Search results for: water quality classification

Authors: Sebastião Milton Pinheiro da Silva, Michele Barbosa da Rocha, Ana Lúcia Fernandes Campos, Miquéias Rildo de Souza Silva

Abstract:

Water is an essential natural resource for life on Earth. Rivers, lakes, lagoons and dams are the main sources of water storage for human consumption. The costs of extracting and using these water sources are lower than those of exploiting groundwater on transition zones to semi-arid terrains. However, the volume of surface water has decreased over time, with the depletion of first-order drainage and the disappearance of springs, phenomena which are easily observed in the field. Climate change worsens water scarcity, compromising supply and hydric security for rural populations. To minimize the expected impacts, producing and storing water through watershed management planning requires detailed cartographic information on the relief and topography, and updated data on the stage and intensity of catchment basin environmental degradation problems. The cartography available of the Brazilian northeastern territory dates to the 70s, with topographic maps, printed, at a scale of 1:100,000 which does not meet the requirements to execute this project. Exceptionally, there are topographic maps at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 of some coastal regions in northeastern Brazil. Still, due to scale limitations and outdatedness, they are products of little utility for mapping low-order watersheds drainage and springs. Remote sensing data and geographic information systems can contribute to guiding the process of mapping and environmental recovery by integrating detailed relief and topographic data besides social and other environmental information in the Guajiru River Basin, located on the east coast of Rio Grande do Norte, on the Northeast region of Brazil. This study aimed to recognize and map catchment basin, springs and low-order drainage features along estimating morphometric parameters. Alos PALSAR and Copernicus DEM digital elevation models were evaluated and provided regional drainage features and the watersheds limits extracted with Terraview/Terrahidro 5.0 software. CBERS 4A satellite images with 2 m spatial resolution, processed with ESA SNAP Toolbox, allowed generating land use land cover map of Guajiru River. A Mappir Survey 3 multiespectral camera onboard of a DJI Phantom 4, a Mavic 2 Pro PPK Drone and an X91 GNSS receiver to collect the precised position of selected points were employed to detail mapping. Satellite images enabled a first knowledge approach of watershed areas on a more regional scale, yet very current, and drone images were essential in mapping details of catchment basins. The drone multispectral image mosaics, the digital elevation model, the contour lines and geomorphometric parameters were generated using OpenDroneMap/ODM and QGis softwares. The drone images generated facilitated the location, understanding and mapping of watersheds, recharge areas and first-order ephemeral watercourses on an adequate scale and will be used in the following project’s phases: watershed management planning, recovery and environmental protection of Rio's springs Guajiru. Environmental degradation is being analyzed from the perspective of the availability and quality of surface water supply.

Keywords: imaging, relief, UAV, water

Procedia PDF Downloads 32

Authors: Ika Wulansari, Yati Afiyanti, Indang Trihandini

Abstract:

Sleeping disorder experienced by patients with breast cancer can affect the physical, mental, health, and well-being. This study examines the effect of progressive muscle relaxation training and sleep hygiene education to change sleep quality scores of the patient with breast cancer. The study design using quasi-experiment with pre-post test within the control group, involving 62 breast cancer patients using consecutive sampling method in Jakarta. Statistical test results with independent t-test showed a significant difference in score of sleep quality between in intervention group and the control group (6,66±3,815; 9,30±3,334, p-value = 0,005). Progressive muscle relaxation exercise and sleep hygiene education proven to be affective to change the patients sleeping quality, so that it can be an alternative therapeutic option to overcome sleeping disorders.

Keywords: sleeping disorders, breast cancer, progressive muscle relaxation, sleep hygiene education

Procedia PDF Downloads 316

Authors: M. E. Velásquez Torres, F. Tzompantzi, J. C. Castillo-Rodríguez, A. G. Romero Villegas, S. Mendéz-Salazar, C. E. Santolalla-Vargas, J. Cardoso-Martínez

Abstract:

Photocatalytic degradation, as an advanced oxidation technology, is a promising method in organic pollutant degradation. In this sense, chlorophenols should be removed from the water because they are highly toxic. The TiO₂ - X% ZnS photocatalysts, where X represents the molar percentage of ZnS (3%, 5%, 10%, and 15%), were synthesized using the one-step sol-gel method to use them as photocatalysts to degrade 4-chlorophenol. The photocatalysts were synthesized by a one-step sol-gel method. They were refluxed for 36 hours, dried at 80°C, and calcined at 400°C. They were labeled TiO₂ - X%ZnS, where X represents the molar percentage of ZnS (3%, 5%, 10%, and 15%). The band gap was calculated using a Cary 100 UV-Visible Spectrometer with an integrating sphere accessory. Ban gap value of each photocatalyst was: 2.7 eV of TiO₂, 2.8 eV of TiO₂ - 3%ZnS and TiO₂ - 5%ZnS, 2.9 eV of TiO₂ - 10%ZnS and 2.6 eV of TiO2 - 15%ZnS. In a batch type reactor, under the irradiation of a mercury lamp (λ = 254 nm, Pen-Ray), degradations of 55 ppm 4-chlorophenol were obtained at 360 minutes with the synthesized photocatalysts: 60% (3% ZnS), 66% (5% ZnS), 74% (10% ZnS) and 58% (15% ZnS). In this sense, the best material as a photocatalyst was TiO₂ -10%ZnS with a degradation percentage of 74%.

