-
Heliyon Aug 2023Jordan is renowned for having limited water resources. The demand for water will increasing rapidly as the country's population grows and the number of refugees...
Jordan is renowned for having limited water resources. The demand for water will increasing rapidly as the country's population grows and the number of refugees increases. In order to maintain the highest water quality for consumers, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and other governmental agencies are striving to manage Jordan's water resources through continuous monitoring. The main objective was to evaluate the drinking water quality at storage mixing tanks at Al-Karak province, besides, assessing its suitability for safe consumption. The investigation scheme was to monitor Al-Karak's drinking water system for three successive months. The fourteen principal storage tanks for the water distribution system in the area of investigation were sampled. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), major cations, major anions, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), turbidity, total alkalinity (TA), and heavy metals were measured. The scaling and originality of the dissolved salt elements in the collected water samples and geochemical processes were examined using Piper and Durov diagrams. The indices used in all samples over the period of investigation, are Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), Aggressive Index (AI), Puckorius Scaling Index (PSI), and Water Quality Index (WQI). The results showed that scale development is high in all storage tanks, as the water is calcium carbonate supersaturated, evident from LSI values that ranges 0.5-2. According to the range of RSI values (5.91-6.6), all water tanks are resistant to corrosion. Throughout the period of study (October-December), the estimated WQIs of all samples upon average were found to be less than 50, indicating excellent water quality. Finally, the collected water samples are analyzed and found to be within the acceptable levels of Jordan's drinking water standards.
PubMed: 37576309
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18862 -
Journal of Thermal Biology Oct 2023Certain local breeds of goats have adapted to severe water restriction in arid and semi-arid regions, but little is known about the adaptability of high-producing dairy...
Certain local breeds of goats have adapted to severe water restriction in arid and semi-arid regions, but little is known about the adaptability of high-producing dairy goats to water restriction while grazing under temperate conditions. The aim of this study was to assess effects of water restriction of lactating Alpine goats during the daytime at pasture (8 h/d) on herd-level drinking water intake and individual milk production and grazing time. Goats remained in the barn between evening and morning milkings, where each animal was offered 600 g of concentrate and 400 g of hay each day, with free access to water. Twenty four goats were used in a crossover design, for two consecutive 14-d periods. The study was conducted in early summer, with a daily mean ambient temperature of 18.2 ± 3.5 °C (range of 13-27 °C over all the study days), a mean temperature-humidity index of 64 ± 4.9 (range of 56-76). Goats had access to a high-quality multispecies pasture with a mean of 216 ± 44 g DM/kg fresh matter. Total drinking water intake averaged 5.57 L/d and did not differ significantly between treatments. Goats with water access at pasture drank a mean of 1.88 L of water per day during the grazing period, but drank 2.24 L less per day in the barn than goats without water access at pasture. Drinking water intake increased by 0.57 L per day for each °C increase in daily mean ambient temperature. Daily milk production, milk composition, body weight, and daily grazing time did not differ between treatments. Only the duration of the first morning meal at pasture differed significantly between treatments. Thus, water restriction for 8 h per day during grazing periods does not seem to influence the variables measured for Alpine dairy goats under temperate conditions.
Topics: Animals; Female; Animal Feed; Diet; Drinking; Drinking Water; Goats; Lactation; Milk; Cross-Over Studies
PubMed: 37816263
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103720 -
Science & Justice : Journal of the... Nov 2023Forensic anthropologists have used oxygen isotopic analyses (δO) in recent decades because of its ability to help estimate probable regions of origin of unidentified...
Forensic anthropologists have used oxygen isotopic analyses (δO) in recent decades because of its ability to help estimate probable regions of origin of unidentified individuals based on isotopic composition of bodily tissues. Prior research has found that drinking water is geographically patterned and that tap water is often representative of drinking water in assessing these links between human tissues and geography. Researchers have begun applying the method in a variety of global contexts. This research critically assesses the assumption that tap water is isotopically representative of drinking water in Oaxaca, Mexico. Drinking water samples from Oaxaca were analyzed and compared with predicted δO values from a previously constructed tap water isoscape of Mexico. Hair samples from Oaxaca were also analyzed to compare against various water sources. Tap water δO values do not reliably reflect drinking water δO in sampled regions of Oaxaca, Mexico. Further, the models relating hair keratin to drinking water, built on this assumption, fail to hold predictive power. With an incomplete understanding of tap water's ability to represent drinking water isotopically, researchers need to study the role of other key factors in δO values. If the individual's being identified with δO are from non-Western communities, forensic practitioners run the risk of incorrectly predicting region of origin because of the method's assumptions. Recognizing the varying sociocultural realities of the communities forensic practitioners seek to aid is paramount as we grow and develop our methods moving forward.
