Herbicide Residues in Water Resources: A Scoping Review

Several recent studies have focused on leaching pesticides from agricultural soils into surface and groundwater resources during irrigation. As a result, information about herbicide residues in water was necessary for conserving related resources. This study provided an overview of monitoring herbicides in water resources worldwide. In this scoping review, five databases were searched for publications (1990 to April 2021), including Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Cochrane library, Embase, and Web of Science. Among the 394 identified articles, 17 papers were selected for inclusion. Most of these studies have been conducted in regions with low herbicide concentrations, including Spain, Greece, Canada, Brazil, Hungary, Malawi, Portugal, Lesotho, Germany, Serbia, and the USA. The high-level alachlor, metolachlor, atrazine, metribuzin, and simazine herbicides in groundwater were detected in Portugal (0.4-13μg/L). An overview of studies demonstrated that herbicides are widely used in water resources, and surface waters are more contaminated than groundwaters

Software Libre de apoyo a la toma de Decisiones en Energías Renovables

This thesis details the process of construction, set up and dissemination of a decision support system for the promotion and incorporation of renewable energies. The study was conducted in the province of Salta and focuses mainly on the promotion of solar energy.In the first sections of the thesis the problematic, the conceptual approach and the general methodological strategy that sustains the work are presented. The following chapters detail the renewable energy scenario at different scales and the methodology used for its approach. Likewise, it continues with the presentation of the tools developed to contribute to energy planning, the methodology used in them and the results obtained. As a final result, the conclusions of all the research work, progress, and challenges in energy planning and the lines of research that have emerged from this work are integrated.En la tesis se detalla el proceso de construccón, ajuste y despliegue de un sistema de ayuda para la toma de decisiones para la promoción e incorporación de energías renovables. El estudio se llevó a cabo en la provincia de Salta y principalmente se centra en la promoción de energía solar. En las primeras secciones de la tesis son presentadas la problemática, el planteo conceptual y la medodología de estrategia general que fue utilizado en el trabajo. Los capítulos siguientes detallan el escenario de la energía renovable a diferentes escalas y la metodología utilizada para su aproximación. De la misma forma, se continúa con la presentación de herramientas desarrolladas para contribuir al planeamiento energético, la metodología utilizada en el mismo y los resultados obtenidos. Como resultado final fueron integrados el trabajo de investigación, el progreso, los problemas del planeamiento estratégico y las líneas de investigación que resultaron a partir de este trabajo.Fil: Sarmiento Barbieri, Nilsa Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentin

Bayesian networks for spatio-temporal integrated catchment assessment

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-203).In this thesis, a methodology for integrated catchment water resources assessment using Bayesian Networks was developed. A custom made software application that combines Bayesian Networks with GIS was used to facilitate data pre-processing and spatial modelling. Dynamic Bayesian Networks were implemented in the software for time-series modelling

Avaliação do aproveitamento de resíduos da biomassa florestal da região do Alto Alentejo, nas perspetivas logística, económica e financeira

