Search Results (8,398)

Water-loss indicators answer different management questions, yet they are often compared as interchangeable rankings. This exploratory study asks what regulatory water-loss reporting can support when the inputs behind each indicator are unevenly documented. For a purposive sample of eleven Greek providers reporting under a harmonised framework, the 2024 and 2025 IWA water balances were reproduced, volumetric indicators were normalised to the hours under pressure, and the twelve Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) values reported by seven providers, or reproducible from their WB-EasyCalc files, were examined. Sensitivity to metering, pressure, and denominator inputs was quantified, and each ILI case was screened for data adequacy. In 2025, non-revenue water ranged from 26.7% to 71.1% of system input volume, with a mean of 46.2%. Six providers reported an identical percentage in the reference table for both years; in four, the leakage level in that table differed from the real losses in the same provider’s balance by 3.8–17.5 percentage points. Average pressure was stated for all seven ILI cases but measured in none, with three adopting the same round value. The study documents failure modes in indicator reporting rather than estimating their prevalence, and proposes a tiered indicator set published with the documentation that makes each indicator readable. Full article

Plain river networks are weakly flushed and frequently regulated, which can decouple instantaneous water quality from biological responses. We integrated physicochemical variables, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates and fish environmental DNA (eDNA) to diagnose ecological condition in the Lixiahe plain river network, China. Regional water quality was assessed at 62 sites, and coupled analyses used 36 sites with complete multi-trophic data. Moderate pollution accounted for 62.90% of classified sites, with total nitrogen as the principal pressure. After Benjamini–Hochberg correction, seven independent associations with primary biological indicators remained significant, mainly linking TOC and TDS with planktonic metrics; the TOC-MEII correlation was treated separately as a non-independent composite association. Mean fish eDNA observed OTU richness declined to 22.33 at the three severely polluted matched sites, although grade-wise contrasts were descriptive because both extreme groups contained only three sites. Adjusted R² values for the four RDA models ranged from 9.8% to 11.4%; all overall fixed-seed permutation tests were significant (p = 0.0002–0.0298), indicating a detectable but limited water-quality signal. The study-specific MEII ranged from 29.50 to 67.42 (mean 48.04). These results show asynchronous trophic responses and support MEII as a preliminary within-survey screening tool that should be interpreted with its component sub-indices rather than as a calibrated reference-condition index. Full article

This study investigated the long-term relationship between land-use change and land-cover-based ecological quality patterns in Ordos City, a typical coal resource-based city in northern China. To explicitly capture land-use transitions driven by coal exploitation, mining areas were classified as an independent land-cover type. An improved U-Net semantic segmentation model integrating multispectral information and land surface temperature was subsequently employed to generate multi-temporal land-cover maps. In the internal semantic segmentation validation, the proposed model achieved a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 69.51%, a mean accuracy (mAcc) of 81.65%, and a pixel-level overall accuracy (aAcc) of 83.16%. An independent point-based accuracy assessment of the final land-cover map yielded an overall accuracy (OA) of 66.00% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.6033, indicating acceptable classification reliability in complex mining areas. Based on the classification results, three indicators, namely the land-use transition matrix, ecological environmental quality index (EQI), and ecological contribution index, were adopted to analyze spatiotemporal land-use dynamics and associated land-cover-based ecological quality patterns in Ordos City over the past 25 years. The results indicate that: (1) Marked land-use changes occurred in the land-use pattern of the study area during 2000–2025, with grassland and unused land consistently remaining the dominant land-use types. The area classified as Mining increased from 105.83 km² to 1184.17 km² in 2020, exhibiting distinct characteristics of phased expansion and subsequent adjustment. Built-up land continued to expand, whereas the water area decreased by 47.55%. (2) The land-cover-based EQI exhibited a pattern of decline, recovery, and stabilization, decreasing from 0.529 in 2000 to 0.489 in 2015 before recovering to 0.522 in 2025. This pattern was associated with changes in land-cover composition over the study period, including mining expansion and restoration-related transitions. The findings provide a scientific basis for ecological restoration planning and high-quality transformation in Ordos and other coal resource-based cities with similar arid and semi-arid environmental conditions. Full article

