This book covers diverse types of ceramic membranes applied in separation processes. The authors present the preparation methods and well as the main application of ceramic membranes. Modules, microfiltration and ultrafiltration are topics described within the text. The final chapter focuses on water and wastewater treatment by membranes separation processes.

This collection of papers aims to draw lessons and apply indigenous knowledge, wisdom and cultural traditions to suit policy contexts describing the (a) role of individuals (b) communities, and (c) the state to ensure effectively manage water resources. Readers will discover ways in which water was conceptualized, conserved and managed. Contributions will also shed light on the historical, functional and futuristic perspectives of water resources management, and readers will be able to draw lessons and evolve policy guidelines. There are some studies related to scriptures across religions and their perceptions regarding ecological conservation. However, religious studies and their socio-economic and environmental relevance to society, more specifically to the current policy contexts, are limited. This book attempts to bridge this gap, in terms of learning lessons from the past to effectively address the challenges of the present and future. The book will be useful for historians and research scholars studying the place of water in different cultures, water pricing and water sharing; as well as ecologists and environmental scientists.

The coastal and ocean ecosystem is a significant feature of our planet and provides a source of food for much of life on Earth. Millions of species have been, and are still being discovered in the world's oceans. Among these zooplankton serve as secondary producers and are significant as they form pelagic food links and act as indicators of water masses. They constitute the largest and most reliable source of protein for most of the ocean's fishes. As such, their absence or depletion often affects fishery. In many countries, the decline in fishery has been attributed to reduced plankton populations. Furthermore, trillions of tiny copepods produce countless faecal pellets contributing greatly to the marine snow and therefore accelerating the flow of nutrients and minerals from the surface waters to the seabed. They are phylogenetically highly successful groups in terms of phylogenetic age, number of living species and success of adaptive radiation. A study of the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton would provide an index of the fishery potential and applications, offering insights into ocean ecology to safeguard food supplies and livelihoods of the millions of people living in coastal areas. For this reason, we need to understand all the facets of zooplankton as well as their interactions with atmosphere and other life forms, including human. In this context, this book discusses the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton, especially taxonomy, mosquitocidal activity, culture, analysis of nutritional, pigments and enzyme profile, preservation of copepods eggs, bioenrichment of zooplankton and application of zooplankton in sustainable aquaculture production, focusing on novel biofloc-copefloc technologies, and the impact of acidification and microplastics on zooplankton. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current issues and developments in the field of environmental and commercial applications, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, aquaculturists, environmental mangers wanting to understand the importance of zooplankton and develop technologies for the sustainable production of fish and other commodities to provide food and livelihoods for mankind.

This volume presents up-to-date research on the Nile Delta and discusses the challenges involved in and opportunities for improving its productivity. The topics addressed include: groundwater in the Nile Delta and its quality; the mapping of groundwater with remote sensing technologies; land degradation; salt-affected soils; on-farm irrigation; the remediation of agricultural drainage water for sustainable reuse; the use of satellite images to estimate the bathymetry of coastal lakes; the assessment of the Nile Delta coastal zone and its management; its sediment and water quality; and fishing ports, fish and fisheries. The book closes with a review of the latest findings on the Nile Delta and offers conclusions and recommendations for future research to fulfill the requirements for sustainable development. It provides a unique and topical resource for researchers, graduate students and policymakers alike.

This book presents the latest developments and recent research trends in the field of plankton, highlighting the potential ecological and biotechnological applications. It critically and comprehensively discusses strain selection, growth characteristics, large-scale culturing, and biomass harvesting, focusing on the screening and production of high-value products from algae, and evaluating carbon dioxide sequestration from fuel gas as a climate change mitigation strategy. The latter areas of research are clearly central to the sustainable development approach that is currently attracting global attention. Over the decades, much of the literature on has focused on the biological and ecological aspects of phytoplankton found in freshwater, marine and brackish water environments. However, these organisms are known to also inhabit various other environments. More recently, there has been a substantial shift toward the concept of sustainable development and the "green economy" with emphasis on exploiting biological systems for the benefit of mankind. The significance of these plankton cannot be underestimated as they contribute approximately 40% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Therefore, there is potential for exploitation of this invaluable biomass source that could lead to significant environmental and economic benefits for man. Providing a comprehensive outline of the most recent developments and advances in the field of industrial applications of these plankton, this book is an excellent reference resource for researchers and practitioners.

