Pub Date : 2026-03-24DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00569-4
Ghada E. Hegazy, Hussein Oraby, Mohamed Elnouby, Nadia A. Soliman, Tarek H. Taha, Yasser R. Abdel-Fattah
The presence of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic systems poses a growing environmental concern, necessitating the development of sustainable and efficient sensing materials. In this study, haloalkaliphilic archaea were employed as green biocatalysts for the synthesis of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles and their application in the electrochemical detection of ibuprofen under saline conditions. Two archaeal strains produced Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with well-defined inverse spinel crystal structures, nanoscale dimensions, and superparamagnetic behavior, while exhibiting distinct surface chemistry and magnetic properties. Strain-dependent differences in crystallinity and surface functionalization were found to strongly influence electrochemical performance. RA5-derived nanoparticles exhibited higher crystallinity and enhanced charge-transfer efficiency, achieving a sensitivity of 2.105 µA mg L⁻¹ and a limit of detection of 0.927 mg L⁻¹. In contrast, A6-derived nanoparticles featured a richer organic surface corona that promoted analyte adsorption, resulting in a sensitivity of 2.2186 µA mg L⁻¹ and a detection limit of 1.05 mg L⁻¹. Both modified electrodes enabled reliable ibuprofen detection over a wide linear concentration range of 0–100 mg L⁻¹. These results demonstrate that haloalkaliphilic archaea can function as sustainable nano-factories for producing functional magnetic nanomaterials, offering an eco-friendly strategy for electrochemical monitoring of pharmaceutical contaminants in complex aquatic environments.
{"title":"Haloalkaliphilic archaea-mediated green synthesis of superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles for electrochemical detection of ibuprofen in saline environments","authors":"Ghada E. Hegazy, Hussein Oraby, Mohamed Elnouby, Nadia A. Soliman, Tarek H. Taha, Yasser R. Abdel-Fattah","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00569-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00569-4","url":null,"abstract":"The presence of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic systems poses a growing environmental concern, necessitating the development of sustainable and efficient sensing materials. In this study, haloalkaliphilic archaea were employed as green biocatalysts for the synthesis of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles and their application in the electrochemical detection of ibuprofen under saline conditions. Two archaeal strains produced Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with well-defined inverse spinel crystal structures, nanoscale dimensions, and superparamagnetic behavior, while exhibiting distinct surface chemistry and magnetic properties. Strain-dependent differences in crystallinity and surface functionalization were found to strongly influence electrochemical performance. RA5-derived nanoparticles exhibited higher crystallinity and enhanced charge-transfer efficiency, achieving a sensitivity of 2.105 µA mg L⁻¹ and a limit of detection of 0.927 mg L⁻¹. In contrast, A6-derived nanoparticles featured a richer organic surface corona that promoted analyte adsorption, resulting in a sensitivity of 2.2186 µA mg L⁻¹ and a detection limit of 1.05 mg L⁻¹. Both modified electrodes enabled reliable ibuprofen detection over a wide linear concentration range of 0–100 mg L⁻¹. These results demonstrate that haloalkaliphilic archaea can function as sustainable nano-factories for producing functional magnetic nanomaterials, offering an eco-friendly strategy for electrochemical monitoring of pharmaceutical contaminants in complex aquatic environments.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"52 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147506147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-23DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00567-6
Aly Reda, Norhan Badr Eldin, Shahdan Abdelkareem, Nada M. Ali, Tamer Shoeib
The escalating global crises of hazardous waste accumulation and heavy metal contamination demand innovative solutions that simultaneously address environmental remediation and analytical sensing needs. This study presents a sustainable electrochemical platform fabricated from industrial and electronic waste streams for the high-performance detection of notorious heavy metals. Herein, we repurposed arc furnace dust into ferrite nanoparticles and converted spent battery graphite into highly conductive nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) through controlled synthesis processes. The resulting Arc-ferrite/N-rGO nanocomposite was integrated into a carbon paste electrode, demonstrating exceptional electrochemical performance with a 3.5-fold increase in faradaic current and significantly improved electron transfer kinetics compared to bare electrodes. Through comprehensive optimization of differential pulse voltammetry parameters, the optimal conditions were established as follows: an acetate-KCl buffer (pH 4.5), a deposition potential of -1.1 V, a scan rate of 50 mV/s, and a 180 s accumulation time. The sensor achieved remarkable analytical performance for simultaneous detection of cadmium (II), lead (II), and mercury (II) with detection limits of 1.01 – 1.13 ppb, well below WHO guidelines for drinking water. Excellent linearity (R² > 0.995) across a 10.0 – 150.0 ppb concentration range and superior selectivity against a 100-fold excess of eleven common interfering cations demonstrated the sensor’s robustness for real-world applications. The sensor enabled the simultaneous detection of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ in industrial wastewater, with results cross-validated by microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. This work establishes a powerful circular economy paradigm, transforming environmental liabilities into valuable analytical assets while addressing the dual challenges of waste management and environmental monitoring. The Arc-ferrite/N-rGO sensor represents a scalable, economically viable, and environmentally responsible solution for next-generation heavy metal detection systems.
