The Application of Isotope Hydrology to Solve Global Water Shortage: Do Africa and other Developing Nations need this Technology?
According to FAO global demand on fresh water has increased enormously. More than 1 billion people worldwide lack access to potable water. The majority in the third world countries have no possibility of safe drinking water. Besides, industrial, agricultural and domestic pollutions have threatened the water quality. Water is the most precious natural resource for human and all leaving organisms on Earth. Water shortage brings the loose of livestock, fauna and flora. A world wild life (WWF) once wrote » a rich and abundant life depends on plentiful and clean sources of water. Water allows fish to dance, birds to sing and brings forth both herbivores and carnivores. The Bengal tiger which lives in the deep jungle of the Indian subcontinent frequently submerge itself in pools of water in order to lower its body temperature. In Africa and Asia elephants require from 100-200 litre of drinking water each day ».
Currently, in the global scale, the quantity of renewable water resources available in cubic meter per person are roughly half, what they were 40 years ago. It is estimated that, the amount will drop by half around 2025 .If not managed properly it could even drop earlier as it is estimated. This mean, potential danger on human life and a burden on economic growth and environmental damages will be the consequences. Global conflict analysts and some organisations profess « War in some regions of this world may breakout because of the demands on water resources ».
When International Funding Organisations and Global Water Policy Project experts see the conflict that may arise, it could be assumed which countries and regions the experts bear in mind. There are lakes and rivers which transcend the national boundaries, cross the territorial sovereignty or travel several hundred kilometres along boundaries of two states, like Euphrates and Tigris; the Nile; the Armour; the Niger, the Mekong, Indus and Ganges. It does not necessary mean that in all these regions there exist conflict at present and the situation is tense. The probability of war between states is higher, the more hydrothermal (Energy) politics and irrigation for agriculture purposes are included, to elevate the potential use of the National Water Resource Program. Although it does not count to the regions and countries, with possible conflict, the river Colorado in the South Western United States, shared by several states before it reaches Mexico is another example, of lakes and rivers that cross boundaries.
In the medieval period, practises such as rain water harvesting were employed in different civilisation. This water saving method has continued until the present time in every society, whether industrial or traditional. However, the success of harvesting (collect) rain water has changed dramatically, due to the global climate change. In other words, the amount of rain fall during the rainy seasons has reduced and is much less than for 20 and 30 years ago. There are parched places around the world, in which water shortage is more likely than any other place. There are regions affected by drought and shortage of rainfall, to which equatorial countries, arid and semi-arid zones belong. The poor and unsatisfactory rainy seasons reduce the water quantity and its availability in the region.
In the developing countries, water crisis are natural and artificial. Drought, accelerated urbanisation, un proper industrialisation, over pumping good water quality for industrial and other purposes, livestock and intense agricultural practises are few examples. In some countries, lakes and rivers are dried and water is supplied by Lorries from very far places, to overcome the shortage. By far, this is not enough. Water supply has failed for millions and millions of people in various countries including Africa. This problem remained unsolved.
Food and Agriculture Programmes cannot be separated from Water Management. They are associated with water shortage. In some developing countries, governments divert a huge amount of water required for subsistence agricultural products either for small scale industries or for export agriculture. Therefore, several traditional farmers have to leave their main income sources and travel from the country side into the urban areas. There are some regions in Africa, where people draw water from very deep well, and use for drinking and cooking purposes. Experience show that, several well and river water are highly polluted with heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, and several others, that cause liver, kidney, heart and skin problems. Furthermore, contaminated river water with industrial sewers is applied for irrigation. In most developing countries, irrigation can be compared with vain and arteries of the blood stream. Without irrigation there is no food production. However, in some countries, key aquifers are over pumped and the soil is growing saltier, no possibility to purify the contaminated water for the irrigation. Though sea water is used for drinking, cooking, and cleaning household materials, inhabitants of some poor countries, over pump the aquifers and this brings pollution of the sea water. Here starts and ends the life cycle of chained contamination, between human and his surroundings.
In regions with chronic water shortage there is no alternative to obtain pure and clean water. Diseases resulted by inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene of water, like diarrhea, schistosomiasis, trachoma, guinea worm, hookworm, affect human health and cause death of million people around the world each year.
Technology and the Water Shortage
To trace water resource, scientists created a nuclear technique called Isotope Hydrology. This underground water search technique is based on abundance of stable and heavy isotope of hydrogen (2 D) and oxygen (18 O). The analysis of oxygen in water helps to trace the path way and the history of water, for how long water resource exists at specific geographical position. Thus, the movement of water, both above and below the earth surface can be identified. Basically, the isotopes like heavy hydrogen (2D), tritium hydrogen (3H,) and carbon 14 or radio carbon [13 C, 14C,] are applied for this technique. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a supplier of Isotope Hydrology Technique. To implement the technology, the IAEA cooperates with the International Organisations like, World Metrological Organisation (WMO), UNEP, WHO, The United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Also close co-operation is maintained within the International Geosphere- Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and Earth Watch.
The technology provides reliable information about the source, movement, quality, of water in different environments, including rivers, and lakes. It is particularly effective in investigating ground water. The technology provides insights into water resources. In the widest sense Isotopic Hydrology is applied:
a) To investigate water resources in arid and semi-arid regions
b) To estimate water balance, becoming more or less in its quantity
c) To map palaeowaters
d) To investigate water movement in the unsaturated zone.
