Ali Abid Abojassim, Hussien Abid Ali Mraity, Rukia Jabar Dosh, Tom Adejoh
{"title":"An assessment of natural radioactivity from soil samples of Al-Salam playground in Al-Najaf governorate of Iraq.","authors":"Ali Abid Abojassim, Hussien Abid Ali Mraity, Rukia Jabar Dosh, Tom Adejoh","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2501742","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2501742","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Humans are daily exposed to natural background radiations. These are from terrestrial, extra-terrestrial, and anthropogenic radiation sources. Soil is one of the largest contributors to terrestrial radioactivity. The aim of this research was to assess the concentrations of the primordial radionuclides uranium (<sup>238</sup>U), thorium (<sup>232</sup>Th) and potassium (<sup>40</sup>K) as well as radiological hazard parameters in soil samples selected from Al-Salam playground in Al-Najaf governorate of Iraq. Gamma ray spectroscopy and a CR-39 detector were used to evaluate both external exposure and internal exposures arising from radon concentrations, respectively. The average activity concentration (Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>) for <sup>238</sup>U, <sup>232</sup>Th, and <sup>40</sup>K were 17.48 ± 1.89, 8.59 ± 0.77, and 298.31 ± 18.40, respectively. Quantified radiological risk factors were 116.23 ± 5.76 µR h<sup>-1</sup> (exposure), 0.142 ± 0.007 (external hazard (H<sub>ex</sub>), 25.71 ± 1.28 nGy h<sup>-1</sup> (absorbed dose rate (D<sub>r</sub>), 0.031 ± 0.001 (annual effective dose outdoor (AED<sub>outdoor</sub>), and 0.110 ± 0.005 (cancer risk (ELCR × 10<sup>-3</sup>), respectively. It was concluded that all values of the activity concentration for natural radionuclides and radiological hazard parameters in study area were within safe limits based on standards set by UNSCEAR, ICRP, and OECD.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nitrate sources and migration in rural karst aquifers: a case study in Pingyin karst catchment, north China.","authors":"Chen Sheng, Di Wu, Dalu Yu, Yangyang Min, Baohui Huang, Mingguo Wang, Junru Gao, Guiyao Xiong, Chunhui Zhang, Xianzhang Dang","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2522410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2522410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Due to the dramatic rise in global population and intensified agricultural activities, groundwater environments are increasingly threatened by nitrate pollution. To elucidate the sources and transformation processes of nitrate contamination in rural karst groundwater, this study selected the Pingyin karst catchment in Shandong Province, northern China, as the research area. This study employed a combination of isotopic analyses (δ<sup>15</sup>N-NO<sub>3</sub>, δ<sup>18</sup>O-NO<sub>3</sub>, δ<sup>2</sup>H-H<sub>2</sub>O, and δ<sup>18</sup>O-H<sub>2</sub>O) and hydrochemical data to investigate karst groundwater, pore groundwater, and Yellow River water. In the study area, nitrate concentration in karst groundwater samples ranged from 11 to 294 mg/L, with 80 % of samples exceeding the WHO safe drinking water limit of 50 mg/L for NO<sub>3</sub>. Stable isotopic results (δ<sup>2</sup>H-H<sub>2</sub>O, δ<sup>18</sup>O-H<sub>2</sub>O) show meteoric precipitation is the main source of groundwater recharge. The <sup>18</sup>O-Cl relationship bubble diagram revealed that nitrate contamination primarily originated from anthropogenic sources. Furthermore, both hydrochemical (e.g. TIN vs. Cl, NO<sub>3</sub>/Cl vs. Cl) and isotopic (δ<sup>15</sup>N-NO<sub>3</sub> vs. δ<sup>18</sup>O-NO<sub>3</sub>) evidence indicate that untreated human and livestock wastewater is the primary contributor to elevated nitrate levels in groundwater. Isotopic analysis also revealed that nitrification is the dominant biogeochemical process occurring in groundwater. The MixSIAR model further estimated source contributions as follows: manure and sewage (49.92 %), soil nitrate (39.43 %), chemical fertilizers (9.19 %), and atmospheric deposition (1.46 %). Finally, based on these findings and considering the environmental conditions of the study area, environmental protection strategies to prevent nitrate pollution were proposed. These findings serve as a valuable reference for promoting the sustainable use and pollution control of karst groundwater in rural areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paul Koeniger, Christoph Neukum, Susanne Stadler, Ulla Noell, John D Marshall, Bernd Ahrends, Stefan Fleck, Henning Meesenburg
{"title":"Dynamics of stable isotopes in precipitation, soil water and groundwater at a Norway spruce and a European beech site at Solling, Germany.","authors":"Paul Koeniger, Christoph Neukum, Susanne Stadler, Ulla Noell, John D Marshall, Bernd Ahrends, Stefan Fleck, Henning Meesenburg","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2509756","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2509756","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ongoing changes in climate alter the role of forests in the hydrologic cycle, influencing water transmission to springs and aquifers. Here we compared two forests dominated by either beech or spruce on broadly similar soils (Dystric Cambisols); we monitored the passage of natural-abundance stable isotope signals through the upper meter of soil and onward to springs. The isotopic data were similar between the sites at every time step and at every stage of transit, except at 90-100 cm depth, where the isotopic signal of the beech forest was delayed by approximately 1 month. The data were used in a lumped parameter dispersion model so that physical parameters describing transport could be determined and compared. Modeled residence times were similar between the two forests (123 (sd = 32) vs. 152 (25) days), with high precision to depths of 40 cm. According to the model, rainfall reached 1 meter depth in 200 (8) days under the spruce stand, but required 228 (37) days in the beech. The measurements below the rooting zone (90-100 cm) play a critical role in detecting site/species differences and in prediction of residence times.