{"title":"Waste-to-sensor: high-sensitivity detection of heavy metals in water using Arc-ferrite/N-rGO nanocomposites from industrial and electronic waste","authors":"Aly Reda, Norhan Badr Eldin, Shahdan Abdelkareem, Nada M. Ali, Tamer Shoeib","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00567-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00567-6","url":null,"abstract":"The escalating global crises of hazardous waste accumulation and heavy metal contamination demand innovative solutions that simultaneously address environmental remediation and analytical sensing needs. This study presents a sustainable electrochemical platform fabricated from industrial and electronic waste streams for the high-performance detection of notorious heavy metals. Herein, we repurposed arc furnace dust into ferrite nanoparticles and converted spent battery graphite into highly conductive nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) through controlled synthesis processes. The resulting Arc-ferrite/N-rGO nanocomposite was integrated into a carbon paste electrode, demonstrating exceptional electrochemical performance with a 3.5-fold increase in faradaic current and significantly improved electron transfer kinetics compared to bare electrodes. Through comprehensive optimization of differential pulse voltammetry parameters, the optimal conditions were established as follows: an acetate-KCl buffer (pH 4.5), a deposition potential of -1.1 V, a scan rate of 50 mV/s, and a 180 s accumulation time. The sensor achieved remarkable analytical performance for simultaneous detection of cadmium (II), lead (II), and mercury (II) with detection limits of 1.01 – 1.13 ppb, well below WHO guidelines for drinking water. Excellent linearity (R² > 0.995) across a 10.0 – 150.0 ppb concentration range and superior selectivity against a 100-fold excess of eleven common interfering cations demonstrated the sensor’s robustness for real-world applications. The sensor enabled the simultaneous detection of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ in industrial wastewater, with results cross-validated by microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. This work establishes a powerful circular economy paradigm, transforming environmental liabilities into valuable analytical assets while addressing the dual challenges of waste management and environmental monitoring. The Arc-ferrite/N-rGO sensor represents a scalable, economically viable, and environmentally responsible solution for next-generation heavy metal detection systems.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147496852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-20DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00570-x
Aidan M. Nikiforuk, Muhammad Zohaib Anwar, James Kwan, Michael A. Irvine, Natalie A. Prystajecky, David A. McVea
{"title":"Implementing wastewater surveillance for viral pathogens: lessons learned from SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox virus, norovirus and influenza A viruses","authors":"Aidan M. Nikiforuk, Muhammad Zohaib Anwar, James Kwan, Michael A. Irvine, Natalie A. Prystajecky, David A. McVea","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00570-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00570-x","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"55 37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147506480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-18DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00564-9
Martijn Eikelboom, Jay Bullen, Peter S. K. Knappett, Trevor Ferris, Matthieu Carriere, Alexandra Alvarez, Dario Omanović, Subhamoy Bhowmick, Aaron Torres Huerta, Ramon Vilar, Jack N Turney, Paul Lewtas, Dominik Weiss, Pascal Salaün
Knowledge of arsenic inorganic speciation in groundwaters is critical for optimising water treatment approaches. Here, we characterise the on-site analytical performance of the As(V)-selective ImpAs ion-exchange resin to separate As(V) from As(III) in groundwater with contrasting redox conditions. Field speciation results obtained by ImpAs in the oxic, Fe-poor groundwaters of Guanajuato (Mexico) and in the reducing, Fe-rich groundwaters of West Bengal (India) agreed with voltammetry (slope of 0.91 ± 0.03, r = 0.99, p < 0.001, n = 21). Like for arsenic, oxyanions of Mo, V, U and Cr are retained by ImpAs but their reduced hydroxy forms are not. High As(V) extraction by ImpAs (>95%) was obtained in synthetic groundwater for hundreds of samples without any regeneration, highlighting negligible interactions of major anions such as sulfate, a major advantage over common solid phase extraction resins. However, in Fe rich waters, ImpAs reusability is likely constrained by Fe accumulation in the resin and dissolved organic matter. This study demonstrates the successful application of ImpAs resin as a safe and easy to use analytical device for on-site separation of As(V) and As(III) in groundwaters, which opens the potential for including As inorganic speciation analysis into large scale monitoring programs.
