Current Pollution Reports最新文献

Purpose of Review

This review provides a comprehensive understanding about the mechanisms and technologies for the enhanced remediation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)-contaminated soils by organic and biochar amendments. This article discusses the practical implications in relation to degradation, mobility, and bioavailability of POPs in soils.

Recent Findings

The application of organic (and carbonaceous) amendment lead to changes in soil’s pH, OM, and soluble organic carbon levels which might shift POPs from solid to aqueous phases, increasing their availability for microbial breakdown. Biochar can be useful as an electron donor, acceptor, or shuttle for microorganisms that degrade POPs (via different biological or chemical reactions) apart from its high surface area and excellent sorption properties (π–π interactions).

Summary

Large amounts of organic such as composted manure, biosolids, municipal solid waste, and biochar amendments are utilized as a soil conditioner to enhance soil health and crop productivity as well as a source of carbon and nutrients, which can also impact the interactions of POPs in soil.

Purpose of the Review

High amounts of microplastics (MPs) are collected and then disposed of in sewage treatment plants. This review aims to identify the effects of wastewater treatment processes on the physical and chemical properties of MPs as well as their fragmentation and ageing, which are rarely reported and have not yet been revised.

Recent Findings

The amount of microplastic particles introduced into the WWTP depends on many factors, such as the area and population, treatment processes, migration of people, and weather conditions. As a result, WWTP effluents were identified as the source of MP pollution. Selected treatment methods and chemicals used in wastewater treatment may contribute to the deterioration of MP.

Summary

The impact of individual physical, mechanical, and chemical factors on the fate of microplastics in the WWTP was analysed. In the case of preliminary and primary treatment processes, the fragmentation of MP particles is mainly affected by mechanical interactions such as physical abrasion and water shearing force. However, during tertiary treatment processes, chemical factors such as advanced oxidation processes, chlorination, and ozonation play a leading role in MP deterioration. The paradox of so-called microplastic removal in WWTPs has been highlighted, and the concept of defining wastewater treatment plants as sources of tertiary microplastic pollution has been proposed.

Graphical Abstract

Purpose of Review

Amines, as atmospheric pollutants, significantly impact air quality, climate change, and human health because they readily react with acidic gases in the atmosphere to form secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and participate in the formation of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). This review summarizes the research progress on atmospheric amine, including analytical methods, emission inventory, and regional pollution, as well as their significance in the course of new particle formation (NPF).

Recent Findings

At present, the detection methods for amines mainly include chromatography and mass spectrometry, among which the development of online measurement technology helps to improve time resolution and research depth. The severe lack of field-measured emission factors has hindered the model’s simulation of amine effects. The concentration and main components of particulate amines show significant differences in different regions and seasons. The sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄)-H₂O-amine ternary nucleation theory is widely recognized, but field measurements have also revealed the influence of other organic compounds. In general, amines have a critical impact on atmospheric chemical reactions, particularly their support in the generation of new particles and SOA, which makes them a vital factor in climate transform research.

Summary

This review not only provides the latest research findings on amines but also points out the deficiencies in current studies. It emphasizes the need for systematic research on the emissions, the mechanisms of NPF. The ultimate goal is to contribute to mitigating atmospheric pollution and protecting public health.

Purpose of Review

This study aims to examine the role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a key precursor to disinfection by-products (DBPs) in aquatic environments. Key objectives include elucidating how DOM sources, chemical properties, and environmental transformations influence DBP speciation and toxicity. The study also evaluates strategies for mitigating DBP risks in drinking water treatment and identifies critical knowledge gaps in linking DOM dynamics to DBP toxicity profiles.

Recent Findings

Recent studies highlight that the sources of DOM and its chemical characteristics, including SUVA₂₅₄ and humification index (HIX), strongly influence disinfection by-product formation potential (DBPFP). Photochemical and microbial transformations significantly alter the reactivity of DOM, with photodegradation typically reducing DBPFP while biodegradation increasing it. Despite these findings, the relationship between DOM transformations and DBP toxicity remains underexplored. Advanced mass spectrometry and fluorescence-based techniques have improved the ability to characterize DOM, offering new insights into the molecular-level dynamics of DBP formation. While traditional water treatment methods remain essential, enhanced coagulation, adsorption, and advanced oxidation processes are increasingly necessary to efficiently remove DOM and mitigate DBP formation.