Keywords: 4-chlorophenol, photocatalysis, water pollutant, sol-gel

Procedia PDF Downloads 131

Authors: Fei Gao, Xinyang Dong, Yisu Ge, Shufang Lu, Libo Weng

Abstract:

Vehicle color recognition plays an important role in traffic accident investigation. However, due to the influence of illumination, weather, and noise, vehicle color recognition still faces challenges. In this paper, a vehicle color classification network based on spatial cluster loss and channel attention mechanism (SCNet) is proposed for vehicle color recognition. A channel attention module is applied to extract the features of vehicle color representative regions and reduce the weight of nonrepresentative color regions in the channel. The proposed loss function, called spatial clustering loss (SC-loss), consists of two channel-specific components, such as a concentration component and a diversity component. The concentration component forces all feature channels belonging to the same class to be concentrated through the channel cluster. The diversity components impose additional constraints on the channels through the mean distance coefficient, making them mutually exclusive in spatial dimensions. In the comparison experiments, the proposed method can achieve state-of-the-art performance on the public datasets, VCD, and VeRi, which are 96.1% and 96.2%, respectively. In addition, the ablation experiment further proves that SC-loss can effectively improve the accuracy of vehicle color recognition.

Keywords: feature extraction, convolutional neural networks, intelligent transportation, vehicle color recognition

Procedia PDF Downloads 183

Authors: Fahad Alamoudi, Yaser Miaji, Fawzy Jalalah

Abstract:

The growing popularity of swimming pools and other activities in the water for sport, fitness, therapy or just enjoyable relaxation have led to the increased use of swimming pools and the establishment of a variety of specific-use pools such as spa pools, Waterslides and more recently, hydrotherapy and wave pools. In this research a few simple equipments are used for test, Detect and alert for detection of water cleanness and pollution. YSI Photometer Systems, TDSTestr High model, rio 12HF, and Electrode A1. The researchers used electrolysis as a method of separating bonded elements and compounds by passing an electric current through them. The results which use 41 experiments show the higher the salt concentration, the more efficient the electrode and the smaller the gap between the plates and The lower the electrode voltage. Furthermore, it is proved that the larger the surface area, the lower the cell voltage and the higher current used the more chlorine produced.

Keywords: photometer, electrode, electrolysis, swimming pool chlorination

Procedia PDF Downloads 349

Authors: Serebryanaya Fatima, Essaih Hind

Abstract:

The Rosa damascena (Rosa damascena Mill.) is an interesting medicinal plant; it is famous in different countries and has medicinal use in many cultures. The main groups of pharmacological actions of rose oil are connected with anti-inflammatory, antifungal activity, also antioxidant and antibacterial, and antiparasitic properties. We have prepared the quality indicators analysis of the Damascus rose oil. An iodine number, acid number, and oil peroxide number were determined. The following indicators of the quality of rose oil have been studied. The determination was carried out according to the pharmacopoeic methods of analysis of essential oils, the definition of peroxide number (1,971%), iodine number (3,365%), and acid number (0,0526%).

Keywords: Rosa damascene, Rosa damascena Mill., iodine number, acid number, oil peroxide number

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: Dustin Dill

Abstract:

The physical movement of crossing over water points to both developing narrative tropes and innovative cinematography in World Cinema today. Two prime examples, Alamar (2009) by Pedro González-Rubio and Kaili Blues (2015) by Bi Gan, demonstrate how contemporary storytelling in a film not only rests upon these water shots but also emerges from them. The range of symbolism that these episodes in the story provoke goes hand in hand with the diverse filming sequences found in the respective productions. While González-Rubio decides to cut the scene into long and longer shots, Gan uses a single take. The differing angles depict equally unique directors and film projects: Alamar runs parallel to many definitions of the essay film, and Kaili Blues resonates much more with mystery and art film. Nonetheless, the crossing of water scenes influence the narratives’ subjects despite the generic consequences, and it is within the essay, mystery, and art film genres which allows for a better understanding of World Cinema. Tiago de Luca explains World Cinema’s prerogative of giving form to a certain type of spectator does not always line up. Given the immense number of interpretations of crossing water —the escape from suffering to find nirvana, rebirth, and colonization— underline the difficulty of categorizing it. If before this type of cross-genre was a trait that defined World Cinema in its beginning, this study observes that González-Rubio and Gan question the all-encompassing genre with their experimental shots of a universal narrative trope, the crossing of water.

Keywords: cinematography, genre, narrative, world cinema

Procedia PDF Downloads 293

Authors: Bowei Yuan, Shi Li, Liuyang Song, Huaqing Wang, Lingli Cui

Abstract:

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) have received extensive attention in the field of fault diagnosis. Many fault diagnosis methods use CNN for fault type identification. However, when the amount of raw data collected by sensors is massive, the neural network needs to perform a time-consuming classification task. In this paper, a mechanical fault diagnosis method based on vibration signal down-sampling and the improved one-dimensional convolutional neural network is proposed. Through the robust principal component analysis, the low-rank feature matrix of a large amount of raw data can be separated, and then down-sampling is realized to reduce the subsequent calculation amount. In the improved one-dimensional CNN, a smaller convolution kernel is used to reduce the number of parameters and computational complexity, and regularization is introduced before the fully connected layer to prevent overfitting. In addition, the multi-connected layers can better generalize classification results without cumbersome parameter adjustments. The effectiveness of the method is verified by monitoring the signal of the centrifugal pump test bench, and the average test accuracy is above 98%. When compared with the traditional deep belief network (DBN) and support vector machine (SVM) methods, this method has better performance.

