Abstract: Groundwater abstracted from aquifers in the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK and monitored over the period 2015–2022, shows evidence of variable but commonly high concentrations of dissolved CH4. Sampled groundwater from the Jurassic organic-rich Kimmeridge Clay Formation (boreholes up to 180 m depth) has concentrations up to 57 mg/L, and concentrations up to 59 mg/L are found in groundwater from underlying confined Corallian Group limestone (borehole depths 50–227 m). The high concentrations are mainly from boreholes in the central parts of the vale. Small concentrations of ethane (C2H6, up to 800 μg/L) have been found in the Kimmeridge Clay and confined Corallian groundwaters, and of propane (C3H8, up to 160 μg/L) in deeper boreholes (110–180 m) from these formations. The concentrations are typically higher in groundwater from the deeper boreholes and vary with hydrostatic pressure, reflecting the pressure control on CH4 solubility. The occurrences contrast with groundwater from shallow Quaternary superficial deposits which have low CH4 concentrations (up to 0.39 mg/L), and with the unconfined and semi-confined sections of the Corallian aquifer (up to 0.7 mg/L) around the margins of the vale. Groundwater from the Quaternary, Kimmeridge Clay formations and to a small extent the confined Corallian aquifer, supports local private-water supplies, that from the peripheral unconfined sections of Corallian also supports public supply for towns and villages across the region. Dissolved methane/ethane (C1/C2) ratios and stable-isotopic compositions (δ13C-CH4, δ2H-CH4 and δ13C-CO2) suggest that the high-CH4 groundwater from both the Kimmeridge Clay and confined Corallian formations derives overwhelmingly from biogenic reactions, the methanogenesis pathway by CO2 reduction. A small minority of groundwater samples shows a more enriched δ13C-CH4 composition (−50 to −44 ‰) which has been interpreted as due to anaerobic or aerobic methylotrophic oxidation in situ or post-sampling oxidation, rather than derivation by a thermogenic route. Few of the existing groundwater sites are proximal to abandoned or disused conventional hydrocarbon wells that exist in the region, and little evidence has been found for an influence on groundwater dissolved gases from these sites. The Vale of Pickering has also been under recent consideration for development of an unconventional hydrocarbon (shale-gas) resource. In this context, the monitoring of dissolved gases has been an important step in establishing the high-CH4 baseline of groundwaters from Jurassic deposits in the region and in apportioning their sources and mechanisms of genesis.

Abstract: Groundwater is usually utilized as a drinking water asset everywhere. Therefore, groundwater defilement by poisonous radioactive metals such as uranium (VI) is a major concern due to the increase in nuclear power plants as well as their by-products which are released into the watercourses. Waste Uranium (VI) can be regarded as a by-product of the enrichment method used to produce atomic energy, and the hazard associated with this is due to the uranium radioactivity causing toxicity. To manage these confronts, there are so many techniques that have been introduced but among those adsorptions is recognized as a straightforward, successful, and monetary innovation, which has gotten major interest nowadays, despite specific drawbacks regarding operational as well as functional applications. This review summarizes the various adsorbents such as Bio-adsorbent/green materials, metal oxide-based adsorbent, polymer based adsorbent, graphene oxide based adsorbent, and magnetic nanomaterials and discuss their synthesis methods. Furthermore, this paper emphasis on adsorption process by various adsorbents or modified forms under different physicochemical conditions. In addition to this adsorption mechanism of uranium (VI) onto different adsorbent is studied in this article. Finally, from the literature reviewed conclusion have been drawn and also proposed few future research suggestions.

