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Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 60070

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ahmed El Kenawy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Interests: climate change; climate variability; atmospheric physics; hydrology; environment; spatial analysis; environmental impact assessment; water resources management; geographic information system; remote sensing
Dr. Petra-Manuela Schuwerack

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Interests: integrated approach to complex interactions of man-made and natural impacts/hazards on aquatic systems; integrated ecotoxicology fornon-linear aquatic systems; coastal protection against natural hazards; integrated disaster management, evaluationand community resilience
Dr. Zhongfeng Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Atmospheric Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: land-atmosphere interaction and its impact on climate variability; development of dynamical downscaling method (Specially focusing on how to constrain the GCM and RCM systematic biases during downscaled simulation); monsoon climatology
Dr. Mohamed El-Alfy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geology, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Interests: hydrogeology of arid zones; hydrochemistry, GIS and remote sensing, groundwater modeling; surface water–groundwater interactions; geostatistics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global hydrological cycle will be affected by climate change, which will have an impact on water supply and demand, food production, as well as energy generation. Global issues such as human well-being, poverty reduction, and sustainable development are all intertwined with an increasing demand for finite resources in the water–food–energy nexus. Recalling that resources have become increasingly scarce, countries—particularly developing ones—are struggling to provide enough water and energy to meet the growing demands of their populations, especially their food needs. In this case, the ability to keep a steady supply of important resources is very important for the long-term survival of a region.

Due to its low capacity to adapt to climate change’s negative impacts, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is considered a “hot spot” region in terms of climate change. Countries in the region are already experiencing a range of climate change impacts (e.g., water scarcity, extreme heat, drought, crop failure), which are expected to worsen as the region’s population, urbanization, and industrialization continue to rise. As a result of a series of civil conflicts, ethnic conflicts, terrorism, and political and socioeconomic instability, water stress and food insecurity are exacerbated in the region. This is resulting in an increase in the flow of refugees to neighboring regions, particularly Europe. In the region, there is a lack of understanding of how changes in the climate system affect the water–food–energy nexus. For a robust assessment of the possible impacts of climate change in the region, all of these issues must be empirically evaluated and quantified. A comprehensive understanding of this nexus in the MENA region is highly desired, given that policymakers face unprecedented challenges in terms of population growth, rapid urbanization, food safety, and climate change, alongside the global goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (as planned in COP27). In order to deal with these challenges, the adaptation and mitigation strategies are complex and related. Changing one aspect of the water–food–energy–climate nexus can have unintended and detrimental effects on other aspects. As such, managing the compound resources system within a holistic analytical framework is necessary in order to achieve long-term sustainability goals. With an emphasis on climate-centric thinking, an innovative water–food–energy nexus should be adopted for the MENA region. These integrated approaches can motivate social-economic development in the region, ensure resource security, mitigate global warming, and meet the conflicting interests of multiple stakeholders.

Climate-related disciplines such as hydrology, agriculture, ecology, environmental science, and other related fields are the focus of this Special Issue, which aims to examine the interactions between water, food, energy, and climate in the MENA region. This SI will help to better understand the effects of climate change on hydrological processes, natural disasters, water supply quality, energy production and demand, and environmental impacts in the region, as well as the testing and exploitation of sustainable and efficient solutions for challenges in the water, food, energy, and climate sectors on different spatial scales (e.g., local, regional, as well as the whole domain). In pursuit of this background, this Special Issue will cover, but not be limited to, the following topics in the region:

  • Integrated groundwater and storm water management systems.
  • Integrated assessment and modeling of freshwater and wastewater management systems.
  • Integration of big data analytics for defining and determining a knowledge framework for environmental impact assessment.
  • Sustainable management of marine and coastal environments.
  • Impacts of climate change on agricultural ecosystems.
  • Environmental and ecological impacts of climate hazards.
  • Future projections and simulations of climate change impacts.
  • Renewable and green energy.
  • Biotechnology for environmental risk assessment and management.
  • Innovative and clean technologies for energy production.
  • Smart cities and climate change resilience.
  • Remote sensing and GIS applications for sustainable monitoring.

Publication fees of this special issue will be covered by Mansoura University (Egypt).

Dr. Ahmed El Kenawy
Dr. Petra-Manuela Schuwerack
Dr. Zhongfeng Xu
Dr. Mohamed El-Alfy
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (23 papers)

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30 pages, 8865 KiB  
Article
Delineating Groundwater Potential Zones in Hyper-Arid Regions Using the Applications of Remote Sensing and GIS Modeling in the Eastern Desert, Egypt
by Hesham Morgan, Hussien M. Hussien, Ahmed Madani and Tamer Nassar
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16942; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416942 - 17 Dec 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3568
Abstract
The increasing demand for freshwater supplies and the effects of climate change in arid and hyper-arid regions are pushing governments to explore new water resources for food security assurance. Groundwater is one of the most valuable water resources in these regions, which are [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for freshwater supplies and the effects of climate change in arid and hyper-arid regions are pushing governments to explore new water resources for food security assurance. Groundwater is one of the most valuable water resources in these regions, which are facing water scarcity due to climatic conditions and limited rainfall. In this manuscript, we provide an integrated approach of remote sensing, geographic information systems, and analytical hierarchical process (AHP) to identify the groundwater potential zone in the central Eastern Desert, Egypt. A knowledge-driven GIS-technique-based method for distinguishing groundwater potential zones used multi-criteria decision analysis and AHP. Ten factors influencing groundwater were considered in this study, including elevation, slope steepness, rainfall, drainage density, lineament density, the distance from major fractures, land use/land cover, lithology, soil type, and the distance from the channel network. Three classes of groundwater prospective zones were identified, namely good potential (3.5%), moderate potential (7.8%), and poor potential (88.6%) zones. Well data from the study area were used to cross-validate the results with 82.5% accuracy. During the last 8 years, the static water level of the Quaternary alluvium aquifer greatly decreased (14 m) due to excessive over pumping in the El-Dir area, with no recorded recharges reaching this site. Since 1997, there has been a noticeable decline in major rainfall storms as a result of climate change. The current study introduces a cost-effective multidisciplinary approach to exploring groundwater resources, especially in arid environments. Moreover, a significant modern recharge for shallow groundwater aquifers is taking place, even in hyper-arid conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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23 pages, 7041 KiB  
Article
Delineation of Salinization and Recharge Sources Affecting Groundwater Quality Using Chemical and Isotopic Indices in the Northwest Coast, Egypt
by Hesham A. Ezzeldin
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416923 - 16 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1909
Abstract
Salinization of coastal aquifers is a serious issue affected by climate change and enhanced by overexploitation of groundwater resources. This research aims to explore the hydrogeochemical processes that cause salinization of groundwater in coastal aquifers, such as the area located between Barrani and [...] Read more.
