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Article
Publication date: 3 June 2014

Marco Ostoich, Marco Carcereri and Jvan Barbaro

The tannery industry impacts strongly on water bodies due to the presence of chemical substances, such as chlorides, sulphates, chromium and other pollutants. This study has been…

Abstract

Purpose

The tannery industry impacts strongly on water bodies due to the presence of chemical substances, such as chlorides, sulphates, chromium and other pollutants. This study has been carried out with a view to enhance the environmental compatibility of the Arzignano tannery district (northern Italy) which is the largest in Italy, by improving the quality of the Fratta-Gorzone River. Sediment quality, according to the driving forces-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) scheme, has been developed as a significant impact indicator to be applied at basin level. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the above issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were produced during institutional monitoring and control activities carried out by ARPAV (Veneto Region Environmental Prevention and Protection Agency) according to official methods. To define the environmental impacts on the river basin, a statistical assessment was performed on water and sediment quality data to establish the degree of correlation for the main pollutants along the river stem.

Findings

In the basin considered, sediment quality presents high levels of contamination from heavy metals – in particular chromium (Cr) (III) – as well as organic pollutants. Investigation of the pressure sources revealed that the discharge from the Arzignano tannery district is the main source of Cr (III), according to background studies performed in the same area.

Practical implications

The quality of river sediments must be improved in order to avoid the re-suspension/solubility of pollutants; dredged materials with high polluting substances must be managed with specific precautions in order to safeguard the environment.

Originality/value

The river studied is currently the only significant water body in which sediment monitoring has been performed in the Veneto Region (Italy) since 2002. This study presents issues linked to the characterization of river sediment and the correlation between sediment quality and water pollution and prior and current pressure sources.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2004

M. Zafar and B.J. Alappat

Unfortunately in India, most landfills are located along the banks of rivers flowing through the cities. The interaction of two big, diverse and delicate ecological systems …

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Abstract

Unfortunately in India, most landfills are located along the banks of rivers flowing through the cities. The interaction of two big, diverse and delicate ecological systems – rivers and landfills – has been investigated in this paper. During 2000, the estimated quantity of waste generation was more than 9,000 tons per day. This is one of the biggest sources of environmental degradation in Delhi, India's capital. It contributes to river pollution in a significant way through landfill leachate and runoff, especially during the rainy season. Since the 1950s over 12 large landfills have been packed with all sorts of non‐biodegradable and toxic wastes from Delhi. The area covered by landfills is at least 1 percent (14.83 sq.km) of Delhi's total area. All the landfill sites except Tilak Nagar, Hastal and Chattarpur are located close (0‐6 km) to the river Yamuna. Further, these landfills are not engineered sanitary landfills and the waste is dumped at open sites without proper compaction. A high mountain of waste can be seen at all landfill sites without a cover. The leachate produced by landfills finally percolates to the porous ground surface at the landfills or finds its way to nearby drains. A large portion of landfill leachate and runoff produced by these landfill sites finally reaches the Yamuna through ground water flow or surface water flow through the drains. The results of analysis by investigations and environmental mapping during the study clearly indicate that river water quality is affected by the presence of landfill locations, i.e. landfill leachate and landfill surface runoff.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 15 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 June 2010

Eizo Hideshima

Urbanization is a mode of social progress in history. However, it repeats headway and fallback. In the lifetime of a person, he/she may watch only a certain phase of recovery from…

Abstract

Urbanization is a mode of social progress in history. However, it repeats headway and fallback. In the lifetime of a person, he/she may watch only a certain phase of recovery from fallback as if it were a phase of progress. Such a social activity as evocation of sense of togetherness may seem to be so primitive that it might be practicable even in past communities. It is true of water quality issue of river and sea around us. Do you find the more innovative way that has never been seen? Otherwise, do you chant simply a slogan like “Clean the river more!”? Although water quality transition is merely a physical phenomenon, the community nearby may either worsen or improve the quality. The interaction between the quality transition and the action of community continues in a dynamic process. Community should progress, if possible, by managing the process appropriately. This chapter first illustrates a case of social remediation process for water quality issue of Horikawa river in Nagoya City, Japan. Then it considers the issues, concerns, activities, and moreover the relation of them over the water community. It finally refers to more strategic direction through simple mathematical formulation of social remediation process.

Details

Water Communities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-699-1

Article
Publication date: 24 February 2012

Kirsti Korkka‐Niemi, Anna‐Liisa Kivimäki, Kirsti Lahti, Maria Nygård, Anne Rautio, Veli‐Pekka Salonen and Petri Pellikka

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of groundwater‐surface water interaction when studying, modeling and assessing climate change impacts on river water…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance of groundwater‐surface water interaction when studying, modeling and assessing climate change impacts on river water management.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigations were focused on River Vantaa and its tributaries in southern Finland. The main methods used involved aerial infrared photography, thermal profiling of river sediments, water quality measurements, isotopic composition of oxygen and hydrogen δ18O, δ2H and river water temperature measurements. The authors present the first results of the field measurements targeted to identify the groundwater recharge and discharge zones within the river system.

