Applying citizen science to monitor for the Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 6.3.2: a review.

The United Nations has called for increased public participation in scientific research, to benefit professionals, the public and the planet. Citizen science has been suggested as a cost-effective means by which this call can be met, and by which monitoring for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may be carried out. Indeed, citizen science has gained significant attention in recent years as the scale of environmental issues surpasses the monitoring resources that currently exist. However, many challenges continue to act as a barrier to the acceptance of citizen science as a reliable scientific approach. Here, the current state of knowledge on the use of citizen science in water quality monitoring is reviewed, and the potential for utilizing this approach to enhance monitoring for SDG Indicator 6.3.2 on the "proportion of bodies of water of good ambient water quality" is evaluated. The objective of this review is to identify key knowledge gaps and hurdles hindering the adoption of citizen science contributions to water quality monitoring under the SDGs, so that these gaps may be addressed in a timely manner for future monitoring programmes.

Assessment of selected pharmaceuticals in Riyadh wastewater treatment plants, Saudi Arabia: Mass loadings, seasonal variations, removal efficiency and environmental risk.

Despite increasing interest in pharmaceutical emissions worldwide, studies of environmental contamination with pharmaceuticals arising from wastewater discharges in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Therefore, this study examined occurrence, mass loads and removal efficiency for 15 pharmaceuticals and one metabolite (oxypurinol) from different therapeutic classes in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia. A total of 144 samples were collected from the influents and effluents between March 2018 and July 2019 and analyzed using Solid Phase Extraction followed by triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS. The average concentrations in the influents and effluents were generally higher than their corresponding concentrations found either in previous Saudi Arabian or global studies. The four most dominant compounds in the influent were acetaminophen, ciprofloxacin, caffeine, and diclofenac, with caffeine and acetaminophen having the highest concentrations ranging between 943 and 2282 µg/L. Metformin and ciprofloxacin were the most frequently detected compounds in the effluents at concentrations as high as 33.2 µg/L. Ciprofloxacin had the highest mass load in the effluents of all three WWTPs, ranging between 0.20 and 20.7 mg/day/1000 inhabitants for different WWTPs. The overall average removal efficiency was estimated high (≥80), with no significant different (p > 0.05) between the treatment technology applied. Acetaminophen and caffeine were almost completely eliminated in all three WWTPs. The samples collected in the cold season generally had higher levels of detected compounds than those from the warm seasons, particularly for NSAID and antibiotic compounds. The estimated environmental risk from pharmaceutical compounds in the studied effluents was mostly low, except for antibiotic compounds. Thus, antibiotics should be considered for future monitoring programmes of the aquatic environment in Saudi Arabia.

Microbiological assessment of private drinking water supplies in Co. Cork, Ireland.

The microbiological quality of 75 private drinking water supply boreholes in Co. Cork, Ireland was assessed in order to determine the incidence of contamination and the potential pathways of such contamination. Microbiological analysis was carried out using the membrane filtration technique for the recovery of thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms. The sanitary protection of the supplies was evaluated by means of systematic inspections and subsequent qualitative sanitary risk assessment. Almost a quarter of all supplies investigated (24%, n = 18) was found positive for thermotolerant coliforms. Weather conditions had a significant impact on microbiological water quality, increasing both contamination incidence and gross contamination frequency. Over half of the supplies had nine or more sanitary hazards and most had rudimentary sanitary protection measures at the head of the borehole. These low sanitary protection measures suggest that boreholes can pose a significant hazard to valuable groundwater resources by providing direct contamination routes.

Validating citizen science monitoring of ambient water quality for the United Nations sustainable development goals.

Citizen science (CS) may be described as research carried out by members of the public with the aim of gathering scientific information for the purpose of aiding in scientific projects. It has many potential advantages, including data collection at a scale not possible by professional scientists alone. The United Nations (UN) has recently recognized citizen science as a potential source of data that may contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The availability of relatively inexpensive water quality monitoring field equipment suitable for CS suggests great potential for increased spatial coverage far beyond that of traditional, laboratory-based monitoring networks for water quality. In support of work towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: "Clean Water and Sanitation", this study tested the use of such field equipment by citizen scientists for SDG Indicator 6.3.2: "Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality". Data generated by 26 citizen scientists were compared with the results produced by an accredited laboratory. The results compared well for most parameters, suggesting that citizen science may be able to contribute towards monitoring ambient water quality for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Water Quality Assessment: A Quali-Quantitative Method for Evaluation of Environmental Pressures Potentially Impacting on Groundwater, Developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. Project.

Background: At global level, the vulnerability of aquifers is deteriorating at an alarming rate due to environmental pollution and intensive human activities. In this context, Local Health Authority ASL Lecce has launched the M.I.N.O.Re. (Not Compulsory Water Monitoring Activities at Regional level) project, in order to assess the vulnerability of the aquifer in Salento area (Puglia Region) by performing several non-compulsory analyses on groundwater samples. This first paper describes the quali-quantitative approach adopted under the M.I.N.O.Re. project for the assessment of environmental pressures suffered by groundwater and determines the number of wells to be monitored in specific sampling areas on the basis of the local potential contamination and vulnerability of the aquifer. Methods: We created a map of the entire Lecce province, interpolating it with a grid that led to the subdivision of the study area in 32 quadrangular blocks measuring 10 km × 10 km. Based on current hydrogeological knowledge and institutional data, we used GIS techniques to represent on these 32 blocks the 12 different layers corresponding to the main anthropic or environmental type of pressures potentially impacting on the aquifer. To each kind of pressure, a score from 0 to 1 was attributed on the basis of the potential impact on groundwater. A total score was assigned to each of the 32 blocks. A higher number of wells was selected to be monitored in those blocks presenting higher risk scores for possible groundwater contamination due to anthropic/environmental pressures. Results: The range of total scores varied from 2.4 to 42.5. On the basis of total scores, the 10 km × 10 km blocks were divided into four classes of environmental pressure (1st class: from 0,1 to 10,00; 2nd class: from 10,01 to 20,00; 3rd class: from 20,1 to 30,00; 4th class: from 30,01 to 42,50). There were 11 areas in the 1st class, 9 areas in the 2nd class, 8 areas in the 3rd class and 4 areas in the 4th class. We assigned 1 monitoring well in 1st class areas, 2 monitoring wells in 2nd class areas, 3 monitoring wells in 3rd class areas and 4 monitoring wells in 4th class areas. Conclusion: The methodology developed under the M.I.N.O.Re. project could represent a useful model to be used in other areas to assess the environmental pressures suffered by aquifers and the quality of the groundwater.

Global freshwater quality : A first assessment / Global freshwater quality : A first assessment

Commissioned by UNEP and WHO to investigate all aspects of freshwater quality, this book is the first global assessment of its kind. At a time when the quality of the world's water is of great concern to research scientists, university teachers and public and private bodies involved in water management, this study investigates the principal areas of scientific and environmental interest. Most chapters, such as that on nitrates, present a statement of the issue covered, looking at natural cycles and comparative data on naturally occurring levels of nitrates in freshwater, before going on to examine sources of additional input, and the effect of increased levels on the water body itself and on human health

The report has been reviewed by the meeting of Government designated experts in Geneva (September 1988) and their recommendations are incorporated, as are those of an independent team of international experts. Topics of particular importance include acid waters, organic micro-pollutants and pathogens. This book should establish itself as the leading sourcebook of data on the world's freshwater