Salinization of coastal aquifers is a serious issue affected by climate change and enhanced by overexploitation of groundwater resources. This research aims to explore the hydrogeochemical processes that cause salinization of groundwater in coastal aquifers, such as the area located between Barrani and Baqbaq, on the northwestern coast of Egypt. Various techniques were applied, including Gibbs plots and hydrochemical facies diagrams (HFE-D), ion ratios and stable isotope bivariate plots, statistical analyses, a groundwater quality index for seawater intrusion (GQISWI), and a seawater mixing index (SMI). Based on the total dissolved solids (TDS), groundwater can be classified into four groups: slightly saline (9%), moderately saline (45%), highly saline (43%), and salty water (3%). The geochemical properties were further catergorized on the basis of other parameters and ion ratios, such as Caexcess, Nadeficit, Na/Cl, Cl/HCO3, and Br/Cl, which suggest the influence of cation exchange, seawater, and marine sediment dissolution. Additionally, stable isotopes indicated two groups. One of these has relatively high salinity and low isotopic content and is affected by the leaching and dissolution of marine deposits. The other group is enriched in δ18O and δD content, with much higher salinity due to mixing with seawater and evaporation. The GQISWI categorizes groundwater as saline and mixed (55 and 41%, respectively), followed by saltwater (4%), whereas the SMI calculations indicate that about 10% of the groundwater samples are impacted by seawater. Finally, the areal distribution of GQISWI and SMI identified some patches along the coastline as well as other inland places located about 12.5 km away from the sea that have undergone saltwater intrusion. In conclusion, overexploitation of groundwater should be avoided because the amount of annual rainfall is very limited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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14 pages, 6001 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Urchin-Shaped Gold Nanoparticles Utilizing Green Reducing and Capping Agents at Different Preparation Conditions: An In Vitro Study
by Mohamed S. Salem, Mohamed R. Elmarghany, Noha Salem and Norhan Nady
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16838; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416838 - 15 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Employing environmentally friendly reducing and capping materials to synthesize gold nanoparticles is an exciting research point. However, the used materials usually need a long reduction time that can take days. In this work, the instantaneous production of small-sized (less than 20 nm) gold [...] Read more.
Employing environmentally friendly reducing and capping materials to synthesize gold nanoparticles is an exciting research point. However, the used materials usually need a long reduction time that can take days. In this work, the instantaneous production of small-sized (less than 20 nm) gold nanoparticles is investigated using ascorbic acid, gelatin, and a mixture of the two agents at different preparation conditions (at room temperature; 20 ± 3 °C and near boiling temperature; 95 ± 3 °C). Particle size analysis, as well as transmission electron microscopy, were used to assess the produced particles’ physical characteristics. The structural changes and optical characteristics of the nanoparticles were monitored using UV–visible spectroscopy. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to establish the presence of a gelatin coating over the gold nanoparticles. The morphology of the produced nanoparticles at 95 ± 3 °C was spherical with a size ranging from 8–18 nm, whereas urchin-shaped nanoparticles ranging from 24–100 nm were formed at 20 ± 3 °C reaction temperature. The presence of hydroxyl and amine groups associated with the gelatin was confirmed using FTIR. This could be a step for wider usage of green synthesized nanogold particles in several applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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15 pages, 1774 KiB  
Article
Mathematical Modelling of Biogas Production in a Controlled Landfill: Characterization, Valorization Study and Energy Potential
by Mabrouki Jamal
Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15490; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315490 - 22 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2133
Abstract
Methane potential is the volume of methane gas produced during anaerobic degradation in the presence of the bacteria of an initially inserted sample. This paper presents a degradation study of the green and industrial fermentable waste sheltered by the landfill of Mohammedia in [...] Read more.
Methane potential is the volume of methane gas produced during anaerobic degradation in the presence of the bacteria of an initially inserted sample. This paper presents a degradation study of the green and industrial fermentable waste sheltered by the landfill of Mohammedia in which the biogas deposit and the associated recoverable energy at the end of exploitation is estimated and the power of the gas engine of the proposed cogeneration unit is calculated. The Total potential biogas production value of the household waste of the city of Mohammedia is much higher than that of the American and French household waste recommended by the US EPA and French ADEME. This calls into question the adaptability of the modeling tools for biogas production to Moroccan waste. The four modeling equations for landfill will be evaluated. The results show that the ADEME model proved to be more descriptive and better adapted to this case. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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19 pages, 6439 KiB  
Article
Monitoring Coastal Changes and Assessing Protection Structures at the Damietta Promontory, Nile Delta, Egypt, to Secure Sustainability in the Context of Climate Changes
by Hesham M. El-Asmar and Maysa M. N. Taha
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15415; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215415 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2539
Abstract
The Damietta Promontory is a distinct coastal region in the Nile Delta Egypt, which comprises several communities with strategic economic projects. The promontory has experienced numerous inundation crises due to anthropogenic intervention and/or sea level rise (SLR). The recorded rate of erosion detected [...] Read more.
