Performance Evaluation of Inverted Umbrella Type Rainwater Harvesting System at Raichur Campus

The Inverted Umbrella-Type Rainwater Harvesting System is an innovative approach to collecting and storing rainwater efficiently. It is designed in the shape of an inverted umbrella, with a lightweight and durable frame that can be installed on rooftops, open fields, and urban landscapes. This unique design was used with a aim to maximizes rainwater collection efficiency, even during light showers, while occupying minimal space. The system's adaptability to various geographic and climatic conditions makes it a versatile solution for addressing water scarcity. It has potential applications in residential, commercial, and industrial settings, contributing to more responsible water resource management. Rainfall data was collected from meteorological station at Raichur and potential for rainwater harvesting was calculated. Developed rainwater harvesting system was made out of Mild Steel material and transparent white polyethylene sheet was used as cladding material.. The Inverted Umbrella-Type Rainwater Harvesting System represents a promising step toward more responsible water resource management. The Inverted Umbrella-Type Rainwater Harvesting System of size 3m*3m was selected in the study to analyze rain water harvesting efficiency with components like canopy, central conveying pipe, storage tank, filteration mechanism etc. Once the rain falls over the canopy it was diverted to a central connecting pipe and then stored in a storage tank. A co-efficient of performance for kharif season during the year 2022 was developed to estimate the efficiency of the system. Annually 5700 litres of water can be harvested from a single unit of inverted umbrella type rainwater harvesting system. Anticipated and actual water yield during kharif season was found as 4627.56 and 4480.5 L respectively with overall efficiency as 97%. Key features of this system include high collection efficiency, a small footprint, environmental sustainability, ease of maintenance, and water quality assurance. It reduces reliance on traditional water sources, helping conserve water and mitigate environmental impacts

Variações da qualidade da água de chuva e de açudes armazenada em cisternas em municípios do semiárido do estado da Paraíba / Variations in the quality of rainwater and fluvial reservoirs stored in cisterns in municipalities of the semiarid region of Paraíba State

RESUMO Neste trabalho são apresentadas a evolução temporal de parâmetros de qualidade e a análise de conformidade da água armazenada em cisternas nos municípios de Barra de Santana, Boqueirão e Caturité, no semiárido do estado da Paraíba. A água armazenada nas cisternas estudadas é oriunda da chuva e dos açudes Epitácio Pessoa, na região do Cariri, e Araçagi, na região do Brejo. Foram analisados os valores dos parâmetros pH, turbidez, condutividade elétrica, sólidos totais dissolvidos, alcalinidade total, cor aparente, dureza total, cloretos, amônia, sulfato, nitrato, coliformes totais, coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli e bactérias heterotróficas, com frequência mensal nos meses de fevereiro a outubro de 2017, em plena seca de 2011/2017. Foram observadas variações relevantes nos parâmetros da água oriunda dos açudes, principalmente do açude Epitácio Pessoa, em decorrência do aporte de água do rio São Francisco por meio do Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco com as Bacias do Nordeste Setentrional (PISF). Os resultados indicaram que não houve variações consideráveis nos parâmetros da água de chuva armazenada nas cisternas. Diferentemente das cisternas com águas de açudes, houve conformidade em relação à Portaria nº 5/2017 do Ministério da Saúde para todos os parâmetros físicos e químicos analisados nas cisternas com água de chuva.

Abstract In this work, the temporal evolution of quality parameters and the analysis of the conformity of water stored in cisterns in the municipalities of Barra de Santana, Boqueirão, and Caturité in the semi-arid state of Paraíba are presented. The water stored in the cisterns studied comes from rain and from Epitácio Pessoa fluvial reservoirs in the region of Cariri and Araçagi in the region of Brejo. The parameters analyzed were: pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, apparent color, total hardness, chlorides, ammonia, sulfate, nitrate, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli, and heterotrophic bacteria, with monthly frequency in the months of February to October 2017, in the midst of the 2011/2017 drought. Relevant variations were observed in the parameters of the water coming from fluvial reservoirs, mainly from Epitácio Pessoa due to the water supply of the São Francisco river through the São Francisco River Integration Project (Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco - PISF). The results indicated that there were no significant changes in rainwater storage parameters in cisterns. Unlike cisterns with water from fluvial reservoirs, there was compliance in relation to Ordinance No. 5/2017 of the Ministry of Health for all the physical and chemical parameters analyzed in cisterns with rainwater.

Physiological indices and production of sesame under salt stress and nitrate/ammonium proportions / Índices fisiológicos e produção do gergelim sob estresse salino e proporções de nitrato e amônio

In semi-arid regions, the occurrence of water with high concentration of salts is common, which compromises the growth and consequently the production of crops. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the gas exchanges and production of sesame, cv. CNPA G3, irrigated with saline water and fertilized with different proportions of nitrate and ammonium, in an experiment conducted using lysimeters in a greenhouse in the municipality of Campina Grande-PB, Brazil. The treatments were arranged in randomized blocks and analyzed in a 5 x 5 factorial scheme, with three replicates, relative to five levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water ­ ECw (0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4 and 3.0 dS m-1) and five proportions of nitrate/ammonium - NO3 -/NH4 + (200/0, 150/50, 100/100, 50/150 and 0/200 mg of N kg-1 of soil). Irrigation with water of salinity level higher than 0.6 dS m-1 promoted negative effect on gas exchanges and production components of the sesame cv. CNPA G3. Fertilization with N exclusively in the form of NH4 + promoted increment in CO2 concentration and reduction in its assimilation rate and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency. The highest rate of CO2 assimilation, transpiration and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency were obtained when the plants were irrigated with water of 0.6 dS m-1 and fertilization with 200/0 of NO3 -/NH4 +. Increasing levels of water salinity promoted a decrease in the total seed mass, regardless of the proportion of NO3 -/NH4 +. The sesame cv. CNPA G3 is classified as sensitive to salt stress from the electrical conductivity of water of 0.6 dS m-1.