Topics: Humans; Oxygen Isotopes; Drinking Water; Mexico; Forensic Medicine; Geography
PubMed: 38030344
DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.10.001 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Interest in water chemical activity, its content, and its impact on human health has greatly increased throughout the last decade. Some studies suggest that drinking... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Interest in water chemical activity, its content, and its impact on human health has greatly increased throughout the last decade. Some studies suggest that drinking water with high hardness may have preventative effects on cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate the association between drinking water hardness and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
METHODS
The study selection process was designed to find the association between drinking water hardness and CVDs mortality. The search included both qualitative and quantitative research and was performed in three databases: Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics, Ann Arbor, MI, USA), PubMed (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MA, USA), and Scopus (Elsevier, RELX Group plc, London, UK). The project was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42020213102.
RESULTS
Seventeen studies out of a total of twenty-five studies qualitatively analyzed indicated a significant relation between total water hardness and protection from CVD mortality. The quantitative analysis concluded that high drinking water hardness has a significantly lowering effect on mortality from CVDs, however, the heterogeneity was high.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic literature review shows that total water hardness could affect CVD prevention and mortality. Due to the many confounding factors in the studies, more research is needed.
PubMed: 37685186
DOI: 10.3390/foods12173255 -
ACS ES&T Water Aug 2023Climate change hazards, including increased temperatures, drought, sea level rise, extreme precipitation, wildfires, and changes in freeze-thaw cycles, are expected to...
Climate change hazards, including increased temperatures, drought, sea level rise, extreme precipitation, wildfires, and changes in freeze-thaw cycles, are expected to degrade drinking water utility system infrastructure and decrease the reliability of water provision. To assess how drinking water utility manager perceptions of these risks affect utility planning, 60 semistructured interviews were conducted with utilities of various sizes, source water supplies, and United States geographical regions. This study analyzes these interviews (1) to evaluate which climate hazards are of primary concern to drinking water managers, (2) to develop a mental model framework for assessing utility-level understanding of climate change risks to system reliability, and (3) to examine the status of current water utility adaptation planning. The results show that concern and awareness of climate hazard risks vary geographically and are grounded in historical exposure; some participants do not believe climate change will influence their system's overall reliability. When considering climate change risks, utility managers tend to focus on effects to water supply and infrastructure, as opposed to changes in operations and maintenance, water quality, or business functions. Most surveyed utilities do not have comprehensive climate adaptation plans despite federal and professional recommendations. The range of beliefs and actions concerning climate adaptation planning indicates that utilities need directed guidance, and policymakers should consider including climate hazards and projections as part of required utility risk and resilience assessments.
PubMed: 37588803
DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00091 -
Current Environmental Health Reports Sep 2023Recently, several epidemiological studies have investigated whether prenatal exposure to nitrate from drinking water may be harmful to the fetus, even at nitrate levels... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Recently, several epidemiological studies have investigated whether prenatal exposure to nitrate from drinking water may be harmful to the fetus, even at nitrate levels below the current World Health Organization drinking water standard. The purpose of this review was to give an overview of the newest knowledge on potential health effects of prenatal exposure to nitrate.
RECENT FINDINGS
We included 13 epidemiological studies conducted since 2017. Nine studies investigated outcomes appearing around birth, and four studies investigated health outcomes appearing in childhood and young adulthood. The reviewed studies showed some indications of higher risk of preterm delivery, lower birth weight, birth defects, and childhood cancer related to prenatal exposure to nitrate. However, the numbers of studies for each outcome were sparse, and some of the results were conflicting. We suggest that there is a need for additional studies and particularly for studies that include information on water consumption patterns, intake of nitrate from diet, and intake of nitrosatable drugs.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Nitrates; Drinking Water; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Epidemiologic Studies; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 37453984
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00404-9 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2023Monitoring the quality of drinking water is a crucial responsibility for all water infrastructure networks, as it guarantees access to clean water for the communities... (Review)
Review
Monitoring the quality of drinking water is a crucial responsibility for all water infrastructure networks, as it guarantees access to clean water for the communities they serve. With water infrastructure deteriorating due to age and neglect, drinking water violations are on the rise in the US, underscoring the need for improved monitoring capabilities. Among the different sensor technologies, graphene-based chemiresistors have emerged as a promising technology for water quality monitoring due to advantages such as simple design, sensitivity, and selectivity. This review paper provides an overview of recent advances in the development of graphene-based chemiresistors for water quality monitoring, including principles of chemiresistive sensing, sensor design and functionalization, and performance of devices reported in the literature. The paper also discusses challenges and opportunities in the field and highlights future research directions. The development of graphene-based chemiresistors has the potential to revolutionize water quality monitoring by providing highly sensitive and cost-effective sensors that can be integrated into existing infrastructure for real-time monitoring.
PubMed: 38139674
DOI: 10.3390/s23249828 -
Environmental Science & Technology Oct 2023Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) make up a large group of fluorinated organic compounds extensively used in consumer products and industrial applications....