This book describes the latest research advances, innovations, and applications in the field of water management and environmental engineering as presented by leading researchers, engineers, life scientists and practitioners from around the world at the Frontiers International Conference on Wastewater Treatment (FICWTM), held in Palermo, Italy in May 2017. The topics covered are highly diverse and include the physical processes of mixing and dispersion, biological developments and mathematical modeling, such as computational fluid dynamics in wastewater, MBBR and hybrid systems, membrane bioreactors, anaerobic digestion, reduction of greenhouse gases from wastewater treatment plants, and energy optimization. The contributions amply demonstrate that the application of cost-effective technologies for waste treatment and control is urgently needed so as to implement appropriate regulatory measures that ensure pollution prevention and remediation, safeguard public health, and preserve the environment. The contributions were selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process and highlight many exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different water specialists.

This book presents recent lessons learned in the context of research and development for various dryland ecosystems, focusing on water resources management, land and vegetation cover degradation and remediation, and socioeconomic aspects, as well as integrated approaches to ensuring water and land security in view of the current and predicted climate change. As water and land are the essential bases of food production, the management of these natural resources is becoming a cornerstone for the development of dryland populations. The book gathers the peer-reviewed, revised versions of the most outstanding papers on these topics presented at the ILDAC2015 Conference in Djerba, Tunisia.

This volume offers a comprehensive analysis of the water resources in the Souss-Massa river basin in southwestern Morocco and provides novel water-management approaches to narrow the gap between supply and demand for water. It evaluates conventional water resources surface water and groundwater and discusses in detail rainfall harvesting into dams along the Souss and Massa wadis. Further, it explores topics including the geology of the aquifer; the risk of over exploitation; alternative water resources, such as desalinated seawater and treated domestic wastewater, as well as management approaches like Data Development Analysis and the SALTMED model. With a focus on linking scientific research to practical applications and the demands of agriculture and associated agro-industry, urbanization and tourism, which compete for the limited water resources, the book appeals to environmental scientists, geologists, engineers and environmental managers.

In developing countries, access to the adequate sanitation systems is still limited, and a new business model is required. This book demonstrates the benefits of resource-oriented agro-sanitation systems, including the concepts and technologies, and using selected case studies, e.g. from Burkina Faso and Indonesia, it illustrates the different applications of the system. It also discusses various aspects related to resource-oriented agro-sanitation system, including resource-recovery technologies for feces, urine and grey water, business models for installation, and agricultural issues related to uses of urine and compost. Promoting installation of sanitation systems, especially in developing countries, the book is intended for water and sanitation engineers, administrators, policy makers and regulators. It also provides multidisciplinary insights, making it a useful resource for students and researchers.

This book presents the most recent innovations, trends, concerns and practical challenges, and solutions in the field of water resources for arid areas. It gathers outstanding contributions presented at the International Water Conference on Water Resources in Arid Areas (IWC 2016), which was held in Muscat, Oman in March 2016. The individual papers discuss challenges and solutions to alleviate water resource scarcity in arid areas, including water resources management, the introduction of modern irrigation systems, natural groundwater recharge, construction of dams for artificial recharge, use of treated wastewater, and desalination technologies. As such, the book provides a platform for the exchange of recent advances in water resources science and research, which are essential to improving the critical water situation