Nas regiões semiáridas é comum a ocorrência de águas com elevada concentração de sais que comprometem o crescimento e consequentemente a produção das culturas. Deste modo, objetivou-se avaliar as trocas gasosas e a produção do gergelim cv. CNPA G3 irrigado com águas salinas e adubado com diferentes proporções de nitrato e amônio em um ensaio conduzido em lisímetros dispostos em casa de vegetação no município de Campina Grande, PB. Os tratamentos foram distribuídos em blocos ao acaso e analisados em esquema fatorial 5 x 5, com três repetições, relativos a cinco níveis de condutividade elétrica da água de irrigação ­ CEa (0,6; 1,2; 1,8; 2,4 e 3,0 dS m-1) e cinco proporções de nitrato e amônio - NO3 -/NH4 + (200/0; 150/50; 100/100; 50/150 e 0/200 mg de N kg-1 de solo). A irrigação com água de salinidade superior a 0,6 dS m-1 promoveu efeito negativo sobre as trocas gasosas e os componentes de produção do gergelim cv CNPA G3. A adubação com N exclusivamente na forma de NH4 + proporcionou incremento na concentração de CO2 e redução na taxa de assimilação de CO2, eficiência instantânea de carboxilação. A maior taxa de assimilação de CO2, transpiração e eficiência instantânea de carboxilação foram obtidas quando as plantas foram irrigadas com água de 0,6 dS m-1 e adubação com 200/0 de NO3 -/ NH4 +. Níveis crescentes de salinidade da água promoveram diminuição na massa total de sementes, independente da proporção de NO3 - e NH4 +. O gergelim cv. CNPA G3 foi classificado como sensível ao estresse salino, a partir da condutividade elétrica da água de 0,6 dS m-1.

Soil factors effects on life history attributes of Leiothrix spiralis and Leiothrix vivipara (Eriocaulaceae) on rupestrian grasslands in Southeastern Brazil / Efeitos de fatores do solo nos atributos de história de vida de Leiothrix spiralis e Leiothrix vivipara (Eriocaulaceae) nos campos rupestres no Sudeste do Brasil.

In this study, we hypothesized that the life history traits of Leiothrix spiralis and L. vivipara would be linked to soil factors of the rupestrian grasslands and that rosette size would be influenced by soil moisture. Soil analyses were performed from five populations of L. spiralis and four populations of L. vivipara. In each area, three replicates were employed in 19 areas of occurrence of Leiothrix species, and we quantified the life history attributes. The microhabitats of these species show low favorability regarding to soil factors. During the dry season, their rosettes decreased in diameter due the loss of its most outlying leaves. The absence of seedlings indicated the low fecundity of both species. However, both species showed rapid population growth by pseudovivipary. Both L. spiralis and L. vivipara exhibit a kind of parental care that was quantified by the presence of connections between parental-rosettes and ramets. The findings of the present study show that the life history traits are linked to soil factors.

Neste estudo, testamos a hipótese de que os traços da história de vida de Leiothrix spiralis e L.vivipara estariam ligados a fatores do solo dos campos rupestres, e que o tamanho de roseta seria influenciado pela umidade do solo. As análises de solo foram realizadas a partir de cinco populações de L. spiralis e quatro populações de L. vivipara. Em cada área, três repetições foram empregadas em 19 áreas de ocorrência das espécies de Leiothrix, e quantificamos os atributos de história de vida. Os microhabitats destas espécies apresentam baixa “favorabilidade” em relação aos fatores de solo. Durante a estação seca, as rosetas diminuíram de diâmetro devido à perda de suas folhas mais periféricas. A ausência de plântulas indicou a baixa fecundidade de ambas as espécies. No entanto, ambas as espécies apresentaram crescimento rápido da população por pseudoviviparidade. Tanto L. spiralis quanto L. vivipara exibem um tipo de cuidado parental que foi quantificada pela presença de conexões entre rosetas parentais e rametes. Os resultados do presente estudo mostram que os traços da história de vida estão ligados aos fatores do solo.

Handwashing and microbial contamination on the palms of preschool children in Kathmandu, Nepal / 国際保健医療

<b>Objectives</b><BR>  More than half of those living in developing countries do not have piped water in their homes. Although handwashing is effective for the elimination of microbes from the surface of the palms, thereby preventing the transmission of infectious diseases, the effect of using poor-quality water for handwashing is unclear. This study measured the water quality and the bacteria count on the hands of preschool children in Kathmandu, Nepal.<BR><b>Methods</b><BR>  Sixty-two children were asked to follow their normal handwashing technique, and the counts of 3 microbial bacteria—viable bacteria, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, and total coliforms—were measured in the water source and on the children’s palms. Microbial samples from the children’s palms were collected before and after handwashing. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the number of bacteria on the palms before and after handwashing.<BR><b>Results</b><BR>  The children washed their hands with a low volume of stored water without soap. Viable bacteria, <i>E. coli</i>, and total coliforms were detected in the water source. The number of viable bacteria and total coliforms on the palms increased after handwashing. In contrast, the numbers of <i>E. coli </i>colonies did not change after handwashing.<BR><b>Conclusion</b><BR>  Handwashing with poor quality of water did not have effect on removal of bacteria from hands. In areas with limited water sources, intervention for handwashing requires strategies for not only promoting hygiene behaviors also water storage management.