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) make up a large group of fluorinated organic compounds extensively used in consumer products and industrial applications. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the two perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with 8 carbons in their structure, have been phased out on a global scale because of their high environmental persistence and toxicity. As a result, shorter-chain PFAAs with less than 8 carbons in their structure are being used as their replacements and are now widely detected in the environment, raising concerns about their effects on human health. In this study, 47 PFAAs and their precursors were measured in paired samples of dust and drinking water collected from residential homes in Indiana, United States, and in blood and urine samples collected from the residents of these homes. Ultrashort- (with 2 or 3 carbons [C2-C3]) and short-chain (with 4-7 carbons [C4-C7]) PFAAs were the most abundant in all four matrices and constituted on average 69-100% of the total PFAA concentrations. Specifically, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, C2) and perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA, C3) were the predominant PFAAs in most of the samples. Significant positive correlations ( = 81; = 0.23-0.42; < 0.05) were found between TFA, perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA, C7) concentrations in dust or water and those in serum, suggesting dust ingestion and/or drinking water consumption as important exposure pathways for these compounds. This study demonstrates that ultrashort- and short-chain PFAAs are now abundant in the indoor environment and in humans and warrants further research on potential adverse health effects of these exposures.
Topics: Humans; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Fluorocarbons; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Drinking Water; Dust
PubMed: 37818968
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06715 -
PloS One 2024Water intake has been suggested to be associated with weight control, but evidence for optimal water intake in terms of amount, timing, and temperature is sparse....
Water intake has been suggested to be associated with weight control, but evidence for optimal water intake in terms of amount, timing, and temperature is sparse. Additionally, genetic predisposition to obesity, which affects satiety and energy expenditure, might interact with water intake in regulating individual adiposity risk. We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting 172 Korean adults. Information on water intake and lifestyle factors was collected through self-reported questionnaires, and height, weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured by researchers. The oral buccal swab was performed for genotyping of FTO rs9939609, MC4R rs17782313, BDNF rs6265 and genetic risk of obesity was calculated. Linear regression was performed to estimate mean difference in body mass index (BMI) and WC by water intake and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). As a sensitivity analysis, logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratio (OR) of obesity/overweight (BMI of ≥23kg/m2; WC of ≥90cm for men and of ≥80cm for women) and its 95% CI. Drinking >1L/day was significantly associated with higher BMI (mean difference: 0.90, 95% CI 0.09, 1.72) and WC (mean difference: 3.01, 95% CI 0.62, 5.41) compared with drinking ≤1L/day. Independent of total water intake, drinking before bedtime was significantly associated with lower BMI (mean difference: -0.98, 95% CI -1.91, -0.05). The results remained consistent when continuous BMI and WC were analyzed as categorical outcomes. By perceived temperature, drinking >1L/day of cold water was associated with higher BMI and WC compared with drinking ≤1L/day of water at room-temperature. By genetic predisposition to obesity, a positive association between water intake and WC was confined to participants with low genetic risk of obesity (P interaction = 0.04). In conclusion, amount, timing, and perceived temperature of water intake may be associated with adiposity risk and the associations might vary according to genetic predisposition to obesity.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Obesity; Drinking; Adult; Middle Aged; Drinking Water; Body Mass Index; Temperature; Cross-Sectional Studies; Waist Circumference; Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4
PubMed: 38662725
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301373 -
Self-Reported Consumption of Bottled Water v. Tap Water in Appalachian and Non-Appalachian Kentucky.Journal of Appalachian Health 2023Quantitative studies on drinking water perceptions in Appalachia are limited. High-profile water infrastructure failures in the U.S. and Eastern Kentucky, coupled with...
INTRODUCTION
Quantitative studies on drinking water perceptions in Appalachia are limited. High-profile water infrastructure failures in the U.S. and Eastern Kentucky, coupled with human-made and natural disasters in the Appalachian Region, have likely impacted opinions regarding tap water.
PURPOSE
To use existing unexplored data to describe baseline tap water v. bottled water consumption in Kentucky.
METHODS
Telephone-based cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2013 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) directed by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Among many items in KHIP, self-reported consumption of bottled water over tap water, reasons for bottled water use, and demographic data were obtained.
RESULTS
Among Appalachian (n=356) and non-Appalachian (n=1,125) Kentucky respondents, a significantly higher frequency of Appalachian Kentuckians reported drinking bottled water more often than tap water relative to non-Appalachian Kentuckians (57% v. 34%; p < 0.001). Appalachian residency significantly predicted bottled water consumption in simple and multivariable logistic regression adjusted for significant covariates (i.e., age, sex, and race). Among persons consuming bottled water more than tap water, Appalachian Kentuckians reported significantly more concerns regarding tap water taste or smell ( = 0.005) and safety ( = 0.008) than non-Appalachians.
IMPLICATIONS
These results from 2013 data pre-date headline news items related to public water and likely underestimate current bottled water preferences. New data are needed, and these results warrant further investigation into tap water aesthetics in Appalachia, bottled water consumption impacts on personal finances, and approaches to build public trust for public drinking water among multiple populations including Appalachian Kentuckians.
PubMed: 38022490
DOI: 10.13023/jah.0502.04