A plethora of compounds can reach our drinking water and possibly affect human health. Still, mostly notorious pollutants like pesticides and disinfection by-products are monitored and regulated. With the increasing availability of high-resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS), non-targeted analyses of environmental samples have become possible. Pilot studies demonstrating the applicability of this approach in the drinking water research field were published. We would like to highlight these studies and appeal to researchers focused on water quality to better exploit the potential of HRMS instruments and broaden the scale of studied pollutants. In addition, the data and experience should be further shared, and the quality standard for the analytical procedures should be set. With advanced knowledge of compounds reaching the drinking water, potential threats would be revealed, and the comprehensive results on water pollution might also act as impulses for associated research branches, including toxicity assessment or development of water treatment technologies, and/or for policy-making.

• Klíčová slova
• Drinking water contaminants, High-resolution mass spectrometry, Regulated compounds, Water quality,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza   MeSH
• čištění vody * MeSH
• hmotnostní spektrometrie metody   MeSH
• kvalita vody MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pitná voda * analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * MeSH
• pitná voda * MeSH

This epidemiological study of ecological type deals with the analysis of relationship between drinking water hardness and health status of inhabitants of the Slovak Republic. This relationship was investigated in two groups of more than 50,000 inhabitants living in 53 different municipalities. The first group was supplied with drinking water with low hardness, and the second group was supplied with drinking water with increased hardness. The health status of the population of both groups was monitored by means of health indicators, which represented 15-year average values, for 1994-2008. We investigated four major causes of death, namely cardiovascular, oncological, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract mortality, and evaluated the average life expectancy. The health status of inhabitants supplied with drinking water with increased hardness was significantly better than the health status of people supplied with drinking water with low hardness. For example, the relative mortality for cardiovascular diseases, oncological diseases, digestive tract diseases and respiratory diseases was 56%, 62%, 128% and 121% higher in the population supplied with soft drinking water compared to the population supplied with hard water, respectively. In addition, life expectancy was more than 4.5 years higher in the population supplied with hard drinking water. Our observation confirms the findings of previous studies on relationship between the water hardness and human health.

• Klíčová slova
• Cardiovascular diseases, Drinking water, Gastrointestinal diseases, Hardness, Oncological diseases, Respiratory diseases,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pitná voda analýza   MeSH
• tvrdost MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• zásobování vodou normy   MeSH
• zdravotní stav * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• pitná voda MeSH

The well-known "virtual water hypothesis" states that water-deficient regions/countries could alleviate water stress through importing water-intensive products from water-abundant regions/countries. Although observed trading patterns do often not support this hypothesis, there is a lack of research to explore the reasons why trade patterns often do not support the intuitive virtual water hypothesis. To fill this important gap, we introduce comparative advantage theory in a quantitative way to track the driving forces of net virtual water export based on the spatial-temporal distribution of resource productivity and opportunity costs of land, labor and water use in agricultural and non-agricultural sectors across Chinese provinces between 1995 and 2015. The results show that regional differences in land productivity between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors are the main forces determining the pattern of virtual water flows across major regions, and other resources such as labor and water have played only a limited role. Our study shows that the current market forces reflect the scarcity of land resources, but does not reflect the water scarcity in the context of interregional trade in China. Our findings suggest that the ongoing efforts to increase land productivity of agriculture in the southern regions would contribute to reducing water scarcity in the North and Northeast China Plain.

• Klíčová slova
• Comparative advantage, Opportunity cost, Productivity, Virtual water,
• MeSH
• voda * MeSH
• vodní zdroje MeSH
• zachování přírodních zdrojů MeSH
• zásobování vodou * MeSH
• zemědělství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Čína MeSH
• Názvy látek
• voda * MeSH

Industrial parks provide opportunities for Process Integration among different enterprises. Inter-Plant Water Network Integration is an effective strategy for water conservation. However, increased interplant linkages can make the entire system vulnerable to cascading failures in case of loss of water flow in some plants. The potential indirect impact of water shortages on such integrated systems may not be evident without the use of appropriate models. This work defines inoperability as the fractional loss of water flow relative to normal operations. A comparison between the applicability of demand-driven versus supply-driven Inoperability Input-output Model (IIM) is conducted. Then, a Vulnerability Assessment Framework which integrates vulnerability indicators into the Dynamic Input-Output Model (DIIM) is developed to analyse failure propagation in water networks in an industrial park. The DIIM is then applied to simulate the cascading effects of disturbances. From a time perspective, the vulnerabilities of the industrial parks With Integrated Optimal Water Network (WWN) and Without Integrated Optimal Water Network (WOWN) are assessed considering robustness, adaptability, and recoverability as the indicators. The results indicate that supply-driven IIM is more suitable for cascading failure analysis of water networks. The average inoperability at 16% from supply-driven IIM is higher than that from demand-driven IIM. In the freshwater disturbance scenario, the dependence of the plant on freshwater is proportional to the rate of inoperability change, the time to reach a new equilibrium. In this study, the robustness of WWN is about fivefold that of WOWN, but the recovery rate is only one-sixth of the latter. This work can help identify system vulnerabilities and provide a scientific insight for the development of park-wide water management strategies.

