In Situ Driven Formation of Anatase/Brookite/Rutile Heterojunction N/TiO Nanocrystals as Sustainable Visible-Light Catalysts.

Visible-light active anatase/brookite/rutile (A/B/R) ternary N-doped titania (N/TiO) crystals are successfully prepared by a facile sol-gel method using titanium butoxide and benign N-dopant source, guanidinium chloride. Systematically varying the aging time (1, 4, 8, and 12 d), its influence on physicochemical properties of as-obtained spherical heterojunction nanomaterials is studied. Detailed characterizations confirm that a substantial amount of anatase (88% to 50%) is transformed to rutile (2% to 38%) via intermediate brookite phase (9% to 25%) as the function of aging time; not only the A/B/R phase content of the samples is tuned by sol-gel aging time of the precursors solution but also their optical-response and methylene blue photocatalytic properties are profoundly dictated.

Quantifying regional low flows under data scarce conditions.

Estimating low flow quantiles is essential for regulating minimum flow requirements and ensuring water availability, ecological health, and overall system sustainability. This study aims to quantify regional low flows by analyzing low-flow time series in data-limited environments. We utilized annual minimum 7-day instantaneous streamflow data collected from gaging stations.

Coagulation process for the removal of color and turbidity from wet coffee processing industry wastewater using bio-coagulant: Optimization through central composite design.

The growing problem of industrial pollution in developing countries, especially Ethiopia, has sparked serious issues about the quality of the water, particularly when it comes to the effluent from wet coffee processing industries. In response, this study investigates the potential of utilizing natural coagulants, Acanthus sennii C., Moringa stenopetala B.

Evaluating the effects of geochemical and anthropogenic factors on the concentration and treatability of heavy metals in Awash River and Lake Beseka, Ethiopia: arsenic and molybdenum issues.

In the Awash River basin (Ethiopia), massive urbanization and industrialization, driven by rapid development and human settlement, are detrimental to the environment and human health as pollutants such as heavy metals (HMs) find their way into water bodies without proper treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the HMs content and pollution sources within the basin. In this context, a total of 205 samples were collected from 21 surface water sampling stations.

Assessment of Drinking Water Quality in Urban Water Supply Systems: The Case of Hawassa City, Ethiopia.

In many developing countries, such as Ethiopia, water quality and the risk of water-related diseases are serious public health issues. The present study goal was to assess the drinking water quality from source to household tap water. To characterize and analyze drinking water quality parameters, 21 water samples were collected, of which 11 water samples were collected from sources (spring, borehole, and river), 4 from service reservoirs, and 6 from tap water.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Heterostructured g-CN/Ag-TiO Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants.

In this study, heterostructured g-CN/Ag-TiO nanocomposites were successfully fabricated using an easily accessible hydrothermal route. Various analytical tools were employed to investigate the surface morphology, crystal structure, specific surface area, and optical properties of as-synthesized samples. XRD and TEM characterization results provided evidence of the successful fabrication of the ternary g-CN/Ag-TiO heterostructured nanocomposite.

Water purification improvement using moringa oleifera seed extract pastes for coagulation follow scoria filtration.

Currently, millions of people are exposed to dangerous levels of chemical and biological water pollution in drinking water due to source contamination. The rising of populations and industrialization or agricultural wastewaters were causes of water contaminations. The aim of this study was to design, develop and performance evaluation of point of use drinking water purification technology using MoringaOleifera seed coupled followed by scoria coag-filtration media.

Fabrication of Enhanced UV Protective Cotton Fabric Using Activated Nano-Biocarbon Derived from Teff Hay Grafted by Polyaniline: RSM-Based Optimization and Characterization.

In the present study, a hybrid cotton fabric with an enhanced ultraviolet (UV) shielding property was developed by coating with functionally activated nanocarbon (FACN) which was grafted by polyaniline (PANI) using in situ polymerization. In light of this, Teff hay biomass was used to establish the activated nanocarbon (ANC), that was subsequently given a surface functionalization using a silane coupling agent. Using the response surface (RSM) statistical analysis, the study was optimized for the weight percent of ANC and PANI with respect to the cotton fabric that was found to offer remarkable UV protection, with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 64.

Spatio-temporal variability and potential health risks assessment of heavy metals in the surface water of Awash basin, Ethiopia.

Increasing urbanization and industrialization are impacting on water quality globally. In the Awash River basin, Ethiopia, these drivers are impacting on water quality with further impacts created due to changes in water management releasing geogenic contaminants. The resulting water quality has potential to cause significant ecological and human health impacts.

Single-Step Synthesis of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanomaterials by Directly Calcining the Mixture of Urea and Thiourea: Application for Rhodamine B (RhB) Dye Degradation.

Recently, polymeric graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) has been explored as a potential catalytic material for the removal of organic pollutants in wastewater. In this work, graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) photocatalysts were synthesized using mixtures of low-cost, environment-friendly urea and thiourea as precursors by varying calcination temperatures ranging from 500 to 650 °C for 3 h in an air medium. Different analytical methods were used to characterize prepared g-CN samples.

Distillery industrial wastewater(DIW) treatment by the combination of sono(US), photo(UV) and electrocoagulation(EC) process.

The color and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reduction in distillery industrial effluent (DIW) was investigated utilizing photo (UV), sono (US), electrocoagulation (EC), UV + US, UV + EC, US + EC, and US + UV + EC technologies. The empirical study demonstrated that the UV + US + EC process removed almost 100% of color and 95.63% of COD from DIW while consuming around 6.

Development of electrocoagulation process for wastewater treatment: optimization by response surface methodology.

Electrocoagulation (EC) is a process used by supply of electric current with sacrificial electrodes for the removal of pollutant from wastewater. The study was experimentally investigated taking into account various factors such as pH (3-7.5), current (0.