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"<sup>226</sup>Ra and <sup>222</sup>Rn activity concentrations and associated effective doses for different age groups in spring water of Harnai, Balochistan.","authors":"Nisar Ahmad, Muhammad Bakhsh","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2511138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2511138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Harnai, Balochistan, Pakistan, the levels of <sup>226</sup>Ra and <sup>222</sup>Rn were measured with a high purity germenium (HPGe) detector and a RAD7 detector, respectively, in drinking water. The concentration of <sup>222</sup>Rn in the spring water under investigation ranged from 2.8 ± 0.59-8.5 ± 0.80 Bq L<sup>-1</sup> with an average of 4.96 ± 0.7 Bq L<sup>-1</sup>, while the concentration of <sup>226</sup>Ra varied from 1.36 ± 0.55-6.8 ± 0.99 mBq L<sup>-1</sup> with an average of 3.54 ± 0.74 mBq L<sup>-1</sup>. All concentrations of <sup>222</sup>Rn and <sup>226</sup>Ra were found to be below the global averages of 11.1 Bq L<sup>-1</sup> and 555 mBq L<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. There was a positive connection (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.9398) between the concentrations of <sup>222</sup>Rn and <sup>226</sup>Ra. There are very weak associations between phyco-chemical characteristics and <sup>222</sup>Rn and <sup>226</sup>Ra. For various age groups, the estimated annual effective dosages from ingesting of <sup>226</sup>Ra and <sup>222</sup>Rn were determined to be below the advised threshold of 0.1 mSv y<sup>-1</sup>. Based on the results, it has been concluded that the population in the research region is not significantly affected by <sup>226</sup>Ra and <sup>222</sup>Rn in spring water.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144496675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M M Mahfuz Siraz, S Nafis Haider, Araf Mahmud, Mohammad Shafiqul Alam, Md Bazlar Rashid, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Hamid Osman, Selina Yeasmin
{"title":"First assessment of radiological impacts near the Rampal 1320 MW thermal power plant adjacent to the UNESCO world heritage site of Sundarbans, Bangladesh.","authors":"M M Mahfuz Siraz, S Nafis Haider, Araf Mahmud, Mohammad Shafiqul Alam, Md Bazlar Rashid, Mayeen Uddin Khandaker, Hamid Osman, Selina Yeasmin","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2512859","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2512859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental radioactivity is significantly elevated by coal combustion, posing risks to communities living near coal-fired thermal power plants (CFTPPs). This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of radiological impacts around the Rampal Thermal Power Plant, a 1320 MW facility located in Rampal Upazila, near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Thirty soil samples were systematically collected from distances of 100, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 m from the power plant. The activity concentrations of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th, and <sup>40</sup>K in soil ranged from 17-31, 29-51, and 350-670 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, with a few samples exceeding the population-weighted global averages for <sup>226</sup>Ra (32 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>) and <sup>232</sup>Th (45 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>), and almost all the samples exceeding the average for <sup>40</sup>K (420 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>). The elevated levels of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th, and <sup>40</sup>K in the soil samples can be attributed to several interconnected factors, including the presence of thorium-rich minerals such as monazite and zircon, granitic geological formations, and anthropogenic inputs like bottom ash discharge from the plant and coal combustion byproducts. While the radium equivalent activity and hazard indices generally fell within safety limits, the higher outdoor and indoor absorbed dose rates, effective doses, and increased lifetime cancer risk raised alarms about potential health threats for nearby residents over time. Moreover, the long-term radiological effects on the Sundarbans ecosystem could disturb its fragile balance, impacting both biodiversity and the local communities that rely on its resources. These results highlight the necessity for further evaluations and remediation efforts to ensure the safe use of these soils in agricultural and construction activities. This research also seeks to develop a radiological distribution map, which will provide crucial baseline data for the forthcoming Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144368861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring stable isotope patterns in monthly precipitation across Southeast Asia