The Damietta Promontory is a distinct coastal region in the Nile Delta Egypt, which comprises several communities with strategic economic projects. The promontory has experienced numerous inundation crises due to anthropogenic intervention and/or sea level rise (SLR). The recorded rate of erosion detected is from −18 to −53 m/yr., and −28 to −210 m/yr. along the promontory’s western and eastern coasts, respectively, with a total loss of about 3 km during the past century. It is critical to ensure sustainability of this coastal region in case of future climate changes and expected SLR; accordingly, the state has implemented a long-term plan of coastal protection. The current study updates the coastal changes and assesses the efficiency of the protection structures. For such study, Ikonos satellite images of 1 m high-resolution were acquired on 30 July 2014 and 10 August 2022, respectively. These were compared to multitemporal Landsat images dated 30 June 2015, 29 September 1987, 15 October 1984, and the Landsat 4 MSS images dated 20 October 1972. The results confirm the presence of accretion along the western jetty of the Damietta Harbor with an average of +10.91 m/yr., while erosion of −4.7 m/yr. was detected at the east of the eastern harbor jetty. At the detached breakwaters along Ras El-Bar, an accretion of +4 m/yr. was detected, and then erosion was measured westward to the tip of the detached breakwaters with an average of −1.77 m/yr. At the eastern coast of the promontory, eastward erosion was recorded with rates of −44.16, −34.33, and −20.33 m/yr., respectively, then the erosion stopped after the construction of the seawall. The current study confirms the efficiency of the detached breakwaters and seawalls as coastal protection structures. However, the seawalls lack swimming-friendly long, wide beaches like those found on the detached breakwaters. The groins seem ineffective with rips and reversed currents like those at Ras El -Bar. To develop a fishing community at the Manzala triangle similar in nature to Venice, it is recommended to extend the seawall to 12 km and then construct detached breakwaters eastward to the El-Diba inlet. To secure sustainability of the coast, a continuous maintenance of the protection structures to keep their elevations between 4–6 m above sea level (a.s.l.) is a critical task, in order to reduce the potential risks that could arise from a tsunami, with sand nourishment as a preferred strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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17 pages, 14068 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Hydrologic Sand and Dust Storm Sources in the Middle East
by Ramin Papi, Sara Attarchi, Ali Darvishi Boloorani and Najmeh Neysani Samany
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15352; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215352 - 18 Nov 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2189
Abstract
Due to diverse hydroclimatic conditions and human interventions, the Middle East hosts a variety of active sources of sand and dust storms (SDS). Discrimination of different types of SDS sources is the most important factor for adopting optimal mitigation measures to combat SDS. [...] Read more.
Due to diverse hydroclimatic conditions and human interventions, the Middle East hosts a variety of active sources of sand and dust storms (SDS). Discrimination of different types of SDS sources is the most important factor for adopting optimal mitigation measures to combat SDS. This study employed a binary mask-based modeling framework to identify Middle East SDS sources. Accordingly, using time series of remotely sensed data of land surface and atmospheric aerosol parameters, SDS sources covering an area of 1 million Km2 were identified with an overall accuracy of 82.6%. Considering the type of land use and spatial-temporal changes in water bodies, SDS sources were categorized into seven types in terms of origin. Desert sources have the largest share (>79%), whereas hydrologic sources accounted for about 8.4%. The results showed that water bodies had a declining trend after 2000. The occurrence of two severe drought periods in 2000–2001 and 2007–2012 led to a 52% decrease in water bodies and a 14–37% increase in SDS emission compared to the pre-2000 period. The latter drought period also led to a sharp decrease in groundwater resources across the region. Our results revealed that natural circumstances and drought actively contribute to the depletion of water resources that led to the formation of SDS sources in the Middle East, while the role of anthropogenic factors is predominant in the case of hydrologic SDS sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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16 pages, 24559 KiB  
Article
Numerical Investigation of the Ribs’ Shape, Spacing, and Height on Heat Transfer Performance of Turbulent Flow in a Flat Plate Heat Exchanger
by Ahmed Saad Soliman, Li Xu, Junguo Dong and Ping Cheng
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15143; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215143 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2291
Abstract
This paper presents a numerical study of detailed heat transfer and flow field characteristics in a flat plate heat exchanger with different types of ribs (rectangular and triangular) with different heights (H: 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mm) and spacings (S: 75, 95, [...] Read more.
This paper presents a numerical study of detailed heat transfer and flow field characteristics in a flat plate heat exchanger with different types of ribs (rectangular and triangular) with different heights (H: 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mm) and spacings (S: 75, 95, 128, and 195 mm). A comprehensive numerical model was established and validated with experimental data in the literature, resulting in good agreement. The effects of the height, spacing, and shape of the ribs in addition to thermal-hydraulic parameters were investigated over two values of the Reynolds number (9880–3210). The results concluded that the highest values of the thermal-hydraulic parameters are 1.62 and 1.84 for the hot and cold air sides, in the rectangular ribs, with a thickness, height, and spacing of 75 mm, and 95 mm, respectively. It is worth mentioning that the rectangular ribs have the maximum value of thermal performance at the high and low values of the Reynolds number of turbulent flows. The present design can be used in waste heat recovery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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14 pages, 5239 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Impacts of Climate Change on Irrigation Water Requirements
by Randa S. Makar, Sahar A. Shahin, Mostafa El-Nazer, Ali Wheida and Mohamed Abd El-Hady
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14833; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214833 - 10 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2615
Abstract
Climate change and its impact on agriculture and water resources have become a global concern. The implications of extreme weather events on food production and water resource availability are starting to have social and economic effects worldwide. The present research aims at integrating [...] Read more.