Keywords: fault diagnosis, vibration signal down-sampling, 1D-CNN

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Mohammad Rahim Rahimi, Yuji Hoshino, Kota Masuyama, Naoya Nakajima

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to study the behavior or influence of climate adaptation and change in Kabul Metropolitan Area (KMA). The Kabul Metropolitan Area (KMA) in Afghanistan includes Kabul existing city and Kabul New City (KNC). Kabul Metropolitan Area has admitted the challenges due to climate change, which includes, natural climate change, social transformations, city landscape, economic and political issues, etc. KMA will withhold a large population within its boundaries. The main problems competed in KMA were the temperature changes over the years, especially in Hindukush and Central Highland of Afghanistan from 1950 up to 2010, 1°C and 1.71°C raised respectively and reduction of water table in existing Kabul city due to the use of more water from underground water resources. Moreover, the cause of temperature rise, the precipitation in spring season and melting of snow early or melting in compressed time as well as the water source is directly related to the capacity of the mountains snow and precipitation. In addition, the temperature increased, and precipitation declined in spring period. It is directly related to separation of dissertation, migration to the cities and other challenges that we will discuss in this paper.

Keywords: climate change, climate adaption, adaptation in Kabul metropolitan area, precipitation

Procedia PDF Downloads 250

Authors: Md. Rezaul Karim, Md. Ashikur Rahman, Dewan Mahmud Mim

Abstract:

Scarcity of potable water as the result of rapid climate change and saltwater intrusion in groundwater has been a major problem in the coastal regions over the world. In equinoctial countries like Bangladesh, where sunlight is available for more than 10 hours a day, Solar Distillation provides a promising sustainable way for safe drinking water supply in coastal poor households with negligible major cost and difficulty of construction and maintenance. In this paper, two passive type solar stills- a Conventional Single Slope Solar still (CSS) and a Pyramid Solar Sill (PSS) is used and relationship is established between distill water output corresponding to four different factors- temperature, solar intensity, relative humidity and wind speed for Gazipur, Bangladesh. Comparison is analyzed between the two different still outputs for nine months period (January- September) and efficiency is calculated. Later a thermal mathematical model is developed and the distilled water output for Khulna, Bangladesh is computed. Again, difference between the output of the two cities- Gazipur and Khulna is demonstrated and finally an economic analysis is prepared. The distillation output has a positive correlation with temperature and solar intensity, inverse relation with relative humidity and wind speed has nugatory consequence. The maximum output of Conventional Solar Still is obtained 3.8 L/m2/day and Pyramid still is 4.3 L/m2/day for Gazipur and almost 15% more efficiency is found for Pyramid still. Productivity in Khulna is found almost 20% more than Gazipur. Based on economic analysis, taking 10 BDT, per liter, the net profit, benefit cost ratio, payback period all indicates that both stills are feasible but pyramid still is more feasible than Conventional Still. Finally, for a 3-4 member family, area of 4 m2 is suggested for Conventional Still and 3m2 for Pyramid Solar Still.

Keywords: solar distillation, household water supply, saline zones, Bangladesh

Procedia PDF Downloads 272

Authors: Hashim Zameer

Abstract:

Effective tourism management plays a vital role in promoting sustainability and supporting ecosystems. A common principle that has been in practice over the years is “first pollute and then clean,” indicating countries need financial resources to promote sustainability. Financial development and the tourism management both seems very important to promoting sustainable development. However, without institutional support, it is very difficult to succeed. In this context, it seems prominently significant to explore how institutional quality, tourism development, and financial development could promote sustainable development. In the past, no research explored the role of tourism development in sustainable development. Moreover, the role of financial development, natural resources, and institutional quality in sustainable development is also ignored. In this regard, this paper aims to investigate the role of tourism development, natural resources, financial development, and institutional quality in sustainable development in China. The study used time-series data from 2000–2021 and employed the Bayesian linear regression model because it is suitable for small data sets. The robustness of the findings was checked using a quantile regression approach. The results reveal that an increase in tourism expenditures stimulates the economy, creates jobs, encourages cultural exchange, and supports sustainability initiatives. Moreover, financial development and institution quality have a positive effect on sustainable development. However, reliance on natural resources can result in negative economic, social, and environmental outcomes, highlighting the need for resource diversification and management to reinforce sustainable development. These results highlight the significance of financial development, strong institutions, sustainable tourism, and careful utilization of natural resources for long-term sustainability. The study holds vital insights for policy formulation to promote sustainable tourism.

Keywords: sustainability, tourism development, financial development, institutional quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Gabrielle O'Donoghue

Abstract:

Background: Pre-operative radiographs facilitate assessment and treatment planning in minor oral surgery. Quality assurance for dental radiography advocates the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle in collecting accurate diagnostic information. Aims: To audit the quality of digital intraoral periapicals (IOPAs) taken prior to dental extractions in a metropolitan general dental practice setting. Standards: The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) guidance outlines three grades of radiograph quality: excellent (Grade 1 > 70% of total exposures), diagnostically acceptable (Grade 2 <20%), and unacceptable (Grade 3 <10%). Methodology: A study of pre-operative radiographs taken prior to dental extractions across 12 private general dental practices in a large metropolitan area by 44 practitioners. A total of 725 extractions were assessed, allowing 258 IOPAs to be reviewed in one audit cycle. Results: First cycle: Of 258 IOPAs: 223(86.4%) scored Grade 1, 27(10.5%) Grade 2, and 8(3.1%) Grade 3. The standard was met. 35 dental extractions were performed without an available pre-operative radiograph. Action Plan & Recommendations: Results were distributed to all staff and a continuous professional development evening organized to outline recommendations to improve image quality. A second audit cycle is proposed at a six-month interval to review the recommendations and appraise results. Conclusion: The overall standard of radiographs met the published guidelines. A significant improvement in the number of procedures undertaken without pre-operative imaging is expected at a six-month interval period. An investigation into undiagnostic imaging and associated adverse patient outcomes is being considered. Maintenance of the standards achieved is predicted in the second audit cycle to ensure consistent high quality imaging.