• Klíčová slova
• Cascade effect, Dynamic inoperability input-output model, Sustainability management, Vulnerability, Water network,
• MeSH
• průmysl * MeSH
• voda * MeSH
• zásobování vodou MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• voda * MeSH

Scientific bloodstain pattern analysis was appeared at the end of the 19th century in Kraków. Nowadays, bloodstain pattern analysis is the forensic science involving analysis of blood traces on the crime scene. One topic is an estimation of the point of origin of given blood spatter. The processes behind the formation of the blood spatter are quite complicated, some simplifications are necessary. For example, the true trajectory of the blood drop is rather the ballistic curve than the line, though the line is often used as a sufficient model of the trajectory. Next, the blood is a non-Newtonian complex fluid, it differs from common fluids like water. Moreover, qualities of the surface are also involved in the formation of the final spatter. Some of these properties of blood must be neglected in order to make the modeling of the formation of the spatter possible. The crucial question is how to determine the angle of impact of the blood drop. The widely used method is the ellipse fitting method which is based on the assumption that the blood drop is ball-shaped and the spatter is chiefly the ellipse-shaped imprint of the falling drop. Other methods are using rather in experiments than in practice. Unfortunately, all these simplifications lead to the increasing uncertainty and, therefore, the point of origin is rather estimated than determined. Selection of an appropriate model of the behavior of the blood drop and estimation of uncertainty of obtained results should be based on related knowledge close to the physics of blood. Keywords: bloodstain pattern analysis - biomechanics.

• Klíčová slova
• bloodstain pattern analysis - biomechanics,
• MeSH
• krevní skvrny * MeSH
• nejistota MeSH
• soudní lékařství MeSH
• soudní vědy MeSH
• voda * MeSH
• zločin MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• voda * MeSH

A fully automated procedure based on Sequential Injection Analysis (SIA) methodology for simultaneous monitoring of nitrate and nitrite in surface water samples is described. Nitrite was determined directly using the Griess diazo-coupling reaction and the formed azo dye was measured at 540 nm in the flow cell of the fibre-optic spectrophotometer. Nitrate zone was passed through a reducing mini-column containing copperised-cadmium. After the reduction of nitrate into nitrite the sample was aspirated by flow reversal to the holding coil, treated with the reagent and finally passed through the flow cell. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.05-1.00 mg N l(-1) of nitrite and 0.50-50.00 mg N l(-1) of nitrate; correlation coefficients were 0.9993 and 0.9988 for nitrite and nitrate, respectively. Detection limits were 0.015 and 0.10 mg N l(-1) for nitrite and nitrate, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values (n = 3) were 1.10% and 1.32% for nitrite and nitrate, respectively. The total time of one measuring cycle was 250 s, thus the sample throughput was about 14 h(-1). Nitrate and nitrite were determined in the real samples of surface water, and the results have been compared with those obtained by two other flow methods; flow injection analysis based on the same reactions and isotachophoretic determination used in a routine environmental control laboratory.

• MeSH
• automatizace MeSH
• dusičnany analýza   MeSH
• dusitany analýza   MeSH
• kalibrace MeSH
• látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• pohyb vody MeSH
• spektrofotometrie metody   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dusičnany MeSH
• dusitany MeSH
• látky znečišťující vodu MeSH

Non-target analysis (NTA) employing high-resolution mass spectrometry is a commonly applied approach for the detection of novel chemicals of emerging concern in complex environmental samples. NTA typically results in large and information-rich datasets that require computer aided (ideally automated) strategies for their processing and interpretation. Such strategies do however raise the challenge of reproducibility between and within different processing workflows. An effective strategy to mitigate such problems is the implementation of inter-laboratory studies (ILS) with the aim to evaluate different workflows and agree on harmonized/standardized quality control procedures. Here we present the data generated during such an ILS. This study was organized through the Norman Network and included 21 participants from 11 countries. A set of samples based on the passive sampling of drinking water pre and post treatment was shipped to all the participating laboratories for analysis, using one pre-defined method and one locally (i.e. in-house) developed method. The data generated represents a valuable resource (i.e. benchmark) for future developments of algorithms and workflows for NTA experiments.

