As global temperatures rise with climate change, the negative effects of heat on drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) are of increasing concern. High DWDS temperatures are associated with degradation of water quality through physical, chemical and microbial mechanisms. Perhaps the most pressing concern is proliferation of thermotolerant opportunistic pathogens (OPs) like Legionella pneumophila and Naegleria Fowleri.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic manufactured chemicals in commercial and consumer products. They are resistant to environmental degradation and mobile in soil, air, and water. This study used the introduced bivalve Corbicula fluminea as a passive biomonitor at sampling locations in a primary drinking water source in Virginia, USA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNature-based solutions have gained recognition for their potential to address urban environmental challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanising countries such as China. However, financial and spatial constraints hinder their widespread adoption. Here we explore urban residents' preferences for nature-based solutions targeting stormwater management, urban heat island reduction, and biodiversity support through monetary, time, and space contributions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs the global plastics crisis grows, numerous technologies have been invented and implemented to recover plastic pollution from the environment. Although laudable, unregulated clean-up technologies may be inefficient and have unintended negative consequences on ecosystems, for example, through bycatch or removal of organic matter important for ecosystem functions. Despite these concerns, plastic clean-up technologies can play an important role in reducing litter in the environment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExpanding drinking water chlorination could substantially reduce the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries, but the taste of chlorinated water often impedes adoption. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the effect of people's choice to accept or reject drinking water based on chlorine taste and their subsequent exposure to E. coli and trihalomethanes, a class of disinfection byproduct (DBP).
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