using contemporary deep learning models and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) techniques.","authors":"Mojtaba Heydarizad, Nathsuda Pumijumnong, Masoud Minaei, Pouya Salari, Rogert Sorí, Hamid Ghalibaf Mohammadabadi","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2508811","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10256016.2025.2508811","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stable isotopes are crucial for understanding water cycles and climate dynamics, particularly in tropical regions. However, establishing and maintaining precipitation sampling stations in Southeast Asia is challenging due to high costs and logistical issues. Consequently, many areas in this region have limited or no sampling stations with adequate stable isotope data. To address this problem, developing models that simulate stable isotope contents using machine learning (ML) techniques, especially deep learning, is a promising solution. In this study, the influence of large-scale climate modes (teleconnection indices) and local meteorological parameters on the stable isotope contents of precipitation was examined across six key stations in Southeast Asia, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Kota Bharu, Jayapura, and Singapore. A deep neural network (DNN) model was applied for simulation, and its performance was compared with a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model using various evaluation metrics. The DNN consistently demonstrated superior accuracy across all studied stations, highlighting the efficacy of DNNs, in accurately simulating stable isotope contents in tropical precipitation. The importance ranking derived from the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) technique aligns perfectly with the results obtained from the DNN importance function. In addition, the SHAP summary plot highlights the contributions of key features, such as precipitation and potential evaporation, to the model's predictions. The dependence plots further illustrate the relationship between these features and the predicted response, revealing nonlinear interactions that influence model behaviour. This research provides new insights into the complex interactions between large-scale climate drivers and local weather patterns, advancing the use of ML for isotope-based climate studies. The techniques used in this study offer a framework for applying ML to isotope analysis in tropical climates and can be extended to similar regions worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144302078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Minas E Ahmed, Modou Niang, Hamid Bounouira, Zobair El Afia, Mohamed Adam Abbo, Ndeye Arame Boye Faye
{"title":"Occupational exposure to NORM in gold mining areas of northwestern Sudan.","authors":"Minas E Ahmed, Modou Niang, Hamid Bounouira, Zobair El Afia, Mohamed Adam Abbo, Ndeye Arame Boye Faye","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2482799","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2482799","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study was carried out to evaluate the distribution of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and radiological hazard indices in the soil of a gold mine in northwestern Sudan using gamma ray spectrometry. The activity concentrations of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K in the soil samples varies from 2.54 ± 1.70 to 50.67 ± 3.10 Bq/kg, 10.28 ± 4.20 to 39.91 ± 2.10 Bq/kg and 274.64 ± 0.98 to 1625.85 ± 54.40 Bq/kg, respectively. The average activity concentration of <sup>40</sup>K were found to be above the world average. The annual effective dose is 0.05 mSv/year which is lower than the 20 mSv/year recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) guidelines for occupational exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"264-272"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143700232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nisar Ahmad, Niamat Ullah, Muhammad Bakhsh, Hannan Younis
{"title":"Comprehensive assessment of radiological hazards in chromite mines at Khanozai and Muslim Bagh, Balochistan, Pakistan.","authors":"Nisar Ahmad, Niamat Ullah, Muhammad Bakhsh, Hannan Younis","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2467381","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2467381","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The concentrations of natural radioactivity in soil samples collected from chromite mines of two different towns, Khanozai and Muslim Bagh, districts of Pishin and Killa Saifullah, respectively, were measured using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The average values of <sup>226</sup>Ra, <sup>232</sup>Th and <sup>40</sup>K in soil of Khanozai chromite mines were found to be 26.414, 37.321 and 404.561 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. In Muslim Bagh chromite mines, these values were found to be 17.59, 29.677 and 380.475 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. The maximum average values of radium equivalent (Ra<sub>eq</sub>), external hazard index (H<sub>ex</sub>) and internal hazard index (H<sub>in</sub>) were found to be 110.851, 0.299 and 0.356 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, in chromite mines of Khanozai, while the minimum average values were found to be 89.253, 0.276 and 0.275 Bq kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, in Muslim Bagh chromite mines. Similarly, maximum average values of absorbed dose rate (D<sub>R</sub>), external absorbed dose