This volume reviews the drinking water treatments in which AOPs display a high application potential. Firstly it reveals the typical supply sources and limitations of conventional technologies and critically reviews natural organic matter characterization and removal techniques, focusing mainly on AOP treatments. It then explores using AOPs for simultaneous inactivation/disinfection of several types of microorganisms, including highly resistant Cryptosporidium protozoa. Lastly, it discusses relevant miscellaneous topics, like the most promising AOP solid catalysts, the regime change of Fenton-like processes toward continuous reactors, the application of chemometrics for process optimization, the impact on disinfection byproducts and the tracing of toxicity during AOP treatments. This work is a useful reference for researchers and students involved in water technologies, including analytical and environmental chemistry, chemical and environmental engineering, toxicology, biotechnology, and related fields. It is intended to encourage industrial and public-health scientists and decision-makers to accelerate the application of AOPs as technological alternatives for the improvement of drinking water treatment plants.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the potential use of graphene-based materials in two important societal areas: medicine and the environment. It discusses how new graphene-based materials can be creatively used for biological purposes, for example as delivery vehicles for diagnostics or therapeutics, ultrasensitive sensors, smart responsive substrates for artificial-tissue design and biomarkers. Moreover, it presents new insights into their use as sorbent or photocatalytic materials for environmental decontamination in water and gas-phase desalination membranes and as sensors for contaminant monitoring, giving relevance to the current discussions on the possible toxicological effects of graphene-based materials.

This book presents a unique collection of up-to-date applications of graphene for water science. Because water is an invaluable resource and the intelligent use and maintenance of water supplies is one of the most important and crucial challenges that stand before mankind, new technologies are constantly being sought to lower the cost and footprint of processes that make use of water resources as potable water as well as water for agriculture and industry, which are always in desperate demand. Much research is focused on graphene for different water treatment uses. Graphene, whose discovery won the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics, has been a shining star in the material science in the past few years. Owing to its interesting electrical, optical, mechanical and chemical properties, graphene has found potential applications in a wide range of areas, including water purification technology. A new type of graphene-based filter could be the key to managing the global water crisis. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report, lack of access to safe, clean water is the biggest risk to society over the coming decade. Yet some of these risks could be mitigated by the development of this filter, which is so strong and stable that it can be used for extended periods in the harshest corrosive environments, and with less maintenance than other filters on the market. The graphene-based filter could be used to filter chemicals, viruses, or bacteria from a range of liquids. It could be used to purify water, dairy products or wine, or in the production of pharmaceuticals. This book provides practical information to all those who are involved in this field.

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications.

This book presents the latest results related to photocatalytic inactivation/killing of microorganisms, which is a promising alternative disinfection method that produces less or even no disinfection byproduct. The book is divided into 13 chapters, which introduce readers to the latest developments in the photocatalytic disinfection of microorganisms, examine essential photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) disinfection studies, and forecast and make recommendations for the further development of PC and PEC disinfection. Bringing together contributions by various leading research groups worldwide, it offers a valuable resource for researchers and the industry alike, as well as the general public. Taicheng An, PhD, is Chair Professor and Director at the Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China. Huijun Zhao, PhD, is Chair Professor and Director at the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy & Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Australia. Po Keung Wong, PhD, is a Professor at the School of Life Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

This book is a product of Brazilian Academy of Sciences Study Group about water issue. The water cycle was addressed based on an integrated point of view, aiming at joining technological and ecological solutions and integrating quantitative and qualitative aspects of this important environmental asset. Issues such as the water resources management and irrigated agriculture, water and health, water and economy, conservation and reuse as management tools, water in the Brazilian semi arid, water in Amazon, urbanization and water resources, education for the sustainability of water resources, groundwater, availability, pollution and eutrophication of water and science, technology and innovation are of the utmost importance for this exact moment in Brazil, and particularly to the State of Sao Paulo. Addressing these issues will undoubtedly contribute towards a sustainable management of water resources trough the coordinated work of different fields of science, progressing a systemic view about water, that would then finally allow management professionals the possibility of an integral action in anticipating problems and thus anticipate solutions.

This book represents an important new contribution to the literature that presents practical and comprehensive solutions to mining activities. Its timely content has been prepared by several experts from around the world and its practical format addresses the major environmental predictive techniques required for the extraction and processing of metal resources. Packed with reviews and case studies, it covers current methods used to forecast environmental effects of metal mining.