Climate change and its impact on agriculture and water resources have become a global concern. The implications of extreme weather events on food production and water resource availability are starting to have social and economic effects worldwide. The present research aims at integrating the analysis of the atmospheric parameters with remote sensing, geographic information systems, and CROPWAT 8 model to evaluate the impacts of climate change on the irrigation water requirements estimates in a selected area in El-Beheira governorate, Egypt. Remote sensing and GIS are incorporated to produce land-use/land-cover maps and soil properties maps. On the other hand, the atmospheric parameters were analyzed using python analytical coding. The study utilized the Land-use/Land-cover (LU/LC) map produced from Sentinel-2 data. The agricultural area covered about 89% of the studied area and was occupied by seven crops. Wheat and berseem were the major crops in the area and covered about 67% of the studied area; therefore, their irrigation water requirements were calculated utilizing the CROPWAT 8 model. Furthermore, citrus irrigation water requirements were also included in this research, even though it only covered 10% of the studied area because it had the highest amount of irrigation water requirements. Forecasting the potential climate changes under the best-case scenario for the next thirty years revealed that the studied area will have no rain and a slight decrease in the average temperature. Accordingly, the irrigation water requirements will increase by almost 4% under current practices, and the increase will reach about 13% under no-field loss practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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26 pages, 7825 KiB  
Article
Cogeneration Systems Performance Analysis as a Sustainable Clean Energy and Water Source Based on Energy Hubs Using the Archimedes Optimization Algorithm
by Magda I. El-Afifi, Magdi M. Saadawi and Abdelfattah A. Eladl
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14766; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214766 - 9 Nov 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1772
Abstract
Different energy requirements of the residential sector are varied, such as electricity, heating, cooling, water, etc., and these necessities are met by multi-energy systems using various energy sources and converters. In this paper, an optimal day-ahead operation of a large residential demand sector [...] Read more.
Different energy requirements of the residential sector are varied, such as electricity, heating, cooling, water, etc., and these necessities are met by multi-energy systems using various energy sources and converters. In this paper, an optimal day-ahead operation of a large residential demand sector is presented based on the energy hub (EH) model with combined heat and power (CHP) as a cogeneration system. The purpose of the optimization is to maximize social welfare (SW) and minimize environmental emissions subjected to numerous technical constraints. To explore the effectiveness of the proposed model, real cases were studied and results were analyzed. Moreover, to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed methodology, the Archimedes optimization algorithm (AOA) is implemented for optimizing the EH system. The performance of the AOA is compared with the genetic algorithm, and the results depict that the AOA is better in terms of convergence speed and global search ability. Implementation of the proposed framework shows that the total SW is increased by 27.44% and environmental emissions are reduced by 18.36% compared to the base case without the EH. Additionally, there is 512.26 MWh and 149.4 m3 as a surplus in the electricity and water that are sold to every network, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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18 pages, 10264 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Groundwater Sensitivity to Pollution Using GIS-Based Modified DRASTIC-LU Model for Sustainable Development in the Nile Delta Region
by Nesma A. Arafa, Zenhom El-Said Salem, Mahmoud A. Ghorab, Shokry A. Soliman, Abdelaziz L. Abdeldayem, Yasser M. Moustafa and Hosni H. Ghazala
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14699; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214699 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2031
Abstract
The groundwater resources in the Nile Delta region are an important resource for freshwater because of rising water demand due to anthropogenic activities. The goal of this study is to quantify groundwater sensitivity to pollution in the Nile Delta by a modified GIS-based [...] Read more.
The groundwater resources in the Nile Delta region are an important resource for freshwater because of rising water demand due to anthropogenic activities. The goal of this study is to quantify groundwater sensitivity to pollution in the Nile Delta by a modified GIS-based DRASTIC-LU model. In this study, we utilized two types of modified DRASTIC-LU models, generic and pesticide, to determine the groundwater vulnerability rates to contamination. The results of the generic DRASTIC-LU model showed that the research region, except for the northwestern part with moderate vulnerability of 3.38%, is highly and very highly vulnerable to pollution with 42.69 and 53.91%, respectively. Results from the pesticide DRASTIC-LU model, on the other hand, also confirmed that, except for the northwestern and southern parts with a moderate vulnerability of 9.78%, most the Nile Delta is highly and very highly vulnerable with 50.68 and 39.53%, respectively. A validation of the model generated was conducted based on nitrate concentrations in the groundwater and a sensitivity analysis. Based on the nitrate analysis, the final output map showed a strong association with the pesticide vulnerability model. Examining the model sensitivity revealed that the influence of depth to water and net recharge were the most important factors to consider. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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25 pages, 8137 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation on Performance Enhancement of Parabolic Trough Concentrator with Helical Rotating Shaft Insert
by Mohamed Allam, Mohamed Tawfik, Maher Bekheit and Emad El-Negiry
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14667; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214667 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1993
Abstract
The parabolic trough collector provides an extensive range of solar heating and electricity production applications in solar power plants. The receiver tube of the parabolic trough collector has a vital role in enhancing its performance by using different inserts inside it. In the [...] Read more.
