Ion exchange resins (IERs) are widely used in water treatment to remove hardness ions such as calcium (Ca 2+ ) and magnesium (Mg 2+ ), but their long-term performance is constrained by fouling, inefficient regeneration, and high chemical consumption. This study systematically optimised brine-based regeneration by evaluating four key operational parameters: pre-treatment mode (swollen vs dried), resin-to-brine ratio (1:1–1:4),...

Understanding marine surface fish diversity is crucial for ecosystem management. However, the traditional sampling methods are often invasive, costly, or unsuitable for certain species or locations. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding provides a non-invasive and relatively cheap alternative to explore patterns of diversity. It is important to recognize that, eDNA-based inference can vary across sampling methods, potentially...