10−3, 0.1 × 10−3, and 0.9 × 10−3, and 175 μSv/y, respectively. These findings indicate that the measured levels of radioactivity and health hazard parameters in both cities were below the global average values reported by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Therefore, the natural radioactivity in the soils of the investigated areas does not pose a health risk to the public.
Water, the most essential component for life and ecological balance, is scarce worldwide, particularly in underprivileged countries. This research uses panel data from 39 Asian nations spanning from 1996 to 2022 to examine the impact of water scarcity (WS) on climate change, socioeconomic issues, governance instability, food production, and sustainable groundwater planning. The generalized method of moments estimator results reveal that government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and crop production reduce WS by 17.581%, 55.049%, and 0.171%, respectively. In contrast, agricultural land degradation, renewable energy demand, and climate funding exacerbate WS by 0.001%, 1.551%, and 10.397%, respectively. The study underscores the importance of effective governance and climate financing in securing Asia’s water future.
The utilization of renewable energy sources for energy transition is gaining significant popularity due to pollution control and other environmental benefits. To move toward green energy generation, the integration of renewable energy sources with the existing conventional grid plays a key role. The performance of a modern interconnected power system, particularly with a high penetration of renewable energy sources, is significantly impacted by power system oscillations. Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) devices are recommended to improve control framework performance, and the power system stabilizer is the customary controller for damping such oscillations. FACTS offer a powerful strategy as they can control transport voltage, transmission line impedance, and power flows. This paper presents an efficient control scheme that combines four FACTS controllers: the static VAR compensator for controlling reactive power in control frameworks, the unified power flow controller for managing active and reactive power flows on transmission lines, the static synchronous compensator for maintaining system voltage stability, and the static synchronous series compensator for controlling transmission line impedance. To address the challenges posed by the variability of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, the ant colony optimization algorithm is employed to optimally tune the controllers’ parameters. By generating controlled voltage and interfacing with the transmission line, these controllers enhance system stability, even under fluctuating renewable energy inputs. The IEEE 30-Bus system was used for simulation and control design, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in damping inter-area oscillations and improving the stability and resilience of a renewable-energy-integrated power system.
Water scarcity and inefficient water management are critical challenges, particularly in Iraq, because it faces significant challenges in managing its water resources due to increasing demand for water and climate change, which threatens water security. This study aims to promote sustainable water resource management practices in arid and semi-arid regions, focusing on the Haditha Dam Basin in Iraq. The topographic and hydrological characteristics of the basin were analyzed using geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques. The study relied on Sentinel-1/2 satellite data to classify land use and land cover (LULC) and create high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). Using ArcGIS Pro, several hydrological factors were analyzed, including slopes, flow directions, water accumulation, and sub-basin identification. Results revealed a marked topographic contrast between the northern and southern regions of the basin. The southern regions are characterized by flat areas that facilitate groundwater recharge, while the steep northern slopes lead to increased erosion and rapid surface runoff. Several sub-basins were identified, with the main basin accounting for approximately 40% of the total water input. These results are consistent with previous studies in arid and semi-arid regions, such as the Duhok Dam Basin in Iraq, where topographical features play a key role in hydrological response. Study limitations include DEM accuracy, which may not capture the fine details of small-scale flow characteristics due to their resolution (10 m). Furthermore, remote sensing cannot directly measure subsurface hydrology, requiring verification with field data or additional models. LULC classification is also affected by seasonal variations and spectral mixing, which may affect the accuracy of the results. Despite these challenges, the study provides valuable information for policymakers to improve water resource management in arid regions. It also provides a scientific basis for developing more effective flood control and reservoir management strategies, contributing to sustainable water resource planning.
Climate change poses a major global challenge which affects human health and livelihood, ecosystem, critical sectors and infrastructure among others. The objective of this research is to investigate and mitigate the impacts of climate change in the City of Tshwane. A combination of quantitative and case study approaches was employed, with datasets obtained from the South African Weather Service, the City of Tshwane, and the Auditor-General. The data were modeled using a combination of discrete event simulation and system dynamics within the AnyLogic (version 8.2.3) environment. The results showed an increase in climate trends from 1981 to 2022, suggesting a growing frequency of heat waves, heavier rainfall, and more frequent floods, among other phenomena. The study recommends the use of simulation approaches to assess the impacts of climate change on the city’s infrastructure during the planning process. The findings can assist the City of Tshwane in planning for future climate scenarios, enabling stakeholders to develop sustainable strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation, with the goal of creating a climate change-resilient city. If the suggested climate change policies are implemented, there would be a 15% annual decrease in extreme events (including excessive temperature, flooding, and drought), a 3% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 25% decrease in gross domestic product loss, alongside a 15% improvement in infrastructure performance.
This study explores a promising phytoremediation method for wastewater treatment using various filtering material types, including used automobile tires and construction waste. Developing an affordable, eco-friendly solution to minimize the release of untreated wastewater into natural water sources by utilizing industrial byproducts and waste materials is a critical challenge. This research focuses on the scientific understanding of implementing phytoremediation facilities that utilize construction debris and discarded automobile tires as filtering media for wastewater treatment. The proposed filter materials (waste tires and construction waste) demonstrated the following treatment effectiveness: ammonium - 40%; nitrates, nitrites, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids - 70%; organic pollutants by COD and biological oxygen demand - 70% and 28.5%, respectively; chlorides - 20%; sulfates - 23%; total iron - 99%; surfactants - 28%; and overall disinfection efficiency of nearly 99%. These results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed filtering media in enhancing wastewater treatment through phytoremediation.