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Water
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Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying
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Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 17046

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. David Werner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
Interests: environmental engineering; environmental chemistry; environmental pollution risk assessment and remediation; water quality and public health”
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kishor Acharya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
Interests: molecular biology; biodegradation; environmental science; sustainable development; water quality and public health
Dr. Zhugen Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK
Interests: paper microfluidics sensors; wastewater-based epidemiology; biosensors; water quality; infection diagnosis; public health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is breathtaking progress in the development of field methods for water quality surveying, from portable next generation sequencing devices for on-site characterization of water microbiomes to novel sensors for real-time monitoring of waterborne hazards. These methods facilitate monitoring of water quality in treatment works and remote locations, avoid sample alteration during transportation and storage, and enable more rapid data exploitation for immediate decision making. Miniaturized equipment items enable cutting-edge water quality monitoring in low-resource settings, “where there is no laboratory”. Robust field kits for water quality assessments help citizen scientists participate in environmental research. Rapid and online water quality senors provide enormous water quality data sets with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution at the catchment scale. This rapid technology development brings new scientific challenges in analytical quality control and assurance, big data management, and interpretation for decision making. For this special issue we invite contributions reporting advancements in the state of the art of field deployable methods for water quality surveying: exemplary field studies, method validations, digital applications for field data collection, transmission, management, and sharing, and novel water sensor developments and their applications. We invite reports of excellent quality water quality research which aligns with the special issue motto: Out of the lab, into the field!

Prof. David Werner
Dr. Kishor Acharya
Dr. Zhugen Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Portable devices for water quality testing
  • Mobile water quality laboratories
  • Novel sensors for online water quality monitoring
  • Case studies of on-site and in-situ water quality surveys
  • Intelligent water quality sensing and communications
  • Digital applications to support field data collection, management and sharing
  • Citizen science for water quality
  • Point-of-use water sensors

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 11574 KiB  
Article
Development of a Platform for Monitoring the Levels of Dispersed Oxygen in River Components of a Water Supply Micro Basin Using Programmable Microcontrollers
by Rubens Zenko Sakiyama, Emilio Soitsi Junior Zukeram, Linnyer Beatrys Ruiz and Cid Marcos Gonçalves Andrade
Water 2023, 15(13), 2316; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15132316 - 21 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1001
Abstract
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become widespread. Widely used worldwide, it already penetrates all spheres of life, and its symbiosis with the environment has become increasingly important and necessary. IoT in life sciences has gained much importance because it minimizes the costs [...] Read more.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become widespread. Widely used worldwide, it already penetrates all spheres of life, and its symbiosis with the environment has become increasingly important and necessary. IoT in life sciences has gained much importance because it minimizes the costs associated with field research, shipments, and transportation of the sensors needed for physical and chemical measurements. This study proposes an IoT water monitoring system in real time that allows the measurement of dissolved oxygen levels in water at several monitoring points in a difficult-to-access location, the Pirapo River, in southern Brazil, responsible for supplying water to large urban centers in the region. The proposed method can be used in urban and rural areas for consumption and quality monitoring or extended to a modern water infrastructure that allows water providers and decision makers to supervise and make optimal decisions in difficult times. The experimental results prove that the system has excellent perspectives and can be used practically for environmental monitoring, providing interested parties with experiences acquired during the system implementation process and timely relevant information for safe decision making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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20 pages, 3919 KiB  
Article
In Situ IoT Development and Application for Continuous Water Monitoring in a Lentic Ecosystem in South Brazil
by Emilio Soitsi Junior Zukeram, Lucas Lima Provensi, Milena Veríssimo de Oliveira, Linnyer Beatrys Ruiz, Oswaldo Curty da Motta Lima and Cid Marcos Gonçalves Andrade
Water 2023, 15(13), 2310; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15132310 - 21 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1308
Abstract
The monitoring of water resources through conventional methods, related to a manual process when performing the sample collection, followed by laboratory analysis, presents some difficulties concerning the logistics of the process, such as access to the interior of a lake, in addition to [...] Read more.
