Search

Water adsorption energy, Eads, is a key physical quantity in sustainable chemical technologies such as (photo)electrocatalytic water splitting, water desalination, and water harvesting. In many of these applications, the electrode surface is operated outside the point (potential) of zero charge, which attracts counter-ions to form the electric double layer and controls the surface properties. Here, by applying density functional theory-based finite-field molecular dynamics simulations, we have studied the effect of water adsorption energy Eads on surface acidity and the Helmholtz capacitance of BiVO4 as an example of metal oxide electrodes with weakly chemisorbed water. This allows us to establish the effect of Eads on the coordination number, the H-bond network, and the orientation of chemisorbed water by comparing an oxide series composed of BiVO4, TiO2, and SnO2. In particular, it is found that a positive correlation exists between the degree of asymmetry ΔCH in the Helmholtz capacitance and the strength of Eads. This correlation is verified and extended further to graphene-like systems with physisorbed water, where the electric double layers (EDLs) are controlled by electronic charge rather than proton charge as in the oxide series. Therefore, this work reveals a general relationship between water adsorption energy Eads and EDLs, which is relevant to both electrochemical reactivity and the electrowetting of aqueous interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Water is considered an effective microwave absorber due to its high transmittance and frequency-dispersive dielectric constant, yet it is challenging to form it into a stable state as an absorber. Herein, we developed a water-containing microwave absorber using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), namely, the bifunctional carbon/NaCl multi-interfaces hybrid with excellent water harvesting and microwave absorption performance. Carbon/NaCl exhibits remarkable water harvesting abilities from air, exceeding 210 % of its weight in 12 h. The development of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic heterojunction interface is responsible for this outstanding performance. Additionally, the interfacial polarization provided by carbon/NaCl, along with the dipole polarization induced by the internally captured water and defects, enhances its microwave absorption. The carbon/NaCl hybrid achieved a minimum reflection loss (RL min) of −69.62 dB at 17.1 GHz with a thickness of 2.13 mm, and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB max) of 6.74 GHz at a thickness of 2.5 mm. Compared with raw NaCl (RL min of −24.5 dB, EAB max of 3.88 GHz), the RL min and EAB max values of the absorber increased by approximately 2.85 and 1.74 times. These results highlight the potential for bifunctional carbon/NaCl hybrid in applications within extreme environments, presenting a promising avenue for further research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condensation occurs when the air temperature drops to its dew point, causing water vapors in the air to cool, lose kinetic energy, and transform into liquid droplets. This process is influenced by the relative humidity and temperature fluctuations, where lower temperatures reduce the air’s capacity to hold water vapor, resulting in the formation of liquid water droplets on cooler surfaces. The condensation process is fundamental to the operation of fog harvesting systems, where specialized meshes capture the transformed water droplets. However, the behavior of droplets attached to meshes under background airflow is not well understood. Consequently, controlling the motion and merging of these droplets with neighboring ones poses a significant challenge. In this study, for fog airflow, it is demonstrated that droplets on parallel meshes can aerodynamically interact with both downstream and upstream neighbors at different temperatures. These interactions lead to diverse behaviors, including alignment, coalescence, and repulsion. This study explores the key factors influencing the efficiency of material and design used for fog harvesting systems, and environmental conditions such as fog density and wind speed. The dynamical model includes the single-phase transport equation along with the k−Ω SST (Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-omega) a subclass of RAS (Reynolds-Averaged Simulation) model. The computational analysis of fog harvesting mesh for water collection is performed in OpenFOAM (Open-source Field Operation And Manipulation). The Finite Volume Method (FVM) is employed for solution of the model to check the efficiency and effectiveness of fog harvesting computational designs. Using OpenFOAM, condensation, alignment and merging behaviors based on the interactions between wakes and droplets are visualized. The computational design enhances the surface area available for fog capture, thereby increasing the droplets collection efficiency and resulting in a higher yield of liquid water. The computational results obtained in this study can lead to more sustainable and efficient fog water collectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) has been extensively researched as a sustainable solution to current freshwater scarcity. Various bioinspired AWH surfaces have been developed to enhance water-harvesting performance, yet challenges remain in optimizing their structures. In this work, we report a dual-biomimetic AWH surface that combines beetle-inspired heterogeneous wettability with leaf-skeleton-based hierarchical microstructures on a rigid substrate. An authentic leaf skeleton innovatively serves as the mask during photolithography complemented by O2-plasma treatment, enabling precise design of superhydrophilic SiO2 structures with a hierarchy of vein orders forming reticulate meshes on a hydrophobic Si substrate. This design facilitates enhanced water collection through intricate reticulate meshes and directional droplet transport along the abundant multi-order veins. Such AWH surface shows a water-harvesting efficiency of 172 mg cm−2 h−1, increasing up to 62% and 58% over the pristine SiO2/Si wafer and Si wafer, respectively. Additionally, the role of structure orientation in the open-surface droplet transport is explored while the AWH surface is vertically placed during the water-harvesting process. This work highlights the potential of using meticulous natural designs, like leaf skeletons, to improve AWH surfaces, with broad applications in compact devices, such as on-chip evaporative cooling and planar microfluidics manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most urban agglomerations in Algeria are facing persistent water shortages, mainly caused by climate change and rapid urbanization. To alleviate this problem, the government has introduced a system of intermittent water supply. This measure obliges households to store drinking water during cuts periods to ensure uninterrupted access to water in their homes. This study investigated the potential of rainwater harvesting to reduce the need for such storage. By analyzing five different simulation scenarios, the study focused on the application