TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of a GIS-based knowledge hub for contaminants of emerging concern in South African water resources using open-source software
T2 - Lessons learnt
AU - Botha, Tarryn Lee
AU - Bamuza-Pemu, Emomotimi
AU - Roopnarain, Ashira
AU - Ncube, Zibusiso
AU - De Nysschen, Gert
AU - Ndaba, Busiswa
AU - Mokgalaka, Ntebogeng
AU - Bello-Akinosho, Maryam
AU - Adeleke, Rasheed
AU - Mushwana, Akani
AU - van der Laan, Michael
AU - Mphahlele, Phedisho
AU - Vilakazi, Fanelesibonge
AU - Jaca, Penny
AU - Ubomba-Jaswa, Eunice
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - With population growth and dwindling freshwater sources, protecting such sources has come to the forefront of water resource management. Historically, society's response to a problem is based on funding availability, current threat, and public outcry. Achieving this is largely dependent on the knowledge of the factors that are resulting in compromised water sources. These factors are constantly changing as novel contaminants are introduced into surface water sources. As we are in the information age, the interest in contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) is gaining ground. Whilst research is being conducted to identify contaminants in South African water sources, the research outputs and available information is not collated and presented to the science community and stakeholders in readily available formats and platforms. Current research outcomes need to be made known to regulators in order to develop environmental laws. By using fourth industrial revolution technology, we were able to collate available data in literature and display these in a user-friendly online format to regulatory bodies as well as researchers. A standardized excel spreadsheet was developed and uploaded to a PostgreSQL, running a PostGIS extension and was then processed in the GeoServer to allow for visualization on an interactive map which can be continuously updated. The near real-time access to information will reduce the possibility of duplication of research efforts, enhance collaboration in the discipline, and act as a CEC early warning system.
AB - With population growth and dwindling freshwater sources, protecting such sources has come to the forefront of water resource management. Historically, society's response to a problem is based on funding availability, current threat, and public outcry. Achieving this is largely dependent on the knowledge of the factors that are resulting in compromised water sources. These factors are constantly changing as novel contaminants are introduced into surface water sources. As we are in the information age, the interest in contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) is gaining ground. Whilst research is being conducted to identify contaminants in South African water sources, the research outputs and available information is not collated and presented to the science community and stakeholders in readily available formats and platforms. Current research outcomes need to be made known to regulators in order to develop environmental laws. By using fourth industrial revolution technology, we were able to collate available data in literature and display these in a user-friendly online format to regulatory bodies as well as researchers. A standardized excel spreadsheet was developed and uploaded to a PostgreSQL, running a PostGIS extension and was then processed in the GeoServer to allow for visualization on an interactive map which can be continuously updated. The near real-time access to information will reduce the possibility of duplication of research efforts, enhance collaboration in the discipline, and act as a CEC early warning system.
KW - Biological contaminants
KW - Collated data
KW - Freshwater
KW - Interactive map
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146592001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13007
DO - 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85146592001
SN - 2405-8440
VL - 9
JO - Heliyon
JF - Heliyon
IS - 1
M1 - e13007
ER -