The monitoring of water resources through conventional methods, related to a manual process when performing the sample collection, followed by laboratory analysis, presents some difficulties concerning the logistics of the process, such as access to the interior of a lake, in addition to often being based on a small number of samples. The concept of the internet of things (IoT) is used here to collect data through five parametric probes contained in the floating station located inside a lake and inform them in real time continuously. The main objective of this research is to demonstrate the applicability of the IoT concept in the continuous monitoring of water in a lentic environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a tool for this. Upon reaching this objective, the advantages observed in this research confirmed that the IoT paradigm is an essential resource, justifying a natural tendency to establish itself when there is a need to collect data efficiently and continuously. Furthermore, the experimental result proves the IoT concept’s efficiency, agility, and reliability to environmental issues, especially regarding the most significant natural and indispensable resource for the planet, water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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15 pages, 2322 KiB  
Article
Citizen Science for Water Quality Monitoring in the Meki River, Ethiopia: Quality Assurance and Comparison with Conventional Methods
by Wudinesh Zawuga Babiso, Kinfe Kassa Ayano, Alemseged Tamiru Haile, Demissie Dawana Keche, Kishor Acharya and David Werner
Water 2023, 15(2), 238; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15020238 - 05 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2516
Abstract
A lack of water quality information for many water bodies around the world makes it difficult to identify global change and discover early signs of myriad threats to freshwater resources. This problem is widely seen in Ethiopia due to absence of regular monitoring. [...] Read more.
A lack of water quality information for many water bodies around the world makes it difficult to identify global change and discover early signs of myriad threats to freshwater resources. This problem is widely seen in Ethiopia due to absence of regular monitoring. Citizen science has a great potential to fill these gaps in water quality data, but there is concern about the accuracy of data collected by citizen scientists. Moreover, there is a gap to engage citizen scientists in water quality monitoring, and there is still insufficient awareness of how citizen scientists can become part of a collaborative scheme. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of water quality collected by citizen scientists and characterize the water quality of the Meki River with the involvement of citizen scientists. The suitability of the river water for irrigation was evaluated using a combination of citizen science and conventional water quality data collection methods. Water temperature, turbidity, ammonia, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, total alkalinity, total hardness, and pH were analyzed by both citizen scientists and in a conventional laboratory. The citizen scientists’ data, expressed as percent of synthetic standard solution concentrations, indicated good agreement for selected water quality parameters: 123.8 ± 24.7% for PO43−, 115.6 ± 6.3% for NO3−, 105.8 ± 7.4% for pH, and 133.3 ± 23.6% for NH4+. Thus, citizen scientists can monitor and collect water quality data accurately. From the results, the Meki River water can be used for irrigation, but pollution sources should be controlled to reduce further quality deterioration as the population increases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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17 pages, 2402 KiB  
Article
A Mobile Laboratory Enables Fecal Pollution Source Tracking in Catchments Using Onsite qPCR Assays
by Rixia Zan, Kishor Acharya, Adrian Blackburn, Chris G. Kilsby and David Werner
Water 2022, 14(8), 1224; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14081224 - 11 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3975
Abstract
Onsite molecular diagnostics can revolutionize fecal pollution source tracking. We aimed to validate a method for onsite qPCR assays with a miniature speaker-sized Q qPCR instrument and other portable equipment items. We showed that marker genes for total bacteria (16S) and E. coli [...] Read more.