This book provides a critical, carefully researched, up-to-date summary of membranes for membrane bioreactors. It presents a comprehensive and self-contained outline of the fundamentals of membrane bioreactors, especially their relevance as an advanced water treatment technology. This outline helps to bring the technology to the readers' attention, and positions the critical topic of membrane fouling as one of the key impediments to its more widescale adoption. The target readership includes researchers and industrial practitioners with an interest in membrane bioreactors.

This thesis examines the feasibility of using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a viable disinfectant. It explores the opportunities and challenges of using AgNPs as an antimicrobial agent, and includes the latest research findings. It compares three kinds of AgNPs with regard to their antibacterial and antiviral effects; their sustainability in real water matrices; and their antiviral mechanisms. The outcome of this research equips the water industry with a better understanding of the capacity, extent and mechanisms of nanosilver disinfection. It is of interest to graduate students, academics and researchers in the area of nanotechnology and environmental engineering.

Attending water security is an important challenge and a major systemic risk humanity faces in the years to come. This is due to population increase, over-consumption of water, especially in agriculture, climate change and various forms of water pollution. The issue becomes more complicated in transboundary water catchments that cover almost half of the world's land surface, with about 60% of global river flow and 40% of the world's population. Also, in many parts of the planet, like Saharan Africa, population depends on groundwater resources located in transboundary aquifer systems. These facts illustrate the importance of the book's subject, which is the governance of transboundary waters, both surface and groundwater. The book is written by two distinguished scientists, who, having worked in various international institutions, like UNESCO, GEF, UNEP and at the European Commission, have both an extended expertise on how to bridge the gap between science and political decision-making, which is the main factor for an effective governance of water resources. What is new in the book is the integrated analysis of transboundary governance of both surface water and groundwater, as it occurs in reality. In current literature, groundwater is still often missing for the benefit of surface water or, on the contrary, it is treated separately from surface water. The most important feature of the book is to distinguish between the real and a "good" or an effective transboundary water governance and to provide practical tools, methodologies and examples for its implementation in the field. Published timely during 2018, the book will contribute to address successfully practical problems of governance of transboundary waters that represent a very important part of our precious fresh water resources.

This book discusses the problems and feasible remediation of fluoride contamination in groundwater. The book investigates applications of various carbons derived from bio-mass and bio-polymers. It also inquires into surface modified carbons that use inorganic ions to help remove excess fluoride ions in drinking water and wastewater effluents. The compliance of kinetic and isotherm models with fluoride sorption is covered, and the suggested mechanisms of defluoridation by surface modified carbon materials is described.

This book presents major hydrological, physicochemical and biological processes determining the formation of hydro-physical properties and chemical composition of terrestrial surface water. Generalized hydro-physical, hydro-chemical and hydro-biological parameters affecting surface water quality, in particular in the Ukraine, are provided. Furthermore, a general description of the anthropogenic factors affecting the process of forming natural water's properties is presented. This volume is of interest to ecologists, and scientists, lecturers and students in higher educational institutions investigating patterns of formation of water properties and working on the development of methodologies to model and assess surface water quality, and water quality classifications.

This book mainly focuses on ecological approaches for preventing and controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution on the basis of forestry measures. In addition to the effects of ecological control, it introduces readers to the characteristics of NPS pollution in Taihu Lake watershed, water eutrophication evaluation methods, and potential countermeasures. Given the crucial role of surface runoff and soil erosion in producing water pollution, the book presents forestry measures to combat them, such as the creation of public welfare forests, urban forestry, planting techniques for hedgerows on slope land, the establishment of shelter belts, nitrogen and phosphorus absorption by hydrophytes, and sustainable management for wetlands. Moreover, the results are supplemented by a wealth of numerical calculations, tables, figures and photographs. The book offers a valuable guide for researchers, educators and professionals working in the areas of water environment, water security and ecological construction. Prof. Jianfeng Zhang works at the Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Fuyang, China.

This book offers a problem-and-solution approach to environmental remediation in mining, including the environmentally sustainable utilization of waste materials from the mining industry. It largely comprises articles published in Springer journals, which have been thoroughly revised and expanded. With supplementary data and illustrations, it discusses specific problem areas in relevant Caribbean locations and provides an overview of geotechnical and microbial solutions to prevent post-mining deterioration in this area.