Increasing anthropogenic pressures and nutrient inputs threaten the ecological status of coastal ecosystems along the Aegean coast of Türkiye. This study evaluated coastal water quality and trophic conditions using physicochemical parameters, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a, national eutrophication criteria, the Trophic Index (TRIX), and multivariate statistical analyses across 25 coastal stations monitored during 2022–2023. While basic physicochemical variables showed limited spatial variability, nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a, and TRIX values exhibited pronounced spatial differences among stations (p < 0.05), identifying Bostanlı (Inner İzmir Bay) as the principal eutrophication hotspot. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed two dominant environmental gradients: a Nutrient Enrichment Gradient associated with total phosphorus (TP), ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate nitrogen (32.6% of total variance), and a Hydrographic–Thermal Gradient associated with salinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (30.4%). Hierarchical and k-means clustering analyses further distinguished environmentally coherent coastal sectors and confirmed the clear separation of Bostanlı from the remaining sampling stations. The close agreement among nutrient distributions, chlorophyll-a concentrations, TRIX values, and multivariate analyses indicates that localized anthropogenic nutrient enrichment, rather than basin-scale hydrographic variability, drives trophic differentiation along the coast. These findings demonstrate the value of integrated monitoring approaches combining physicochemical, trophic, and multivariate indicators for identifying eutrophication hotspots and supporting ecosystem-based management in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. Full article

In East Asia, especially in South Korea, Perilla frutescens L. is widely cultivated for food and industrial uses. Root-lesion nematodes, particularly Pratylenchus penetrans Cobb, are significant pests in Korean perilla fields, leading to chlorosis, root necrosis, and decreased yields. This study examined the effectiveness of hot-water treatment for controlling P. penetrans in P. frutescens under large-scale conditions at two different temperatures and durations. Additionally, because ornamental plants are often a main route for the international spread of quarantine plant-parasitic nematodes, two commonly traded ornamental species (Syngonium podophyllum L. and Schefflera arboricola L.) were examined alongside P. frutescens to assess how hot water treatment affected their health by measuring weight, chlorophyll content, and root length. Results indicated that the relative reduction in P. penetrans recovery was 99.66% at 48 °C for 20 min and 99.98% at 50 °C for 3 min. While some thermal damage was observed in P. frutescens following both treatments, exposing the plants to 50 °C for 3 min did not significantly affect the quality of S. podophyllum and S. arboricola. These results highlight that hot water treatment effectively controls plant-parasitic nematodes and maintains ornamental plant quality, which could aid in developing quarantine protocols for traded planting materials. Full article

Water diversion projects can alleviate the uneven spatiotemporal distribution of water resources, but they may also impact functions of aquatic ecosystems in the waters along the route. Despite their importance, the temporal and spatial changes in multi-domain microbial community structure and function along the route remain poorly understood. Metagenomics was employed to investigate the community structure and function of bacteria, archaea, and fungi in the aquatic environments along the Yangtze-to-Huaihe water diversion project in winter and summer seasons. The results showed that seasonal variations may drive a trade-off in the species diversity of bacterial and fungal communities. Seasonal variations altered microbial communities (especially for the bacteria), and exerted a greater influence on community structure than spatial factors. Microbial community composition was more sensitive to seasonal fluctuations than functional genes. The species spatial turnover played a dominant role in shaping microbial communities (especially for winter) in both seasons. Archaea, bacteria, fungi and KEGG functional genes all exhibited a positive correlation with some environmental factors in summer but not in winter. PLS-SEM indicated that water quality and microbial composition directly significantly impacted functional genes. This study offers a theoretical basis for maintaining the stability of water ecological microorganisms in water transfer projects. Full article