Keywords: audit, oral radiology, oral surgery, periapical radiographs, quality assurance

Procedia PDF Downloads 166

Authors: Hamad Alhamad

Abstract:

Introduction: The number of retirees in Kuwait is rising quickly, and this is causing more people to become concerned about their well-being. Despite the fact that loneliness and quality of life are significant indices of retiree wellbeing, little research has been done on the topic among retirees in Kuwait. The aim of this study is to explore the level of loneliness and quality of life among retirees in Kuwait. Methods: This is a a cross-sectional descriptive research targeting retirees who live in Kuwait. The UCLA loneliness scale (version 3) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey (36- SF) were utilized. Data was analyzed using SPSS. The ethical approval was obtained from Kuwait University and the Ministry of Health (286). Results: Total respondents in this research were 202 (N=202). The results indicate 77.7% (N=157) experience moderate level of loneliness, 19.8% (N=40) experience high level of loneliness, and only 205% (N=5) experience low level of loneliness. The results of the SF-36 health related questionnaire, participants scores in the eight domains: Physical functioning, general health, role limitations due to physical and emotional health, energy, social functioning, pain, and emotional wellbeing , scored low means. The average of the means was calculated and was (49.8), which indicated that all participants have moderately low Quality of life. Significant relationship with p value equal to ( p= 0.004), was found between a sociodemographic characteristic and level of loneliness in which retirees who were married indicated higher levels of loneliness compared to the single, divorced, and widowed retirees. Conclusion: The study revealed retirees in Kuwait feel moderate loneliness and have a low Quality of Time. The study indicates that retirees should be more considered emotionally and improved and help explore the negative effects on their quality of time In addition to exploring the leading factors to the feeling of loneliness.

Keywords: older adults, social isolation, work, retirement

Procedia PDF Downloads 92

Authors: A. Lefebre, M. Willekens, K. Debackere

Abstract:

Since the 1990s, patent applications have been booming, especially in the field of telecommunications. However, this increase in patent filings has been associated with an (alleged) decrease in patent quality. The plethora of low-quality patents devalues the high-quality ones, thus weakening the incentives for inventors to patent inventions. Despite the rich literature on strategic patenting, previous research has neglected to emphasize the importance of patent portfolio management and its impact on patent quality. In this paper, we compare related patent portfolios vs. nonrelated patents and investigate whether the patent quality and innovativeness differ between the two types. In the analyses, patent quality is proxied by five individual proxies (number of inventors, claims, renewal years, designated states, and grant lag), and these proxies are then aggregated into a quality index. Innovativeness is proxied by two measures: the originality and radicalness index. Results suggest that related patent portfolios have, on average, a lower patent quality compared to nonrelated patents, thus suggesting that firms use them for strategic purposes rather than for the extended protection they could offer. Even upon testing the individual proxies as a dependent variable, we find evidence that related patent portfolios are of lower quality compared to nonrelated patents, although not all results show significant coefficients. Furthermore, these proxies provide evidence of the importance of adding fixed effects to the model. Since prior research has found that these proxies are inherently flawed and never fully capture the concept of patent quality, we have chosen to run the analyses with individual proxies as supplementary analyses; however, we stick with the comprehensive index as our main model. This ensures that the results are not dependent upon one certain proxy but allows for multiple views of the concept. The presence of divisional applications might be linked to the level of innovativeness of the underlying invention. It could be the case that the parent application is so important that firms are going through the administrative burden of filing for divisional applications to ensure the protection of the invention and the preemption of competition. However, it could also be the case that the preempting is a result of divisional applications being used strategically as a backup plan and prolonging strategy, thus negatively impacting the innovation in the portfolio. Upon testing the level of novelty and innovation in the related patent portfolios by means of the originality and radicalness index, we find evidence for a significant negative association with related patent portfolios. The minimum innovation that has been brought on by the patents in the related patent portfolio is lower compared to the minimum innovation that can be found in nonrelated portfolios, providing evidence for the second argument.

Keywords: patent portfolio management, patent quality, related patent portfolios, strategic patenting

Procedia PDF Downloads 94

Authors: Scott Earthy Baldo, Anna Cred Patricia Barroma, Miguel Angelo Eñano, John Ares Hipolito, Orange Sundra Sison, Rixielle Gwendale Tumambing

Abstract:

Service Innovation is the introduction of several new-fangled ways on how to deliver service to customers with the intention to improve one’s existing service quality and to attract more customers. This research paper aims to identify the various service practices being implemented on the different quick-service restaurants within Morayta Street, Manila, Philippines and compare each establishment to the best within the industry through the process of benchmarking towards service innovations. In order for the gathering of valuable data to be possible, a mixed-method approach was used, wherein qualitative data were taken from the managers of each establishment, indicating the service practices being used, and quantitative data were collected from the customers and employees regarding their perception towards the present service quality of each selected quick-service restaurants, in line with the current service innovations being implemented. This research was conducted in order to discern which service practices are effective in attracting customers and boosting their satisfaction for future references of practitioners who are planning to manage a quick-service restaurant and for students studying in the field of hospitality, specifically on service.