of rainwater harvesting in individual households in the Algerian municipality of Beni-Mered. The results showed that the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting varied significantly depending on the usage scenario. In fact, rainwater harvesting was able to reduce drinking water storage from 5% to 84%. These results underline the importance of the government adopting a comprehensive development strategy for rainwater harvesting, based on a participatory framework and supported by financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tribocatalysis for environmental remediation faces ongoing challenges related to elucidating complex mechanistic pathways and achieving efficient performance. Engineering surface oxygen vacancies within material systems holds promise for improving overall tribocatalytic efficiency. Herein, a facile solid-phase reduction method was used to generate oxygen vacancies-rich BaTiO 3 (R-BaTiO 3). Both the pristine BaTiO 3 and R-BaTiO 3 can harvest friction energy for further tribocatalytic degradation of RhB. The R-BaTiO 3 exhibited remarkably higher degradation rate constant for RhB removal, i.e., 0.177 h−1, than that for the pristine BaTiO 3 , i.e., 0.0789 h−1. The introduction of oxygen vacancies in R-BaTiO 3 reduced the energy bandgap and facilitated effective electron-hole separation, leading to the generation of more reactive oxygen species (•O 2 − and •OH). Tribo-generated holes were identified as the primary reactive species responsible for RhB degradation, surpassing the contributions of •O 2 − and •OH. A preliminary reaction mechanism based on both electron transfer and electron citation was proposed. The solid-phase reduction method employed in this study presents a promising way for enhancing tribocatalytic performance by introducing oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water balance modeling method was developed and applied to assess the water flow impact on urban water systems and water consumption in buildings. The method is based on the computational tool Aquacycle and a case study applied in a city in Brazil. Some modifications have been made to Aquacycle, including using urban drainage and sewage structures commonly applied in Brazil and parameters closer to the Brazilian reality. Such structures are decentralized wastewater treatment systems, deep tubular wells, irregular urban networks, and covered tanks for storing rainwater. Also, an automatic rainwater harvesting system was considered for flood mitigation. The water balance proposed may also be used for a modular assessment approach in urban water systems, aiming to facilitate the application of life-cycle assessment. A case study also aimed to assess alternative water supply in buildings, including scenarios with and without rainwater harvesting. The most significant positive impacts of using rainwater in buildings were a decrease of almost 6% in stormwater runoff and a decrease of water consumption by around 30%. There is a substantial waste of water in the distribution process, which, although it favors groundwater recharge, can have a high impact when considering energy and chemical products consumption. All contributions obtained via modeling can be used to provide specific fluxes in each component that can be used for technical, financial, or environmental evaluations, such as life-cycle approaches, carbon footprint, and cost–benefit assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This two-year experiment with different planting seasons (April 2018 and August 2021) aimed to determine the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) levels (DI0: 100%, DI30: 70%, and DI60: 40% field capacity) on light interception, light extinction coefficient (k), dry biomass and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of two basil cultivars (Green and Purple). The greenhouse experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with three replications. The results showed that the k values ranged from 0.57 to 0.68 and 0.31 to 0.43 in April and August planting, respectively. The cumulative solar radiation interception, dry biomass, and RUE depended on DI levels, harvest numbers, and seasons. In two study years, dry biomass decreased and RUE increased with the reduction in irrigation water at all harvests and their total. Compared to DI0, basil dry biomass did not show a considerable decrease under DI30 in three harvests in April planting and in the first and second harvests in August planting. April planting had the higher cumulative solar radiation interception in the first and third harvest than the August planting. The basil dry biomass and RUE in the April planting were higher than those in the August planting at all three harvests and their total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as leading candidates for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH). Despite their high water uptake capacity, challenges persist in effective solar‐driven desorption for water collection. Addressing this, a photothermal bridge is introduced by in situ growth of Ni₃S₂ coating on a thermally conductive nickel mesh, enhancing heat transfer to the MOF and accelerating desorption kinetics. MIL‐101 (Cr) MOF in bulk form (BMOF) is bonded to the lightweight Ni─Ni3S2 mesh using adhesive, forming a dual‐layer Ni─Ni₃S₂ mesh/BMOF assembly. This hybrid retains a high water uptake of ≈0.63 g g⁻¹ at 60% relative humidity (RH) with superior sorption kinetics. Photothermally driven heat transfer from Ni─Ni₃S₂ to BMOF achieves complete water desorption within 40 min under 1 kW m−2. Compared to other configurations like foil, granules, and foam, the mesh‐based hybrid has the highest single‐cycle adsorption–desorption kinetic of 3.18 × 10⁻3 g g⁻¹ min⁻¹. Additionally, the hybrid demonstrates exceptional hydrothermal stability over 50 cycles and maintains morphological stability with airflow, ensuring consistent performance. Heat transfer simulations confirm the thermal distribution across the Ni─Ni₃S₂ mesh/BMOF, corroborating the rapid and uniform desorption. This approach paves the way for efficient AWH in high‐RH, water‐scarce regions by enhancing desorption kinetics through solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and flexible control of droplets is essential in many industrial applications, such as water harvesting, chemical assays, and biological detection. Magnetic force‐based methods have been broadly exploited to fulfill the goals due to the advantage of non‐contact, easy control, and long‐range navigation. Nevertheless, it still suffers from some challenges, such as sample fouling, and the paradox between the droplet efficient motion and the large volume. Here a ferrofluid‐based liquid spring to achieve contamination‐free and fast droplet transportation on non‐wetting solid surfaces is proposed. The liquid spring is based on the actuation of a ferrofluid droplet in an external uniform magnetic field. The actuation enables the liquid spring to propel tiny objects, including the non‐magnetic miscible droplets and water‐repellent solid particles, with adjustable motion velocity. Furthermore, the magnetic force, applied