Robust background model for pixel based people counting using a single uncalibrated camera

Several pixel-based people counting methods have been developed over the years. Among these the product of scale-weighted pixel sums and a linear correlation coefficient is a popular people counting approach. However most approaches have paid little attention to resolving the true background and instead take all foreground pixels into account. With large crowds moving at varying speeds and with the presence of other moving objects such as vehicles this approach is prone to problems. In this paper we present a method which concentrates on determining the true-foreground, i.e. human-image pixels only. To do this we have proposed, implemented and comparatively evaluated a human detection layer to make people counting more robust in the presence of noise and lack of empty background sequences. We show the effect of combining human detection with a pixel-map based algorithm to i) count only human-classified pixels and ii) prevent foreground pixels belonging to humans from being absorbed into the background model. We evaluate the performance of this approach on the PETS 2009 dataset using various configurations of the proposed methods. Our evaluation demonstrates that the basic benchmark method we implemented can achieve an accuracy of up to 87% on sequence ¿S1.L1 13-57 View 001¿ and our proposed approach can achieve up to 82% on sequence ¿S1.L3 14-33 View 001¿ where the crowd stops and the benchmark accuracy falls to 64%

Assessing the presence of pharmaceuticals in soil and plants irrigated with treated wastewater in Oman

Abstract Purpose This study conducted to assess the presence of pharmaceuticals in soils and crops irrigated with treated wastewater in Oman. The study was aimed to evaluate the potential of plant uptake of four commonly used pharmaceuticals in Oman: amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and ibuprofen by radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativius) in soil culture. Methods Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) was selected as a test crop. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) instrument was used to measure concentrations of pharmaceuticals. Groundwater and treated wastewater were used for irrigation. Additionally, there were two spiked treatments; high-spiked concentration (5 mg/l) and low-spiked concentration (1 mg/l). Results Results of the study showed that trimethoprim and ibuprofen were not detected in any samples of soil and plant. Sulfamethoxazole accumulated in radish roots for low- and high-spiked treatments. Amoxicillin accumulated in roots with low-spiked- as well as high-spiked treatments. Radish showed the ability to translocate some of the selected pharmaceuticals from soil irrigated with treated wastewater if they are present in sufficient concentrations. Conclusions Radish showed positive uptake of some selected pharmaceuticals from soil irrigated with treated wastewater with spiked (both high and low) concentration of pharmaceuticals and has the ability to accumulate them in the roots. Pharmaceutical usage and disposal must be given attention to prevent their occurrences in the environment. Furthermore, treated wastewater must be given attention, as it is an important source of water in Oman, which suffers from water shortages

Antibiotics in wastewaters: a review with focus on Oman

Abstract The occurrence of antibiotics in treated wastewater effluent has been a concern worldwide for various reasons: most importantly development of antibiotics resistance by bacteria and other microorganism, impact of antibiotics on animal life in surface water and likely consequences on humans if treated wastewater is used for drinking water supply through the process of managed aquifer recharge (MAR). Another potential area of concern is the uptake of these antibiotics by crops irrigated by treated wastewater. In Oman, wastewater treatment and reuse is pursued vigorously as a government policy. Treated wastewater is used for crop irrigation following government regulations, MAR is being contemplated and practiced in small scale and release of such waters in the ocean takes place from time to time. Some tests have been conducted on the wastewater effluent around the world to verify and detect the concentration of antibiotics in wastewater effluent. In the Sultanate of Oman, very little research has been performed on the occurrence of antibiotics in treated wastewater, removal efficiencies of treatment processes and development of antibiotics resistance. It is expected that wastewater reuse will increase substantially due to expansion of sewerage network in the capital city as well as many other cities and towns. As such, it is imperative that research be undertaken to find out various issues related to commonly used antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, erythromycin, linezolid, penicillin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, minocycline, tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole in Oman and their ultimate fate through the treatment process. In addition, the development of guidelines is crucial in amounts of antibiotics acceptably occurring in treated wastewater effluent and if they could be suitable for agriculture without causing any harm. A review of the available literature and data are provided in this article. Research needs have been identified

