Keller, V.D.J.; Williams, R.; Lofthouse, C.; Johnson, A.C.
Global dilution factors for domestic wastewater in rivers
(A tool for estimating river concentrations of chemicals originating from domestic sewage effluent)
THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN
Some discrepancies between monthly dilution factors and annual dilution factors have been noted in some areas. The dataset is unavailable while these are under investigation
If you need access to the archived version, please contact the EIDC
THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN
Some discrepancies between monthly dilution factors and annual dilution factors have been noted in some areas. The dataset is unavailable while these are under investigation
If you need access to the archived version, please contact the EIDC
https://doi.org/10.5285/42044391-a041-4884-bed7-67f67490224f
The dataset captures the temporal and spatial variability of dilution factors (DFs) around the world using geographically referenced data sets at 0.5 degree resolution and includes long term annual and monthly DFs grids. The dilution factor (DF) dataset is composed of 13 rasters: 1 annual and 12 monthly. DFs are a critical component in estimating concentrations of 'down-the-drain' chemicals which enter freshwaters following consumer use via the domestic waste water stream (e.g., pharmaceuticals, household cleaning products). The DF is defined as the ratio between flow and total domestic wastewater effluent generated within a catchment. The methodology was specifically developed to be applied across the world even within those countries where river flow data and/or wastewater effluent data is scarce. The present dataset has potential for a wide international community (including decision makers and pharmaceutical companies) to assess relative exposure to 'down-the-drain' chemicals released by human pollution in rivers and, thus, target areas of potentially high risk.
Publication date: 2014-07-11
More information
View numbers valid from 01 June 2023 (information prior to this was not collected)
Spatial information
Spatial representation type
Raster
Spatial reference system
WGS 84
Provenance & quality
The river flow was derived from the 0.5 degree resolution annual and monthly composite runoff fields produced by Fekete et al. (http://www.compositerunoff.sr.unh.edu/). These long term average runoff values were estimated across the globe by combining a simple water balance model and observed river discharge data. The monthly and annual runoff are accumulated using a topographically-derived flow direction grid to produce river flows at a 0.5 degree resolution. The domestic wastewater effluent was obtained by combining population estimates and per capita domestic water use estimates (national estimates). Population estimates were based on the GPW (Gridded population of the world) v.3 data set for 2005 at 0.5 degree resolution (http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/gpw-v3-population-count-future-estimates).
Four main data sources (public domain) for national per capita domestic water use were used:
i) Gleick (2009)
ii) Food and Agriculture Organisation
(http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/main/index.stm) iii) World Resource Institute
iv) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(http://www.oecd.org/env/indicators-modelling-outlooks/oecdenvironmentaldatacompendium.htm) Where discrepancies arose in domestic water use data, only the data for the year 2000 or later was retained, and from these the lowest estimate was selected to provide a more conservative value for the DF. These selected national estimates were then used to derive a 0.5 degree resolution grid of domestic water use.
Licensing and constraints
THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN
Some discrepancies between monthly dilution factors and annual dilution factors have been noted in some areas. The dataset is unavailable while these are under investigation
If you need access to the archived version, please contact the EIDC
License terms and conditions apply
Dilution factor values along the coastlines must be handled with care due to higher uncertainty in accounting for population discharging to sea rather than rivers.
User should be aware that higher uncertainties arise when estimating river flows and, hence, dilution factors in catchments smaller than 25 000 km2.
Supplemental information
Keller, V.D.J., Williams, R.J., Lofthouse, C. and Johnson, A.C. 2014. Worldwide estimation of river concentrations of any chemical originating from sewage-treatment plants using dilution factors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 33(2), 447-452
Authors
Keller, V.D.J.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Williams, R.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Lofthouse, C.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Johnson, A.C.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Additional metadata
Keywords
catchment ,
Dilution factor ,
down-the-drain chemicals ,
environmental risk assessment ,
exposure ,
modelling ,
Modelling ,
PEC ,
Pollution ,
river ,
Water quality
Last updated
04 March 2024 16:49