The aquatic products industry has experienced rapid development due to the growing global demand for high-quality proteins. However, conventional production models remain constrained by multifaceted impediments, including disease outbreaks, environmental stressors, microbial contamination, and operational inefficiencies in processing, quality control, and logistics. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers targeted methodological solutions to these challenges. From a functional perspective, this review categorizes artificial intelligence into four major types: perception, prediction, control, and generation, and systematically evaluates its application progress in aquaculture, processing, quality inspection, and traceability fields. Perception AI constitutes the data acquisition and digitization layer, utilizing computer vision, sonar, and multimodal fusion technologies to establish digital mappings from environmental parameters to biological indicators. Prediction AI employs machine learning and deep learning algorithms to transform historical datasets into quantitative forecasts regarding water quality dynamics, disease risks, and production trends. Control AI translates decision-making protocols into precise, autonomous regulatory actions for aquaculture environments and processing workflows through fuzzy logic and model-based predictive control. Generation AI leverages large language models and generative adversarial networks to demonstrate innovative capabilities in data augmentation, solution optimization, and virtual simulation. Collectively, these applications optimize core production processes while significantly enhancing product quality, processing efficiency, safety management, and traceability systems. Future research directions will prioritize the development of robust, interdisciplinary AI technologies with superior integration capabilities. Full article

Nitrate contamination threatens surface water and groundwater quality in karst regions, posing risks to drinking water safety and aquatic ecosystems. Strong surface water–groundwater connectivity in karst recharge areas can accelerate contaminant transport through fractures and conduits. In this study, 166 samples, comprising 100 groundwater samples and 66 surface-water samples, were collected under wet-season, normal-flow, and dry-season conditions from a typical karst recharge area in Fengshan Township, Dafang County, Guizhou Province, China. Hydrochemical analyses, dual nitrate isotope analysis, and isotope-based mixing models were integrated to evaluate potential nitrate source contributions and examine the hydrochemical factors associated with nitrate variability. Groundwater was dominated by Ca–HCO₃ and mixed hydrochemical facies and exhibited relatively stable ionic compositions, whereas surface water showed more diverse facies and greater variability in total dissolved solids, SO₄²⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl⁻, reflecting a stronger response to external inputs and short-term hydrological processes. NO₃⁻ concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 16.24 mg/L in groundwater and from 0.00 to 41.20 mg/L in surface water, with mean concentrations of 3.07 and 4.38 mg/L, respectively. Mixing-model estimates identified manure and sewage (47%) and soil nitrogen (30%) as the leading potential contributors to groundwater nitrate, whereas manure and sewage had the largest estimated contribution to surface-water nitrate (68%). Given the overlap among the isotopic signatures of potential sources, these percentages represent probable source combinations rather than exact apportionments. The absence of consistent covariation between NO₃⁻ and Cl⁻ indicated that nitrate transport was not controlled solely by conservative mixing but was jointly regulated by source-input intensity, rapid surface-runoff responses, conduit transport, subsurface mixing, dilution, and water–rock interactions. Statistical modeling further showed that groundwater NO₃⁻ variability was associated with the major-ion composition, whereas surface-water NO₃⁻ variability was partly explained by a multiple regression model incorporating SO₄²⁻ and Cl⁻. Together, these findings support a conceptual source-to-transport framework involving external inputs, rapid surface-water responses, karst conduit transport, subsurface mixing, and water–rock interaction. This study provides insight into contrasting potential nitrate sources and transport processes in connected karst surface water-groundwater systems and supports pollution-source tracing, recharge-area management, and drinking-water source protection. Full article

Water color is an important optical proxy for trophic status and water quality, but its integration into regulatory assessment frameworks is still limited. This study assesses the potential of the Forel–Ule Index (FUI) derived from Sentinel-2 as a proxy indicator to support the assessment of the ecological status of reservoirs under the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD). Seventeen reservoirs located in semi-arid Mediterranean climate agricultural basins in southern Portugal (Sorraia, Sado, and Guadiana) were analyed, combining 4316 FUI observations (2017–2024) with in situ water quality data and official WFD ecological status classifications. The results showed that the values on the FUI scale (which ranges from 1 to 21) fell, for the most part, between 12 and 18 and with marked spatial and seasonal contrasts, particularly between more transparent reservoirs and persistently turbid ones, probably eutrophicated reservoirs. Principal component analysis showed that the first component (PC1, 39.5% of variance) represents a trophic gradient dominated by turbidity, chemical oxygen demand and chlorophyll-a, and is positively, albeit moderately, correlated with FUI (Spearman’s ρ = 0.439, p < 0.001), while the second component, dominated by nitrogen, showed no significant association. To make the Water Framework Directive (WFD) regulations compatible with the structure of the available dataset, ecological status was dichotomized into “Satisfactory” and “Deterioration”. Binary logistic regression showed that increasing FUI values were significantly associated with a lower probability of classification as “Satisfactory” (β = −0.682, p = 0.0137; odds ratio = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29–0.87). The model performance was moderate (balanced accuracy = 0.682; AUC = 0.754), with better identification of “Deterioration” conditions than “Satisfactory” conditions. The Mann–Whitney U test confirmed that mean FUI values differed significantly between the two ecological status groups (U = 65, p = 0.0166), with lower values associated with reservoirs meeting the “Good” threshold. Overall, FUI proved to be a low-cost and temporally flexible screening and early-warning tool, particularly useful for identifying departures from favorable ecological conditions. However, the index is not a direct substitute for the official ecological classification and is best applied in combination with physicochemical and biological metrics when assessing changes in water quality over a shorter period of time. Full article