Keywords: benchmarking, quick-service restaurants, service innovations, service quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 373

Authors: Strahinja Z. Kovačević, Lidija R. Jevrić, Sanja O. Podunavac Kuzmanović

Abstract:

The relationship between antibacterial activity of eighteen different substituted benzimidazole derivatives and their molecular characteristics was studied using chemometric QSAR (Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationships) approach. QSAR analysis has been carried out on inhibitory activity towards Staphylococcus aureus, by using molecular descriptors, as well as minimal inhibitory activity (MIC). Molecular descriptors were calculated from the optimized structures. Principal component analysis (PCA) followed by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR) was performed in order to select molecular descriptors that best describe the antibacterial behavior of the compounds investigated, and to determine the similarities between molecules. The HCA grouped the molecules in separated clusters which have the similar inhibitory activity. PCA showed very similar classification of molecules as the HCA, and displayed which descriptors contribute to that classification. MLR equations, that represent MIC as a function of the in silico molecular descriptors were established. The statistical significance of the estimated models was confirmed by standard statistical measures and cross-validation parameters (SD = 0.0816, F = 46.27, R = 0.9791, R2CV = 0.8266, R2adj = 0.9379, PRESS = 0.1116). These parameters indicate the possibility of application of the established chemometric models in prediction of the antibacterial behaviour of studied derivatives and structurally very similar compounds.

Keywords: antibacterial, benzimidazole, molecular descriptors, QSAR

Procedia PDF Downloads 364

Authors: H. Bayat, M. Majidi, M. Bolhasani, A. Karbalaie Alilou, A. Mirabdolah Lavasani

Abstract:

Unsteady flow and heat transfer from a circular cylinder in cross-flow is studied numerically. The governing equations are solved by using finite volume method. Reynolds number varies in range of 50 to 200, in this range flow is considered to be laminar and unsteady. Al2O3 nanoparticle with volume fraction in range of 5% to 20% is added to pure water. Effects of adding nanoparticle to pure water on lift and drag coefficient and Nusselt number is presented. Addition of Al2O3 has inconsiderable effect on the value of drags and lift coefficient. However, it has significant effect on heat transfer; results show that heat transfer of Al2O3 nanofluid is about 9% to 36% higher than pure water.

Keywords: nanofluid, heat transfer, unsteady flow, forced convection, cross-flow

Procedia PDF Downloads 397

Authors: Driouiche Ali, Karmal Ilham

Abstract:

The Agadir region is characterized by a dry climate, ranging from arid attenuated by oceanic influences to hyper-arid. The water mobilized in the agricultural sector of greater Agadir is 95% of underground origin and comes from the water table of Chtouka. The rest represents the surface waters of the Youssef Ben Tachfine dam. These waters are intended for the irrigation of 26880 hectares of modern agriculture. More than 120 boreholes and wells are currently exploited. Their depth varies between 10 m and 200 m and the unit flow rates of the boreholes are 5 to 50 l/s. A drop in the level of the water table of about 1.5 m/year, on average, has been observed during the last five years. Farmers are thus called upon to improve irrigation methods. Thus, localized or drip irrigation is adopted to allow rational use of water. The importance of this irrigation system is due to the fact that water is applied directly to the root zone and its compatibility with fertilization. However, this irrigation system faces a thorny problem which is the clogging of pipes and drippers. This leads to a lack of uniformity of irrigation over time. This so-called scaling phenomenon, the consequences of which are harmful (cleaning or replacement of pipes), leads to considerable unproductive expenditure. The objective set by this work is the search for green inhibitors likely to prevent this phenomenon of scaling. This study requires a better knowledge of these waters, their physico-chemical characteristics and their scaling power. Thus, using the "LCGE" controlled degassing technique, we initially evaluated, on pure calco-carbonic water at 30°F, the scaling-inhibiting power of some available plant extracts in our region of Souss-Massa. We then carried out a comparative study of the efficacy of these green inhibitors. The action of the most effective green inhibitor on real agricultural waters was then studied.

Keywords: green inhibitors, localized irrigation, plant extracts, scaling inhibition

Procedia PDF Downloads 83

Authors: Abdo Shabah

Abstract:

Mass customization aims to produce customized goods (allowing economies of scope) at lower cost (to achieve economies of scale) using multiple strategies (modularization and postponement). Through a simulation experiment of organizations under turbulent environment, we aim to compare standardization and mass customization of services and assess the impact of different forms of mass customization (early and late postponement) on performance, quality and consumer satisfaction, on the use of modular dynamic 3D Geographic Information System. Our hypothesis is that mass customization performs better and achieves better quality in turbulent environment than standardization, but only when using early postponement strategies. Using mixed methods study, we try to confirm our hypothesis.

Keywords: mass customization, postponement, experiment, performance, quality, satisfaction, 3D GIS

Procedia PDF Downloads 453

Authors: Abubakar Aminu

Abstract:

Sand dunes, as a major product of desertification, is well known to affect soil resources, water resources and vegetation, especially in arid and semi-arid region; this scenario disrupt the livelihood security of people in the affected areas. The research assessed the episode of sand dune accumulation on water resources, soil and vegetation in Gada local government of Sokoto State, Nigeria. In this paper, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to generate data which was analyzed and discussed. The finding of the paper shows that livelihood was affected by accumulations of sand dunes as water resources and soils were affected negatively thereby reducing crop yields and making livestock domestication a very difficult and expensive task; the finding also shows that 60% of the respondents agreed to planting of trees as the major solution to combat sand dunes accumulation. However, the soil parameters tested indicated low Organic carbon, low Nitrogen, low Potassium, Calcium and Phosphorus but higher values were recorded in Sodium and Cation exchange capacity which served as evidence of the high or strong aridity nature of the soil in the area. In line with the above, the researcher recommended a massive tree planting campaign to curtail desertification as well as using organic manures for higher agricultural yield and as such, improvement in livelihood security.