on the ferrofluid via an additional permanent magnet, makes it possible to navigate the liquid spring in a programmable way. With the aid of the liquid spring, the single or multiple droplets/solid particles advancing, on‐demand droplets coalescence, and out‐of‐plane droplet motion are achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a global issue. Solar-driven adsorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SWAH) is an effective method to address the problem of freshwater shortage. However, the low water absorption capacity of adsorbents and the inability to utilize natural sunlight for desorption and regeneration hinder efficient atmospheric water harvesting. In this study, a high-performance composite hydrogel adsorbent, PAM–CMCNa–GO@CaCl2, was prepared by free radical-initiated polymerization and impregnation method. By incorporating graphene oxide (GO) into the polyacrylamide–carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (PAM–CMCNa) copolymer hydrogel matrix, a PAM–CMCNa–GO hydrogel is synthesized, which endows the hydrogel with excellent photothermal conversion performance. This allows the hydrogel to undergo desorption and regeneration driven by natural sunlight. By confining hygroscopic calcium chloride (CaCl2) within the PAM–CMCNa–GO hydrogel matrix, the high moisture absorption capacity of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and the swelling ability of the hydrogel are utilized to capture and store water vapor from the air. Furthermore, through the synergistic use of a low-concentration salt solution strategy and hydrogel swelling strategy to prevent salt solution leakage, efficient atmospheric water harvesting is achieved. The prepared composite adsorbent, PAM–CMCNa–GO@CaCl2, achieves a water vapor capture rate of 0.307–2.596 g g−1 within a wide humidity range (30–90% RH), without salt solution leakage under the environmental conditions of 25 °C and 90% RH. Indoor water harvesting experiments demonstrate that the PAM–CMCNa–GO@CaCl2 composite adsorbent can collect 122% of its own weight of liquid water through 12 hours of adsorption (25 °C, 90% RH) and 6 hours of desorption (1 kW m−2) under sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising demand for water and energy is driving the overuse of natural resources and contributing to environmental degradation. To address these challenges, the focus has shifted to low- and zero-emission technologies that utilize alternative sources of water and energy. Although such systems are commonly applied in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, facilities along transportation routes generally depend on grid connections. This study aimed to enhance operational independence and reduce environmental impacts by modernizing the Rest Area Stobierna (RAS) along Poland's S19 expressway, part of the Via Carpatia road. A comprehensive technical, economic, and environmental analysis was conducted using HOMER Pro software (3.18.3 PRO Edition) and a simulation model based on YAS operating principles. The proposed Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) incorporates photovoltaic panels, battery storage, and a rainwater harvesting system (RWHS). Two configurations of the HRES were evaluated, a prosumer-based setup and a hybrid-island mode. Optimization results showed that the hybrid-island configuration was most effective, achieving a 61.6% share of renewable energy in the annual balance, a 7.1-year return on investment, a EUR 0.77 million reduction in Net Present Cost (NPC), and a 75,002 kg decrease in CO2 emissions over the system's 25-year lifecycle. This study highlights the potential of integrating renewable energy and water systems to improve sustainability, reduce operational costs, and enhance service quality in road infrastructure facilities, offering a replicable model for similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater is a source of freshwater that affects the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and consequently human health. Since potential toxic elements (PTEs) have been found in rainwater in Southern Europe, its quality should be evaluated. This review assesses the current knowledge of the quality of rainwater in Southern Europe concerning PTEs, as well as its impact on the environment and human health. The presence of PTEs in rainwater poses challenges and simultaneously an opportunity for innovation in environmental management, particularly in water management. Further monitoring of rainwater quality, research, and policy development are needed to ensure that rainwater remains a viable and safe water resource. The challenges of rainwater quality regarding PTEs and of rainwater harvesting as a measure of drought mitigation, as observed in Southern Europe, require investing in rainwater treatment technologies. The treatment of rainwater harvested in Southern Europe can reduce environmental and health risks posed by PTEs, while enhancing the region's resilience to climate change and water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of an increasing water crisis and rising energy consumption, an integrated approach to plant design and improvement can be highly effective. Specifically, the use of advanced multipurpose Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) machines, integrated into existing or new HVAC systems, can improve efficiency while simultaneously extracting atmospheric water. However, hybrid plant configurations, which encompass both integrated and traditional solutions, can be difficult to assess. This paper presents a brief review of the most widely used AWG evaluation tools and proposes a new index, called AGEI, designed to address the knowledge gap in evaluating hybrid plants from an efficiency perspective. The paper shows how this index provides results that more accurately reflect the real efficiency of hybrid plant configurations compared to the Global Evaluation Index (GEI), which is the only existing tool addressed to the evaluation of integrated multipurpose machines. The work is complemented by the application of AGEI to three complex hybrid plant configurations, two of which include a bottling system supplied by desalination for drinking water production. The index is straightforward and requires only knowledge of the useful effects produced by the analysed plant and their corresponding efficiency indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hygroscopic materials based on highly hygroscopic salts are promising for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), but the metal‐ or halide‐containing highly hygroscopic salts often have leakage and corrosion issues. Here, the design and synthesis of metal‐ and halide‐free, highly hygroscopic, and macroporous polymers from [2‐(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride simply via in situ foaming, solidification, and ion exchange are reported. The resulting polymers exhibit highly interconnected macroporous structure, robust compression, and leakage‐free performance, and they also demonstrate relatively high moisture adsorption capacities (up to 1.24 g g−1 water at 85% relative humidity, accelerated adsorption