Findings

Groundwater discharge zones were found to have a significant impact on water quality and volume in River Vantaa and its tributaries. In the drainage basin, the aerial infrared photography seemed to be a feasible and cost‐effective method to identify areas of groundwater discharge across the entire river basin. Around 350 groundwater/surface water interaction sites along the 220 km river system could be identified.

Practical implications

The interaction sites identified during the season of low flow rate should be considered as potential risk areas because during flood periods groundwater quality might be at risk due to bank infiltration. This should be considered in river basin management within predicted changing climatic conditions.

Originality/value

This is the first attempt in Finland to map systematically groundwater and river water interactions. The focus of the paper is relevant, because according to the existing climate scenarios, flooding of the main rivers in Finland will be more frequent in future, increasing the probability of groundwater‐surface water interaction.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2013

Marco Ostoich and Marco Carcereri

Water protection is one of the primary objectives of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. The paper aims to identify suitable indices for water quality and specifically for…

Abstract

Purpose

Water protection is one of the primary objectives of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. The paper aims to identify suitable indices for water quality and specifically for water used for irrigation in the Fratta‐Gorzone river basin (Northern Italy) affected by discharges from the largest tannery district in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach

The DPSIR framework is proposed here for the development of a water quality monitoring and control system. A set of indices is applied as a comprehensive environmental management system in order to: assess the degree of achievement of water quality objectives; identify measures to be applied to pressure sources; verify the extent of application of local measures.

Findings

The highest values measured in the river Fratta‐Gorzone refer to the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD), chlorides, sulphates, chromium, E. coli and, in some cases, other parameters. At basin level, the objectives set by the WFD and by local regulations must be achieved by applying appropriate discharge limit values. Water quality for irrigation use and the impact of the tannery district is critically presented and discussed according to available data, and refers to the monitoring project which was developed as a result.

Practical implications

The inflow from an irrigation channel, which conducts freshwater from the Adige river to the Fratta‐Gorzone river and empties just beyond the discharge point for effluent from the tannery district, favoured a general improvement in river water quality, as a result of dilution, particularly for irrigation purposes.

Originality/value

An environmental management system is outlined, with a proposal for a specific set of indices to be used as part of the monitoring and control activities for the integrated management of river basins, especially those affected by industrial tannery discharges.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 November 2023

Laith F. Lazem

Using a combination of the geographical information system (GIS) and the Canadian water quality index (WQI), the current study sought to provide a long-term general assessment of

Abstract

Purpose

Using a combination of the geographical information system (GIS) and the Canadian water quality index (WQI), the current study sought to provide a long-term general assessment of the water quality of the Shatt Al-Arab River (SAAR), focusing on its suitability for living organisms. Likewise, SPSS statistics was used to develop a nonlinear WQI regression model for the study area.

Design/methodology/approach

The study required four decades of data collection on some environmental characteristics of river water. After that, calculate the WQI and conduct the spatial analysis. Eight variables in total, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, potential hydrogen ions, electrical conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand, turbidity, nitrate and phosphate, were chosen to calculate the WQI.

Findings

Throughout the study periods, the WQI values varied from 55.2 to 79.83, falling into the categories of four (marginal) and three (fair), with the sixth period (2007–2008) showing the most decline. The present research demonstrated that the high concentration of phosphates, the high EC values, and minor changes in the other environmental factors are the major causes of the decline in water quality. The variations in ecological variables' overlap are a senior contributor to changes in water quality in general. Notably, using GIS in conjunction with the WQI has shown to be very effective in reducing the time and effort spent on investigating water quality while obtaining precise findings and information at the lowest possible expense. Calibration and validation of the developed model showed that this model had a perfect estimate of the WQI value. Due to its flexibility and impartiality, this study recommends using the proposed model to estimate and predict the WQI in the study area.

Originality/value

Even though the water quality of the SAAR has been the subject of numerous studies, this is the only long-term investigation that has been done to evaluate and predict its water quality.

Details

Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-9899

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 June 2022

Adwoa Boadua Yirenkyi-Fianko, Ernest Kwesi Yanful and Jemima Antwiwaa Ottou

Total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and other physicochemical parameters of the Birim River, which serves for drinking and domestic purposes for rural…

Abstract

Purpose

Total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and other physicochemical parameters of the Birim River, which serves for drinking and domestic purposes for rural mining communities, were analysed to assess the suitability of water quality for human consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 40 samples were collected from 20 sampling sites during the rainy season from July to September and the dry season from December to February in addition to two repeat samples and two blank samples. Samples were analysed for physiochemical parameters and the results were compared with World Health Organisation standards (WHO).

Findings

Data obtained for both rainy and dry seasons indicated TOC ranged from 1.1 to 7.3 mg/L and DOC 1–7.2 mg/L; pH, 5.6–8.63; temperature, 23.3–29.3°C; turbidity, <1.00–869NTU; apparent colour, <2.5–600 mg/L Pt-Co; true colour <2.5–150 mg/L Pt-Co; alkalinity, 27.8–80.4 mg/L; total suspended solids, <1.00–998 mg/L; electrical conductivity, 82–184 µS/cm; and bicarbonate, 33.9–98.1 mg/L. Particulate organic carbon (POC) was constituted between 1 and 10% of the TOC. Values for pH, turbidity, total suspended solids, and true colour indicated contamination of the river. p -value of <0.05 between seasons for the physicochemical parameters also suggests that the water is polluted.

