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Water footprint assessment is an analytical tool that helps us understand how activities, actions, and products from human activity influence the scarcity and pollution of water resources. The objectives of the paper are to study the water footprint that is necessary for the production of food for human consumption as an effective way to determine how food habits put pressure on water resources and to identify ways to reduce the stress found on them. To calculate the water footprint of food products consumed by Romanian residents, two types of data were used: information on the average annual net food consumption of each type of food considered during the research and the water footprint per unit of food consumed. In addition, an analysis was carried out based on the structure of the water footprint and the structure of food consumption. In terms of the structure of the water footprint, the contribution rate of the green water footprint is the highest, reaching 83.5%. This is followed by the blue water footprint and the gray water footprint, accounting for 9.04% and 7.46%, respectively. From the perspective of the structure of food consumption, the consumption of cereals, meat, milk, and dairy products contributed the most to the water footprint of residents' food consumption, reaching 21.8% and 26.6%, respectively, and contributing 24.2% to the total water footprint of food consumption. Our research is useful for water management, improving the efficiency of use in agricultural technologies, and optimizing the structure of food consumption, such as reducing grain and meat consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water pollution is first of all a consequence of the lack of prevention and also inertia of public interest initiatives, often being claimed technical and economical difficulties. The aim of this paper is to present the results of monitoring the water quality from a mountain river. The analysis was carried on within the Laboratory of the Monitoring of Environmental Quality from the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj - Napoca, during April - June 2013. Temperature recorded values between 16 -21°C pH, 6.5 - 6.9, conductivity 70.2 uS/cm - 72,8 uS/cm, turbidity 0.05 - 0,16 NTU, dissolved oxygen 10.01 -9.10 mg/L. All monitored parameters that are the basis of identification of the water quality indices, during monitored time interval, April 1st - June 26st 2013 framed within normal admitted limits, which demonstrate the lack of pollution of this river segment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plants are capable of accumulating heavy metals (called hyperacumulators), one of which is the water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Mart. he roots of this water plant naturally absorb pollutants, including heavy metals such as Pb, Hg, Zn, Co, Cd, and Cu and can be used for wastewater treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of heavy metals on growth and development of water hyacinth and to determinate the uptake capacity of heavy metals of this species. It was evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing pollution potential in wastewater. From the combination of experimental factors 11 variants resulted. The results showed that Eichhornia absorbed a high quantity of Pb (504 mg/kg dry matter) and Cu (561 mg/kg dry matter) in their roots. More Cu accumulated in the root compared to Pb. The level of Zn absorption was lower in roots (84 mg/kg dry matter) and also in stem plus leaves (51 mg/kg dry matter). A high quantity of Cd (281 mg/kg dry matter) was removed from stem plus leaves of Eichhornia while the level of Co was very low (45 mg/kg dry matter). Regarding the growth and development of this plant it was found that in tanks with Pb plants had a better development and had lowers also, and in the case of Cd, Co, Cu at a double dose of maximum admissible limits, the plants died and the growing period was shorter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]