Attenuation of bacteria at a riverbank filtration site in rural India

A riverbank filtration (RBF) system was installed in a rural village near the Kali River in southwestern India to evaluate its performance in attenuating total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli loads in a monsoon-dominated climate in a developing country. A statistical analysis showed that RBF water was of higher microbial quality than other water sources in the study area. Based on the geometric mean of the data from the primary RBF well (MW3), the percent removal compared to the Kali River was 95.1% for total coliforms and 99.2% for E. coli. The maximum percent removals were 99.8% for total coliforms and 99.96% for E. coli. Bacteria concentrations were lower during the dry season than during the monsoon season when contaminants apparently infiltrated into the subsurface. The geometric mean of the annual removal efficiency translates to an approximately 1-log unit removal of E. coli per 26 m (≈75 ft) setback distance from the river. During the 1-year monitoring period, Indian water quality standards for total coliform bacteria were regularly exceeded, whereas E. coli standards were met for 29% of the dry season but only 7% of the monsoon season. The consistent problem of attaining local regulatory limits for bacteria show that, at this study site, (1) RBF needs to be considered a pre-treatment method and, (2) should be combined with conventional disinfection technology. Finally, although the bacteria data confirms that the setback distance of a RBF well from a river is an important factor determining the water quality, local conditions, such as influence of flood-irrigation of nearby rice paddies, presence of freely-roaming cattle and latrines, and outside defecation by residents, must be considered when establishing a RBF system in a monsoon climate in a developing country

A study of beach use and perceptions of people towards better Management in Oman

1327-1333This study aimed to evaluate the quality of beaches in the Al-Suwaiq Wilayat (administrative zone) of Al-Batinah North in Sultanate of Oman to identify beach user’s priorities, concerns and preferences with regard to their beach use and visit in the area. Questionnaire survey was undertaken across 109 households using random sampling method in the Wilayat. Number of questions asked to respondents about beach use, concerns as well as perceptions of environmental quality. In general, results of survey indicated that beach users seem to satisfy with their recreational experience but there is a dissatisfaction with regard to provision of services and public would like to see improvement of beaches in the area. Besides this, there is an indication of disturbances caused to beach environment by stray animals, litter pollution and coastal erosion in some parts along the coast of Al-Suwaiq Wilayat. Therefore, actions towards beach management needs to be considered to improve the quality and increase beach users’ satisfaction. Users are concerned with environmental degradation and natural values of beaches

Hydraulic and hydrogeochemical characteristics of a riverbank filtration site in Rural India

A riverbank filtration (RBF) system was tested along the Kali River in rural part of the state of Karnataka in India. The polluted river and water from open wells served the local population as their principal irrigation water resource and some used it for drinking. Four RBF wells (up to 25 m deep) were installed. The mean hydraulic conductivity of the well field is 6.3 × 10-3 cm/s and, based on Darcys law, the water travel time from the river to the principal RBF well (MW3) is 45.2 days. A mixing model based on dissolved silica concentrations indicated that, depending on the distance from the river and closeness to irrigated rice fields, approximately 27 to 73% of the well water originated from groundwater. Stable isotopic data indicates that a fraction of the water was drawn in from the nearby rice fields that were irrigated with river water. Relative to preexisting drinking water sources (Kali River and an open well), RBF well water showed lower concentration of dissolved metals (60.1% zinc, 27.8% cadmium, 83.9% lead, 75.5% copper, 100% chromium). This study demonstrates that RBF technology can produce high-quality water from low-quality surface water sources in a rural, tropical setting typical for many emerging economies. Further, in parts of the world where flood irrigation is common, RBF well water may draw in infiltrated irrigation water, which possibly alters its geochemical composition. A combination of more than one mixing model, silica together with stable isotopes, was shown to be useful explaining the origin of the RBF water at this study site

The effect of municipal sewage sludge on the quality of soil and crops

Abstract Purpose To examine the effects of the application of composted sewage sludge fertilizer (commercially sold as Kala compost) and inorganic (NPK) fertilizers on soil quality and on two crops (radish and beans) irrigated using groundwater and sewage treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation by measuring heavy metals in the soil and plants and other parameters such as crops yield, TOC in soil, chlorophyll index and total nitrogen. Methods The field experiments were conducted in an open area in Agricultural Experimental Study at Sultan Qaboos University campus, Oman. In this research, “green beans and white radish” were examined under the application of Kala and NPK fertilizers. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates. Results The results showed that the yield, TOC and chlorophyll contents of green beans and white radish increased when soil was amended with Kala compost compared to NPK. Chemical analysis of soil and the two crops did not show any risk of heavy metal accumulation. Conclusions Considering that the experiment was a short duration one, there is a need for more continuous long-term experiments (at least 5 years) that will improve the understanding on the effects of composted sewage sludge on soil fertility and crop yield to contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural practices in an arid environment of Oman