Water Quality Studies: Assessing the Presence of Nutrients and Pollutants

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 5825

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, 2d Kraśnicka Ave., 20-718 Lublin, Poland
Interests: arctic; climate change; river; lakes; creeks; glaciers; sediments; transboundary pollutants; trace elements; persistent organic pollutants

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Guest Editor
Department of Quality Management, Faculty of Management and Quality Sciences, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
Interests: environmental analytical chemistry; analytical method development; environmental quality management; organic pollutants; airport runoff water; water quality; management of wastewater/stormwater; toxicity

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza St., 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: maritime antarctica; freshwater; sediments; snow; anthropogenic influence; persistent organic pollutants; long-range atmospheric transport; environmental fate; cryosphere degradation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Studies on water quality is particularly important for understanding the present and future environmental challenges occurring due to intensifying human activities and ongoing climate change. Environmental pollutants come from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Significant amounts of pollutants are emitted into the environment in urbanized and industrialized areas of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The transboundary pollutants are also found in areas lacking local sources, including remote areas such as the Arctic and the Antarctica. To fully understand the environmental changes around us and the possible risks associated with them, it is of paramount importance to develop an interdisciplinary approach to study both spatial and temporal (long-term and short-term) changes in the levels of pollutants in surface waters. In such a research method, special attention should be paid to not only the direct impact of human activities but also to changes in meteorological conditions that can cause a hydrochemical response in surface waters.

This Special Issue aims to publish papers on water quality studies incorporating environmental data and explanations of related factors and processes that may contribute to changes in pollutant levels. Therefore, we encourage authors to submit cross-disciplinary articles on observations of environmental change based on the chemical analysis of various types of surface water (i.e., snow, precipitation, runoff water, rivers, streams, lakes, and marine), groundwater as well as artificial reservoirs in different regions of the world.

Dr. Sara Lehmann-Konera
Dr. Anna Maria Sulej-Suchomska
Guest Editors

Dr. Joanna Potapowicz
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • transboundary pollutants
  • persistent compounds
  • bioaccumulative chemicals
  • toxic contaminants
  • trace elements
  • major ions
  • organic compounds
  • catchment
  • freshwater
  • runoff and discharge
  • climate change impact