Este projeto apresenta uma avaliação económica da vertente logística do aproveitamento dos resíduos da biomassa florestal, na perspetiva da implementação de uma central termoelétrica na região do Alto Alentejo. A metodologia segue uma abordagem de minimização de custos e foca-se na estimativa do custo final de cada unidade de energia produzida (em €/MWh), bem como na demonstração e avaliação dos principais resultados económicos e financeiros associados a um projeto de investimento. Uma aplicação SIG é utilizada como ferramenta de suporte no cálculo dos custos de transporte primário e secundário dos resíduos e os resultados obtidos são georreferenciados. Os três municípios eleitos para a instalação de uma central a biomassa são Avis, Crato e Portalegre e as tecnologias de conversão consideradas são a combustão em leito fixo (GC/ST), combustão em leito fluidizado (FBC/ST) e gaseificação integrada (BIG/CC). Da análise efetuada verifica-se que o local mais adequado para a implementação de uma central termoelétrica é o Município de Portalegre, com um custo médio de produção de eletricidade de 95, 98 e 133 €/MWh de produção de eletricidade para as tecnologias consideradas. Conclui-se ainda que nenhuma das configurações de centrais estudadas se evidencia viável em termos de criação de valor e em termos económicos e financeiros, pelo que se considera que um adequado aproveitamento do recurso na região, com impacto, em termos de viabilidade, deve ser realizada a uma escala bastante menor, especificamente em unidades de produção de calor nos setores domésticos e do turismo.This project develops an economic evaluation of the logistics aspects considering the use of forest biomass residues with the perspective of implementing a thermoelectric plant in Alto Alentejo region. The methodology follows a cost minimization approach and focuses on the cost calculation of each energy unit generated (in €/MWh), as well as the demonstration and assessment of the main economic and financial statements associated with such an investment project. A GIS application is used as a support tool in the calculation of primary and secondary transportation biomass costs from which geo-referenced results are obtained. Three municipalities are selected to the installation of a biomass power plant: Avis, Crato and Portalegre and the conversion technologies considered are fixed bed combustion (GC/ST), fluidized bed combustion (FBC/ST) and integrated biomass gasification (BIG/CC). The performed analysis shows that the most suitable place for the implementation of a thermoelectric plant is Portalegre municipality, with an average electricity production cost of 95, 98 and 133 €/MWh for the three considered technologies. It is also concluded that none of the settings plants power studied shows to be feasible in terms or value creation and also in economic and financial level, so it is considered that an appropriate use of the resource in the region, with viability impact should be performed in a much smaller scale, specifically in heats production units as domestic and touristic sectors

A DIAGNOSTIC DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR SELECTING BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN URBAN/SUBURBAN WATERSHEDS

Best Management Practices (BMPs) have become the most effective way to mitigate the non-point source pollution (NPS) problems. Much attention has been paid on NPS in rural areas, where agricultural activities increase the nutrients, toxics, and sediments in surface water. Urban and suburban areas are also major contributors of NPS, largely due to stormwater. For watersheds bearing various soil types and land uses, a single type of BMP cannot be the panacea to all stormwater and related water quality problems. There is a need for a series of spatially distributed small-scale BMPs aimed at reducing flow volume and improving urban stormwater quality. This research seeks to develop a Diagnostic Decision Support System (DDSS) for urban BMP selection. The process-based distributed hydrologic model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), was used to simulate the hydrologic processes, estimate water quality variables, and to model the urban BMPs. The DDSS consists of three parts: a Hotspot Identifier, which locates the water quality and quantity hotspots; a Diagnostic Expert System (DES), which identifies the most likely physical reasons for excessive pollutants; and a Prescriptive Expert System (PES), which selects a proper set of spatially distributed BMPs. SWAT was calibrated and validated first to simulate pre-BMP watershed responses. The DDSS was then applied for BMP recommendation. The prescribed BMPs were modeled back into SWAT to quantify their effectiveness. Total Cost for BMP implementation was calculated as a function of BMP coverage area, BMP numbers and types, and residents' preferences. Protocols for urban BMP modeling were developed based on the BMPs' mechanism and the hydrologic processes involved. The DDSS was tested in Watts Branch, a small urban watershed in metropolitan Washington D.C., and Wilde Lake, a suburban watershed in Columbia, MD. Comparisons were carried out in terms of hotspots distribution and BMP recommendation between the two study areas. The hotspots identified and BMPs prescribed by the DDSS were also examined under future climate scenarios. The prescribed BMPs and GIS maps will be useful in agency-level decision making and in developing appropriate educational material for residents and the general public

A DSS for planning and managing water reservoir systems

reserved3R. Soncini Sessa; A. Castelletti; E. WeberSONCINI SESSA, Rodolfo; Castelletti, ANDREA FRANCESCO; Weber, Enric