Summary

This review provides a comprehensive examination of the DOM-DBP relationship, offering insights into the speciation and toxicity of DBP. It is highlighted that the sources, chemical properties, and natural transformations of DOM complicate the DBP precursor pool, affecting DOM reactivity and DBP production during disinfection. Advances in analytical techniques could improve our understanding of molecular-level interactions between DOM and DBP. Future research should prioritize comprehensive DOM characterization and predictive models to link DOM subfractions with toxicity explicitly. Furthermore, enhanced removal strategies must be developed to balance disinfection efficacy with minimized health and ecological risks, thereby ensuring water quality safety.

Purpose of Review

This review intends to comprehensively introduce random mutagenesis technology and summarize the up-to-date advances for utilizing it to enhance the pollutant removal abilities of bacteria, microalgae, and microalgae-bacteria consortia. In addition, this review also proposes future improvement strategies to further enhance the strengthening effect of random mutagenesis technology.

Recent Findings

Environmental pollution caused by wastewater, residual antibiotics, and other pollutants has caused severe disservice to the ecosystem and the development of human society. Pure bacterial systems, pure microalgal systems, and microalgae-bacteria consortia have been extensively applied to treat pollutants because of their excellent treatment effects, low cost, and other preponderances. Nevertheless, the pollutant removal abilities of bacteria and microalgae are limited by the individual species characteristics and adverse environmental factors. Fortunately, random mutagenesis technology can effectively solve the above problems. At present, random mutagenesis technology has been proven to significantly improve the removal efficiency of bacteria and microalgae for pollutants such as nutrients, petroleum hydrocarbons, and CO₂.

Summary

This review first systematically describes the overall research situation of random mutagenesis technology through the bibliometric tools and related literature. Then, the applications of random mutagenesis technology in enhancing the pollutant removal capacity of bacteria, microalgae, and microalgae-bacteria consortia are introduced, respectively. This review also innovatively summarizes the principles of enhancing the pollutant removal performance of microalgae and bacteria through random mutagenesis technology. The challenges this technology faces in the current research are analyzed in depth, and corresponding improvement methods are given.

Graphical Abstract

Purpose of Review

Black-odorous water bodies (BOWBs) pose significant environmental challenges, characterized by excessive nutrients, heavy metals, and organic pollutants that degrade aquatic ecosystems. This review examines the impact of BOWBs on the physiological ecology of Vallisneria natans, a submersed macrophyte known for its phytoremediation potential, and its associated biofilm microbial community.

Recent Findings

Vallisneria natans interacts symbiotically with biofilm communities, which facilitate nutrient cycling, pollutant degradation, and enhance overall plant health. However, pollutants like heavy metals, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides disrupt this symbiotic relationship, leading to oxidative stress, impaired nutrient uptake, and reduced growth. These effects limit the effectiveness of V. natans in natural restoration processes, highlighting the need for targeted remediation strategies.

Summary

Understanding the complex interactions between V. natans and its biofilm community under the stress of BOWBs is essential for developing effective, eco-friendly restoration strategies. This review identifies key knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions to optimize restoration efforts in degraded aquatic systems.

Purpose of Review

Over the past 2 decades, due to eutrophication and other factors, algal toxins in water bodies have become increasingly prevalent, posing a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. The complex properties of algal toxins and the potential environmental risks they pose urgently demand comprehensive research and effective solutions. 

Recent Findings

Currently, the methods to address this issue mainly cover physical, chemical, and biological means. Oxidation, photocatalysis, and adsorption have emerged as the primary techniques. However, each has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of removal efficiency, cost, and environmental impact. Previous studies were mostly small-scale laboratory explorations and failed to analyze the overall research trends of algal toxins from a macroscopic perspective. This study, by employing bibliometrics and patent analysis methods, comprehensively examines the research status and development trends of treating algal toxins in water. 

Summary

This study carried out a data-driven analysis of 3354 papers and 380 patents from the Web of Science Core Collection and Derwent Innovation Index databases up until 2023. The keyword co-occurrence network analysis and technology classification jointly revealed the main knowledge structure of algal toxin research, which is formed and interconnected by contaminants, treatment processes, toxicity, and degradation characteristics. Moreover, current research indicates that oxidation, photocatalysis, and adsorption are the main removal methods. Further exploration found that hot areas include the low-carbon degradation of algal toxins in eutrophic waters. In recent years, cylindrospermopsin and nodularin have become hot pollutants in algal toxin treatment. Currently, the research focuses more on the removal mechanism of algal toxins and the risk assessment under the exposure to cylindrospermopsin and nodularin. This study also summarizes the removal efficiencies and principles of physical, chemical, and biological methods in the algal toxin removal process, providing key information and guidance for researchers to have a deeper understanding of the field of treating algal toxins in water. 

