Pub Date : 2025-07-07DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00459-y
Jiawei Liu, Jia Li, Han Wang, Mingda Zhou, Yayi Wang
The limited iron uptake efficiency of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria has garnered accumulating concerns, as iron plays an important role in anammox bacteria metabolism. Siderophores are a prevalent strategy for iron acquisition among many bacteria, and recent evidence has suggested the potential role of siderophore-Fe3+ as bioavailable iron sources to anammox bacteria. Nonetheless, what target siderophore anammox bacteria can use and how they use it remain poorly understood. Here we shed fresh light on siderophore selectively promoting iron uptake and regulating the metabolic activity of anammox bacteria. Batch experiments and long-term operations demonstrated that siderophores catechin (CAT) and N-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA) increased the iron uptake efficiency of anammox consortia up to 50%–65% and triggered the cofactors synthesis for key enzymes assembly, thereby selectively enhancing the anammox activity (≥350 mg N per gram of volatile suspended solids per day) and nitrogen removal efficiency (≥85%). Integrated with multi-omics approaches, we revealed versatile iron uptake pathways within anammox bacteria genera: Candidatus Brocadia acquired CAT-Fe3+ and HEDTA-Fe3+ via outer membrane receptors FitA/TbpA and FecA, respectively, whereas Candidatus Jettenia initially reduced CAT-Fe3+ using NfnB enzyme before uptake via the FeoABC system. This work reveals a pivotal role of siderophores in selectively enhancing anammox bacteria by optimizing their iron uptake and utilization and uncovers the involved molecular mechanisms, which opens promising avenues to optimize the anammox process with siderophore regulation for more efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment. The functional bacteria in the anaerobic ammonium oxidation process rely heavily on iron for their metabolism. The addition of exogenous siderophores considerably enhanced the iron uptake efficiency of anammox consortia, leading to enhanced anammox activity and nitrogen removal performance.
由于铁在厌氧氨氧化（anammox）细菌的代谢中起着重要作用，因此厌氧氨氧化（anammox）细菌对铁的吸收效率有限引起了人们的关注。铁载体是许多细菌获取铁的一种普遍策略，最近的证据表明铁载体- fe3 +作为厌氧氨氧化细菌的生物可利用铁源的潜在作用。尽管如此，铁载体厌氧氨氧化细菌可以利用什么目标以及它们如何利用它仍然知之甚少。本研究为铁载体选择性促进厌氧氨氧化菌的铁吸收和调节代谢活性提供了新的思路。批量实验和长期操作表明，铁载体儿茶素（CAT）和N-羟乙基乙二胺三乙酸（HEDTA）可使厌氧氨氧化菌群的铁吸收效率提高50%-65%，并触发关键酶组合的辅因子合成，从而选择性地提高厌氧氨氧化活性（≥350 mg N / g / g / g / d）和脱氮效率（≥85%）。结合多组学方法，我们揭示了厌氧氨氧化菌属的多种铁摄取途径：Candidatus Brocadia分别通过外膜受体FitA/TbpA和FecA获得CAT-Fe3+和HEDTA-Fe3+，而Candidatus Jettenia在通过FeoABC系统摄取之前首先使用NfnB酶还原CAT-Fe3+。本研究揭示了铁载体通过优化厌氧氨氧化细菌对铁的吸收和利用，在选择性增强厌氧氨氧化细菌中的关键作用，并揭示了其中的分子机制，为优化厌氧氨氧化过程提供了有希望的途径，通过铁载体调控来实现更高效和可持续的废水处理。厌氧氨氧化过程中的功能细菌严重依赖铁进行代谢。外源铁载体的加入大大提高了厌氧氨氧化菌对铁的吸收效率，从而提高了厌氧氨氧化活性和脱氮性能。
{"title":"Siderophores as a selective regulator for enhancing anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria","authors":"Jiawei Liu, Jia Li, Han Wang, Mingda Zhou, Yayi Wang","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00459-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00459-y","url":null,"abstract":"The limited iron uptake efficiency of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria has garnered accumulating concerns, as iron plays an important role in anammox bacteria metabolism. Siderophores are a prevalent strategy for iron acquisition among many bacteria, and recent evidence has suggested the potential role of siderophore-Fe3+ as bioavailable iron sources to anammox bacteria. Nonetheless, what target siderophore anammox bacteria can use and how they use it remain poorly understood. Here we shed fresh light on siderophore selectively promoting iron uptake and regulating the metabolic activity of anammox bacteria. Batch experiments and long-term