了解地下水中砷无机形态对优化水处理方法至关重要。在这里，我们描述了As(V)选择性ImpAs离子交换树脂在不同氧化还原条件下分离地下水中As(V)和As（III）的现场分析性能。ImpAs在墨西哥瓜纳华托州缺氧、缺铁的地下水和印度西孟加拉邦富铁的还原地下水中获得的现场形态结果与伏安法（斜率为0.91±0.03,r = 0.99, p 95%）一致，在数百个没有任何再生的样品中获得了合成地下水，突出了主要阴离子（如硫酸盐）的可忽略的相互作用，这是普通固相萃取树脂的主要优势。然而，在富铁水域，ImpAs的可重复利用性可能受到树脂和溶解有机物中铁积累的限制。该研究证明了ImpAs树脂作为一种安全且易于使用的分析设备在地下水中as (V)和as （III）的现场分离中的成功应用，这为将as无机形态分析纳入大规模监测程序开辟了潜力。
{"title":"Speciation of inorganic arsenic in oxic and in reducing groundwaters using the As(V)-selective ImpAs resin","authors":"Martijn Eikelboom, Jay Bullen, Peter S. K. Knappett, Trevor Ferris, Matthieu Carriere, Alexandra Alvarez, Dario Omanović, Subhamoy Bhowmick, Aaron Torres Huerta, Ramon Vilar, Jack N Turney, Paul Lewtas, Dominik Weiss, Pascal Salaün","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00564-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00564-9","url":null,"abstract":"Knowledge of arsenic inorganic speciation in groundwaters is critical for optimising water treatment approaches. Here, we characterise the on-site analytical performance of the As(V)-selective ImpAs ion-exchange resin to separate As(V) from As(III) in groundwater with contrasting redox conditions. Field speciation results obtained by ImpAs in the oxic, Fe-poor groundwaters of Guanajuato (Mexico) and in the reducing, Fe-rich groundwaters of West Bengal (India) agreed with voltammetry (slope of 0.91 ± 0.03, r = 0.99, p < 0.001, n = 21). Like for arsenic, oxyanions of Mo, V, U and Cr are retained by ImpAs but their reduced hydroxy forms are not. High As(V) extraction by ImpAs (>95%) was obtained in synthetic groundwater for hundreds of samples without any regeneration, highlighting negligible interactions of major anions such as sulfate, a major advantage over common solid phase extraction resins. However, in Fe rich waters, ImpAs reusability is likely constrained by Fe accumulation in the resin and dissolved organic matter. This study demonstrates the successful application of ImpAs resin as a safe and easy to use analytical device for on-site separation of As(V) and As(III) in groundwaters, which opens the potential for including As inorganic speciation analysis into large scale monitoring programs.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147496720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-12DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00555-w
Yingjie Wang, Matthew Wilchek, Feras A. Batarseh
Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are increasingly recognized for their transformative potential in water regulation and management. This systematic survey reviews 100+ peer-reviewed studies that applied AI-driven techniques to advance water policy across three critical policy domains: water pollution, drinking water, and infrastructure regulation. Using a novel multi-dimensional evaluation framework, this systematic review assesses the methodological rigor, policy integration, real-world applicability, AI assurance, and the socioeconomic or ethical impact of each reviewed study. The results reveal that AI applications in water governance are primarily dominated by machine-learning and neural-network methods, focusing on pollution control and infrastructure optimization. In contrast, far fewer studies employ causal, reinforcement-learning, or decision-support approaches that directly engage with policy evaluation. Despite technical advancements, only 18% incorporated assurance elements such as explainability, fairness, or trustworthiness, underscoring the need for more transparent and deployable AI in water governance. This review synthesizes global research efforts and outlines key opportunities and challenges. In response, it outlines future research directions that emphasize policy-aware decision-support systems, the advancement of trustworthy and explainable AI assurance frameworks, and the systematic incorporation of socioeconomic and ethical considerations to strengthen accountability and equity in water governance.
