The 12th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE 2026)

Abstract: Water is one of our most precious resources, and managing it efficiently is essential Water management maps are important for all the actors involved in this activity. From decision-makers to operators, the stakeholders need to collect, visualize, and analyze data to decide a solution. In 2020 European Commission adopted Water Framework Directive, which represents the main legislation related to water policy in all european countries. This Directive substantially changed European water management from an administrative boundary to a river basin-based approach. River basin maps are essential instruments for water management but over the years, their manufacturing methods have undergone substantial changes. Initially, the maps are drawn by hand. By combining visual evaluations with topographic indicators, researchers and engineers would trace the outlines of drainage basins, analyze water flow patterns, and delineate the boundaries of watersheds. This method was less accurate, time-consuming, and often relied on interpretation. The potential to use databases, satellite imagery, photogrammetry, and other digital sources in contemporary research is expanding due to rapid technological advancements. Nevertheless, analog maps remain the primary source for reconstructing historical conditions and conducting long-term retrospective assessments.
In this retrospective we discuss the long-term analysis of main parameters used to assess the drought over the Dobrogea region. The Dobrogea region is situated in the southeastern part of Romania. This territory is surrounded by water on all three sides: the Danube River forms the frontier to the North and West, and to the East, Black Sea bathes the shores of ancient Scythia Minor. To the South Dobrogea shares a frontier with Bulgaria. The Dobrogea region is the driest area in Romania. Here, the average temperature is around 12oC and the precipitation is between 400-450mm. The data used for a long-term analysis consists of temperature and precipitation. These parameters are offered by the National Administration of Meteorology. Ten principal stations cover Dobrogea area. Analysis conducted on these two climatic parameters revealed that the temperature is increasing (the increasing is more than 1. 0C). The long-term precipitation analysis shows that the trend of precipitation differs from subregion to subregion. The mapping of spatio-temporal precipitation and temperature, for the period 1965-2025, differs from the old maps. Through statistical methods we determined several breaks in the time series. The maps generated with GIS for the period after the breaks show that higher temperatures appear on the Black Sea coast compared to those before the break. The results concerning drought indicators reveal that the results obtained via remote sensing techniques contribute to a better understanding of drought evolution in Dobrogea region.

Abstract: Arsenic pollution is widespread in groundwater systems, posing a serious threat to the environment and human health. Therefore, the development of highly efficient and recyclable adsorption materials is of great significance. This study used nano-magnetite (Fe3O4) as a substrate and modified it with dopamine to form a composite material (Fe3O4@PDA) with a high specific surface area. The adsorption capacity for arsenic species was enhanced by the catechol and amino functional groups abundant on the polydopamine surface. The surface properties and structure of the material were characterized using relevant analytical techniques. The results showed that dopamine was successfully coated on the magnetite surface, providing a large number of active adsorption sites. In adsorption experiments, Fe3O4@PDA exhibited good removal effects for both As(III) and As(V), suggesting that the main mechanisms include multiple interactions such as surface coordination, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic adsorption. This electrochemical synthesis method offers a promising and feasible solution for the dispersion removal and recovery of arsenic from contaminated groundwater.

Abstract: Dams are critical infrastructures built for multiple purposes, such as electricity production, water supply, and irrigation. Building big dams significantly impacts population life, activity, and the natural ecosystems. River flow modifications are among their most obvious impacts on the environment. This presentation reviews the results of the methodology used in the analysis and modeling the water flow of one of the most important rivers in Romania, and the changes in the water flow due to building the Siriu Dam. Various techniques, including IHA indicators, multifractal analysis, decomposition models, and Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs), and AI where used for modeling the river discharge. Whereas the visualizations display evident oscillations in the river's monthly average discharge, the long-range dependence analysis indicates the various patterns of the river discharge. The study reveals that most techniques provide a good estimation of the series trend but fail to capture the maxima. All indicates the existence of two different patterns of the analyzed series, indicating 1984 as a change point.

Abstract: Amidst the severe challenges of global urbanization and climate change, urban land-use transitions have exacerbated carbon emissions and caused severe fragmentation of green spaces critical for carbon storage. Re-evaluating the carbon sequestration potential of urban land through the lens of spatial heterogeneity is essential for implementing effective urban climate adaptation strategies. Using a urban experiencing rapid land-use change as an empirical studied area, this research systematically evaluates the spatial distribution of carbon emissions and carbon storage across different land-use categories by referencing the IPCC Guidance. The methodology employs global spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I) to quantify and visualize carbon management under the spatial competition of land use during the urbanization process. The results indicate that high-emission traffic and residential lands exhibit significant spatial clustering, whereas agricultural and forest lands, which possess excellent carbon sequestration benefits, face severe land fragmentation and marginalization. Furthermore, based on the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) analytical framework, this study figures out that soils with good nutrient retention retain substantial carbon storage potential even under intense anthropogenic disturbance. Notably, in the northern areas of the analyzed area, implementing the SSM1 land management scenario with a 5% carbon input can yield a maximum soil carbon storage potential reaching 193.26 to 117.63 tC/ha. These results emphasize that urban planning in this region must re-evaluate appropriate land-use allocation, ensuring that cities heavily impacted by rapid greenhouse gas emissions maintain their climate adaptive capacity.