Keywords: soils, vegetatio, water, desertification

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Andrea Alfaro Barajas, Arturo I. Martinez

Abstract:

3D photothermal structure of carbon was synthesized using PET bottles waste and sodium chloride through controlled carbonization. Characterization techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, and mechanical compression were carried out. The carbon showed physical integrity > 90%, an absorbance > 90% between 300-1000nm of the solar spectrum, and a high specific surface area from 450 to 620 m2/g. The X-ray was employed to examine the phase structure; the obtained pattern shows an amorphous material. A higher intensity of band D with respect to band G was confirmed by Raman Spectroscopy. C-OH, COOH, C-O, and C-C bonds were obtained from the deconvolution of the high-resolution C1s orbital. Macropores of 160 to 180µm and micropores of 0.5 to 2nm were observed by SEM and TEM images, respectively. Such combined characteristics of carbon confer efficient evaporation of water under 1 sun irradiation > 60%.

Keywords: solar-absorber, carbon, water-evaporation, interfacial

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Victor Emery David Jr, Md S. Hossain

Abstract:

Sewage sludge management has been a problem faced by most developing cities as in the case of Monrovia. The management of sewage sludge in Monrovia is still in its infant stage. The city is still struggling with poor sanitation, clogged pipes, shortage of septic tanks, lack of resources/human capacity, inadequate treatment facilities, open defecation, the absence of clear guidelines, etc. The rapid urban population growth of Monrovia has severely stressed Monrovia’s marginally functional urban WSS system caused by the civil conflict which led to break down in many sectors as well as infrastructure. The sewerage system which originally covered 17% of the population of Monrovia was down to serving about 7% because of bursts and blockages causing backflows in other areas. Prior to the Civil War, the average water production for Monrovia was about 68,000 m3/day but has now dropped to about 10,000 m3/day. Only small parts of Monrovia currently have direct access to the piped water supply while most areas depend on trucked water delivered to community collection points or household tanks, and/or on water from unprotected dug wells or hand pumps. There are only two functional treatment plants; The Fiamah Treatment plant and the White Plains Treatment Plant.

Keywords: Fiamah Treatment plant, management, Monrovia/Montserrado County, sewage, sludge

Procedia PDF Downloads 290

Authors: A. Gharaei, R. Karami

Abstract:

Rutilus frisii Kutum was exposed to various concentrations of mercuric chloride in water to determine its acute toxicity and bioaccumulation. We carried out ten treatments with three replicates and one control for each of the chemicals using the static O. E. C. D. method in 55-liter-tanks each containing 14 fingerlings. During the experiments, the average pH was recorded as 7.8, total hardness was measured to be 255 mg/l, the average water temperature was 27±1 degrees centigrade and dissolved oxygen was 7.2 mg/l. Mean LC50 values of Hgcl2 for juvenile R. frisii kutum with mean weight 1±0.2 gr were 0.102 and 0.86 mgHg/l at 24h and 96h, respectively. The bioaccumulation values during 24h in tissue, kidney, and gill were 1.55, 16.1, and 22.7 mgHg/l, respectively. So, these values during 96h were 2.8, 16.8, and 26.65 mgHg/l, respectively. The bioconcentration factors in tissue, kidney, and gill during 24h were 14.75, 153.39, and 216.11 and so during 96h were 33.8, 198.1, and 313.5 times. These results show that bioaccumulation was highest in the gill and then kidney and tissue, respectively. This study suggested that between mercury concentrations of water with bioaccumulation in tissue more than kidney and gill.

Keywords: HgCl2, LC5096h, bioaccumulation, Rutilus frisii Kutum, Caspian Sea

Procedia PDF Downloads 575

Authors: Michely Vargas Delpupo, José Geraldo Romanello Bueno

Abstract:

The right to basic sanitation, was elevated to the category of fundamental right by the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 to protect the ecologically balanced environment, ensuring social rights to health and adequate housing warranting dignity of the human person as a principle of the Brazilian Democratic State. Because of their essentiality to the Brazilian population, this article seeks to understand why universal access to basic sanitation is a goal so difficult to achieve in Brazil. Therefore, this research uses the deductive and analytical method. Given the nature of the research literature, research techniques were centered in specialized books on the subject, journals, theses and dissertations, laws, relevant law case and raising social indicators relating to the theme. The relevance of the topic stems, among other things, the fact that sanitation services are essential for a dignified life, i.e. everyone is entitled to the maintenance of the necessary existence conditions are satisfied. However, the effectiveness of this right is undermined in society, since Brazil has huge deficit in sanitation services, denying thus a worthy life to most of the population. Thus, it can be seen that the provision of water and sewage services in Brazil is still characterized by a large imbalance, since the municipalities with lower population index have greater disability in the sanitation service. The truth is that the precariousness of water and sewage services in Brazil is still very concentrated in the North and Northeast regions, limiting the effective implementation of the Law 11.445/2007 in the country. Therefore, there is urgent need for a positive service by the State in the provision of sanitation services in order to prevent and control disease, improve quality of life and productivity of individuals, besides preventing contamination of water resources. More than just social and economic necessity, there is even a an obligation of the government to implement such services. In this sense, given the current scenario, to achieve universal access to basic sanitation imposes many hurdles. These are mainly in the field of properly formulated and implemented public policies, i.e. it requires an excellent institutional organization, management services, strategic planning, social control, in order to provide answers to complex challenges.