• MeSH
• algoritmy MeSH
• hmotnostní spektrometrie * MeSH
• laboratoře MeSH
• pitná voda analýza   MeSH
• průběh práce MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• dataset MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• pitná voda MeSH

An automated flow analysis-solid phase extraction (FA-SPE) system and methodology of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis were developed for the determination of selected antiviral drugs (acyclovir, amantadine, rimantadine, and oseltamivir) in water samples. The proposed FA-SPE approach enables the integration of various extraction stages and elimination of the sample evaporation step and offers individual customisation of SPE parameters, inter alia sample, and eluate flow rate and volume. Using the developed FA-SPE procedure, e.g. a 100-fold preconcentration of the target analytes in 1 h was achieved. A method for chromatographic analysis was also developed to determine the selected antiviral drugs in combination with the use of the FA-SPE system. The developed FA-SPE UHPLC-MS/MS method was validated including the determination of linearity of analytical graphs, limits of detection (5.5-99.9 pg mL-1) and quantification (18.3-329.8 pg mL-1), intra-day (1.8-8.3%) and inter-day (3.0-9.2%) precision, recovery (95.6-105.3%), and matrix effects (- 12.9 to 13.2%). The proposed method was successfully applied to analyse tap, drinking, and river water samples, revealing the presence of amantadine at a concentration of 40.1 pg mL-1 in one sample. The environmental impact of the developed FA-SPE sample preparation procedure was also assessed using the AGREEprep metric tool and compared with five other literature methods, achieving the most sustainable outcome.

• Klíčová slova
• Antiviral drugs, Emerging contaminants, Flow analysis, Solid phase extraction, UHPLC-MS/MS, Water analysis,
• MeSH
• antivirové látky * analýza   MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza   MeSH
• extrakce na pevné fázi * MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie * metody   MeSH
• voda chemie   MeSH
• vysokoúčinná kapalinová chromatografie MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antivirové látky * MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• voda MeSH

This paper presents a critical analysis of the article "Comparison of cooling tower blowdown and enhanced make up water treatment to minimize cooling water footprint" by Müller et al. (2024), which claims to reduce the water footprint (WF) of cooling circuits. The WF concept, introduced in 2002, has evolved with two main approaches: the "volumetric" approach, quantifying water consumption, and the "impact-oriented" approach, assessing impacts associated with water usage. Müller et al.'s method is examined against these established methodologies. The analysis reveals that Müller et al. do not specify their WF approach, but their calculation suggests a "volumetric" WF focus. They claim WF reduction by minimizing cooling tower make-up water and blowdown discharge. However, this does not necessarily reduce the blue WF, as blowdown is typically a return flow that is not included in WF calculations unless it is discharged to another watershed or during a different period. Additionally, the grey WF impact is unclear due to insufficient data on pollutant concentrations in discharged water. The article also does not mention any characterization models or impact categories, making it unlikely that an "impact-oriented" WF approach was used. In conclusion, Müller et al.'s study does not align with established "volumetric" or "impact-oriented" WF methodologies. Instead of reducing water consumption (WF), it focuses on reducing water withdrawals. The use of the term "water footprint" appears to be a misapplication, taking advantage of its popularity. This misuse may mislead readers and underscores the need for rigorous review and critical assessment of published papers.

• Klíčová slova
• Cooling circuit, Water consumption, Water footprint, Water use,
• MeSH
• čištění vody metody   MeSH
• voda * MeSH
• zásobování vodou MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• voda * MeSH

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms of a wide variety of environmental reservoirs, including natural and municipal water, soil, aerosols, protozoans, animals and humans. Several of these species are potential pathogens which affect human health. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of NTM in the water environment. Samples were taken from 13 water-related facilities including fish ponds, storage ponds, drinking water reservoirs and an experimental recirculation system. Altogether, 396 samples of water, sediment and aquatic plants were collected and analysed. All samples were examined using conventional culture methods. Suspected microbial isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction analysis and identified using partial sequence analysis of the 16S rDNA gene. The culture revealed 94/396 samples (23.7%) that contained mycobacteria. Among known NTM we identified potentially pathogenic mycobacteria isolated from the fresh water environment for the first time: Mycobacterium asiaticum, M. chimaera, M. interjectum, M. kumamotonense, M. lentiflavum, M. montefiorense, M. nebraskense, M. paraffinicum and M. simiae. Epidemiologic studies suggest that the natural water environment is the principal source of human exposure. Our results indicate that besides the well-known potentially pathogenic mycobacteria it is important to observe occurrence, proliferation and persistence of newly discovered mycobacterial species.

• MeSH
• mikrobiota MeSH
• Mycobacterium genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• pitná voda mikrobiologie   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• sladká voda mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• pitná voda MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S MeSH