Unconventional water resources: Global opportunities and challenges

Karimidastenaei, Zahra; Avellán, Tamara; Sadegh, Mojtaba; Kløve, Bjørn; Haghighi, Ali Torabi

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154429

Cited by 77 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 190 publications

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“…5 The average concentration values are shown as units of Log 10 . 6 10 CFUs 100 ml -1 (80% of samples) and 100 CFUs 100 ml -1 as maximum value point.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 97%

“…Agriculture is the production sector with the largest consumption of water in the world, accounting for 70% of total freshwater (FW) withdrawals on average [4]. Commonly used conventional water resources are estimated not to be sufficient to meet the water demand in these areas, as reported in various studies [1,[5][6][7]. Climate change has also contributed to creating long periods of water shortage in agricultural areas, emphasizing the need to better manage water resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of irrigation with treated wastewater on bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) production and soil characteristics and estimation of plant nutritional input

et al. 2022

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In recent years, climate change has greatly affected rainfall and air temperature levels leading to a reduction in water resources in Southern Europe. This fact has emphasized the need to focus on the use of non-conventional water resources for agricultural irrigation. The reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) can represent a sustainable solution, reducing the consumption of freshwater (FW) and the need for mineral fertilisers. The main aim of this study was to assess, in a three-year period, the effects of TWW irrigation compared to FW on the biomass production of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] plants and soil characteristics and to estimate the nutritional input provided by TWW irrigation. TWW was obtained by a constructed wetland system (CWs) which was used to treat urban wastewater. The system had a total surface area of 100 m2. An experimental field of bermudagrass was set up close to the system in a Sicilian location (Italy), using a split-plot design for a two-factor experiment with three replications. Results highlighted a high organic pollutant removal [five days biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5): 61%, chemical oxygen demand (COD): 65%] and a good efficiency in nutrients [total nitrogen (TN): 50%, total phosphorus (TP): 42%] of the CWs. Plants irrigated with TWW showed higher dry aboveground dry-weight (1259.3 kg ha-1) than those irrigated with FW (942.2 kg ha-1), on average. TWW irrigation approximately allowed a saving of 50.0 kg TN ha-1 year-1, 24.0 kg TP ha-1 year-1 and 29.0 kg K ha-1 year-1 on average with respect to commonly used N-P-K fertilisation programme for bermudagrass in the Mediterranean region. Soil salinity increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) over the years and was detected to be higher in TWW-irrigated plots (+6.34%) in comparison with FW-irrigated plots. Our findings demonstrate that medium-term TWW irrigation increases the biomass production of bermudagrass turf and contributes to save significant amounts of nutrients, providing a series of agronomic and environmental benefits.

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“…5 The average concentration values are shown as units of Log 10 . 6 10 CFUs 100 ml -1 (80% of samples) and 100 CFUs 100 ml -1 as maximum value point.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of irrigation with treated wastewater on bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) production and soil characteristics and estimation of plant nutritional input

et al. 2022

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“…Water is not only a necessary and irreplaceable resource for social and economic development [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], but it is also a vital element of the environment, essential for global sustainable development [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Water resources mainly refer to freshwater resources on land [ 5 , 7 ], with the total amount of freshwater available for human use accounting for only 0.3% of all freshwater.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Water Flow Pattern in the Yellow River Basin, China: An Analysis Based on a Multiregional Input–Output Model

Liu

Xiong

Guo³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Research on the Yellow River Basin’s virtual water is not only beneficial for rational water resource regulation and allocation, but it is also a crucial means of relieving the pressures of a shortage of water resources. The water stress index and pull coefficient have been introduced to calculate the implied virtual water from intraregional and interregional trade in the Yellow River Basin on the basis of a multi-regional input–output model; a systematic study of virtual water flow has been conducted. The analysis illustrated that: (1) Agriculture is the leading sector in terms of virtual water input and output among all provinces in the Yellow River Basin, which explains the high usage. Therefore, it is important to note that the agricultural sector needs to improve its water efficiency. In addition to agriculture, virtual water is mainly exported through supply companies in the upper reaches; the middle reaches mainly output services and the transportation industry, and the lower reaches mainly output to the manufacturing industry. Significant differences exist in the pull coefficients of the same sectors in different provinces (regions). The average pull coefficients of the manufacturing, mining, and construction industries are large, so it is necessary to formulate stricter water use policies. (2) The whole basin is in a state of virtual net water input, that is, throughout the region. The Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Qinghai Provinces, which are relatively short of water, import virtual water to relieve local water pressures. However, in the Gansu Province and the Ningxia Autonomous Region, where water resources are not abundant, continuous virtual water output will exacerbate the local resource shortage. (3) The Yellow River Basin’s virtual water resources have obvious geographical distribution characteristics. The cross-provincial trade volume in the downstream area is high; the virtual water trade volume in the upstream area is low, as it is in the midstream and downstream areas; the trade relationship is insufficient. The Henan and Shandong Provinces are located in the dominant flow direction of Yellow River Basin’s virtual water, while Gansu and Inner Mongolia are at the major water sources. Trade exchanges between the midstream and downstream and the upstream should be strengthened. Therefore, the utilization of water resources should be planned nationwide to reduce water pressures, and policymakers should improve the performance of agricultural water use within the Yellow River Basin and change the main trade industries according to the resource advantages and water resources situation of each of them.

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“…Water vapour is present in large quantities in atmospheric air; it can be found in abundance in combustion processes of water-rich fuels such as woody biomass [2], and in some particularly closed environments, like greenhouses, where it can also be harmful to the correct plant growth [3]. Given the scarcity of water, now clearly attested not only in arid areas but also in many parts of the world [4], it is important to improve the knowledge about not conventional water sources, such as atmospheric water [5]. Moreover, it is important to determine the most effective technologies that permit water extraction [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Performance of Water Generators from Gaseous Mixtures by Condensation: Climatic Datasets Choice

Cattani¹,

Magrini

Leoni

2022

Energies

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Due to the growing issues related to water scarcity and pollution, water extraction from gaseous mixtures, such as atmospheric air, or fumes from combustion, is acquiring increasing importance. Nevertheless, one of the main concerns is the energy consumption that affects the use of any kind of Air(/Gas) to Water Generator (AWG). Referring specifically to water extraction from humid environmental air, AWG behaviour depends upon the air thermo-dynamic conditions and thus upon weather data. To evaluate the water extraction energy efficiency, two interesting tools can be applied: the WET (Water Energy Transformation) indicator, concerning the specific AWG machine behaviour, and the MHI (Moisture Harvesting Index), focused on climate suitability evaluation. Those tools require the knowledge of weather data to be applied. When hourly data for the entire year are available, the application of these tools leads to reliable results. However, in many cases, only average climatic data are available. Today, there are no indications about the reliability of results coming from the use of those less accurate data sets: the research aims to provide a preliminary assessment of the conditions under which average climatic data can be employed without losing meaning. This target was pursued by calculating WET and MHI with three different data sets and five meaningful climate examples. By comparing results, it was possible to provide indications about the most suitable use of average data.

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Unconventional water resources: Global opportunities and challenges

Cited by 77 publications

References 190 publications

Effect of irrigation with treated wastewater on bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) production and soil characteristics and estimation of plant nutritional input

Effect of irrigation with treated wastewater on bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) production and soil characteristics and estimation of plant nutritional input

Virtual Water Flow Pattern in the Yellow River Basin, China: An Analysis Based on a Multiregional Input–Output Model

Energy Performance of Water Generators from Gaseous Mixtures by Condensation: Climatic Datasets Choice

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