Keywords: fundamental rights, health, sanitation, universal access

Procedia PDF Downloads 411

Authors: S. K. Kakraliya, R. D. Jat, H. S. Jat, P. C. Sharma, M. L. Jat

Abstract:

The traditional rice-wheat (RW) system in the IGP of South Asia is tillage, water, energy, and capital intensive. Coupled with more pumping of groundwater over the years to meet the high irrigation water requirement of the RW system has resulted in over-exploitation of groundwater. Replacement of traditional rice with less water crops such as maize under climate-smart agriculture (CSA) based management (tillage, crop establishment and residue management) practices are required to promote sustainable intensification. Furthermore, inefficient nutrient management practices are responsible for low crop yields and nutrient use efficiencies in maize-wheat (MW) system. A 7-year field experiment was conducted in farmer’s participatory strategic research mode at Taraori, Karnal, India to evaluate the effects of tillage and crop establishment (TCE) methods, residue management, mungbean integration, and nutrient management practices on crop yields, water productivity and profitability of MW system. The main plot treatments included four combinations of TCE, residue and mungbean integration [conventional tillage (CT), conventional tillage with mungbean (CT + MB), permanent bed (PB) and permanent bed with MB (PB + MB] with three nutrient management practices [farmer’s fertilizer practice (FFP), recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and site-specific nutrient management (SSNM)] using Nutrient Expert® as subplot treatments. System productivity, water use efficiency (WUE) and net returns under PB + MB were significantly increased by 25–30%, 28–31% and 35–40% compared to CT respectively, during seven years of experimentation. The integration of MB in MW system contributed ~25and ~ 28% increases in system productivity and net returns compared with no MB, respectively. SSNM based nutrient management increased the mean (averaged across 7 yrs) system productivity by 12- 15% compared with FFP. The study revealed that CSA based sustainable intensification (PB + MB) and SSNM approach provided opportunities for enhancing crop productivity, WUE and profitability of the MW system in India.

Keywords: Conservation Agriculture, Precision water and nutrient management, Permanent beds, Crop yields

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Tuji Jemal Ahmed

Abstract:

Food quality and safety challenges are prevalent in Ethiopia's food processing industry, which can have adverse effects on consumers' health and wellbeing. The country is known for its diverse range of agricultural products, which are essential to its economy. However, poor food quality and safety policies and management systems in the food processing industry have led to several health problems, foodborne illnesses, and economic losses. This paper aims to highlight the causes and effects of food safety and quality issues in the food processing industry of Ethiopia and discuss potential solutions to address these issues. One of the main causes of poor food quality and safety in Ethiopia's food processing industry is the lack of adequate regulations and enforcement mechanisms. The absence of comprehensive food safety and quality policies and guidelines has led to substandard practices in the food manufacturing process. Moreover, the lack of monitoring and enforcement of existing regulations has created a conducive environment for unscrupulous businesses to engage in unsafe practices that endanger the public's health. The effects of poor food quality and safety are significant, ranging from the loss of human lives, increased healthcare costs, and loss of consumer confidence in the food processing industry. Foodborne illnesses, such as diarrhea, typhoid fever, and cholera, are prevalent in Ethiopia, and poor food quality and safety practices contribute significantly to their prevalence. Additionally, food recalls due to contamination or mislabeling often result in significant economic losses for businesses in the food processing industry. To address these challenges, the Ethiopian government has begun to take steps to improve food quality and safety in the food processing industry. One of the most notable initiatives is the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration (EFDA), which was established in 2010 to regulate and monitor the quality and safety of food and drug products in the country. The EFDA has implemented several measures to enhance food safety, such as conducting routine inspections, monitoring the importation of food products, and enforcing strict labeling requirements. Another potential solution to improve food quality and safety in Ethiopia's food processing industry is the implementation of food safety management systems (FSMS). An FSMS is a set of procedures and policies designed to identify, assess, and control food safety hazards throughout the food manufacturing process. Implementing an FSMS can help businesses in the food processing industry identify and address potential hazards before they cause harm to consumers. Additionally, the implementation of an FSMS can help businesses comply with existing food safety regulations and guidelines. In conclusion, improving food quality and safety policies and management systems in Ethiopia's food processing industry is critical to protecting public health and enhancing the country's economy. Addressing the root causes of poor food quality and safety and implementing effective solutions, such as the establishment of regulatory agencies and the implementation of food safety management systems, can help to improve the overall safety and quality of the country's food supply.

Keywords: food quality, food safety, policy, management system, food processing industry

Procedia PDF Downloads 85

Authors: Bashar Al-Sabti, Jehad Harbali

Abstract:

Background: Pyridine is a reactive base that might be used in preparing sitagliptin. International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies pyridine in group 2B; this classification means that pyridine is possibly carcinogenic to humans. Therefore, pyridine should be monitored at the allowed limit in sitagliptin pharmaceutical ingredients. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a novel ultra high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) method to estimate the quantity of pyridine impurity in sitagliptin pharmaceutical ingredients. Methods: The separation was performed on C8 shim-pack (150 mm X 4.6 mm, 5 µm) in reversed phase mode using a mobile phase of water-methanol-acetonitrile containing 4 mM ammonium acetate in gradient mode. Pyridine was detected by mass spectrometer using selected ionization monitoring mode at m/z = 80. The flow rate of the method was 0.75 mL/min. Results: The method showed excellent sensitivity with a quantitation limit of 1.5 ppm of pyridine relative to sitagliptin. The linearity of the method was excellent at the range of 1.5-22.5 ppm with a correlation coefficient of 0.9996. Recoveries values were between 93.59-103.55%. Conclusions: The results showed good linearity, precision, accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity, and robustness. The studied method was applied to test three batches of sitagliptin raw materials. Highlights: This method is useful for monitoring pyridine in sitagliptin during its synthesis and testing sitagliptin raw materials before using them in the production of pharmaceutical products.