{"title":"From data to policy: a systematic review of AI in water regulations and compliance","authors":"Yingjie Wang, Matthew Wilchek, Feras A. Batarseh","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00555-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00555-w","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are increasingly recognized for their transformative potential in water regulation and management. This systematic survey reviews 100+ peer-reviewed studies that applied AI-driven techniques to advance water policy across three critical policy domains: water pollution, drinking water, and infrastructure regulation. Using a novel multi-dimensional evaluation framework, this systematic review assesses the methodological rigor, policy integration, real-world applicability, AI assurance, and the socioeconomic or ethical impact of each reviewed study. The results reveal that AI applications in water governance are primarily dominated by machine-learning and neural-network methods, focusing on pollution control and infrastructure optimization. In contrast, far fewer studies employ causal, reinforcement-learning, or decision-support approaches that directly engage with policy evaluation. Despite technical advancements, only 18% incorporated assurance elements such as explainability, fairness, or trustworthiness, underscoring the need for more transparent and deployable AI in water governance. This review synthesizes global research efforts and outlines key opportunities and challenges. In response, it outlines future research directions that emphasize policy-aware decision-support systems, the advancement of trustworthy and explainable AI assurance frameworks, and the systematic incorporation of socioeconomic and ethical considerations to strengthen accountability and equity in water governance.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147454758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-09DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00565-8
Xuewei Du, Helani Perera, Thilini Ranasinghe, Wenbin Jiang, Yanxing Wang, Fangjun Shu, Huiyao Wang, Ke Yuan, Lawrence M. Anovitz, Paul Ben Ishai, Pei Xu
Electromagnetic field (EMF) treatment is a promising nonchemical strategy for scale control in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination; however, the mechanisms by which it influences polymorph selection and competitive precipitation in multi-ionic waters remain poorly understood. Here, we present the first detailed temporal analysis of scale formation, elucidating how EMF alters CaCO₃ and gypsum scaling in multi-ionic, Mg-bearing brackish groundwater (Mg/Ca = 0.67). Without EMF, aragonite and Mg-calcite co-precipitated, consistent with Mg²⁺-mediated inhibition of calcite growth. EMF accelerated bulk crystallization, amplified Mg²⁺ suppression of calcite, and drove an almost complete shift toward aragonite precipitation while maintaining elevated Mg/Ca ratios. EMF also mitigated gypsum scaling by promoting early, uniform CaCO₃ precipitation, reducing free Ca²⁺ availability, and delaying gypsum nucleation during initial concentration stages. At high gypsum supersaturation, precipitation occurred under both EMF and control conditions; however, EMF produced more porous and loosely adherent gypsum deposits. This dual effect—favoring aragonite formation and delaying or modifying gypsum deposition—resulted in more uniform, easily removable scaling layers. Although short-term flux improvements were modest, these mechanistic shifts enhance long-term membrane performance and cleanability, particularly when combined with hydraulic flushing.
