Search Results (918)

Swimming pools, symbols of luxury in tourism-driven Greece, raise concerns about water consumption in water-scarce regions. This study assesses their hydrological impact in two regions of Southern Greece, West Mani (Peloponnese) and Naxos Island (Cyclades), within the water–energy–food nexus framework, evaluating the resulting trade-offs. Using satellite imagery, we identified 354 pools in West Mani (11,738 m²) and 556 in Naxos (26,825 m²). Two operational scenarios were evaluated: complete seasonal emptying and refilling (Scenario 1) and one-third annual water renewal (Scenario 2). Annual water use ranged from 39,000 to 51,000 m³ in West Mani and 98,000 to 124,000 m³ in Naxos—equivalent to the needs of 625–2769 and 1549–6790 people in West Mani and Naxos, respectively. In Naxos, this volume could alternatively irrigate 27–40 hectares of potatoes, producing food for 700–1500 people. Energy requirements, particularly where desalination is used, further increase the burden, with Naxos pools requiring 384–846 MWh annually. Although swimming pools are highly visible water consumers, their overall contribution to water scarcity is modest compared to household and agricultural uses. Their visibility, however, amplifies public concern. Rainwater harvesting, requiring collection areas 10–24 times larger than pool surface areas, especially in residential and hotel settings, could make pools largely self-sufficient. Integrating such measures into water management and tourism policy can help balance luxury amenities with resource conservation in water-scarce Mediterranean regions. Full article

This study evaluates the feasibility of employing rainwater as an alternative feedstock for hydrogen production via electrolysis. While conventional systems typically rely on high-purity water—such as deionized or distilled variants—these can be cost-prohibitive and environmentally intensive. Rainwater, being naturally available and minimally treated, presents a potential sustainable alternative. In this work, a series of comparative experiments was conducted using a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer system operating with both deionized water and rainwater collected from different Austrian locations. The chemical composition of rainwater samples was assessed through inductively coupled plasma, ion chromatography and visual rapid tests to identify impurities and ionic profiles. The electrolyzer’s performance was evaluated under equivalent operating conditions. Results indicate that rainwater, in some cases, yielded comparable or marginally superior efficiency compared to deionized water, attributed to its inherent ionic content. The study also examines the operational risks linked to trace contaminants and explores possible strategies for their mitigation. Full article

Water scarcity, driven by over-consumption, population growth, climate change, and pollution, poses severe threats to both human health and ecosystems. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has emerged as a sustainable solution to mitigate these impacts, offering environmental, social, and economic benefits. Traditional RWH site selection methods rely heavily on GIS-based Multi-Criteria Approaches, such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process, which typically assess runoff potential at the pixel scale using proxy indicators like runoff coefficients or drainage density. However, these methods often overlook horizontal water fluxes and temporal variability, leading to underestimation of the actual runoff available for harvesting. This study introduces an innovative enhancement to AHP/GIS-based methodologies for rainwater harvesting (RWH) site selection by incorporating Aggregated Runoff (AR) as a key criterion. Unlike traditional approaches, the use of AR—representing the total upstream surface water collected at each pixel—enables a more realistic and accurate assessment of RWH potential without increasing data or computational requirements. The proposed criterion is independent of the specific methodology or data layers adopted, making it broadly applicable and easily integrable into existing frameworks. The methodology is applied to the upper Tiber River catchment in Central Italy, demonstrating that AR-based assessments yield more realistic RWH potential maps compared to conventional methods. Additionally, the study proposes a quantile-based scoring system to account for inter-annual hydrological variability, enhancing the robustness of site selection under changing climate conditions. Full article

This article presents an analysis of wastewater inflow to a treatment plant and the impact of incidental (stormwater) inflow on the variability of its volume and quality. The study was conducted over a four-year period and showed that the average daily inflow of wastewater was 1133.2 m³ per day, which accounted for 56.7% of the plant’s design capacity. The variability of wastewater inflow was found to be significant, with stormwater having a considerable effect on increasing the volume of wastewater, especially during days with intense rainfall. Depending on precipitation levels, incidental water contributed between 12.2% and 46.2% of the total wastewater inflow. The analysis of the influent wastewater quality indicated a high variability in the concentrations of key pollution indicators. Despite this, the treatment processes in the membrane bioreactors (MBR) proved effective, consistently maintaining pollutant concentrations in the effluent below permissible limits. The conclusions highlight the necessity of considering stormwater in the design and operation of wastewater treatment plants to ensure their effective performance. Full article

