Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns
Abstract Fog and dew are often viewed as economic nuisances causing significant financial losses in the transportation industry and agricultural sector. However, they are also critical components of the hydrological cycle, especially in water scarce environments. Water scarcity is one of the major t...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2018-10-01
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| Series: | GeoHealth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GH000171 |
| _version_ | 1811282143225053184 |
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| author | Kudzai F. Kaseke Lixin Wang |
| author_facet | Kudzai F. Kaseke Lixin Wang |
| author_sort | Kudzai F. Kaseke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Fog and dew are often viewed as economic nuisances causing significant financial losses in the transportation industry and agricultural sector. However, they are also critical components of the hydrological cycle, especially in water scarce environments. Water scarcity is one of the major threats to mankind in the 21st century, and this can be due to development pressures, pollution, and/or expanding populations. In water scarce environments, fog and dew represent potentially exploitable ancillary water resources that could ameliorate the water scarce situation, if efficiently harvested. However, two important issues are often overlooked in relation to fog and dew harvesting and potability. First, current fog and dew harvesting technologies are low yielding with great potential for improvements. Second and more importantly, the potability of these water resources is often based on simple analyses that often omit trace metal and biological analyses. The few studies that report trace metal or biological measurements suggest elevated trace metal concentrations or biological contamination that could be of concern to public health. We discuss the potential for fog and dew harvesting technologies and the need for trace metal and biological analyses of these waters before use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:46:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e35b76e6ba04ffaaa05b552cab5126b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:46:27Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e35b76e6ba04ffaaa05b552cab5126b2022-12-22T03:08:01ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032018-10-0121032733210.1029/2018GH000171Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality ConcernsKudzai F. Kaseke0Lixin Wang1Department of Earth Sciences Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana USADepartment of Earth Sciences Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana USAAbstract Fog and dew are often viewed as economic nuisances causing significant financial losses in the transportation industry and agricultural sector. However, they are also critical components of the hydrological cycle, especially in water scarce environments. Water scarcity is one of the major threats to mankind in the 21st century, and this can be due to development pressures, pollution, and/or expanding populations. In water scarce environments, fog and dew represent potentially exploitable ancillary water resources that could ameliorate the water scarce situation, if efficiently harvested. However, two important issues are often overlooked in relation to fog and dew harvesting and potability. First, current fog and dew harvesting technologies are low yielding with great potential for improvements. Second and more importantly, the potability of these water resources is often based on simple analyses that often omit trace metal and biological analyses. The few studies that report trace metal or biological measurements suggest elevated trace metal concentrations or biological contamination that could be of concern to public health. We discuss the potential for fog and dew harvesting technologies and the need for trace metal and biological analyses of these waters before use.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GH000171fogdewnonrainfall waterdrylandsecohydrology |
| spellingShingle | Kudzai F. Kaseke Lixin Wang Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns GeoHealth fog dew nonrainfall water drylands ecohydrology |
| title | Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns |
| title_full | Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns |
| title_fullStr | Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns |
| title_short | Fog and Dew as Potable Water Resources: Maximizing Harvesting Potential and Water Quality Concerns |
| title_sort | fog and dew as potable water resources maximizing harvesting potential and water quality concerns |
| topic | fog dew nonrainfall water drylands ecohydrology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GH000171 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kudzaifkaseke foganddewaspotablewaterresourcesmaximizingharvestingpotentialandwaterqualityconcerns AT lixinwang foganddewaspotablewaterresourcesmaximizingharvestingpotentialandwaterqualityconcerns |