operations demonstrated that siderophores catechin (CAT) and N-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA) increased the iron uptake efficiency of anammox consortia up to 50%–65% and triggered the cofactors synthesis for key enzymes assembly, thereby selectively enhancing the anammox activity (≥350 mg N per gram of volatile suspended solids per day) and nitrogen removal efficiency (≥85%). Integrated with multi-omics approaches, we revealed versatile iron uptake pathways within anammox bacteria genera: Candidatus Brocadia acquired CAT-Fe3+ and HEDTA-Fe3+ via outer membrane receptors FitA/TbpA and FecA, respectively, whereas Candidatus Jettenia initially reduced CAT-Fe3+ using NfnB enzyme before uptake via the FeoABC system. This work reveals a pivotal role of siderophores in selectively enhancing anammox bacteria by optimizing their iron uptake and utilization and uncovers the involved molecular mechanisms, which opens promising avenues to optimize the anammox process with siderophore regulation for more efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment. The functional bacteria in the anaerobic ammonium oxidation process rely heavily on iron for their metabolism. The addition of exogenous siderophores considerably enhanced the iron uptake efficiency of anammox consortia, leading to enhanced anammox activity and nitrogen removal performance.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 7","pages":"806-817"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145122972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-04DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00462-3
Zhenzhong Zeng
While ocean processes have long dominated our understanding of climate variability, growing evidence reveals that changes in terrestrial water are an unseen force reshaping the Earth’s climate, with its decline potentially accelerating global warming and pushing us toward a dangerous tipping point.
{"title":"The hidden role of land water in a warming world","authors":"Zhenzhong Zeng","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00462-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00462-3","url":null,"abstract":"While ocean processes have long dominated our understanding of climate variability, growing evidence reveals that changes in terrestrial water are an unseen force reshaping the Earth’s climate, with its decline potentially accelerating global warming and pushing us toward a dangerous tipping point.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 7","pages":"749-750"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145122973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00458-z
As PFAS contamination continues to be a complex, global threat, the technologies to address it are evolving rapidly. No single technology offers a complete solution, but combining methods is a promising approach to achieving effective results.
{"title":"The PFAS treatment evolution","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00458-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00458-z","url":null,"abstract":"As PFAS contamination continues to be a complex, global threat, the technologies to address it are evolving rapidly. No single technology offers a complete solution, but combining methods is a promising approach to achieving effective results.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"633-633"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00458-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00456-1
Zhanghao Chen, Cheng Gu
The basic theoretical framework for the reductive defluorination of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons is obscure. Now, an electron-transfer-limiting mechanism based on the Marcus theory reveals the structure-dependent reactivity of these substances with hydrated electrons.