Purpose of Review

This review aims to reveal the pollution characteristics of bioaerosols across various working and living environments and evaluate existing control technologies. This will help enhance public awareness of bioaerosol pollution and the available control methods, and promote the diversity, efficiency, and operability of these technologies.

Recent Findings

Bioaerosols exhibit varying concentrations and community distributions across different environments due to diverse emission sources and environmental factors. Exposure to airborne pathogens poses health hazards, highlighting necessity for efficient antimicrobial techniques. While various technologies exhibit effective bactericidal capabilities, they also encounter numerous limitations in practical applications.

Summary

It is crucial to establish microbial risk assessment methods and develop efficient and low-cost control measures across various fields to create safe and healthy environments. This work lays the foundation for future research on bioaerosol pollution and control technologies, offering valuable insights for bioaerosol management and the protection of public health.

Purpose of Review

Air quality modelling and forecasting have been well recognised to play important roles in environmental research as well as government policy assessments and management strategies. To address the recent progresses in air quality modelling, we conduct a literature review focusing on air quality forecasting models and reanalysis datasets.

Recent Findings

First of all, the implementation of three-dimensional adaptive meshes/horizontal resolution-variable grids in air quality models offers a crucial insight on multi-scale simulations down to the hectometre level. These models balance high accuracy with computational efficiency. Secondly, current reanalysis still has limitations in its horizontal resolution (dozens of kilometres) that are insufficient to support the analysis and management of air pollution at factory levels or neighbourhood scales. The development of adaptive mesh resolution method provides a promising way to deal with this issue and allows the construction of the chemistry reanalysis at ultra-high resolutions (< 1 km). However, the use of adaptive mesh method in data assimilation is currently still restricted to the column-based one-dimensional models. Thirdly, the application of graphics processing units to air quality predictions enables more optimised resource usage and enhances model performance through hardware acceleration effects, while machine learning methods can both maintain the consistency with numerical solutions and increase the accuracy of air quality predictions for specific chemical species. Furthermore, parameters that describe more complicated processes and mechanisms have been added into pre-existing physical and chemical parameterisations to enable more accurate representation of various small-scale features, such as the parameterisation of inorganic chemistry on the surface of aerosols, as well as various photolysis schemes.

Summary

The increase of resolution brings computational burdens and shifts the boundary of resolved and sub-grid phenomena in air quality prediction, which in turn stimulates the development and usage of new technologies (e.g. adaptive mesh techniques, graphics processing unit acceleration, machine learning methods). They are conducive to the improvement of prediction accuracies and the acquisition of new insights on atmospheric physical and chemical mechanisms. However, new challenges also ensued, including the selection criteria for mesh refinement, the acquisition of high-resolution observational data and the integration of artificial intelligence-hybrid air quality models. More efforts are required to develop the adaptive irregular mesh grid data assimilation method to overcome the resolution problems of current chemical reanalysis.

Purpose of Review

This review aims to explore the application of scenario setting in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies related to wastewater treatment. Given the variability in LCA results based on different scenario settings, this paper seeks to categorize these settings, assess their impact, and provide a reference for future research in optimizing wastewater treatment industry.

Recent Findings

To achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the wastewater treatment field, recent studies have incorporated a more diverse range of scenarios for comparative analysis. These scenarios can generally be categorized into small-scale and large-scale scenarios, including those set up to compare different wastewater treatment technologies, demonstrate the potential of new versus traditional processes, predict future developments, and analyze regional impacts spanning entire countries, among others. Scenario setting plays a critical role throughout the LCA process, influencing model construction, data analysis, and result interpretation.

Summary

The motivation behind scenario setting lies in comparison, and it can be integrated throughout LCA research, serving distinct roles at various stages. This review categorizes scenario setting into three steps: baseline scenario setting, main scenario setting, and supplementary scenario setting. Proper scenario setting is crucial for enhancing the accuracy and depth of wastewater treatment life cycle assessments, enabling researchers to provide valuable insights into the environmental, economic, and social impacts of wastewater treatment technologies. This structured approach supports decision-makers in optimizing treatment processes and developing more sustainable wastewater management policies.