Abstract: Electrochemical technologies provide versatile and sustainable strategies for both the detection and removal of contaminants in water. This work presents two representative electrochemical approaches based on functionalized electrode materials, focusing on sensitive pollutant sensing and selective electrocatalytic conversion.
First, a copper ferrite/multiwalled carbon nanotube (CuFe₂O₄@MWCNT) nanocomposite was developed and decorated onto a glassy carbon electrode for the electrochemical determination of diuron, a widely used herbicide of environmental and health concern. The physicochemical properties of the CuFe₂O₄@MWCNT composite were systematically characterized using microscopic techniques, while its electrochemical performance was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The resulting electrode exhibited a detection range between 1.0x10-2 and 1.8x102 μM and a detection limit of 6x10-2 μM. Good selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, and satisfactory recoveries in real samples further demonstrated its potential for monitoring diuron in agricultural and environmental samples.
Nitrate contamination in water, mainly arising from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge, is an important environmental concern, as excessive exposure may pose health risks such as methemoglobinemia. To address this issue, a series of Pd-functionalized Cu electrodes were fabricated through controlled Pd electrodeposition for the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate in water. Structural characterization confirmed the formation of a PdCu alloy with uniformly distributed Pd nanoparticles on the Cu substrate. By controlling the Pd electrodeposition time, the surface characteristics and catalytic properties of the electrodes could be tailored to enhance nitrate conversion and nitrogen selectivity. Among the investigated electrodes, Pd/Cu prepared with a deposition time of 180 s achieved approximately 98% nitrate removal and 87% N₂ selectivity at a current density of 6.8x10-2 mA cm⁻². The enhanced catalytic activity and durability demonstrate the potential of Pd/Cu electrodes for efficient nitrate removal and selective conversion to environmentally benign nitrogen gas.
Overall, the integration of advanced electrode materials with electrochemical sensing and treatment technologies offers a promising platform for environmental monitoring, wastewater treatment, and sustainable water management.

Abstract: Advancing the sustainability of lithium metal batteries is crucial for future energy storage; meanwhile, the increasing accumulation of agricultural waste poses environmental challenges, necessitating sustainable waste valorization strategies. This study explores the conversion of agricultural residues into value-added materials for lithium metal battery manufacturing using environmentally friendly processes. In this work, lignin was extracted from passion fruit vines and water bamboo husks. To improve its water solubility, the lignin was subsequently sulfonated using sodium bisulfite to produce water-soluble sodium lignosulfonate. The modified lignin was applied as a bio-based binder for aqueous cathode fabrication, effectively replacing conventional polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and eliminating the need for toxic N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy verified the structural characteristics and the successful sulfonation of the lignin. The results demonstrate the potential of the modified lignin to serve as a binder for the preparation of aqueous-based cathodes. By transforming agricultural waste into high-value binders, this study supports the goals of a circular economy and offers a viable pathway for the green transition of lithium metal battery manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Strengthening global understanding of the variety of services ocean provides, as well as the impact humans have on the ocean is vital to support the development and further implementation of effective decision making and thus in the process of achieving the sustainability targets of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. It is also important to influence our daily decisions, hence behavioural change, which are necessary for achieving the future sustainability. It requires changes on every level of daily activities, from individual choices to decision making processes. The shift in the decision making and policy creation processes to the level where the ocean and its services are acknowledged at every stage, requires universal understanding across all aspects, from ecological to societal. Multidisciplinary approaches, tools and strategies are needed, and they must be tailored to individuals, sectors and regions that incorporate many disciplines, methods and technologies. It is especially crucial for coastal areas, which are at the front of the planetary environmental and societal change due to a variety of climate change and hence societal related pressures. Therefore, the development of robust, transparent, and transferable approaches for combining all types of knowledge is essential for achieving sustainable coastal management and informing conservation and spatial planning decisions. In this talk, using the most up-to-date findings of the UN World Ocean Assessment III, I describe the key ocean and related societal issues and then I present practical lessons learned during the development and application of the Ecological Evaluation Tool within the EU MARBEFES project. I further outline recommendations for improving future interdisciplinary assessment methods. Therefore, this talk demonstrates how environmental and social knowledge can be brought together to support ecosystem-based management while highlighting the scientific and technical barriers that still limit effective integration.