Keywords: genotoxic impurity, pyridine, sitagliptin, UHPLC -MS

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Mohammad Javad Seddighi, Avar Almukhtar

Abstract:

Sustainable urban planning and design (SUPD) play a critical role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). While there are many rating systems and standards available to assess the sustainability of the built environment, there is still a lack of a comprehensive framework that can assess the quality of SUPD in a specific context. In this paper, we present a framework for assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities, considering their unique cultural, social, and environmental contexts. The aim of this study is to develop a framework for assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities. To achieve this aim, the following objectives are pursued review and synthesis of relevant literature on SUPD, identification of key indicators and criteria for assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities application of the framework to case studies of Iranian cities and evaluation and refinement of the framework based on the results of the case studies. The framework is developed based on a review and synthesis of relevant literature on SUPD, and the identification of key indicators and criteria for assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities. The framework is then applied to case studies of Iranian cities and the results are evaluated and refined. The data for this study are collected through a review of relevant literature on SUPD, including academic journals, conference proceedings, and books. The case studies of Iranian cities are selected based on their relevance and availability of data. The data are collected through interviews, site visits, and document analysis. This paper presents a framework for assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities. The framework is developed based on a review and synthesis of relevant literature, identification of key indicators and criteria, application to case studies, and evaluation and refinement. The framework provides a comprehensive and context-specific approach to assessing the quality of SUPD in Iranian cities. It can be used by urban planners, designers, and policymakers to improve the sustainability and liveability of Iranian cities, and it can be adapted for use in other contexts.

Keywords: sustainable urban planning and design, framework, quality assessment, Iranian cities, case studies

Procedia PDF Downloads 119

Authors: Ben Kwame Agyei-Mensah

Abstract:

This study investigated the influence of firm-specific characteristics which include proportion of Non-Executive Directors, ownership concentration, firm size, profitability, debt equity ratio, liquidity and leverage on the extent and quality of financial ratios disclosed by firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. The research was conducted through detailed analysis of the 2012 financial statements of the listed firms. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis. The results of the extent of financial ratio disclosure level, mean of 62.78%, indicate that most of the firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange did not overwhelmingly disclose such ratios in their annual reports. The results of the low quality of financial ratio disclosure mean of 6.64% indicate that the disclosures failed woefully to meet the International Accounting Standards Board's qualitative characteristics of relevance, reliability, comparability and understandability. The results of the multiple regression analysis show that leverage (gearing ratio) and return on investment (dividend per share) are associated on a statistically significant level as far as the extent of financial ratio disclosure is concerned. Board ownership concentration and proportion of (independent) non-executive directors, on the other hand were found to be statistically associated with the quality of financial ratio disclosed. There is a significant negative relationship between ownership concentration and the quality of financial ratio disclosure. This means that under a higher level of ownership concentration less quality financial ratios are disclosed. The findings also show that there is a significant positive relationship between board composition (proportion of non-executive directors) and the quality of financial ratio disclosure.

Keywords: voluntary disclosure, firm-specific characteristics, financial reporting, financial ratio disclosure, Ghana stock exchange

Procedia PDF Downloads 593

Authors: Olayemi Bakre

Abstract:

The majoritant of the South African rural populace are directly or indirectly engaged in agricultural practices for a livelihood. However, impediments such as the climate change and inadequacy of governmental support has undermined the once thriving subsistence farming communities of South Africa. Furthermore, the poor leadership in hydrology, coupled with lack of depths in skills to facilitate the understanding and acceptance of groundwater from national level to local governance has made it near impossible for subsistence farmers to optimally benefit from the groundwater beneath their feet. The 2012 drought experienced in South Africa paralysed the farming activities across several subsistence farming communities across the KwaZulu-Natal Province. To revamp subsistence farming, a variety of interventions and strategies such as the Resource Poor Farmers (RPF) and Water Allocation Reforms (WAR) have been launched by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as an agendum to galvanising the defunct subsistence farming communities of KwaZulu-Natal as well as other subsistence farming communities across South Africa. Despite the enormous resources expended on the subsistence farming communities whom often fall under the Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDI); indicators such as the unsustainable farming practices, poor crop yield, pitiable living condition as well as the poor standard of living, are evidential to the claim that these afore cited interventions and a host of other similar strategies indicates that these initiatives have not yield the desired result. Thus, this paper seeks to suggest practicable interventions aimed at salvaging the vulnerability of subsistence farmers within the province understudy. The study pursued a qualitative approach as the view of experts on ground water and similarly related fields from the DWS were solicited as an agendum to obtaining in-depth perspective into the current study. Some of the core challenges undermining the sustainability and growth of subsistence farming in the area of study were - inadequacy of experts (engineers, scientist, researchers) in ground water; water shortages; lack of political will as well as lack of coordination among stakeholders. As an agendum to optimising the ground water usage for subsistence farming, this paper advocates the strengthening of geohydrological skills, development of technical training capacity, interactive participation among stakeholders as well as the initiation of Participatory Action Research as an agenda to optimising the available ground water in KwaZulu-Natal which is intended to orchestrate a sustainable and viable subsistence farming practice within the province.

Keywords: subsistence farming, ground water optimisation, resource poor farmers, and water allocation reforms, hydrology

Procedia PDF Downloads 247