{"title":"Structure-dependent reductive defluorination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons","authors":"Zhanghao Chen, Cheng Gu","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00456-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00456-1","url":null,"abstract":"The basic theoretical framework for the reductive defluorination of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons is obscure. Now, an electron-transfer-limiting mechanism based on the Marcus theory reveals the structure-dependent reactivity of these substances with hydrated electrons.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"638-639"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145122983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hydrated electron ( $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ )-based technologies are promising for resolving the global pollution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by efficiently breaking C−F bonds. However, achieving complete defluorination has been challenging, and the fundamental mechanisms behind the stalled efficacy and varied reactivity remain obscure. Here we propose an electron transfer (ET)-limiting mechanism for PFAS degradation by $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ through experimental and theoretical evaluations of 41 structures in UV/sulfite. The degradation rate constants spanned four orders of magnitude, with 34 PFAS achieving ~100% defluorination. We found that the defluorination occurs in a stepwise manner, with ET from $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ to PFAS being rate limiting rather than subsequent C−F bond cleavage. This ET-limiting mechanism was verified by the effectiveness of the free energy of activation (2.33–27.4 kcal mol−1) calculated on the basis of the Marcus theory to predict the distinct reactivity of PFAS. Combined with spin-density analysis, this mechanism reveals that C=C, C−Cl, CF2COO− and (CF2)n≥6 promote the complete defluorination by favouring ET, whereas ET-disfavouring moieties, C−H, −O−, (CH2)n, SO3− and (CF2)n≤3, hinder the defluorination to varying extents. In particular, most PFAS were found to undergo initial attack of $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ either at α-CF2 of CF2COO− or in the middle of (CF2)n≥6, resulting in two defluorination patterns with extensive or absent intermediates, respectively. The ET-limiting mechanism captures these different pathways that align with experimental results by governing the reactivity of potential intermediates. Our theoretical framework explains the $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ -induced defluorination process and provides insights into designing rapid degradable substitutes to tackle the PFAS crisis. Complete defluorination of diverse per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances can be achieved in the UV/sulfite system. Further experimental and theoretical evaluation demonstrates that the rate-limiting step is electron transfer from hydrated electrons, rather than the subsequent C−F bond cleavage.
基于水合电子（$${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$）的技术有望通过有效破坏C−F键来解决全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）的全球污染。然而，实现完全除氟一直具有挑战性，而功效停滞和反应性变化背后的基本机制仍然不清楚。本文通过对紫外光/亚硫酸盐中41种结构的实验和理论评价，提出了$${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$降解PFAS的电子转移（ET）限制机制。降解速率常数跨越4个数量级，34个PFAS达到100% defluorination. We found that the defluorination occurs in a stepwise manner, with ET from $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ to PFAS being rate limiting rather than subsequent C−F bond cleavage. This ET-limiting mechanism was verified by the effectiveness of the free energy of activation (2.33–27.4 kcal mol−1) calculated on the basis of the Marcus theory to predict the distinct reactivity of PFAS. Combined with spin-density analysis, this mechanism reveals that C=C, C−Cl, CF2COO− and (CF2)n≥6 promote the complete defluorination by favouring ET, whereas ET-disfavouring moieties, C−H, −O−, (CH2)n, SO3− and (CF2)n≤3, hinder the defluorination to varying extents. In particular, most PFAS were found to undergo initial attack of $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ either at α-CF2 of CF2COO− or in the middle of (CF2)n≥6, resulting in two defluorination patterns with extensive or absent intermediates, respectively. The ET-limiting mechanism captures these different pathways that align with experimental results by governing the reactivity of potential intermediates. Our theoretical framework explains the $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ -induced defluorination process and provides insights into designing rapid degradable substitutes to tackle the PFAS crisis. Complete defluorination of diverse per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances can be achieved in the UV/sulfite system. Further experimental and theoretical evaluation demonstrates that the rate-limiting step is electron transfer from hydrated electrons, rather than the subsequent C−F bond cleavage.