Furthermore, isotope techniques are utilised to track pollution. The nitrogen isotope analysis of ground water and the isotope technique for the mitigation of arsenic poisoning are good examples. Historically, the development of Isotope Hydrology goes back to the beginning of the fifties and the sixties. Between 1953 and 1962 due to the atmospheric nuclear weapon test, the tritium hydrogen (3H) level in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. Between 1962 and 1964, the artificial tritium hydrogen, resulted from the weapon test was 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than the natural radioactivity level of tritium. The analysis and research of this excess tritium (3H) in groundwater, has brought a new area for the application of Isotope Hydrology.
At the beginning of fifties and early sixties scientists were focussed on utilising short lived radioactive isotopes supplied from the nuclear industry. These isotopes were applied as tracers, in ground and surface water and streams, in order to gain important knowledge of the required parameters like porosity, transmission, storage, etc. At that time, the research of scientists engaged in this field was associated with some obstacles.
First, they had difficulties to obtain permission to add or inject radiotracers into the system required for research purpose. Second, the limited time and space (half life and decay) of the radioisotopes was very short. Gradually, they replaced artificial radiotracers with natural or semi-natural tracers, which they called, environmental isotopes. This was the real birth day of Isotope Hydrology applying Nuclear Science.
Application of the technique for the Developing Countries
The application of such technique in the developing world, raise the economical, and the technological issue. One has to admit that such a technology is highly desirable. Especially, if it could provide energy transformation, like Biogas, or even if free hydrogen could be obtained for industrial application, pharmaceutical, welding technique, electronics, power generator etc.
If the costs for water search applying isotope investigations are modest compared to other scientific and engineering methods, then the conventional Engineering Hydrology could be replaced by Isotopic Technology. But the question is, does the technological support of the highly industrialised countries really help to overcome drought, famine, chronic water shortage, or increase the quantity of rainfall during the rainy seasons and save from environmental disasters which the third world countries are facing at present?
No doubt, technology provides access to the problem fields. It helps to diagnose a problem quickly and efficiently. Let us be realistic, in the developing world, technology alone never solves diverse current problems and those emerging in the future.
We should not deny technology and innovation. Innovative ideas are highly required. They can be rated from their output. But what we need is, the diagnose and the therapy of emerging issues, in developing countries, like energy, water shortage, health etc. Clean and healthy water quality and seasonal rainfall shortages are among the main concerns in these countries. The problems are known. The solution cannot come from isotope technique alone.
The reasons for the shortage of water are highly complex and depend from so many factors. The followings are critical views and also few ideas of how to approach the solution.
1) In several developing countries when water pipe is broken, it cannot be repaired instantly, due to technical and financial problems. Therefore, millions cubic meter clean water will be pumped and lost uselessly.
2) The industrial waste and other sewages are pumped and directed straight to the rivers, lakes and springs without filtering. The non purified waste contaminates ground water and the entire water source including under water organisms.
3) Instead of expanding water reserve (reservoir) to protect water resource and improve the situation, imported technologies are given higher priority. Few work programme exist and are introduced to develop and promote environmentally sustainable methods
4) Better management of irrigation would increase the economical as well as the ecological situation, but several countries failed to develop a long term strategies to improve irrigation and also water shade management.
5) Regional convention and agreement are required between countries which share rivers and lakes worldwide to solve the trans-boundary water situation, and get solution for long. At present this issue seems unrealistic.
6) The rural development plan was supposed to include programme, like rain water harnessing, at least for regions with plenty rainy seasons. As a result, rain water could be applied for agriculture, cattle breeding, and drinking purposes. In such and similar projects, throughout the country, it would help if governments co-operate with the inhabitants (peasants) to wake up the mutual interest. This is less likely to happen.
7) To gain more qualified experts and professionals in the water sector, investment is necessary to develop and expand Water Technology Institutions in developing countries.
8) Workshops, seminars, discussion forums, formal and informal meetings have to be organised in which NGOs, private firms, government experts, community representatives, environmentalists, investors and other professionals from the water development sector etc could meet regularly to discuss about strategic planning, to improve the water resource development of the country at present and in the future.
9) Waste water treatment, tree plantation and green revolution are highly essential.
These have to be given more priority than any technology which makes the developing countries more dependent.
10) Developing Countries are receiving the so called bilateral as well as multilateral
(Development) help. In fact, their situation has never changed. The results of the development help are contrary to what is expected. The reasons are plenty.
► Developing countries obtain small amount of money for their raw materials.
► There is no access of the agriculture products from developing countries to the European markets, except flowers and few other products. This indicates that, poor countries are not allowed to compete.
► The unlimited power of the International Finance Institutions like the International
Monitoring Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the WTO as well, representing primarily
the interest of the OECD-Member Countries is another reason.
► Corrupted political leaders and dictators from these countries walk side by side holding the hands of the multinationals enjoying their life and taking care of their Clans, while the majority is suffering from hunger and under development belong to the cardinal points.
The era of globalisation gives a full support and inertia for the third world dictators and multinationals and makes the entire situation worse than ever. At present, more hunger, famine, disease, malnutrition, war, desolated economical situation, environmental disasters are observed throughout the developing world. Let the developing world, with its rich row materials, energy sources, medicinal plants, natural remedies, and biodiversity, plenty fauna and flora decide about its own development, freely. This brings Win-Win situation for the Developing Nation. Also to find solution for the water shortage they have faced for long.
Author:
Dr. Gedion Getahun Senior Lecturer & Environmental Advisor Nuclear & Radioanalytical Chemist Mainz University & Mainz Science & Technology Centre Mainz, Germany Mail: Gedscience@aol.com gedget@radioanalytical-chemistry.orgCEU Financial Assistance for African PhD and Master Students Diaspora, transferts de fonds et développement: rien n’est acquis d’avance !
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bonjour,
je suis un étudiant en environnement.je souhaite avoir une bourse d’étude pour parfait mes études.