This study investigates the environmental stability of ferronickel slag (FNS) and primary lead slags (GCS and FCS) from historical metallurgical complexes in Greece, in rainwater and seawater media. Leaching experiments revealed that nickel is the most mobile element from FNS (43.5 μg·g⁻¹ in seawater after 90 days). Chromium release, on the other hand, is very limited, not exceeding 0.04 μg·g⁻¹. In lead slags, zinc and lead exhibit significant leaching (up to 650 and 230 μg·g⁻¹, respectively), while arsenic release reaches 22.6 μg·g⁻¹. GCS contains pores primarily in the range of 50–90 Å. The majority of pore volume in FCS is centered around 30 Å. The porosity appears to have a significant effect on the element’s leachability. Pb, Zn, As, Sb, and Cd are released in significantly higher amounts from the finely porous FCS compared to GCS. Thermodynamic modeling was used to identify the pollutant speciation in water media in relation to the oxygen concentration. The release of toxic elements such as Cr from FNS and As from lead slags is enhanced under oxic (open-air) conditions. Therefore, their land disposal poses a greater environmental threat compared to sea disposal, where anoxic conditions prevail. Full article

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) represent an alternative for achieving environmental and resilience goals in diverse global contexts with varying needs. As such, NBS can be understood as processes involving actions that promote circular economy (CE) strategies within their function. Therefore, this research aims to conduct a systematic literature review to identify and analyze the main NBS applied and explore how they are associated with CE strategies. This study performs a systematic literature review of NBS and their relationship with the CE using the PRISMA methodology, analyzing a total of 32 articles retrieved from the SCOPUS database. The main NBS include constructed wetlands, green infrastructure, and soil restoration and enrichment solutions. Constructed wetlands are linked to strategies such as recycling and reuse due to their role in treating urban and domestic wastewater for reuse, thereby increasing water availability. Green infrastructure is associated with strategies like redesign and reduction, as it involves the use of lower-impact materials and designs for rainwater harvesting and thermal comfort improvement. Soil enrichment and remediation solutions are connected to reuse and recycling strategies, as most derive from organic waste composting or microorganisms. NBS and CE strategies highlight how these solutions not only provide direct environmental benefits but also, when analyzed from a sustainability perspective, can offer social and economic benefits. Furthermore, understanding their relationship will facilitate their integration into regulations for transitioning toward circularity in industries and cities. The contribution of this article lies in synthesizing and systematizing the evidence on how NBS operationalizes CE strategies, identifying the main mechanisms and gaps, and proposing a conceptual model that can guide future research and policy design. Full article

The primary objective of this study is to assess the techno-economic feasibility of an innovative solar energy generation system with a rainwater collection feature to generate electrical energy and meet irrigation needs in agriculture. The proposed system is designed for an agricultural area (Gonyeli, North Cyprus) with high solar potential and limited rainfall. In the present study, global rainfall datasets are utilized to assess the potential of rainwater harvesting at the selected site. Due to the lack of the measured rainfall data at the selected site, the accuracy of rainfall of nine global reanalysis and analysis datasets (CHIRPS, CFSR, ERA5-LAND, ERA5, ERA5-AG, MERRA2, NOAA CPC CMORPH, NOAA CPC DAILY GLOBAL, and TerraClimate) are evaluated by using data from ground-based observations collected from the Meteorological Department located in Lefkoşa, Northern Cyprus from 1981 to 2023. The results demonstrate that ERA5 outperformed the other datasets, yielding a high R-squared value along with a low mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE). Based on the best dataset, the potential of the rainwater harvesting system is estimated by analyzing the monthly and seasonal rainfall patterns utilizing 65 different probability distribution functions for the first time. Three goodness-of-fit tests are utilized to identify the best-fit probability distribution. The results show that the Johnson and Wakeby SB distributions outperform the other models in terms of fitting accuracy. Additionally, the results indicate that the rainwater harvesting system could supply between 31% and 38% of the building’s annual irrigation water demand (204 m³/year) based on average daily rainfall and between 285% and 346% based on maximum daily rainfall. Accordingly, the system might be able to collect a lot more water than is needed for irrigation, possibly producing an excess that could be stored for non-potable uses during periods of heavy rainfall. Furthermore, the techno-economic feasibility of the proposed system is evaluated using RETScreen software (version 9.1, 2023). The results show that household energy needs can be met by the proposed photovoltaic system, and the excess energy is transferred to the grid. Furthermore, the cash flow indicates that the investor can expect a return on investment from the proposed PV system within 2.4 years. Consequently, the findings demonstrate the significance of this system for promoting resource sustainability and climate change adaptation. Besides, the developed system can also help reduce environmental impact and enhance resilience in areas that rely on water and electricity. Full article