{"title":"Temporal insights into electromagnetic field-tuned scaling pathways of CaCO3 and CaSO4•2H2O during reverse osmosis desalination of real brackish water","authors":"Xuewei Du, Helani Perera, Thilini Ranasinghe, Wenbin Jiang, Yanxing Wang, Fangjun Shu, Huiyao Wang, Ke Yuan, Lawrence M. Anovitz, Paul Ben Ishai, Pei Xu","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00565-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00565-8","url":null,"abstract":"Electromagnetic field (EMF) treatment is a promising nonchemical strategy for scale control in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination; however, the mechanisms by which it influences polymorph selection and competitive precipitation in multi-ionic waters remain poorly understood. Here, we present the first detailed temporal analysis of scale formation, elucidating how EMF alters CaCO₃ and gypsum scaling in multi-ionic, Mg-bearing brackish groundwater (Mg/Ca = 0.67). Without EMF, aragonite and Mg-calcite co-precipitated, consistent with Mg²⁺-mediated inhibition of calcite growth. EMF accelerated bulk crystallization, amplified Mg²⁺ suppression of calcite, and drove an almost complete shift toward aragonite precipitation while maintaining elevated Mg/Ca ratios. EMF also mitigated gypsum scaling by promoting early, uniform CaCO₃ precipitation, reducing free Ca²⁺ availability, and delaying gypsum nucleation during initial concentration stages. At high gypsum supersaturation, precipitation occurred under both EMF and control conditions; however, EMF produced more porous and loosely adherent gypsum deposits. This dual effect—favoring aragonite formation and delaying or modifying gypsum deposition—resulted in more uniform, easily removable scaling layers. Although short-term flux improvements were modest, these mechanistic shifts enhance long-term membrane performance and cleanability, particularly when combined with hydraulic flushing.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"226 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147381755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-28DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00561-y
Max Zimmermann, Christian Staaks, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Wintgens, Benedikt M. Aumeier
In this pilot study, we investigated how the counter-current of powdered activated carbon (PAC) improved the removal of organic micropollutants in two membrane hybrid processes. Comparing an inline-dosing process with fine or conventional PAC with a state-of-the-art contact reactor process that uses conventionally sized PAC. Recirculation of partially loaded fine PAC from the inline-dosing membrane hybrid process to the upstream biological treatment reduced the necessary carbon dosage to meet EU requirements for organic micropollutant removal from 1.4 mgPAC/mgDOC down to 0.7 mgPAC/mgDOC. Therefore, the counter-current flow reduced the carbon demand of the inline-dosing process by 50%. At the same time, the fine PAC inline-dosing process reached an even lower carbon demand than the reference process, which required dosages of 1.0 mgPAC/mgDOC. We also determined where and at what timescale adsorption takes place with and without PAC recirculation. The reduction of micropollutants in PAC counter-current schemes is shifting toward the activated sludge process. In this study, we demonstrated the relevance of process configuration as compared to material selection, and particularly the importance of recirculation of PAC in real applications. We also proposed a way to transfer previous lab- or pilot-scale results (without PAC recirculation) to real applications with PAC recirculation.
{"title":"Recirculation of powdered activated carbon improves the adsorption of organic micropollutants in membrane hybrid processes","authors":"Max Zimmermann, Christian Staaks, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Wintgens, Benedikt M. Aumeier","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00561-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00561-y","url":null,"abstract":"In this pilot study, we investigated how the counter-current of powdered activated carbon (PAC) improved the removal of organic micropollutants in two membrane hybrid processes. Comparing an inline-dosing process with fine or conventional PAC with a state-of-the-art contact reactor process that uses conventionally sized PAC. Recirculation of partially loaded fine PAC from the inline-dosing membrane hybrid process to the upstream biological treatment reduced the necessary carbon dosage to meet EU requirements for organic micropollutant removal from 1.4 mgPAC/mgDOC down to 0.7 mgPAC/mgDOC. Therefore, the counter-current flow reduced the carbon demand of the inline-dosing process by 50%. At the same time, the fine PAC inline-dosing process reached an even lower carbon demand than the reference process, which required dosages of 1.0 mgPAC/mgDOC. We also determined where and at what timescale adsorption takes place with and without PAC recirculation. The reduction of micropollutants in PAC counter-current schemes is shifting toward the activated sludge process. In this study, we demonstrated the relevance of process configuration as compared to material selection, and particularly the importance of recirculation of PAC in real applications. We also proposed a way to transfer previous lab- or pilot-scale results (without PAC recirculation) to real applications with PAC recirculation.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"129 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147320159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Water, food, and ecology are closely interconnected and are essential for regional development and human well-being, forming the water-food-ecology (WFE) nexus. However, knowledge about progress towards sustainable development of the WFE nexus at the basin scale remains largely unavailable. This study constructed an evaluation system to assess the WFE nexus in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The spatio-temporal dynamics of WFE nexus coupling coordination were revealed using coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Then, the random forest algorithm was employed to identify key factors dominating the evolutionary patterns of CCD. The results showed that the water subsystem index decreased 4.55%, accompanied by growing spatial imbalance. In contrast, the food and ecology subsystem indices increased 45.45% and 33.33%, respectively, with reduced spatial imbalance. Besides, the mean coupling coordination level of WFE nexus improved from intermediate discoordination (CCD = 0.36) to basic coordination (CCD = 0.405), while the proportion of area reaching coordination increased from 36.34% to 51.66%. A cluster of high coupling coordination was maintained in the relatively more developed northeastern sub-basins of the LVB. In addition, social influencing factors dominated CCD across the basin, with agricultural water use efficiency and land-use intensity consistently ranking higher in importance than climate and vegetation variables, highlighting the closer association between human activities and WFE nexus coupling coordination. This study provided a feasible evaluation framework and improved understanding of the WFE nexus in great lake basins.