{"title":"Unravelling the structure-dependent defluorination mechanisms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by hydrated electrons in UV/sulfite","authors":"Shendong Tan, Runyun Wang, Kemeng Wang, Zilin Yang, Yinjuan Chen, Yanyan Zhang","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00449-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00449-0","url":null,"abstract":"Hydrated electron ( $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ )-based technologies are promising for resolving the global pollution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by efficiently breaking C−F bonds. However, achieving complete defluorination has been challenging, and the fundamental mechanisms behind the stalled efficacy and varied reactivity remain obscure. Here we propose an electron transfer (ET)-limiting mechanism for PFAS degradation by $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ through experimental and theoretical evaluations of 41 structures in UV/sulfite. The degradation rate constants spanned four orders of magnitude, with 34 PFAS achieving ~100% defluorination. We found that the defluorination occurs in a stepwise manner, with ET from $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ to PFAS being rate limiting rather than subsequent C−F bond cleavage. This ET-limiting mechanism was verified by the effectiveness of the free energy of activation (2.33–27.4 kcal mol−1) calculated on the basis of the Marcus theory to predict the distinct reactivity of PFAS. Combined with spin-density analysis, this mechanism reveals that C=C, C−Cl, CF2COO− and (CF2)n≥6 promote the complete defluorination by favouring ET, whereas ET-disfavouring moieties, C−H, −O−, (CH2)n, SO3− and (CF2)n≤3, hinder the defluorination to varying extents. In particular, most PFAS were found to undergo initial attack of $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ either at α-CF2 of CF2COO− or in the middle of (CF2)n≥6, resulting in two defluorination patterns with extensive or absent intermediates, respectively. The ET-limiting mechanism captures these different pathways that align with experimental results by governing the reactivity of potential intermediates. Our theoretical framework explains the $${mathrm{e}}_{{rm{aq}}}^{-}$$ -induced defluorination process and provides insights into designing rapid degradable substitutes to tackle the PFAS crisis. Complete defluorination of diverse per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances can be achieved in the UV/sulfite system. Further experimental and theoretical evaluation demonstrates that the rate-limiting step is electron transfer from hydrated electrons, rather than the subsequent C−F bond cleavage.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"734-745"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00455-2
Erica Gies
Expected air moisture is missing over drier areas worldwide, possibly because climate models undervalue the effects of plants and other life. This finding could be a fingerprint of human-caused land degradation, which would underscore calls to solve climate, biodiversity and water availability together.
{"title":"Climate science and the case of the missing moisture","authors":"Erica Gies","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00455-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00455-2","url":null,"abstract":"Expected air moisture is missing over drier areas worldwide, possibly because climate models undervalue the effects of plants and other life. This finding could be a fingerprint of human-caused land degradation, which would underscore calls to solve climate, biodiversity and water availability together.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"634-637"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145122984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00450-7
Huma Tariq Malik, Yael Zvulunov, Eva Kinnebrew, Timothy K. Gates, Steven R. Evett, Jacob P. VanderRoest, Adi Radian, Jialin Chi, Gopinathan R. Abhijith, Nathan D. Mueller, Avi Ostfeld, Liping Fang, Thomas Borch
Water scarcity presents an ever-growing challenge in global agriculture, with major implications for food security. In the USA, the scale and complexity of the agricultural system magnify these challenges, calling for an integrated and adaptive approach to water management. Hence, we reviewed six key strategies aimed at sustainable agricultural water management — crop distribution optimization, soil management, modern irrigation technologies, water treatment and reuse, reduction of water demand in animal agriculture, and minimizing food loss and waste — identified based on their prominence in recent literature and potential to address water scarcity. In examining these strategies through a multidimensional lens, several challenges have emerged, including gaps in the current structure of incentives, psychological barriers, lack of awareness, reluctance to alter existing farming practices and consumption habits, and insufficient data on the effectiveness of certain water conservation measures. By offering actionable insights into potential areas of improvement, this Review aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on agricultural sustainability amid changing climate dynamics. A multifaceted approach integrating strategies across food production and consumption is required to advance sustainable water management in agriculture.