rates, and efficient desorption. The polymers can harvest 0.76 g g−1 water per adsorption–desorption cycle and show high reusability, without obvious deterioration over 10 cycles of adsorption, desorption, and water collection. With the incorporation of carboxylic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes into the hygroscopic polymers, solar‐driven AWH is realized, without the requirement of additional energy. On the whole, the metal‐ and halide‐free, highly hygroscopic polymers exhibit the advantages of ease of preparation, energy saving, environmental protection, and economic sustainability for AWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study experimentally investigates the performance of a hybrid standalone solar system of atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) and solar photovoltaic powering electrolyzer for green water and green hydrogen production. The system prototype is designed, constructed, and tested under outdoor summer and winter climate conditions of Alexandria, Egypt at different operating and design enhancement conditions. Water electrolyzes concept for green hydrogen production system driven by a photovoltaic panel and silica gel absorption/desorption atmospheric water harvesting solar still concept with insertion of porous sheet metals for freshwater production is performed and evaluated. The results show a rise of the AWH freshwater production of (60% and 120%) and (146% and 260%) in summer and winter, respectively with the insertion of one and two porous metal sheets, respectively. The maximum rise of the AWH efficiency is 82% in summer and 53.4% in winter by using 2 porous metal sheets. The hydrogen production rate of the system in summer is higher than that of winter by about 25%. System efficiency is almost doubled when electrolyzer KOH concentration increased from 4 gm/kg to 12 gm/kg water. The average daily system efficiency of the AWH, electrolyzer, and overall system reaches 11.6%, 65.1%, and 2.6% when operating at a KOH concentration of 12 gm/kg with two porous metal sheets. The study contributes to achieving mainly SDG goals 6, 7, and 13. • Standalone solar green hydrogen and atmospheric water harvesting system is studied. • Double porous metal sheets enhance water harvesting by 53.4–82%. • Double system efficiency obtained by rising electrolyte concentration of 12 gm/kg. • Daily system efficiency reaches 2.6% for 12 gm/kg electrolyte with two metal sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is essential for human survival, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. However, rural South Africa faces ongoing challenges in delivering reliable and clean water due to infrastructural inadequacies, climate variability, and historical disparities. Addressing these water supply issues is critical for reducing poverty, improving health outcomes, and fostering sustainable development in rural areas. This study utilises a mixed-methods approach within a positivist framework, collecting data through document analysis, self-administered surveys, and structured interviews with various stakeholders across four rural settlements in the Joe Gqabi and Gert Sibande District Municipalities. The primary aims are to evaluate water accessibility and reliability, examine the impact of water scarcity on poverty, investigate the availability of water infrastructure, and assess the effects of water supply on health and education. Findings indicate that deficient water infrastructure and intermittent supply significantly disrupt daily life, educational access, and healthcare services. Health risks due to contaminated water were prevalent, leading to waterborne diseases. Socio-economic impacts included exacerbated poverty, with particular challenges for female students in maintaining menstrual hygiene due to inconsistent water availability. The study proposes a sustainability model that integrates indigenous practices, such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, with modern water management technologies. This model, customised to local needs, underscores the importance of increased investment, integrated planning, and enhanced capacity-building in rural water management. By combining traditional and modern approaches, this model aims to improve water reliability, promote health, and support economic resilience in rural settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CPO‐27 is a metal‐organic framework (MOF) with coordinatively unsaturated metal centers (open metal sites). It is therefore an ideal host material for small guest molecules, including water. This opens up numerous possible applications, such as proton conduction, humidity sensing, water harvesting, or adsorption‐driven heat pumps. For all of these applications, profound knowledge of the adsorption and desorption of water in the micropores is mandatory. The hydration and water structure in CPO‐27‐M (M = Zn or Cu) is investigated using water vapor sorption, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and molecular dynamics simulation. In the pores of CPO‐27‐Zn, water binds as a ligand to the Zn center. Additional water molecules are stepwise incorporated at defined positions, forming a network of H‐bonds with the framework and with each other. In CPO‐27‐Cu, hydration proceeds by an entirely different mechanism. Here, water does not coordinate to the metal center, but only forms H‐bonds with the framework; pore filling occurs mostly in a single step, with the open metal site remaining unoccupied. Water in the pores forms clusters with extensive intra‐cluster H‐bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction plays a pivotal role in many phenomena of physical chemistry and has long been in the focus of research thereof. As a crucial parameter, friction in membranes’ inner and/or outer surface can be minimized to reduce solvent inlet resistance and enlarge inner pore fluid flux, ideally reaching near frictionless transport of water at nanoscale. Inspired by the leaf structure of Tillandsia, a porous membrane with a rough surface and a hydrophilic inlet together with hydrophobic pore channels was designed and fabricated, based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs). Combined with COFs’ inherent highly oriented pore structures, the as‐made asymmetric membranes through chemical etching can minimize the solvent critical intrusion pressure and enable inner pore low friction water transport. Ultimately, obtained COF membranes succeeded in trapping fog from air and achieved a water harvesting rate (WHR) of 1570 mg cm−2 h−1, together with small molecular pollutants filtrated off in the meantime. Intriguingly, the synthesized asymmetric COF membranes illustrated unidirectional low friction water collecting and transporting features, the successful imitation of T. macdougallii. This work presents a practical strategy to construct functional porous membranes for low friction water collection and transport, and created a model paradigm to design fluid transporting pore channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock farming is a crucial source of income and livelihood. However, its sustainability is being adversely