Climate change is expected to reduce water availability during cropping season, while growing populations and rising living standards will increase the global water demand. This creates an urgent need for national water management tools to optimize water allocation. In particular, agriculture requires targeted approaches to improve efficiency. Alongside field measurements and remote sensing, agro-hydrological models have emerged as a particularly valuable resource for assessing and managing agricultural water demand. This study introduces WaterCROPv2, a state-of-the-art agro-hydrological model designed to estimate national-scale irrigation water demand while effectively balancing accuracy with practical data requirements. WaterCROPv2 incorporates innovative features such as hourly time-step computations, advanced rainwater canopy interception modeling, detailed soil-dependent leakage dynamics, and localized daily evapotranspiration patterns based on meteorological data. Through comprehensive analyses, WaterCROPv2 demonstrates significantly enhanced reliability in estimating irrigation water needs across various climatic regions, particularly under contrasting dry and wet conditions. Validation against independent data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) for maize cultivation in Italy in 2010 confirms the model’s accuracy and underscores its potential for broader international applications. A spatial analysis further reveals that the estimation errors align closely with regional precipitation patterns: the model tends to slightly underestimate irrigation needs in the wetter northern regions, whereas it somewhat overestimates demand in the drier southern areas. WaterCROPv2 has also been used to analyze irrigation water requirements for maize cultivation in Italy from 2005 to 2015, highlighting its significant potential as a strategic decision-support tool. The model identifies optimal cultivation areas, such as the Pianura Padana, where the irrigation requirements do not exceed 200 mm for the entire maize growing period, and unsuitable regions, such as Salentino, where over 500 mm per season are required due to the local climatic conditions. In addition, estimates of the water volumes required for the current extent of maize cultivation show that the Pianura Padana region demands nearly three times the amount of water used in the Salentino area. The model has also been used to identify regions where adopting efficient irrigation technologies could lead to substantial water savings. With micro-irrigation currently covering less than 18% of irrigated land, simulations suggest that a complete transition to this system could reduce the national water demand by 21%. Savings could reach 30–40% in traditionally water-rich regions that rely on inefficient irrigation practices but are expected to be increasingly exposed to temperature increases and precipitation shifts. The analysis shows that those regions currently lacking adequate irrigation infrastructure stand to gain the most from targeted irrigation system investments but also highlights how incentives where micro-irrigation is already widespread can provide further 5–10% savings. Full article

Water scarcity and rising urban demand pose growing challenges for sustainable water management in Brazil, where over 73 million people may face shortages by 2035. Given this scenario, rainwater utilisation has emerged as a strategic alternative for preserving water resources, helping to reduce potable water consumption and relieving demand on public supply systems. This study aimed to evaluate the potential for potable water savings through the implementation of a rainwater harvesting system in a fitness centre without a swimming pool, located in southern Brazil—a building typology rarely addressed in the literature. Water end-uses were empirically characterised using water flow measurements and questionnaires conducted in an existing facility operated by the same franchise. A daily balance simulation was performed using the Netuno computer programme (Version 4), and an economic feasibility assessment was conducted based on local costs and tariff structures. The results showed that non-potable end-uses represented 24.4% of total water consumption. The rainwater harvesting simulation indicated an ideal tank capacity of 11,000 L, enabling potable water savings of 7.04%. The economic analysis showed an implementation cost of R$13,240.72 and a consequent return on investment of fifteen months. These findings confirm the technical and economic viability of rainwater harvesting systems for fitness centres and highlight the relevance of local conditions in shaping performance and investment returns. Full article

