Tuesday, June 24, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Water

New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, and predict their effects

April 2, 2024
in Water
A A

The source of pollutants in rivers and freshwater lakes can now be identified using a comprehensive new water quality analysis, according to scientists at the University of Cambridge and Trent University, Canada.

Microparticles from car tyres, pesticides from farmers’ fields, and toxins from harmful algal blooms are just some of the organic chemicals that can be detected using the new approach, which also indicates the impact these chemicals are likely to have in a particular river or lake.

Importantly, the approach can also point to the origin of specific organic matter dissolved in the water, because it has a distinct composition depending on its source.

It uses a technique called high-resolution mass spectrometry to analyse water samples: within an hour this provides a comprehensive overview of all the organic molecules present.

Water quality is strongly determined by the diversity of organic matter dissolved in it – termed ‘chemodiversity.’ The scientists say that the thousands of different dissolved organic compounds can keep freshwater ecosystems healthy, or contribute to their decline, depending on the mixture present.

The paper was published on 28 March in the journal Science.

“Traditional approaches to monitoring water quality involve taking lots of different measurements with many devices, which takes a lot of time. Our technique is a very simple way to get a comprehensive overview of what’s going on in a particular river or lake,” said Jérémy Fonvielle, a researcher in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Biochemistry and co-author of the paper.

To understand what drives this chemodiversity, the team reviewed studies of dissolved organic matter in freshwater samples from rivers and lakes across Europe and northern Canada.

For example, water analysis of Lake Erie in Canada revealed high levels of phosphorus pollution. By looking at the composition of individual molecules in the water sample, researchers identified agricultural activities as the source of this pollution, rather than wastewater effluent.

“Whereas before, we could measure the amount of organic nitrogen or phosphorus pollution in a river, we couldn’t really identify where pollution was coming from. With our new approach we can use the unique molecular fingerprint of different sources of pollution in freshwater to identify their source,” said Dr Andrew Tanentzap at Trent University School of the Environment, co-author of the report.

Traditional approaches involve separately measuring many indicators of ecosystem health, such as the level of organic nutrients or particular pollutants like nitrogen. These can indicate the condition of the water, but not why this state has arisen.

Dissolved organic matter is one of the most complex mixtures on Earth. It consists of thousands of individual molecules, each with their own unique properties. This matter influences many processes in rivers and lakes, including nutrient cycling, carbon storage, light absorption, and food web interactions – which together determine ecosystem function.

Sources of dissolved organic matter in freshwater include urban runoff, agricultural runoff, aerosols and wildfires.

“It’s possible to monitor the health of freshwater through the diversity of compounds that are present. Our approach can, and is, being rolled out across the UK,” said Tanentzap.

Fonvielle will now apply this technique to analysing water samples from farmland drainage ditches in the Fens, as part of a project run by the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Landscape Regeneration to understand freshwater health in this agricultural landscape.

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Water

Conductivity level probes prioritise robustness and ease of use

June 19, 2025
Water

Flow monitoring off-grid in Cornwall

June 17, 2025
Water

Ofwat Innovation Fund highlights nature’s role in solving water sector challenges

June 17, 2025
Water

WWTW in Scotland wins award from the Royal Academy of Engineering

June 13, 2025
Water

Profiling the growing use of AI in public-sector WWTPs

June 11, 2025
Water

Blockage-detecting robot ready to patrol sewers, says group behind it

June 11, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Industrialised nations frontrunners and stragglers profiled in the Global Waste Index 2025

June 17, 2025

Experts to help tackle air pollution from domestic solid fuel burning in Greater Manchester

February 9, 2024

Don't miss it

News

Leeds EfW facility will supply around 390 GWh per year of homegrown power to the region

June 24, 2025
Fossil Fuels

As GOP Tries to Pass Tax Bill, Senate Includes Billions in Benefits for Oil Industry

June 23, 2025
Energy

Figuring Out a Battery Storage System to Fit New York’s Wind and Solar Ambitions Has Not Been Easy

June 23, 2025
Activism

In California, a Push to Decommission Gas Lines in Low-Income Neighborhoods Moves Forward

June 22, 2025
Activism

The Ecofeminist Movement Is Surging. Here’s What Its Advocates Want

June 21, 2025
Fossil Fuels

Scientists’ Letter Urges Brazil’s President Lula to Reject New Amazon and Offshore Drilling

June 21, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

Leeds EfW facility will supply around 390 GWh per year of homegrown power to the region

June 24, 2025

As GOP Tries to Pass Tax Bill, Senate Includes Billions in Benefits for Oil Industry

June 23, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.