affected by the unpredictable climatic changes. It would be valuable to comprehend how livestock farmers perceive climate change (CC) and the adaptation strategies. This study evaluated farmers' views of climate change impact, adaptation measures, and the obstacles to these measures. A crosssectional and multi-stage sampling method was employed. Data collected from 300 randomly chosen farmers were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Garrett ranking technique. Most of the respondents were male (71.67%) and between the ages of 21-60 (62%). Most respondents were married (67%) and had a form of education. Increased disease occurrence, decreased livestock production rate, increased poor vegetation, increased water scarcity, and ambient temperature were perceived by the respondents to have been impacted 'to a great extent' by 45%, 38%, 53%, 36% and 42%, respectively. Perceived and rated as 'to a great extent' by the respondents on climate change impact were 'increased distance covered by livestock for water and pasture (29%), decreased growth rate (28%), and increased ambient temperature (30%)'. Based on descending mean rank, the farmers' most favoured strategies for adapting to climate change included reducing their livestock numbers (58.98), collecting and storing water (55.66) and planning for supplementary feeding (55.35). The income management strategies under CC include off-farm employment (55.48), borrowing from self-help groups (54.48), and friends and relatives (50.72), in that order. The top barriers to CC, in descending order of mean rank, by the farmers include a high incidence of pests and diseases (61.47%), non-availability of improved forage seed (52.06), lack of appropriate water harvesting facilities (51.84), smaller/fragmented land holding for forage (51.56) and scarcity of farm labour (47.75). The livestock farmers' perception of climate change impacts indicated that most of the factors examined were rated as significant. Most respondents are aware of climate change (CC) and its repercussions on livestock productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly advancing semiconductor sector, thermal management of chips remains a pivotal concern. Inherent heat generation during their operation can lead to a range of issues such as potential thermal runaway, diminished lifespan, and current leakage. To mitigate these challenges, the study introduces a superhygroscopic hydrogel embedded with metal ions. Capitalizing on intrinsic coordination chemistry, the metallic ions in the hydrogel form robust coordination structures with non‐metallic nitrogen and oxygen through empty electron orbitals and lone electron pairs. This unique structure serves as an active site for water adsorption, beginning with a primary layer of chemisorbed water molecules and subsequently facilitating multi‐layer physisorption via Van der Waals forces. Remarkably, the cobalt‐integrated hydrogel demonstrates the capability to harvest over 1 and 5 g g−1 atmospheric water at 60% RH and 95% RH, respectively. Furthermore, the hydrogel efficiently releases the entirety of its absorbed water at a modest 40°C, enabling its recyclability. Owing to its significant water absorption capacity and minimal dehydration temperature, the hydrogel can reduce chip temperatures by 5°C during the dehydration process, offering a sustainable solution to thermal management in electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the advent of the smart era has confronted a novel "energy crisis"—the challenge of distributed energy provision, necessitating an imperative for clean energy development. Encompassing 71% of the Earth's surface, water stands as the predominant conduit for energy transfer on our planet, effectively harnessing a fraction thereof to fulfill global energy demands. Modern hydropower technology primarily harnesses concentrated low-entropy water energy. However, the majority of natural water energy is widely dispersed in the environment as high-entropy distributed water energy, encompassing raindrop energy, stream energy, wave energy, evaporation energy, and other small-scale forms of water energy. While these energies are readily available, their collection poses significant challenges. Consequently, researchers initiated investigations into high-entropy water energy harvesting technology based on the electrodynamic effect, triboelectric effect, water volt effect, and other related phenomena. The present paper provides a comprehensive review of high-entropy water energy harvesting technologies, encompassing their underlying mechanisms, optimization strategies, and diverse applications. The current bottlenecks of these technologies are comprehensively analyzed, and their future development direction is prospectively discussed, thereby providing valuable guidance for future research on high-entropy water energy collection technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we show how a rainwater harvesting system is made to work. Located at a school in the rural outskirts of Cochabamba, Bolivia, the performance of the system depends on ongoing forms of sociotechnical tinkering: it works well because of the continuous fine-tuning, adaptations, negotiations, and adjustments that people engage in. Acknowledging this hinges on accepting that infrastructures are more fragile, emergent, and contingent than is normally allowed for in engineering textbooks. The language people mobilize to explain their acts of tinkering is also different from how engineers express what they do: they talk about care and caring – care for each other, for their children, for plants – and emphasize reciprocal responsibilities and collective concerns. For them, making water flow is not just about meeting goals of productivity and efficiency, but also about restoring and sustaining the infrastructure itself as well as the relations it supports and makes possible. It is a way of talking that expresses concerns of sustainability and justice. Our conclusion from studying this rainwater harvesting system is that there is merit in expanding and complementing prevailing notions of engineering as optimizing forms of control, with theorizations of engineering as forms of tinkering care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Sciences, Life & Applied Sciences is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mechanical pruning in narrow olive hedgerows is essential for managing alternate bearing and facilitating mechanical harvesting by influencing the number of fruit load points. In olive cv. Arbequina hedgerows (2000 trees ha−1), two pruning times (winter and spring) and two pruning types (unilateral and bilateral) were applied under contrasting bearing conditions (ON and OFF seasons) over four consecutive seasons in La Rioja, Argentina. A strong El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event during the final season had a profound impact, increasing winter temperatures by 2 °C and reducing the average chill accumulation by 23%, significantly reducing productivity and exacerbating alternate bearing. The results demonstrated that pruning timing alone was ineffective in controlling