Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
We make significant contributions to this SDG through our teaching, research, and consultancy in Lincolnshire and beyond. Examples of areas of expertise include work in the Department of Geography with significant expertise in rivers and catchments, and work in chemistry to develop new ways of cleaning water contaminated with pesticides. Work in Africa through the NERC funded flood-mal project has also supported governments to understand how patterns of malaria are impacted by the distribution of surface water.
At our farm at Riseholme we have developed a demonstration flood management scheme which is available for landowners to view, and our research focuses on technologies that will reduce water contamination through overuse of fertilisers and other agrochemicals.
Research Spotlight
The University's Geography department and Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology have been collaborating with the Environment Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, and other agencies on a project that aims to gain a greater understanding of groundwater and detail the impact it has on Lincolnshire, its people, and communities.
Our students learn about the importance of clean water and sanitation on courses as diverse as Chemistry, Fashion, Business, and Engineering. It is emphasised in Geography for both physical and human geography students (on modules such as Catchments and Hydrology and Development Studies and the Global South). Students in Biochemistry take a module in Applied Biochemistry, covering subjects such as the bioremediation of brownfield sites and contaminated groundwater, and the local biological processing of river waters for the production of clean water for domestic use. Workshops and assessments discuss bioremediation projects including the development of the London 2012 Olympics site.
Work by Dr Jose Gonzales-Rodriguez and Guzman Gil-Ramirez in the School of Chemistry is developing methods for cleaning water contaminated with pesticides. Pesticides used to treat crops enter water courses via surface water run-offs and can persist in water bodies for long periods, with significant impact on water quality and the environment. The team has developed a set of smart materials that can eliminate 95% of the pesticide residues in water.
We had 9 outputs relevant to this SDG in 2022 according to SciVal and 12 in 2023.
Example outputs include:
Schneider et al. (2022) Colonialism and the environment: The pollution legacy of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest copper mine in the 20th century. Anthropocene Review 9 – 3-23
DOI:10.1177/2053019620968133
Richards, L. et al. (2022) A systematic approach to understand hydrogeochemical dynamics in large river systems: Development and application to the River Ganges (Ganga) in India. Water Research 211
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2022.118054
Obiamaka P et al. (2023) Enhancing agricultural and industrial productivity through freshwater withdrawals and management: implications for the BRICS countries Environment Development and Sustainability 25 3771-3799
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10668-022-02202-z
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.