The parabolic trough collector provides an extensive range of solar heating and electricity production applications in solar power plants. The receiver tube of the parabolic trough collector has a vital role in enhancing its performance by using different inserts inside it. In the present work, outdoor experimental tests were conducted to study the performance of a small-scale parabolic trough collector equipped with a centrally placed rotating helical shaft. Three cases were studied: a parabolic trough collector without helical shaft insert, a parabolic trough collector with stationary helical shaft insert, and a parabolic trough collector with a rotating helical shaft insert. The experiments are performed for different shaft rotational speeds (4, 11, and 21 RPM) and various flow rates (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 LPM) of water as a heat transfer fluid. The fluid flow and heat transfer parameters (friction factor, Reynolds number, Nusselt number, and thermal enhancement factor) and performance parameters (thermal, overall, and exergetic efficiencies) are studied. The results indicated that the helical shaft insert had increased the required pumping power for the same flow rate. However, the parabolic trough collector thermal performance has enhanced with the shaft rotational speed. For all cases, the parabolic trough collector efficiency increases with the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid, but the percentage enhancement in efficiency decreases. Using a shaft rotational speed of 21 RPM and heat transfer fluid flow rates of 0.5 LPM leads to maximum thermal efficiency enhancement and a maximum friction factor ratio of 46.47% and 7.7 times, respectively, compared to plain tube. A comparison based on the same pumping power (thermal enhancement factor) shows that the maximum enhancement occurs at a flow rate of 1 LPM, and the efficiency enhancement is about 37% at a shaft rotational speed of 21 RPM. From an economic point of view, using a rotating helical shaft produces the lower annual cost of useful heat per kWh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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13 pages, 3410 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Dye Separation Performance of Eco-Friendly Cellulose Acetate-Based Membranes
by Omneya A. Koriem, Alaa Mostafa Kamel, Waleed Shaaban and Marwa F. Elkady
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14665; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214665 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
Many reasons have caused a worldwide water stress problem. Thus, the recycling of wastewater streams has been extensively studied. In this work, eco-friendly mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated, characterized, and tested for the removal of two separate dyes from simulated waste streams. [...] Read more.
Many reasons have caused a worldwide water stress problem. Thus, the recycling of wastewater streams has been extensively studied. In this work, eco-friendly mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated, characterized, and tested for the removal of two separate dyes from simulated waste streams. The environmentally friendly nano activated carbon (NAC) was extracted from water hyacinth to be impregnated as a membrane nano-filler to enhance the neat membrane performance. The extracted NAC was further studied and characterized. Cellulose acetate (CA)-based membranes were obtained by phase inversion and electrospinning mechanisms. All four synthesized blank and MMMs were characterized via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and contact angle to study their structure and hydrophilic nature, respectively. However, the membrane with optimum performance was further characterized using Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The four prepared cast and electro-spun, blank, and mixed matrix CA-based membranes showed an acceptable performance in the removal and selectivity of methylene blue (MB) dye over Congo red (CR) dye with a removal percentage ranging from 31 to 70% depending on the membrane used. It was found that the CA/NAC hybrid nanofiber membrane possessed the highest removal efficiency for MB, where the dye concentration declined from 10 to 2.92 mg/L. In contrast, the cast blank CA membrane showed the least removal percentage among the synthesized membranes with only 30% removal. As a result, this paper suggests the use of the CA/NAC hybrid membrane as an alternative and cost-effective solution for MB dye removal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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18 pages, 37168 KiB  
Article
Effect of Mushy Zone Parameter on Phase Change Behavior of Different Configurations Storage Unit: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation
by Ahmed Saad Soliman, Ahmed A. Sultan and Mohamed A. Sultan
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14540; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114540 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2388
Abstract
The melting process of paraffin wax placed in storage capsules of different shapes was experimentally and numerically studied. The phase change material (PCM) was initially at 27 °C. The effect of the mushy zone parameter (Amush) value on the melting process [...] Read more.
The melting process of paraffin wax placed in storage capsules of different shapes was experimentally and numerically studied. The phase change material (PCM) was initially at 27 °C. The effect of the mushy zone parameter (Amush) value on the melting process of the PCM was studied with storage capsules of different shapes (circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval). The results of the numerical model were validated with the experimental results to obtain the optimum Amush value for each shape of the latent heat storage unit. The results showed that the value of the Amush has a great impact on the numerical results of the PCM melting process and changes with the shape of the storage capsule. The rate of heat transfer, convection, and fluid velocity all decrease as the Amush value rises. The experimental results of the circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval capsules match very well with the numerical model with Amush values equal to 2 × 106, 1 × 105, and 1 × 106, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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15 pages, 5001 KiB  
Article
Simulation Assessment of Inlet Parameters and Membrane-Surface-Structure Effects on CO2 Absorption Flux in Membrane Contactors
by Amin Mojarad Garehbagh, Saeid Rajabzadeh, Mahmoud A. Shouman, Mohamed R. Elmarghany, Mohamed S. Salem, Nasrul Arahman, Toraj Mohammadi and Hideto Matsuyama
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14527; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114527 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1642
Abstract
The management of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is considered one of the main environmental problems facing the modern world. One of the potential techniques for CO2 capture is absorption, using membrane contactor modules. Most of the previous research that [...] Read more.