Groundwater quality degradation in industrial zones presents a critical environmental challenge, as diverse and compositionally complex pollution sources severely constrain precise source identification and the formulation of effective remediation strategies. This study systematically investigates groundwater quality evolution and quantitatively apportions pollution sources in a representative industrial zone in southwestern China, employing an integrated framework of hydrochemical graphical analysis, dual-dimensional hierarchical cluster analysis, and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) receptor modeling, based on 189 groundwater samples collected across three hydroperiods (2022–2025) from 94 monitoring wells. (1) The study reveals that overall groundwater quality was unsatisfactory, with Class IV and V waters collectively accounting for 75%, 95%, and 91% across the three campaigns; primary exceedance parameters included ammonia nitrogen, total hardness, Mn, and sulfate. (2) Hydrogeochemical analysis revealed stable HCO₃-Ca type water at background monitoring points, slight contamination influence at diffusion points (occasional HCO₃·SO₄-Ca and Cl·SO₄-Ca types), and pronounced hydrochemical diversification at internal points, evolving from Ca-Cl dominance to the coexistence of Ca-Cl·SO₄, Ca-HCO₃, and other mixed types. (3) The PMF model consistently resolved five pollution sources across all campaigns: agricultural non-point source pollution, geological background, domestic wastewater, industrial emissions, and natural hydrogeochemical evolution. Anthropogenic sources (agricultural, domestic, and industrial) collectively contributed approximately 63.8% of the total contamination load, with individual average contributions of 18.6%, 26.2%, and 19.0%, respectively, indicating that groundwater contamination in the zone is influenced not only by industrial inputs but also substantially by agricultural non-point sources and domestic wastewater. This study reveals a coupled natural–anthropogenic driving mechanism and establishes a replicable integrated framework for pollution source identification and zoned precision management in comparable industrial zone settings. Full article

Riparian ecosystems are among the most impacted by human activities despite their great importance as refuges for biodiversity and providers of environmental services. The Nazas River is one of the most important wetlands in north-central Mexico. This river boosted the development of La Comarca Lagunera, a region of great economic importance to the country. However, regional development has led to the deterioration of this vital socio-ecosystem and its services. Despite these efforts, no studies have integrated multiple indicators to comprehensively assess the overall health of the basin. Instead, previous research has largely relied on isolated indicators. For this reason, this study prioritized an initial health assessment of the Nazas River, considering three main indicators: a biological indicator based on the fish community, a physicochemical indicator of water quality, and a physical indicator of the condition of the territory surrounding the river. The study found a marked gradient in overall health, ranging from the least degraded in the upper reaches (0.76 Ramos River and 0.68 Sextín River) of the river to the most degraded in the lower reaches (0.63 Lower Nazas), and highlighted the Peñón Blanco River in the middle section as a priority area for conservation and a possible biodiversity refuge due the Comprehensive Health Assessment 0.80. Full article