Fixed-Bed Adsorption: Comparisons of Virgin and Zirconium Oxide-Coated Scoria for the Removal of Fluoride from Water.

Many people worldwide are exposed to extreme levels of fluoride in drinking water. It is, therefore, critical to develop inexpensive, locally available, and environmentally friendly adsorbents for fluoride-laden water defluoridation. In the current study, virgin scoria (volcanic rock) from Ethiopia, was modified with zirconium oxide and used as an adsorbent in a fixed-bed column aiming at the removal of fluoride from water.

Optimization of Fluoride Adsorption on Acid Modified Bentonite Clay Using Fixed-Bed Column by Response Surface Method.

Using small-scale batch tests, various researchers investigated the adsorptive removal of fluoride using low-cost clay minerals, such as Bentonite. In this study, Column adsorption studies were used to investigate the removal of fluoride from aqueous solution using acid-treated Bentonite (ATB). The effects of initial fluoride concentration, flow rates, and bed depth on fluoride removal efficiency (R) and adsorption capability (qe) in continuous settings were investigated, and the optimal operating condition was determined using central composite design (CCD).

Evaluation of bentonite clay in modified and unmodified forms to remove fluoride from water.

The feasibility of fluoride adsorption from aqueous solutions using naturally available bentonite clay in both modified and unmodified forms is investigated in this report. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was applied to describe the structure and nature of modified and unmodified bentonite clay. The physicochemical characteristics of the adsorbent were also investigated for moisture content, pH, apparent density, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity and its point-of-zero charge.

Enhanced Defluoridation of Water Using Zirconium-Coated Pumice in Fixed-Bed Adsorption Columns.

Millions of people across the globe suffer from health issues related to high fluoride levels in drinking water. The purpose of this study was to test modified pumice as an adsorbent for the purification of fluoride-containing waters. The adsorption of fluoride onto zirconium-coated pumice (Zr-Pu) adsorbent was examined in fixed-bed adsorption columns.

Fixed-Bed Column Technique for the Removal of Phosphate from Water Using Leftover Coal.

The excessive discharge of phosphate from anthropogenic activities is a primary cause for the eutrophication of aquatic habitats. Several methodologies have been tested for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions, and adsorption in a flow-through reactor is an effective mechanism to reduce the nutrient loading of water. This research aimed to investigate the adsorption potential of leftover coal material to remove phosphate from a solution by using continuous flow fixed-bed column, and analyzes the obtained breakthrough curves.

Genetic diversity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) populations in Ethiopia: insights from nuclear DNA microsatellites and implications for conservation.

Background: Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) is among the economically most important freshwater fish species in East Africa, and a major source of protein for local consumption. Human induced translocations of non-native stocks for aquaculture and fisheries have been found as a potential threat to the genetic diversity and integrity of local populations. In the present study, we investigate the genetic structure of O.

Identifying geographically differentiated features of Ethopian Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) morphology with machine learning.

Visual characteristics are among the most important features for characterizing the phenotype of biological organisms. Color and geometric properties define population phenotype and allow assessing diversity and adaptation to environmental conditions. To analyze geometric properties classical morphometrics relies on biologically relevant landmarks which are manually assigned to digital images.

Adsorptive Removal of Phosphate from Aqueous Solutions Using Low-Cost Volcanic Rocks: Kinetics and Equilibrium Approaches.

The contamination of surface and groundwater with phosphate originating from industrial and household wastewater remains a serious environmental issue in low-income countries. Herein, phosphate removal from aqueous solutions was studied using low-cost volcanic rocks such as pumice (VPum) and scoria (VSco), obtained from the Ethiopian Great Rift Valley. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted using phosphate solutions with concentrations of 0.

Volcanic Rock Materials for Defluoridation of Water in Fixed-Bed Column Systems.

Consumption of drinking water with a high concentration of fluoride (>1.5 mg/L) causes detrimental health problems and is a challenging issue in various regions around the globe. In this study, a continuous fixed-bed column adsorption system was employed for defluoridation of water using volcanic rocks, virgin pumice (VPum) and virgin scoria (VSco), as adsorbents.

Efficient anaerobic digestion of a mild wet air pretreated molasses ethanol distillery stillage: A comparative approach.

The effect of a mild, wet air pretreatment and the subsequent anaerobic digestion (AD) was examined on the recovery of a complex and toxic molasses ethanol distillery stillage. The biogas yield and organics removal due to pretreatment were compared with the raw stillage AD. The application of a scoria support in this industrial residue AD process stability was also assessed.

Molecular genetic diversity and differentiation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, L. 1758) in East African natural and stocked populations.

Background: The need for enhancing the productivity of fisheries in Africa triggered the introduction of non-native fish, causing dramatic changes to local species. In East Africa, the extensive translocation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the major factors in this respect. Using 40 microsatellite loci with SSR-GBS techniques, we amplified a total of 664 individuals to investigate the genetic structure of O.

Consistent point-of-use water chlorination among households using unimproved water sources and treatment preference in Eastern Ethiopia.

A consistent and correct use of water treatment options is fundamental for health gain from point-of-use water chlorination. In Ethiopia, empirical evidence about the consistent use and preference for by end users is scarce. The current study is intended to explore these issues using Waterguard and Bishan Gari in Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Eastern Ethiopia.

Pharmaceuticals in freshwater aquatic environments: A comparison of the African and European challenge.

Hundreds of tons of pharmaceutical compounds are annually dispensed and consumed worldwide. Pharmaceuticals are an important class of emerging environmental micropollutants: their presence in water bodies is an increasing environmental concern. The aim of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in freshwater aquatic environments in the African and European context.