alternate bearing, while bilateral pruning during ON seasons showed promise in regularizing fruit and oil yields and enhancing water use efficiency. However, the severe effects of the ENSO, which disrupted the winter dormancy break of fruiting buds, could not be mitigated by the evaluated pruning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly group housing emphasizes sustainability by integrating environmentally responsible design and construction practices. The existing body of research primarily centers on urban sustainability, leaving a significant gap for rural eco-housing in developing nations like India. In the present study, a multi-vector eco-housing modeling framework has been strategically developed. The framework presented in this study integrates multiple vectors such as energy, water, and waste, utilizing modern technologies like rainwater collection systems, greywater treatment plants, and efficient irrigation systems. A comprehensive survey collected data on housing type, location, type of construction material used, gender, social indicators, and livelihoods. PV Syst was used to optimally size and design solar-based net zero energy homes through data-based climatic analysis. Each household's water consumption and waste disposal were analyzed by calculating the usage/pax./day/activity and in kgs/day, respectively. Adopting solar technologies and practices, such as rainwater harvesting and waste management, led to a considerable reduction in resource consumption and environmental degradation. Eco-friendly houses promise long-term savings through efficient water management and reduced maintenance costs, fostering a healthy living environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater harvesting is a popular artisanal method that provides substantial economic advantages and effectively addresses the issue of water scarcity in many parts of Colombia. This method may not be appropriate from a public health standpoint in every instance. Despite Colombia's ample precipitation, ensuring a stable water supply is problematic, particularly due to the dramatic fluctuations in weather patterns, such as droughts and severe rainy seasons, which affect the dependability of the water delivery system. This study examines the urban region of Villavicencio with two main objectives: (I) to assess the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of rainwater in the municipality's residential and commercial sectors; and (II) to analyze the spatial distribution of physico-chemical parameters within the study area. The quality and spatial distribution of rainwater resources in the urban catchment region of Villavicencio were evaluated through the analysis of data obtained from several sampling locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought and altered nutrient dynamics are aggravated by anthropic actions, especially in semiarid environments, such as Brazilian Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (Caatinga). However, it is not known how nutrient levels affect growth and biochemical responses in plants present in the Caatinga under drought. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological and biochemical responses in Pavonia varians (native species with medicinal potential) and Megathyrsus maximus (invasive exotic species used in cattle feeding) present in the Caatinga with the application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) under water restriction and rehydration. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with seedlings collected from the Catimbau National Park (Pernambuco, Brazil) in a factorial design with NPK application and water regimes. Plants were harvested after water restriction and after rehydration. NPK application improved the responses of P. varians to water restriction, increasing the leaf dry weight, total N, total K, and proline content. Additionally, MDA and H2O2 levels decreased in P. varians under water restriction with NPK application. In contrast, M. maximus without NPK application under water restriction increased SOD and CAT enzyme activities and decreased MDA levels. After rehydration, both species exhibited growth recovery. NPK application in P. varians increased the total K and total soluble carbohydrate contents, while M. maximus increased the number of leaves and root dry weight. Species have different mechanisms for combating drought stress, especially non-enzymatically through proline. Nutritional treatment with pre-stress NPK was an effective alternative against oxidative damage, especially for the native species P. varians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic identification of appropriate sites for different rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures may contribute to better success of crop production in such areas. One approach to improving crop yields in North Kordofan, Sudan, that is mostly adaptable to the changing climate is in-field water harvesting. The main objective of this study is to employ a geographical information system (GIS) in order to identify the most suitable sites for setting in situ water harvesting structures, aiming to address climate change in this area. A GIS-based model was developed to generate suitability maps for in situ RWH using multi-criteria evaluation. Five suitability criteria (soil texture, runoff depth, rainfall surplus, land cover, and slope) were identified; then, five suitability levels were set for each criterion (excellent, good, moderate, poor, and unsuitable). Weights were assigned to the criteria based on their relative importance for RWH using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Using QGIS 2.6.1 and ArcGIS 10.2.2 software, all criterion maps and suitability maps were prepared. The obtained suitability map for the entire region showed that 40% of the region area fell within the "good" class, representing 7419.18 km2, whereas 26% of the area was "excellent", occupying 4863.75 km2. However, only 8.9% and 15.6% of the entire region's area were "poor" and "unsuitable" for RWH, respectively. The suitability map of the delineated pilot areas selected according to the attained FAO data revealed that one location, Wad_Albaga, was found to be in an excellent position, covering an area of 787.811 km2, which represents 42.94% of the total area. In contrast, the Algabal location had 6.4% of its area classified as poor and the remaining portion classified as excellent. According to the findings from the validated trial, Wad_Albaga is located in a good site covering 844 km2, representing 46.04%, while Algabal is classified as a moderate site, covering 341 km2 or 18.6% of the area. This study concluded that the validation of the existing trial closely matched the suitability map derived using FAO data. However, ground data from field experiments provided more accurate results compared to the FAO suitability map. This study also concluded that using GIS is a time-saving and effective tool for identifying suitable sites and discovering the most appropriate locations for rainwater harvesting (RWH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, the use of bioreactors filled with aged refuse extracted