Onsite molecular diagnostics can revolutionize fecal pollution source tracking. We aimed to validate a method for onsite qPCR assays with a miniature speaker-sized Q qPCR instrument and other portable equipment items. We showed that marker genes for total bacteria (16S) and E. coli (rodA) in 100 mL of river water measured with this method agreed within ±0.3 log10 units with results obtained when using conventional laboratory equipment items. We then deployed the portable method in a mobile laboratory (‘lab in a van’) and quantified HF183 marker genes for human host associated Bacteroides in river water within 3 h of sampling. We also used the mobile laboratory to investigate urban river water and effluents from two storm drains and a retention pond and collected comprehensive microbial and physicochemical water quality data. We found significantly higher HF183 gene levels in the older storm drain compared to the river water (6.03 ± 0.04 vs. 4.23 ± 0.03 log10 gene copies per 100 mL), and a principal component analysis revealed that storm drain effluent retention in a pond beneficially altered water characteristics, making them more like those of the receiving river. In conclusion, onsite qPCR assays can be performed with portable equipment items to quickly test water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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10 pages, 2405 KiB  
Article
Performance of a Handheld Chlorophyll-a Fluorometer: Potential Use for Rapid Algae Monitoring
by Hamdhani Hamdhani, Drew E. Eppehimer, David Walker and Michael T. Bogan
Water 2021, 13(10), 1409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w13101409 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3735
Abstract
Chlorophyll-a measurements are an important factor in the water quality monitoring of surface waters, especially for determining the trophic status and ecosystem management. However, a collection of field samples for extractive analysis in a laboratory may not fully represent the field conditions. [...] Read more.
Chlorophyll-a measurements are an important factor in the water quality monitoring of surface waters, especially for determining the trophic status and ecosystem management. However, a collection of field samples for extractive analysis in a laboratory may not fully represent the field conditions. Handheld fluorometers that can measure chlorophyll-a in situ are available, but their performance in waters with a variety of potential light-interfering substances has not yet been tested. We tested a handheld fluorometer for sensitivity to ambient light and turbidity and compared these findings with EPA Method 445.0 using water samples obtained from two urban lakes in Tucson, Arizona, USA. Our results suggested that the probe was not sensitive to ambient light and performed well at low chlorophyll-a concentrations (<25 µg/L) across a range of turbidity levels (50–70 NTU). However, the performance was lower when the chlorophyll-a concentrations were >25 µg/L and turbidity levels were <50 NTU. To account for this discrepancy, we developed a calibration equation to use for this handheld fluorometer when field monitoring for potential harmful algal blooms in water bodies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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Review

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21 pages, 1701 KiB  
Review
MinION Nanopore Sequencing Accelerates Progress towards Ubiquitous Genetics in Water Research
by David Werner, Kishor Acharya, Adrian Blackburn, Rixia Zan, Jidapa Plaimart, Ben Allen, Shaaban Mrisho Mgana, Shadrack Mwita Sabai, Franella Francos Halla, Said Maneno Massawa, Alemseged Tamiru Haile, Andualem Mekonnen Hiruy, Jemila Mohammed, Soydoa Vinitnantharat, Thunchanok Thongsamer, Kalyan Pantha, Cesar Rossas Mota Filho and Bruna Coelho Lopes
Water 2022, 14(16), 2491; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14162491 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8373
Abstract
In 2014, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) introduced an affordable and portable sequencer called MinION. We reviewed emerging applications in water research and assessed progress made with this platform towards ubiquitous genetics. With >99% savings in upfront costs as compared to conventional platforms, the [...] Read more.
In 2014, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) introduced an affordable and portable sequencer called MinION. We reviewed emerging applications in water research and assessed progress made with this platform towards ubiquitous genetics. With >99% savings in upfront costs as compared to conventional platforms, the MinION put sequencing capacity into the hands of many researchers and enabled novel applications with diverse remits, including in countries without universal access to safe water and sanitation. However, to realize the MinION’s fabled portability, all the auxiliary equipment items for biomass concentration, genetic material extraction, cleanup, quantification, and sequencing library preparation also need to be lightweight and affordable. Only a few studies demonstrated fully portable workflows by using the MinION onboard a diving vessel, an oceanographic research ship, and at sewage treatment works. Lower nanopore sequencing read accuracy as compared to alternative platforms currently hinders MinION applications beyond research, and inclusion of positive and negative controls should become standard practice. ONT’s EPI2ME platform is a major step towards user-friendly bioinformatics. However, no consensus has yet emerged regarding the most appropriate bioinformatic pipeline, which hinders intercomparison of study results. Processing, storing, and interpreting large data sets remains a major challenge for ubiquitous genetics and democratizing sequencing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Field Methods for Water Quality Surveying)
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