{"title":"Agricultural water use efficiency and land-use intensity dominate the water-food-ecology nexus coupling coordination in the Lake Victoria Basin","authors":"Tengwen Wang, Jiayao Shu, Maurice Mugabowindekwe, Yifan Lin, Danfei Zhong, Jiansheng Wu, Gaspard Rwanyiziri, Jian Peng","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00563-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00563-w","url":null,"abstract":"Water, food, and ecology are closely interconnected and are essential for regional development and human well-being, forming the water-food-ecology (WFE) nexus. However, knowledge about progress towards sustainable development of the WFE nexus at the basin scale remains largely unavailable. This study constructed an evaluation system to assess the WFE nexus in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The spatio-temporal dynamics of WFE nexus coupling coordination were revealed using coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Then, the random forest algorithm was employed to identify key factors dominating the evolutionary patterns of CCD. The results showed that the water subsystem index decreased 4.55%, accompanied by growing spatial imbalance. In contrast, the food and ecology subsystem indices increased 45.45% and 33.33%, respectively, with reduced spatial imbalance. Besides, the mean coupling coordination level of WFE nexus improved from intermediate discoordination (CCD = 0.36) to basic coordination (CCD = 0.405), while the proportion of area reaching coordination increased from 36.34% to 51.66%. A cluster of high coupling coordination was maintained in the relatively more developed northeastern sub-basins of the LVB. In addition, social influencing factors dominated CCD across the basin, with agricultural water use efficiency and land-use intensity consistently ranking higher in importance than climate and vegetation variables, highlighting the closer association between human activities and WFE nexus coupling coordination. This study provided a feasible evaluation framework and improved understanding of the WFE nexus in great lake basins.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147320188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-14DOI: 10.1038/s41545-026-00560-z
Saadia Wasim, Stephanie K. Loeb
Photocatalytic water treatment offers a sustainable method for removing organic micropollutants but is often limited by low efficiency and complexity. We report a plasmonic-photocatalytic heterostructure combining aluminum (Al) nanoparticles with titanium dioxide (TiO2) for contaminant degradation under solar light without external oxidants or pH adjustment. Using an organic colloidal Al nanoparticle suspension, this approach enhances TiO2 photocatalysis through improved light absorption, plasmon resonance, and contaminant adsorption. The low-cost Al/TiO2 heterostructure provides light-harvesting benefits comparable to other noble metal heterostructures (Au/TiO2 and Ag/TiO2), offering a sustainable alternative. Synthesized via an organic solvent method and ligand modification, the heterostructures were characterized for charge, size, bandgap, and photocatalytic efficiency. A cysteine-modified Al/TiO2 showed the best performance, degrading the dye amaranth 60% faster than P25 TiO2 and remaining stable over repeated cycles, underscoring its potential for integration into small-scale, solar-driven water treatment systems.
{"title":"Aluminum nanoparticle enhanced TiO2 photocatalysis of organic pollutants under solar and UV-B irradiation","authors":"Saadia Wasim, Stephanie K. Loeb","doi":"10.1038/s41545-026-00560-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00560-z","url":null,"abstract":"Photocatalytic water treatment offers a sustainable method for removing organic micropollutants but is often limited by low efficiency and complexity. We report a plasmonic-photocatalytic heterostructure combining aluminum (Al) nanoparticles with titanium dioxide (TiO2) for contaminant degradation under solar light without external oxidants or pH adjustment. Using an organic colloidal Al nanoparticle suspension, this approach enhances TiO2 photocatalysis through improved light absorption, plasmon resonance, and contaminant adsorption. The low-cost Al/TiO2 heterostructure provides light-harvesting benefits comparable to other noble metal heterostructures (Au/TiO2 and Ag/TiO2), offering a sustainable alternative. Synthesized via an organic solvent method and ligand modification, the heterostructures were characterized for charge, size, bandgap, and photocatalytic efficiency. A cysteine-modified Al/TiO2 showed the best performance, degrading the dye amaranth 60% faster than P25 TiO2 and remaining stable over repeated cycles, underscoring its potential for integration into small-scale, solar-driven water treatment systems.","PeriodicalId":19375,"journal":{"name":"npj Clean Water","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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