Triclosan (TCS), a persistent antimicrobial and endocrine-disrupting compound, is commonly found in surface and groundwater due to incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment. This study evaluated its fate in authentic rainwater runoff collected from a state road using rubber tiles made from recycled tires that were either uncoated (RRT) or coated with TiO₂ via the sol–gel method (SGT). Pollutants were analyzed by a high-resolution liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry system (LC/MS QTOF) before and after treatment in a flat-plate cascade reactor under UV-A irradiation. After 120 min SGT achieved >50% TCS removal, while RRT achieved ~44%. Further analysis identified degradation products (chlorocatechole, quinone, and transient dioxin-like species). ECOSAR predictions indicated moderate to high toxicity for some degradation products, but their transient and low-abundance detection suggests that photocatalysis suppresses accumulation, ultimately yielding less harmful products such as benzoic acid. These findings highlight the dual role of TiO₂-coated rubber tiles: improving material durability while enabling photocatalytic degradation. Full article

Imagine picking up an e-scooter or e-bike from a charging dock on campus that combines solar panels with a filtered rainwater refill fountain, a mobile phone charging point, climbing plants, and insect habitats. What if the space also offered composting for food waste, shelter from the rain, and a space to meet friends—open to all to support the university’s civic role in the wider city? This paper explores the ideas affecting biodiversity, health, and wellbeing of co-created design explorations of 15-minute city principles on university campuses. Originating from urban planning, the 15-minute city proposes that essential needs like education, healthcare, work, and leisure are accessible by active travel. Applied to a university campus, it means students and staff can access classrooms, housing, food, and recreation in just 15 minutes. Beyond convenience, this approach is argued to foster inclusive, mixed-use, and potentially ecologically regenerative spaces. Drawing on regenerative design thinking—which aims to restore and co-evolve human and natural systems—this participatory design research critically responds to top-down models by involving students and university stakeholders in co-creating visions for a 15-minute campus. The results show that through this participatory design process, cocreators contributed to shaping ideas that foster belonging, emotional attachment, and co-responsibility for place. The research concludes by proposing an innovative reorientation of the 15-minute-city—from a model concerned primarily with needs and efficiency, to one grounded in ecological consciousness, autonomy, and human–nature co-evolution. Full article

Water resources allow us to trace the history of many of our towns. In settings with limited surface water, a very interesting case study is represented by the presence/preservation of water in the rupestrian towns located along the rocky walls of canyons (locally named “gravine”) southward, cutting the Murge karst area (Puglia, Southern Italy). In some sections of their valleys, soft rocks, easy to dig, are exposed, and, along the canyon flanks, favored the development of rupestrian towns (cities where dwellings are carved in these soft rocks). Here, before the construction of aqueducts that now bring water from the “distant” Apennines (at least 30 km away), the building of historical fountains, in addition to the collection of rainwater in cisterns, testifies to the presence of an aquifer now undervalued as a local water resource useful for human settlements in a predominantly karst territory. Our study regards an aquifer feeding the Mascheroni Fountain (Great Masks Fountain) through a short qanat that allowed for the development of the old town of Laterza, in Puglia (Southern Italy). Starting from the attractiveness of the ancient fountain, the connection between geological features of the area and the ancestral origin of the city could be proposed to a large audience, representing an intriguing opportunity to develop themes useful for geotouristic purposes and disseminating concepts about sustainability and the importance of preserving local renewable resources. This topic is of paramount importance since the town of Laterza is located at the boundary between the UNESCO MurGEopark and the “Terra delle Gravine” Regional Park, making it the ideal starting point for both parks. Full article