from closed areas of landfills has proven to be a viable alternative for the treatment of different types of wastewater. This study presents the results obtained during the evaluation of aged refuse used as filling material for a downflow bioreactor during the removal of the organic load present in wastewater generated in the wet processing of coffee. The tests were carried out over a period of 120 days, with 15 days to start up and stabilize the bioreactor and 105 days to perform treatability tests. The aged refuse, once extracted, was dried and sifted to a particle size of less than 50 mm. The bioreactor used had a cylindrical geometry (Ø = 0.20 m, and h = 3.40 m), and it was fed with hydraulic loads of 50, 100, and 150 L m−3 d−1. The analysis of the data obtained shows that the system studied achieves the removal of 98.3% of the initial organic load when fed with 150 L m−3 d−1. This showcases recycling aged refuse as a technically viable alternative to treat the wastewater generated during coffee processing. Also, the evaluated system has the advantage of needing a short period of time to achieve its stabilization, which turns out to be of great value, especially in its possible use in the treatment of residual water generated in the harvest of agricultural products where the period of harvest is very short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research utilized the bagging machine learning algorithm along with the Thornthwaite moisture index (TMI) to enhance the understanding of climate variability and change, with the objective of identifying the most efficient climate service pathways in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Monthly datasets at a 0.5° resolution (1960–2020) were collected and analyzed using R 4.2.2 software and spreadsheets. The results indicate significant changes in climatic conditions in Sudan, with aridity escalation at a rate of 0.37% per year. The bagging algorithm illustrated that actual water use was mainly influenced by rainfall and runoff management, showing an inverse relationship with increasing air temperatures. Consequently, sustainable strategies focusing on runoff and temperature control, such as rainwater harvesting, agroforestry and plant breeding were identified as the most effective climate services to mitigate and adapt to climate variability in SSA. The findings suggest that runoff management (e.g., rainwater harvesting) could potentially offset up to 22% of the adverse impacts of climate variability, while temperature control strategies (e.g., agroforestry) could account for the remaining 78%. Without these interventions, climate variability will continue to pose serious challenges to food security, livelihood generations, and regional stability. The research calls for further in-depth studies on the attributions of climate variability using finer datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published results on rainwater management systems revealed a lack of holistic science-based design principles. A new approach to rainwater management is proposed. Its necessity and feasibility are discussed. It is demonstrated that quantitatively harvesting rainfall and infiltrating a fraction should be mandatory. Thus, the primary site-specific parameter is the intensity of rainfall. Clearly, rainwater should be harvested and used everywhere as a valuable resource. Under arid semi-arid conditions large tanks maximize water storage for the long dry season while under humid conditions the same helps to minimize the frequency of emptying to avoid flooding. The new approach separates rainwater (and stormwater) from sewage and has the potential to maintain the natural hydrological cycle in urban areas despite urbanization. In already crowded slums, rainwater harvesting (RWH) can also be used to restore the hydrological cycle. The new approach advocates for decentralized RWH infrastructures to harvest, infiltrate, and store rainwater in individual residences, while piping overflows to semi-centralized cluster-scale tanks. Rooting integrated water resource management on RWH appears to be the missing puzzle in: (i) restoring the natural hydrological cycle where it has been disturbed (landscape restoration), (ii) avoiding flooding, and (i) mitigating soil erosion. This is essential for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermosensitive hydrogel can integrate vapor molecular capture, in-situ liquefaction, and thermal-induced water release for freshwater capture. This study aimed to examine the dynamic behavior of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) single chain and cross-linking thermosensitive hydrogel through molecular dynamics simulation. Specifically, the impact of lower critical solution temperature (LCST) on the conformation of polymer chain and the interaction between water and polymer chain were also investigated. The polymer chain conformation underwent a transition from coil to globule when the temperature exceeded the LCST, indicating the temperature responsiveness of PNIPAM. Additionally, thermosensitive hydrogel samples with different cross-linking degrees (DOC) were studied, and relevant parameters such as the number of free water, the diffusion coefficient of water, and the pore size distribution were counted to evaluate the temperature responsiveness and water release characteristics of thermosensitive hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Kirkuk University Humanity Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The global water scarcity crisis demands innovative solutions, and rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) offer a promising alternative. Focused on Taiwan's abundant rainfall, this study explores RWHS efficiency amidst changing precipitation patterns due to global climate change. Analyzing data from 1981 to 2020 across 20 stations, it scrutinizes variations in precipitation quantities, frequencies, seasonality indices, and dry period durations. Through rigorous analysis and simulation, it assesses RWHS operation efficiency metrics like potable water substitution and reliability. Utilizing principal component analysis, the study develops precipitation variation indicators to forecast RWHS efficiency, revealing significant variations in seasonality index and precipitation frequency. Despite declining long‐term efficiency, the study finds relatively modest variations in water‐savings percentage, suggesting avenues for mitigation. With a notable 78.04% explained variance, the study's credibility is reinforced, supported by high coefficients of determination (R2) for predicted water‐savings percentage (0.91) and reliability (0.90). Additionally, the study highlights factors impacting RWHS efficiency, advocating tailored approaches considering local precipitation patterns, building types, and population density. By optimizing RWHS design to diverse settings, effective water resource management and sustainability goals can be achieved. This research serves as a valuable guide in navigating RWHS implementation amidst a changing climate landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to water has been and remains one of humanity's