Bread texture and flavor are largely governed by the development of its internal microstructure and the migration dynamics of water and volatile compounds. In this study, a bamboo shoot shell superfine powder/κ-carrageenan composite gel system (KCS) was developed, and the effects of different addition levels (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) of KCS on bread performance, structure, and flavor were investigated. Compared with κ-carrageenan (KC), KCS formed a denser and more continuous composite network structure with higher elasticity, freeze–thaw stability, and thermal stability. Bread with KCS showed improved color, reduced hardness, and chewiness. Electronic nose and tongue indicated that KCS effectively suppressed the release of undesirable volatiles and taste-active substances. The addition of 10% KCS promoted the formation of a uniform fine honeycomb gluten network structure, inhibited starch retrogradation, and improved the thermal stability of bread. During storage (1–5 d), KCS reduced the water loss rate of bread, delayed the increase in hardness and chewiness, and maintained good springiness. Metabolomic analysis showed that KCS increased the precursors of small peptides involved in the Maillard reaction, thereby enriching flavor. KCS can effectively improve bread quality, enrich bread flavor, and delay aging, providing a new strategy for the high-value utilization of bamboo shoot processing by-products. Full article

Reducing sodium chloride in meat products is essential for improving their nutritional profile but often impairs technological and sensory quality. This study evaluated the effects of sodium reduction on pork meat products formulated with a fixed potato starch–tara gum system. Model products with varying NaCl levels (0.57%, 1.14%, 1.71%, and 2.28%) were analysed for physicochemical properties, texture, and sensory attributes during storage. Multivariate analysis (PCA, correlation analysis) and a composite quality index were applied. Compared with the control, a 50% reduction in NaCl content (to 1.14%) resulted in increased cooking loss (from 2.66% to 3.22%), increased free water content from 0.73% to 2.23% after 20 days of storage, and reduced hardness (from 20.84 to 16.28 N after 20 days of storage), indicating a weakening of the protein matrix. The tested potato starch–tara gum formulation maintained acceptable water retention and structural properties across the evaluated NaCl levels, although progressive NaCl reduction was associated with deterioration of several quality parameters. Strong correlations between sodium content, hardness, and water-related parameters were observed. While the lowest NaCl level resulted in quality deterioration, the 1.14% variant maintained acceptable properties, demonstrating effective sodium reduction without compromising quality. Full article

Rapid urban growth and increasing water stress in arid regions demand decentralized water management strategies. This study examines the potential for domestic greywater reuse in Mexicali, Mexico, through a multidimensional approach that integrates social perception, water quality, and institutional analysis to evaluate its viability in urban water transition processes. A structured survey was administered to 358 university students to identify consumption patterns and infrastructure using cluster analysis. This was complemented by physicochemical and microbiological characterization of raw greywater from domestic washing machines. Results indicate greywater generation rates of 170–176 L·capita⁻¹·day⁻¹ and high social acceptance of reuse. However, most raw water samples exceeded permissible regulatory limits for organic load and turbidity for non-potable uses, indicating a need for pretreatment. The study concludes that, despite volumetric feasibility and social support, persistent national regulatory gaps and institutional barriers constrain the formal adoption of these technologies. There is an urgent need to develop specific regulations and decentralized adaptive management policies tailored to the realities of arid urban contexts in the Global South. Full article

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus in surface water can degrade water quality and increase eutrophication risk. However, how surface-water nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations vary across mixed land- and water-use settings remains poorly understood in highly connected plain river networks, particularly under emerging water uses such as floating photovoltaic (FPV) installations. We investigated surface-water nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations across different land- and water-use settings in the Yangtze River Delta, focusing on seasonal variation and environmental controls. Field measurements were combined with Sentinel-2-derived waterbody metrics within 500 m buffers around sampling plots. Aquaculture ponds had the highest overall nutrient concentrations, industrial land showed relatively high nitrate–nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) and total nitrogen (TN), and aquatic solar farms exhibited a distinct nutrient pattern with relatively high total phosphorus (TP) but low TN. Nutrient forms showed contrasting seasonal patterns, with higher NO₃⁻-N in the dry season and higher TP in the wet season. Water-surface proportion was weakly related to nutrient concentrations, whereas edge density was significantly correlated with them. These findings indicate that nutrient patterns were shaped by direct inputs, particle-associated transport, ecological and physicochemical conditions, and land–water interface effects. Nutrient management should therefore consider seasonal hydrology, local waterbody configuration, and emerging water-use types such as aquatic solar farms. Full article