A Multi-Criteria Approach for Irrigation Water Management

The major implications that the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) may have in irrigated agriculture were analysed using alternative water policy measures. The consequences of policy change were evaluated in a case study (Baixo Alentejo, Portugal), using a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) model that simulates farmers’ preferred behaviour. The study compares the effects of water pricing (volumetric and flat tariffs) and consumption quotas, in farmer’s income, water agency revenues, agricultural employment and water demand for irrigation. Model results indicate that the adjustments in farmer’s responses are dependent on the policy strategy enforced and on the policy level.Water Framework Directive, Flat Pricing, Volumetric Pricing, Multi- Objective Programming, Water Management, Portugal,

Remediation by Means of Chemical Passivation for Trace Metals in Contaminated Soils

Soil contamination is a predominant issue today in China. Recently, different remedies have been implemented to effectively immobilize contaminants, such as heavy metals, from soil. This project studied the efficiencies of phosphate in fish bones and aluminosilicate in clay to immobilize cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc in a heavily contaminated sample of yellow-brown soil from the Hetao region of Inner Mongolia, China. The heavy metals found in samples of soil were sequentially extracted and analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results showed that both samples had the most significant immobilization fraction during the first two weeks of treatment, and that agent A was best to treat chromium and zinc, while agent B was favorable to treat cadmium, copper, and lead