The management of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is considered one of the main environmental problems facing the modern world. One of the potential techniques for CO2 capture is absorption, using membrane contactor modules. Most of the previous research that dealt with membrane contactor simulations considered the whole membrane surface as the active reaction surface. However, in this paper, a more realistic model of the membrane-contactor module is presented, taking into account the effects of the pore size and surface porosity. CO2 absorption into the monoethanolamine (MEA) solution in hollow fiber membrane-contactor modules was numerically investigated. A computational fluid dynamics simulation was established using essential basic fluid dynamics and mass transfer equations in reactive mode. An algorithmic function was used to present the relations between the CO2 absorption flux and the hollow fiber length, membrane surface pore size, and porosity. The simulation results were compared to previously obtained experimental results without using any fitting parameters, and a good agreement was found with an average error of 8.5%. The validated simulation was then used to predict the effects of the MEA inlet velocity and concentration, the membrane surface pore size, and porosity on the total CO2 absorption flux. A maximum absorption flux of about 1.8 mol/m2·s was achieved at an MEA concentration of 4 M with a pore size of 0.2 microns, a surface porosity of 1%, and an inlet velocity of 0.25 m/s. The extrapolation technique was then used to predict the values of the absorption flux at longer fiber lengths. The concentration profiles around the pores at the gas–liquid contact surface of the membrane were obtained and presented. The proposed model exhibited excellent potential to evaluate the effective reaction surface in hollow fiber membrane contactors. This model could be considered the first step to obtaining accurate predictions of the membrane contactor gas absorption performance based on its surface structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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25 pages, 7782 KiB  
Article
Satellite-Based Discrimination of Urban Dynamics-Induced Local Bias from Day/Night Temperature Trends across the Nile Delta, Egypt: A Basis for Climate Change Impacts Assessment
by Waleed Abbas and Islam Hamdi
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14510; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114510 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2570
Abstract
The Nile Delta is the most vital region of the desert-dominated country of Egypt. Due to its prominent level of vulnerability to climate change’s negative impacts and its low capacity for adaptation and mitigation, the current study aims to provide accurate quantification of [...] Read more.
The Nile Delta is the most vital region of the desert-dominated country of Egypt. Due to its prominent level of vulnerability to climate change’s negative impacts and its low capacity for adaptation and mitigation, the current study aims to provide accurate quantification of temperature change across the Nile Delta as an integral basis for sustainability and climate change impacts assessment studies. This was achieved through monitoring urban dynamics and detecting LST trends in 91 cities and their rural surroundings. The relevant local urban bias was discriminated from regional/background changes present in diurnal/nocturnal temperature records. The temperature records were then corrected/adjusted by removing this urban bias. Owing to the insufficiency of ground-based meteorological observatories, the investigation utilized moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperatures (LSTs) and Landsat-based datasets (2000–2021). The widely used Mann–Kendall test (MKT) and Theil–Sen estimator (TSE) were employed to assess trends in urban sprawl, LST time series, and the implied association. The analysis revealed that the region has experienced dramatic urbanization, where the total urban expansion was greater than two-thirds (69.1%) of the original urban area in 2000. This was accompanied by a notable warming trend in the day/night and urban/rural LST records. The nocturnal LST exhibited a warming tendency (0.072 °C year−1) larger than the diurnal equivalent (0.065 °C year−1). The urban dynamics were positively correlated with LST trends, whereas the Mediterranean Sea appeared as a significant anti-urbanization moderator, in addition to the Nile River and the prevailing northerly/northwesterly winds. The urban–rural comparison approach disclosed that the urbanization process caused a warming bias in the nighttime LST trend by 0.017 °C year−1 (21.8%) and a cooling bias in the daytime by −0.002 °C year−1 (4.4%). All results were statistically significant at a confidence level of 99%. It is recommended that studies of climate-related sustainability and climate change impact assessment in the Nile Delta should apply a distinction of urban-induced local effect when quantifying the actual regional temperature change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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16 pages, 2561 KiB  
Article
Urban Water Management with a Full Cost Recovery Policy: The Impact of Externalities on Pricing
by Sanju John Thomas, Mukund Haribhau Bade, Sudhansu Sekhar Sahoo, Sheffy Thomas, Ajith Kumar and Mohamed M. Awad
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14495; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114495 - 4 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2104
Abstract
Water has complex cost dimensions and is considered a scarce commodity under a reduced-recycle-reuse system with a full cost recovery strategy. The impact of externalities from the social, economic, and ecological aspects of exploiting water resources are often not accounted into the pricing [...] Read more.
Water has complex cost dimensions and is considered a scarce commodity under a reduced-recycle-reuse system with a full cost recovery strategy. The impact of externalities from the social, economic, and ecological aspects of exploiting water resources are often not accounted into the pricing mechanism. We discuss the current work model as well as a pricing strategy for a water infrastructure program with a full cost recovery strategy. Single and multi-block pricing models are created, and their effect on water pricing is discussed. The impact of externalities is accounted for, and respective cost components, namely, environmental cost, opportunity cost, and ecological imbalance cost are included in the water pricing, to analyze the impact on the cost of produced water. A comparison under the normalized, single-block and multi-block pricing strategy are discussed and the payback period is found. It is seen that the unit cost of potable and non-potable water is brought down from 0.94 USD/m3 and 0.51 USD/m3 to 0.62 USD/m3 and 0.29 USD/m3, respectively using a multi-block pricing strategy. It is recommended that policy interventions in a full cost recovery water pricing strategy should consider the cost of externalities with a multi-block pricing system for breakeven in water infrastructural investments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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14 pages, 2579 KiB  
Article
Novel Biosynthesis of Graphene-Supported Zero-Valent Iron Nanohybrid for Efficient Decolorization of Acid and Basic Dyes
by Mahmoud Samy, Marwa Elkady, Ayman Kamal, Noha Elessawy, Sahar Zaki and Marwa Eltarahony
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14188; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114188 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 1668
Abstract
Herein, respiratory nitrate reductases (NAR) were utilized in the biosynthesis of zero-valent iron (ZVI) graphene nanocomposite as a simultaneous reducing and capping agent, for the first time, to efficiently adsorb methylene blue (MB) and direct red-81 (DR-81). Under anaerobic conditions, the greenly synthesized [...] Read more.