rate (D<sub>out</sub>) and internal absorbed dose rate (D<sub>in</sub>) were found to be 50.742, 54.651 and 77.058 nGy h<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, in soil of Khanozai chromite mines while the minimum average values were found to be 41.311, 44.385 and 62.583 nGy h<sup>-1</sup>, respectively, in Muslim Bagh chromite mines. Also, the maximum average values of annual effective dose risk (AEDR), gamma activity index (I<sub>γ</sub>) and alpha activity index (I<sub>α</sub>) were found to be 2.30 × 10<sup>-1</sup> mSv y<sup>-1</sup>, 0.409 and 0.132, respectively, in soil of Khanozai chromite mines while the minimum average values were found to be 2.02 × 10<sup>-1</sup> mSv y<sup>-1</sup>, 0.333 and 0.087, respectively, in Muslim Bagh chromite mines. The values were found to be below the world permissible range. Therefore, it is concluded that the chromite mines under the study have no health hazards.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"282-297"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143483097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reimagining the Kendall plot: using <i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N and <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O of nitrate and advanced machine learning to improve N pollutant source classification.","authors":"Katarzyna Samborska-Goik, Leonard I Wassenaar","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2467863","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2467863","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitrate (<math><msubsup><mrow><mi>NO</mi></mrow><mn>3</mn><mo>-</mo></msubsup></math>) pollution is a serious water quality issue in many countries due to contamination of lakes, rivers, and aquifers by intensive agriculture practices and inadequate wastewater management. Nitrate pollution and associated cultural eutrophication are anticipated to increase worldwide, highlighting the need to control and reduce nitrogen pollution. The stable isotope ratios of nitrate (<i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N, <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O) are widely used as tracers of nitrogen pollution sources. The primary technique for identifying nitrate sources has been the longstanding Kendall boxplot, despite improved methods using Bayes' theorem and the R language for estimating source fractions using hydrogeochemical context, N source data and expert assessment. This article improves the classification of aqueous nitrate sources using comprehensive published stable isotope data for nitrate from four known pollutant types and applying machine learning algorithms. AI modelling results reveal improved source depictions and offer a robust statistical framework for identifying N pollution sources. This is essential given the increased published data sources and the need for better-informed water quality management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"310-335"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143692021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abhishek Sharma, Ajay Kumar, Vijay Shankar, Praveen K Thakur
{"title":"Integrated MIKE SHE/MIKE+ modelling and isotopic investigations for freshwater assessment of the Suketi catchment in the Northwest Himalayas.","authors":"Abhishek Sharma, Ajay Kumar, Vijay Shankar, Praveen K Thakur","doi":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2482213","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10256016.2025.2482213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reducing the unrealistic simulations of different hydrological models is necessary for precise water assessment and flood forecasting. The scarcity of observed hydro-meteorological data in mountainous catchments further hinders the model's efficiency in water evaluations. This study aims to estimate the freshwater availability via characterizing the water balance employing a distributed MIKE System Hydrological European (SHE) model for the Suketi catchment of the Beas Basin, in Himachal Pradesh, India. For this purpose, the MIKE SHE/MIKE+ based model was developed for the study area using meteorological and basin-specific data. The collected samples from the rainfall, groundwater, and stream water during 2023-2024 were analysed for stable water isotopes, i.e. δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>2</sup>H. The quantitative evaluation established the efficacy of the MIKE SHE/MIKE+ based model with root-mean-square-error, coefficient of determination, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, and percentage bias of 76.67, 0.88, 0.92, and -0.32, respectively. The output of the developed model was integrated with the results of a two-component mixing model through the measured values of δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>2</sup>H. The local meteoric water line (LMWL: δ<sup>2</sup>H = 8.17 · δ<sup>18</sup>O + 13.11) reveals the different climatic conditions due to lower temperatures and higher latitude of the study area vis-a-vis global average. The validated water balance of the Suketi catchment infers adequate freshwater availability in the catchment with more than 74 % as baseflow to the Suketi river and evapotranspiration accounted for 64.42 % of water loss into the atmosphere.</p>","PeriodicalId":14597,"journal":{"name":"Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies","volume":" ","pages":"239-263"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143779999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}