The increasing presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in environmental matrices presents substantial analytical challenges due to their small size and chemical diversity. This study introduces a novel enzymatic biosensor based on the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) platform for the sensitive detection of MPs and NPs, utilizing laccase as the recognition element. Standard plastic particles, including polystyrene (PS, 0.1 µm), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, 1.0 µm and 100 µm), and polyethylene (PE, 34–50 µm), were analyzed using SPR angular interrogation along with a fixed-angle scheme. The angular approach revealed a clear relationship between the resonance angle, particle size, and refractive index, while the fixed-angle method, combined with immobilized laccase, facilitated specific detection through enzyme/substrate interactions. The analytical parameters showed detection limits ranging from 7.5 × 10⁻⁴ µg/mL (PE, 34–50 µm) to 253.2 µg/mL (PMMA, 1 µm), with significant differences based on polymer type and enzymatic affinity. Application of the biosensor to real rainwater samples collected from two regions in Mexico (Tula and Molango) confirmed its functionality, although performance varied depending on matrix composition, exhibiting inhibition in samples with high manganese (Mn²⁺), chromium (Cr²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺) content. Despite these limitations, the sensor achieved a 113% recovery rate in Tula rainwater, demonstrating its potential for straightforward in situ environmental monitoring. This study highlights the capabilities of laccase-based SPR biosensors in enhancing microplastic detection and underscores the necessity of considering matrix effects for real-world applications. Full article

The objective of this research is to design sustainable public spaces along the banks of the Ichu River in Huancavelica, Peru, with the aim of promoting environmental awareness within the local community. The identified problem lies in the deterioration of these spaces and the limited environmental awareness among the population. The applied methodology includes both macro- and micro-scale analyses of the study area, as well as the use of bioclimatic maps to incorporate passive strategies, clean technologies, and the use of local and ecological materials. The proposed hypothesis states that if sustainable public spaces are designed by integrating bioclimatic strategies, clean technologies, and local materials, then environmental awareness among the population will be strengthened, the quality of life of residents will improve, and the economic and social development of Huancavelica will be promoted. The results show that the implementation of sustainable infrastructure such as roads, parks, a riverside promenade with local product fairs, and a tourist dock can significantly contribute to improving the urban and natural environment. Additionally, the creation of an ecomuseum with sensory gardens is proposed to encourage social inclusion. In conclusion, the design of these spaces not only supports the conservation of the local ecosystem through actions such as reforestation and sustainable rainwater drainage but also strengthens the sense of community belonging and boosts economic development through neighborhood markets and responsible tourism activities, thereby improving the relationship between the community and its natural environment. Full article

China, facing severe saline–alkali land degradation, is grappling with the paradox of technically adequate but systemically deficient land consolidation. In response to the existing evaluation system’s over-reliance on physicochemical indicators and neglect of socioeconomic value, this study proposes the use of the Optimal Land Use Value (OLV) to construct a comprehensive benefit evaluation indicator system for saline–alkali land consolidation that encompasses ecosystem resilience, supply–demand balancing, and common prosperity. Considering a case project implemented from 2019 to 2022 in the Western Songnen Plain of China—one of the world’s most severely affected soda saline–alkali regions—this study combines the land use transition matrix with a comprehensive evaluation model to systematically assess the effectiveness and sustainability of land consolidation. The results reveal systemic deficiencies: within ecological spaces, short-term desalination succeeds but pH and organic matter improvements remain inadequate, while ecosystem vulnerability increases due to climate fluctuations and grassland conversion. In production spaces, cropland expansion and saline land reduction are effective, but water resource management proves unsustainable. Living spaces show improved infrastructure and income but face threats due to economic simplification and intergenerational unsustainability. For the investigated case, recommendations include shifting from technical restoration to systemic governance via three strategies: (1) biological–engineering synergy employing green manure to enhance soil microbial activity; (2) hydrological balancing through groundwater quotas and rainwater utilization; (3) specialty industry development for rural economic diversification. This study contributes empirical evidence on the conversion of saline–alkali land, as well as an evaluation framework of wider relevance for developing countries combating land degradation and pursuing rural revitalization. Full article