Herein, respiratory nitrate reductases (NAR) were utilized in the biosynthesis of zero-valent iron (ZVI) graphene nanocomposite as a simultaneous reducing and capping agent, for the first time, to efficiently adsorb methylene blue (MB) and direct red-81 (DR-81). Under anaerobic conditions, the greenly synthesized graphene was incubated with iron precursor in the presence of crude-NAR enzyme for 48 h to obtain the ZVI graphene composite followed by characterizing this composite using physiochemical analyses. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques assured the chemical composition and the interaction between ZVI and graphene. The influences of operating conditions such as contact time, pH and adsorbent dose on the adsorption efficacy were explored in the case of ZVI graphene, graphene and ZVI. ZVI graphene nanocomposite displayed the highest removal efficiency of MB and DR-81 compared to graphene and ZVI-NPs. The removal percentages of DR-81 and MB by ZVI graphene nanocomposites were 88.3 ± 2.66% and 87.6 ± 2.1%, respectively, at pH 7, adsorbent dose 20 mg/50 mL, initial MB or DR-81 concentration of 10 mg/L and shaking speed of 150 rpm. A pseudo first-order model could describe the adsorption kinetics, and the adsorption mechanism was discussed. The promising results of the current study support the potential of the recruitment of ZVI graphene nanocomposites in eliminating various pollutants from industrial effluents on a larger scale. Further, the prepared nanohybrid can be used in other applications such as photocatalysis, Fenton and persulfate activation processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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30 pages, 13999 KiB  
Article
Morphometric, Meteorological, and Hydrologic Characteristics Integration for Rainwater Harvesting Potential Assessment in Southeast Beni Suef (Egypt)
by Hakeem Musaed, Ahmed El-Kenawy and Mohamed El Alfy
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114183 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1864
Abstract
In arid areas, the forecast of runoff is problematic for ungauged basins. The peak discharge of flashfloods and rainwater harvesting (RWH) was assessed by the integration of GIS, the RS tool and hydrologic modeling. This approach is still under further improvement to fully [...] Read more.
In arid areas, the forecast of runoff is problematic for ungauged basins. The peak discharge of flashfloods and rainwater harvesting (RWH) was assessed by the integration of GIS, the RS tool and hydrologic modeling. This approach is still under further improvement to fully understand flashflood and rainwater harvesting potentialities. Different morphometric parameters are extracted and evaluated; they show the most hazardous sub-basins. Vulnerability potential to flooding is high relative to steep slopes, high drainage density, and low stream sinuosity. Using hydrologic modeling, lag time, concentration time, peak discharge rates, runoff volume, rainfall, and total losses are calculated for different return periods. The hydrologic model shows high rainfall rates, and steep slopes are present in the southeastern part of the study area. Low rainfall rates, moderate–high runoff, and gentle slopes are found in the central and downstream parts, which are suitable sites for rainwater harvesting. An analytic hierarchy process is utilized for mapping the best sites to RWH. These criteria use land-cover, average annual max 24 h rainfall, slope, stream order, and lineaments density. About 4% of the basin area has very high potentialities for RWH, while 59% of the basin area has high suitability for RWH. Ten low dam sites are proposed to impact flooding vulnerability and increase rainwater-harvesting potentialities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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17 pages, 6963 KiB  
Article
A Micro-Metal Inserts Based Microchannel Heat Sink for Thermal Management of Densely Packed Semiconductor Systems
by Essam M. Abo-Zahhad, Chaouki Ghenai, Ali Radwan, Osama Abdelrehim, Mohamed S. Salem, Mohamed R. Elmarghany, Asmaa Khater and Mahmoud A. Shouman
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14182; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114182 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
The thermal management of high-heat-density devices is essential for reliable operation. In this work, a novel procedure is proposed and investigated for the efficient thermal management of such devices. The proposed procedure introduces different arrangements of metal inserts within a cooling channel heat [...] Read more.
The thermal management of high-heat-density devices is essential for reliable operation. In this work, a novel procedure is proposed and investigated for the efficient thermal management of such devices. The proposed procedure introduces different arrangements of metal inserts within a cooling channel heat sink. The objective of those inserts is to form boundary layers to prevent any hot spots from appearing within the flow and increase temperature uniformity. Five different arrangements are introduced and numerically investigated using the commercial software package ANSYS FLUENT 2021R1. The model was validated against previous findings and showed a good agreement with errors of less than 5.5%. The model was then used to study the heat transfer characteristics of the proposed cases compared to traditional straight channels under the same operating conditions. All the proposed arrangements displayed better heat transfer characteristics than the traditional configuration within the studied range. They also exhibited lower temperature nonuniformities, implying better temperature distribution. The temperature contours over the heat source top surface and the flow streamlines are also introduced. Among all the proposed arrangements cases, a microchannel with micro metal insert located at the top wall along with a second row of inserts covering two-thirds of the bottom wall is studied. This case achieved the best heat transfer characteristics and highest temperature uniformity, making it a viable candidate for high power density devices’ thermal management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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19 pages, 8184 KiB  
Article
Climate Change during the Third Millennium—The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
by Mohamed E. Hereher
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14181; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114181 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2237
Abstract
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a union occurring in the arid subtropical belt of the world. Contemporary climate change is a serious environmental issue at the regional and global levels. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the changes and [...] Read more.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a union occurring in the arid subtropical belt of the world. Contemporary climate change is a serious environmental issue at the regional and global levels. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the changes and trends in the regional climate in the GCC countries in terms of the land surface temperatures and surface anomalies, precipitation, and sea surface temperatures over the first two decades of this millennium. Research data exclusively relied on satellite remote sensing. Spatial, statistical, and cartographic analyses were performed to extract, manipulate, and display thematic maps reflecting the changes and trends of the regional climate. The results showed that notable climate changes were obvious and frequent throughout the GCC countries, with symptoms influencing the atmosphere, lithosphere, and the hydrosphere of the region. However, a prominent gradient in the severity of climate change occurred from north to south. Remarkably, serious impacts were observed in Kuwait and eastern Saudi Arabia, while the least effects were recorded in Oman. The study denotes the competence of remote sensing for monitoring regional climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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17 pages, 3594 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Hydrological Extremes for Arid Catchments: A Case Study in Wadi Al Jizzi, North-West Oman
by Eyad Abushandi and Manar Al Ajmi
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14028; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114028 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2214
Abstract
The objective of this research was to analyse hydrological variability by conducting an intensive analysis of extreme events, under dry and wet conditions. Drought conditions were assessed using the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), while the Soil Conservation Service [...] Read more.