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2319 KiB  
Article
Water Quality in Estero Salado of Guayaquil Using Three-Way Multivariate Methods of the STATIS Family
by Ana Grijalva-Endara, Juan Diego Valenzuela-Cobos, Fabricio Guevara-Viejó, Patricia Antonieta Macías Mora, Jorge Stalin Quichimbo Moran, Geovanny Ruiz-Muñoz, Purificación Galindo-Villardón and Purificación Vicente-Galindo
Water 2024, 16(15), 2196; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16152196 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 989
Abstract
Water property parameters were analyzed over 9 months across six stations within the Estero Salado. The parameters under evaluation included nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), phosphate (PO43−), ammonium (NH4+ [...] Read more.
Water property parameters were analyzed over 9 months across six stations within the Estero Salado. The parameters under evaluation included nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), phosphate (PO43−), ammonium (NH4+), temperature, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), conductivity, salinity, color, turbidity, suspended solids, hardness, and alkalinity. Additionally, the TRIX index (which measures chlorophyll, oxygen saturation, nitrogen, and phosphorus) was considered. The multivariate technique employed was partial triadic analysis (PTA), a specialized variant developed from STATIS, enabling the examination of the common structure’s stability across months and the positioning of stations and variables within a compromise space. This analysis elucidated a variability of 69% and 96%, respectively. Stations could be characterized based on their associations with specific variables, while the analysis also facilitated the identification of months impacting the common structure of pollution indicators. Full article
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27 pages, 12652 KiB  
Article
Ecological Potential of Freshwater Dam Reservoirs Based on Fish Index, First Evaluation in Poland
by Piotr Pieckiel, Krzysztof Kozłowski and Tomasz Kuczyński
Water 2024, 16(15), 2169; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16152169 - 31 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 819
Abstract
A pilot ichthyological index was developed for use within the Water Framework Directive in the area of Central and Eastern Europe for dam reservoirs, which are heavily modified water bodies. This is the first approach to assessing this water body type based on [...] Read more.
A pilot ichthyological index was developed for use within the Water Framework Directive in the area of Central and Eastern Europe for dam reservoirs, which are heavily modified water bodies. This is the first approach to assessing this water body type based on ichthyofauna in Poland. Various fishing gear types were used. The tested dam reservoirs were scattered throughout the country, from lowland to mountainous areas, with very diverse hydrological and morphological characteristics and pressure ranges based on the TSI index. In preliminary work, a correlation matrix with the TSI index’s pressure indicator was tested based on the abundance or biomass of fish species, fish families present, fishing gear used, and fishing depth range for a total of 588 cases. As a result of the tests carried out, the preliminary indicator was based on the ratio of the number of the two families Cyprinidae and Percidae. The correlation between the developed indicator and the pressure index was strong (r = 0.77; p < 0.001). The Percidae family exhibited a strong correlation with the most connections in the matrix. Based on the obtained results, the principle of using already confirmed relationships, such as the ratio between Cyprinidae and Percidae fish families, in the assessment of eutrophication was confirmed to be effective, guaranteeing the effective initial assessment of ecological potential. Full article
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17 pages, 4817 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Water and Sediment Quality in Lake Mogan, Türkiye
by Kagan Ozdemir, Mirac Nur Ciner, Huseyin Kurtulus Ozcan and Serdar Aydın
Water 2024, 16(11), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111546 - 28 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1140
Abstract
The wetlands, with their delicate ecosystems, play a crucial role in regulating water regimes and supporting diverse plant and animal communities, particularly those associated with water habitats. Mogan Lake, located within the Gölbaşı Special Environmental Protection Area, stands out as a unique habitat, [...] Read more.
The wetlands, with their delicate ecosystems, play a crucial role in regulating water regimes and supporting diverse plant and animal communities, particularly those associated with water habitats. Mogan Lake, located within the Gölbaşı Special Environmental Protection Area, stands out as a unique habitat, hosting over 200 bird species. This study aimed to assess the current water quality of Mogan Lake by analysing various water quality variables. Three sampling sites, representing the northern, middle, and southern parts of the lake, were selected to examine both surface water and bottom sludge characteristics through the analysis of 29 pollutant variables. Water samples were collected from 30 cm beneath the water surface and 50 cm above the bottom of the lake. Sediment samples were collected from the sludge at the lake basin. Additionally, to understand their impact on the lake’s water quality, 26 pollutants were also measured in water samples taken from the five main streams that feed the lake. The results reveal a significant level of organic pollution in the lake, along with elevated nitrogen levels indicating hypertrophic conditions. Although organic pollutants were detected in the lake bottom sediment through analysis, they are considered non-hazardous in terms of heavy metals and other inorganic variables. Full article
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15 pages, 4482 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Sampling Strategies for Estimating Riverine Nutrient Loads in the Yiluo River Watershed, China
by Guoshuai Zhang, Yanxue Xu, Min Xu, Zhonghua Li and Shunxing Qin
Water 2024, 16(11), 1506; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111506 - 24 May 2024
Viewed by 805
Abstract
Accurately estimating nutrient loads is crucial for effective management and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the uncertainty in different sampling frequencies and calculation methods for estimating total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads in the Yiluo [...] Read more.
Accurately estimating nutrient loads is crucial for effective management and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the uncertainty in different sampling frequencies and calculation methods for estimating total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads in the Yiluo River watershed, a tributary of the Yellow River in China. Using daily TN and TP concentration data from 2019 to 2020, we conducted a bootstrapping analysis to evaluate the accuracy of nine different load estimation methods at different sampling frequencies. Our results showed that Method 3 (M_3, constant concentration interpolation) and Method 7 (M_7, flow-weighted concentration method), when used with a biweekly sampling frequency, had the lowest Standard Deviation of the Percentage errors (STD) (7.70% and 8.60% for TN, 12.0% and 18.8% for TP, respectively) and Mean Relative Error (MRE) values (0.078% and −1.60% for TN, 0.305% and 2.33% for TP, respectively) on an annual scale. For monthly TN and TP load estimates, M_7 can control the MRE within ±20% at a biweekly sampling frequency. Furthermore, the uncertainty in TN and TP load estimates was generally larger during the summer months (June–September), emphasizing the important role of storm events in nutrient export. Extreme events (<10% of the time) contributed approximately 50% of the annual nutrient loads. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for optimizing water quality monitoring schemes and management strategies in agricultural watersheds. Full article
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20 pages, 12761 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Observations of Rainfall Chemistry Composition in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard)
by Sara Lehmann-Konera, Marek Ruman, Marcin Frankowski, Łukasz Małarzewski, Krzysztof Raczyński, Filip Pawlak, Joanna Jóźwik, Joanna Potapowicz and Żaneta Polkowska
Water 2024, 16(2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16020299 - 15 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267
Abstract
Global warming results in increasingly widespread wildfires, mostly in Siberia, but also in North America and Europe, which are responsible for the uncontrollable emission of pollutants, also to the High Arctic region. This study examines 11 samples of rainfall collected in August in [...] Read more.
Global warming results in increasingly widespread wildfires, mostly in Siberia, but also in North America and Europe, which are responsible for the uncontrollable emission of pollutants, also to the High Arctic region. This study examines 11 samples of rainfall collected in August in a coastal area of southern Bellsund (Svalbard, Norway). It covers detailed analysis of major ions (i.e., Cl, NO3, and SO42−) and elements (i.e., Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) to Hybrid Single-Particle Langrarian Integrated Trajectory( HYSPLIT) backward air mass trajectories. The research of wildfires, volcanic activities, and dust storms in the Northern Hemisphere has permitted the assessment of their relations to the fluctuations and origins of elements. We distinguished at least 2 days (27 and 28 August) with evident influence of volcanic activity in the Aleutian and Kuril–Kamchatka trenches. Volcanic activity was also observed in the case of the Siberian wildfires, as confirmed by air mass trajectories. Based on the presence of non-sea K (nsK), non-sea sulphates (nss), and Ca (the soil factor of burned areas), the continuous influence of wildfires on rainfall chemistry was also found. Moreover, dust storms in Eurasia were mainly responsible for the transport of Zn, Pb, and Cd to Svalbard. Global warming may lead to the increased deposition of mixed-origin pollutants in the summer season in the Arctic. Full article
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