Abstract: Groundwater resources around the world required periodic monitoring in order to ensure the safe and sustainable utilization for humans by keeping the good status of water quality. However, this could be a daunting task for developing countries due to the insufficient data in spatiotemporal resolution. Therefore, this research work aimed to assess groundwater quality in terms of drinking and irrigation purposes at the adjacent part of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) in Bangladesh. For the purposes of achieving the aim of this study, nine groundwater samples were collected seasonally (dry and wet season) and seventeen hydro-geochemical indicators were analyzed, including Temperature (Temp.), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), total organic carbon (TOC), bicarbonate (HCO3−), chloride (Cl−), phosphate (PO43−), sulfate (SO42−), nitrite (NO2−), nitrate (NO3−), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+). The present study utilized the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment water quality index (CCME-WQI) model to assess water quality for drinking purposes. In addition, nine indices including EC, TDS, TH, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), percent sodium (Na%), permeability index (PI), Kelley’s ratio (KR), magnesium hazard ratio (MHR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), and Residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were used in this research for assessing the water quality for irrigation purposes. The computed mean CCME-WQI score found higher during the dry season (ranges 48 to 74) than the wet season (ranges 40 to 65). Moreover, CCME-WQI model ranked groundwater quality between the “poor” and “marginal” categories during the wet season implying unsuitable water for human consumption. Like CCME-WQI model, majority of the irrigation index also demonstrated suitable water for crop cultivation during dry season. The findings of this research indicate that it requires additional care to improve the monitoring programme for protecting groundwater quality in the RNPP area. Insightful information from this study might be useful as baseline for national strategic planners in order to protect groundwater resources during the any emergencies associated with RNPP.

Abstract: Guideline values are prescribed for drinking water to ensure long term protection of the public against anticipated potential adverse effects. There is a great public and regulatory agencies interest in the guideline values of uranium due to its complex behavior in natural aquatic system and divergent guideline values across the countries. Wide variability in guideline values of uranium in drinking water may be attributed to toxicity reference point, variation in threshold values, uncertainty within intraspecies and interspecies, resource availability, socio-economic condition, variation in ingestion rate, etc. Although guideline values vary to a great extent, reasonable scientific basis and technical judgments are essential before it could be implemented. Globally guideline values are derived considering its radiological or chemical toxicity. Minimal or no adverse effect criterions are normally chosen as the basis for deriving the guideline values of uranium. In India, the drinking water limit of 60 µg/L has been estimated on the premise of its radiological concern. A guideline concentration of 2 µg/L is recommended in Japan while 1700 µg/L in Russia. The relative merit of different experimental assumption, scientific approach and its methodology adopted for derivation of guideline value of uranium in drinking water in India and other countries is discussed in the paper.

Abstract: Humans have relied on agriculture to feed their communities for thousands of years. Irrigation is practiced in many different forms over the years in countries all over the world. Although modern irrigation systems have been developed, and are in use in many countries, ancient irrigation systems (AISs) have also played a major role in sustaining food production, especially in smallholder farming in least developed and developing countries. The editorial team of Agricultural Systems put out a call for a special issue on restoring AISs for sustainable agro-ecosystems development to capture ancient marvels of traditional irrigation technology across the world. The objectives of this special issue were to: (i) understand and analyse the hydrological and socio-economic networks anchored by AISs; (ii) explain the nature and sustainability of management of these systems in relation to local agro-ecosystems; (iii) analyse the implications of the AISs for land, soil and water quality, and agro-ecosystem services; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analysis of AISs, including bio-physical and bio-economic modelling of these systems; and (v) assess the feasibility of alternative technological, institutional and management strategies to enhance the productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of the systems. The overall goal of the special issue was to develop a useful repository for this information as well as to use the journal’s international reach to share this information with the agricultural systems research community and journal readership. This paper provides reflections of papers published in the special issue. The special issue resulted in twelve high quality original research articles and one review article from Asia, Africa and Europe. The findings from various papers revealed that the AISs have been degraded due to human interventions or the anthropogenic activities across the world. Various papers emphasized that as a corrective measure, there is a need for developing and implementing rehabilitation projects in these systems. Authors identified that appropriate policy interventions by the relevant authorities would be a major step towards such rehabilitation process. However, resetting the ecosystem structure of the AISs strictly towards their historical manifestation is neither required nor feasible in the present context as it would contradict the expectations of stakeholders from these systems. The knowledge generated through the special issue provides evidence-based information on various aspects of AISs. It helps aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making and for prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs around the world.