Practical implications

Water from the Birim River is unsuitable for human consumption and may constitute a serious health risk to the consumers.

Originality/value

The paper yields immense value to inhabitant of communities using surface water affected by mining activities, policy makers in sustainability. It warns of the unsuitability of water from the Birim River for human consumption due to the potential health risk to consumers.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 33 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 June 2010

Nozomi Hishida and Ryo Kamada

In recent years, cooperation between the public and the private sectors has been emphasized in the field of river basin management, which includes flood control, water use, and…

Abstract

In recent years, cooperation between the public and the private sectors has been emphasized in the field of river basin management, which includes flood control, water use, and river environmental conservation. During the 3rd World Water Forum held in 2003 in Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga, Japan, participants from various countries had reported participatory approaches and joint initiatives between public and private sectors in river basin management. Through this forum, it is shown that this theme has been receiving attention in different parts of the world.

Details

Water Communities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-699-1

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Venkatesh Dutta, Ravindra Kumar and Urvashi Sharma

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential impact of human-induced intervention on hydrological regimes of Gomti river, one of the important tributaries of the Ganga…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential impact of human-induced intervention on hydrological regimes of Gomti river, one of the important tributaries of the Ganga Alluvial Plain in India aiming at an overall assessment of the status quo.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology includes following four components: study of basin morphology, sub-surface geology and sediments profile of Gomti river; a comparison of LANDSAT satellite data of 1978 and IRS-1C/LISS-III satellite data of 2008 to study the changes occurring in the built-up area, forest and water bodies of the basin; study of flow patterns in different stretches of river Gomti from 1978 to 2012; and water quality assessment at different sites from origin of the river to its confluence in the Ganges.

Findings

The paper shows that over the years, the water source in the tributaries feeding the river Gomti has shrunk, reducing the flow in the river. A steady increase in developed land area due to rapid urban sprawl has occurred in recent decades, due to which forest cover and wetlands are decreasing, the river and floodplains are getting fragmented, the hydromorphology changed considerably and several tributaries are getting dried as a result of indiscriminate exploitation of groundwater. There is no flow in the initial 57 km stretch of the river with wide encroachment in active floodplains. Groundwater over-extraction to meet the demands of increasing population and intensive agriculture has led to reduction in base-flows and in some reaches even negative. Extensive land-use changes in the Gomti river basin (GRB) severely impact the river and floodplain connectivity, the impacts are already evident as several tributaries are getting dried during the non-monsoon months.

Research limitations/implications

The information provided by the paper for GRB is significant for the understanding of the basin and to formulate integrated management and development plan of the basin. Significant changes have taken place in the GRB over the recent past and are still continuing. Because of the chosen river basin and the site-specific research approach, the research results may lack generalization. However, it provides a general framework of analysis which could be applied to other regions.

Practical implications

River channels with their floodplains and adjoining ecosystems have to be addressed as interconnected ecological entity in a holistic way. This requires comprehensive observations of the river systems and catchment characteristics using long-term data. The paper could be used as the starting point in the development of management and development strategies for the basin.

Originality/value

River and its floodplain offer multiple ecosystem services and deserve an integrated approach for their conservation and restoration. Conservation and protection of ecologically intact river-floodplain systems is extremely important and urgently needs integrated planning and management. This paper has adopted a integrated approach to study the integrity of river ecosystems and the potential pressures on them.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 26 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2007

M.R. Scariot, M.S. Romitelli and E. Ortega

In order to help watershed committees improve Basin Planning, the purpose of this study is to propose to apply system dynamic models to understand watershed conditions and to…

Abstract

Purpose

In order to help watershed committees improve Basin Planning, the purpose of this study is to propose to apply system dynamic models to understand watershed conditions and to evaluate the main aspects of human impact on water quality for Brazilian rivers.

Design/methodology/approach

This work makes use of the energy system language to propose a system modeling. The river is longitudinally modeled as a web of inter‐connected compartments and individually described for each control volume by differential equations.

Findings

The model considers particular and significant characteristics such as turbidity and sedimentary organic matter content of São Paulo State rivers and results in ordinary differential equations that are adequate to the Brazilian water quality database. It is expected that simulation will provide the longitudinal and temporal dynamic behavior of total phosphorus, biomass, dissolved oxygen, organic matter, benthonic organisms and fishes that will be used to evaluate future scenarios and to identify sustainable public policies for the Basin.

Originality/value

Water quality simulators available in developed countries are strongly dependent on an extensive series of observed data, most of which are not available for the Brazilian rivers. The model here proposed is adapted to the current Brazilian water quality monitoring system, which provides historic series of observed data of pollution sources and water quality parameters along the stream.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 18 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

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