The objective of this research was to analyse hydrological variability by conducting an intensive analysis of extreme events, under dry and wet conditions. Drought conditions were assessed using the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), while the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) method was used to simulate flooding at four stations. The SPI results indicated that the amount of rainfall within the catchment area is near to normal, ranging from 64% to 75%, with some extremely wet exceptions which may cause flash floods. The RAI results also indicated that the amount of rainfall within the catchment area is near to normal, but the extremely wet category obtained the largest percentage (ranging from 36% to 50%) and the very wet category had the lowest percentage (ranging from 9% to 36%). The simulated flooding, using SCS, tended to slightly underestimate the observed streamflow, while the performance showed some weaknesses when the observed flooding was less than 1 m3/s. The Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency showed higher performance at closer rainfall stations to the outlet, with values of 0.92 and 0.94. Distant stations simulated floods that showed a lower level of efficiency, with values of 0.77 and 0.81. Given the fact that hydrological extremes (dry and wet conditions) are connected, the findings of the two indices and the SCS method are consistent and suitable for monitoring drought and flood events under climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 5956 KiB  
Review
An Overview of the Implication of Climate Change on Fish Farming in Egypt
by Ahmed I. Mehrim and Mohamed M. Refaey
Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1679; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021679 - 15 Jan 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5166
Abstract
Aquaculture is an important component of the human diet, providing high-quality aquatic food for global or local consumption. Egypt is one of the countries most vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change (CC), especially in the aquaculture sector. CC is one of [...] Read more.
Aquaculture is an important component of the human diet, providing high-quality aquatic food for global or local consumption. Egypt is one of the countries most vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change (CC), especially in the aquaculture sector. CC is one of the biggest challenges of our time and has negatively affected different water bodies. CC leads to the combination of changes in water availability, a decrease in water quality, the movement of salt water upstream due to rising sea levels, and the salinization of groundwater supplies will threaten inland freshwater aquaculture. Similarly, higher temperatures resulting from CC lead to reduce dissolved oxygen levels, increased fish metabolic rates, increased risk of disease spread, increased fish mortality, and consequently decreased fish production. CC may also indirectly affect aquaculture activities; for example, large areas of lowland aquaculture ponds can be highly vulnerable to flooding from rising sea levels. Thus, the current overview will briefly discuss the state of the aquaculture sector in Egypt, the meaning of CC, its causes, and its effects on the different elements of the aquaculture sector, and finally, we will review the appropriate ways to mitigate the adverse effects of CC on fish farming, especially in Egypt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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26 pages, 1569 KiB  
Review
Biochar as a Soil Amendment for Restraining Greenhouse Gases Emission and Improving Soil Carbon Sink: Current Situation and Ways Forward
by Ahmed Mosa, Mostafa M. Mansour, Enas Soliman, Ayman El-Ghamry, Mohamed El Alfy and Ahmed M. El Kenawy
Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1206; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021206 - 9 Jan 2023
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5403
Abstract
The global exponential rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the last few decades has triggered an urgent need to contextualize low-cost and evergreen technologies for restraining GHG production and enhancing soil carbon sink. GHGs can be mitigated via incorporating biochar into soil [...] Read more.
The global exponential rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the last few decades has triggered an urgent need to contextualize low-cost and evergreen technologies for restraining GHG production and enhancing soil carbon sink. GHGs can be mitigated via incorporating biochar into soil matrix to sequestrate the mineralized carbon in a stable form upon organic matter decomposition in soil. However, the efficiency of using biochar to offset GHG emissions from soil and terrestrial ecosystems is still debatable. Moreover, in the literature, biochar shows high functionality in restraining GHG emissions in short-term laboratory studies, but it shows minimal or negative impacts in field-scale experiments, leading to conflicting results. This paper synthesizes information on the ability of biochar to mitigate carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) emissions from soil and organic biomass, with an emphasis on cropland soils. The feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and application rate factors showed significant effects on controlling the effectiveness of biochar in restraining GHG emissions. Our study demonstrates that biochar, taken as a whole, can be seen as a powerful and easy-to-use tool for halting the rising tide of greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, future research should focus on (i) identifying other indirect factors related to soil physicochemical characters (such as soil pH/EH and CaCO3 contents) that may control the functionality of biochar, (ii) fabricating aged biochars with low carbon and nitrogen footprints, and (iii) functionalizing biologically activated biochars to suppress CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. Overall, our paradoxical findings highlight the urgent need to functionalize modern biochars with a high capacity to abate GHG emissions via locking up their release from soil into the carbonaceous lattice of biochar. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards COP27: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus in a Changing Climate in the Middle East and North Africa)
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