greatest challenges. Especially in arid plains exposed to significant climatic fluctuations and future global change trends. In the past and present, local communities of the arid plains of central-western Argentina (i.e., Guanacache Lagoons, Cuyo region) have developed multiple strategies to manage water supply problems. The aims of this study are: i) to characterize the different water harvesting technologies (pre-Hispanic and modern) used, and ii) to compare the small local strategies of water harvesting (bottom-up solutions) with the large centralized projects (top-down solutions). On the one hand, we show the transformations of these technologies over time, and the challenges faced by inhabitants in the context of climate change trends. On the other hand, we analyze the role of the state through hydraulic policies and projects implemented by the provincial states over the last two centuries and how this impacted the study area. This review is based on a historical and archaeological bibliography, and recent publications about the region, including articles based on our ethnographic fieldwork. Our results demonstrate the valuable experience accumulated by local populations in water harvesting methods, particularly in areas where groundwater is deep and saline, and shows the adaptability of these technologies in contexts of increasing scarcity. We considered that local indigenous knowledge can largely contribute to the sustainable management of water resources. This study might be useful for decision-makers and water managers in drylands around the world to find and equitable approach that combines technical advances with local knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fog harvest has emerged as a direct and efficient water harvesting technology to relieve the intense pressure of freshwater scarcity worldwide. With the vagaries of climate and increasing amount of energy consumption, high‐efficiency fog harvest devices focus on the fast water droplet capture and transportation are highly desired. In this study, a novel harp structure is developed using cross‐twisted copper filaments arranged in a spatial triangular pattern to enhance water droplet capture and transportation. Inspired by the natural differences in Laplace pressure observed in cactus and spider silks, this design accelerates the movement of water bridges. Besides, drawing on the fruit waxes on the surface of hogweed and blueberries, a paraffin wax coating is applied on the copper sheet frame to create a solid slip frame, improving the synergy between filament capture and frame transportation. The monolithic fog collector (MFC) thus achieves a significant increase in fog harvest efficiency and demonstrates excellent durability. Integration of the MFCs into a 3D high‐efficiency fog harvest system results in a harvest rate of 0.5027 g cm−2 min−1, showing promise for practical applications due to its durability, simplicity, and environmental friendliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hygroscopic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered as superior moisture sorbents due to their highly adjustable and desired water adsorption/release performance, enabling effective atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) in arid regions. However, the water adsorption capacity, recycling stability, and functionality of current MOFs should be further improved to meet the requirements of practical AWH systems. Here the hydrophilicity at low relative humidity (RH) and cycling stability of MOF‐808 are simultaneously enhanced through the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)‐mediated post‐modification. Based on the structural reinforcement, EDTA‐modified MOF‐808 (E‐MOF‐808) delivers a stable water uptake capacity of 0.39 g g−1 at 25% RH even after 50 water adsorption–desorption cycles, more than five times that of pristine MOF‐808. In addition, bridging by EDTA with the strong chelating ability, the E‐MOF‐808 can spontaneously capture Cu2+ for further functional improvement. Accordingly, light‐absorbing CuS nanoparticles can be in situ decorated on E‐MOF‐808 for facilitating solar‐driven water release. It is envisioned that this EDTA‐mediated function enhancement should provide valuable insights into the all‐in‐one design of versatile MOFs sorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate hydrogen-bonded network of water gives rise to various structures with anomalous properties at different thermodynamic conditions. Nanoconfinement can further modify the water structure and properties, and induce specific water motifs, which are instrumental for technological applications such as atmospheric water harvesting. However, so far, a causal relationship between nanoconfinement and the presence of specific hydrophilic adsorption sites is lacking, hampering the further design of nanostructured materials for water templating. Therefore, this work investigates the organisation of water in zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with varying topologies, pore sizes, and chemical composition, to extract design rules to shape water. The highly tuneable pores and hydrophilicity of MOFs makes them ideally suited for this purpose. We find that small nanopores favour orderly water clusters that nucleate at hydrophilic adsorption sites. Favourably positioning the secondary adsorption sites, hydrogen-bonded to the primary adsorption sites, allows larger clusters to form at moderate adsorption conditions. To disentangle the importance of nanoconfinement and hydrophilic nucleation sites in this process, we introduce an analytical model with precise control of the adsorption sites. This sheds a new light on design parameters to induce specific water clusters and hydrogen-bonded networks, thus rationalising the application space of water in nanoconfinement. The presence of water adsorption sites plays a pivotal role in the suitability of metal-organic frameworks for atmospheric water harvesting. Here, the emergence of templated water motifs and their beneficial influence on adsorption are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A circular, nature-based solution has been implemented in the drought-prone zone of the Mediterranean Island of Mykonos (Greece) to demonstrate how a residential rainwater collection system can be upgraded to enable optimal use of low-cost rainwater while making use of the natural services provided by the subsurface. The overall purpose is to develop a novel distributed intervention for rainwater harvesting, storage and recovery, by collecting excess water during the winter season and reusing it in the summer, thus increasing its management efficiency. The functioning of the entire system is flexible and adaptable, as it can be adjusted according to specific environmental conditions (rainfall, temperature) for each hydrological year. The configuration is highly replicable as it can be implemented in similar water scarce areas of the Mediterranean region and beyond and scalable as it can be applied to various scales (e.g. residential, touristic, municipal) of water demanding systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]