{"title":"Advancing sustainable water use across the agricultural life cycle in the USA","authors":"Huma Tariq Malik, Yael Zvulunov, Eva Kinnebrew, Timothy K. Gates, Steven R. Evett, Jacob P. VanderRoest, Adi Radian, Jialin Chi, Gopinathan R. Abhijith, Nathan D. Mueller, Avi Ostfeld, Liping Fang, Thomas Borch","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00450-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00450-7","url":null,"abstract":"Water scarcity presents an ever-growing challenge in global agriculture, with major implications for food security. In the USA, the scale and complexity of the agricultural system magnify these challenges, calling for an integrated and adaptive approach to water management. Hence, we reviewed six key strategies aimed at sustainable agricultural water management — crop distribution optimization, soil management, modern irrigation technologies, water treatment and reuse, reduction of water demand in animal agriculture, and minimizing food loss and waste — identified based on their prominence in recent literature and potential to address water scarcity. In examining these strategies through a multidimensional lens, several challenges have emerged, including gaps in the current structure of incentives, psychological barriers, lack of awareness, reluctance to alter existing farming practices and consumption habits, and insufficient data on the effectiveness of certain water conservation measures. By offering actionable insights into potential areas of improvement, this Review aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on agricultural sustainability amid changing climate dynamics. A multifaceted approach integrating strategies across food production and consumption is required to advance sustainable water management in agriculture.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"655-667"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145122989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00452-5
Elaina Sinclair, Anke Hüls, Madeleine Patrick, Srishty Arun, Vinod Ramanarayanan, Sheela S. Sinharoy, Bethany A. Caruso
Despite sanitation facility availability, perceived privacy, safety and security, and health status and risks may prevent toilet use, particularly for women. Women may withhold food and water (withholding) or suppress urination and defecation urges (suppression) to cope, though evidence on the prevalence and drivers of these behaviours is limited. This secondary analysis of data generated as part of the Measuring Urban Sanitation and Empowerment project (n = 2,173) assesses the prevalence of withholding and suppression among urban women in Kampala, Uganda and Tiruchirappalli, India, and associations with perceived sanitation-related privacy, safety and security, and health status and risks (withholding analytic sample, 1,308; suppression analytic sample, 862). Witholding was reported by 38% (265/697) of women in Kampala and 16% (100/611) in Tiruchirappalli; more than 93% of women in both populations (Kampala, 415/440; Tiruchirappalli, 336/350) reported suppression. Privacy, safety and security, and health scores were all significantly associated with the odds of withholding in both cities. Fewer significant results were found from linear regression analyses assessing privacy, safety and health scores and suppression, suggesting other, unaccounted-for influences. The results suggest that sanitation-related privacy, safety and health conditions should be addressed programmatically to improve women’s sanitation-related circumstances and behaviours. As a result of unsupportive sanitation environments, women may cope by suppressing urges to urinate and defecate or by not eating food and/or drinking water. Among urban women in Uganda and India, nearly all women surveyed reported suppressing urination and defecation urges. Withholding food and water was less common. Perceived privacy, safety and health influenced these coping behaviours.
{"title":"Sanitation-related withholding and suppression among women in urban Uganda and India","authors":"Elaina Sinclair, Anke Hüls, Madeleine Patrick, Srishty Arun, Vinod Ramanarayanan, Sheela S. Sinharoy, Bethany A. Caruso","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00452-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00452-5","url":null,"abstract":"Despite sanitation facility availability, perceived privacy, safety and security, and health status and risks may prevent toilet use, particularly for women. Women may withhold food and water (withholding) or suppress urination and defecation urges (suppression) to cope, though evidence on the prevalence and drivers of these behaviours is limited. This secondary analysis of data generated as part of the Measuring Urban Sanitation and Empowerment project (n = 2,173) assesses the prevalence of withholding and suppression among urban women in Kampala, Uganda and Tiruchirappalli, India, and associations with perceived sanitation-related privacy, safety and security, and health status and risks (withholding analytic sample, 1,308; suppression analytic sample, 862). Witholding was reported by 38% (265/697) of women in Kampala and 16% (100/611) in Tiruchirappalli; more than 93% of women in both populations (Kampala, 415/440; Tiruchirappalli, 336/350) reported suppression. Privacy, safety and security, and health scores were all significantly associated with the odds of withholding in both cities. Fewer significant results were found from linear regression analyses assessing privacy, safety and health scores and suppression, suggesting other, unaccounted-for influences. The results suggest that sanitation-related privacy, safety and health conditions should be addressed programmatically to improve women’s sanitation-related circumstances and behaviours. As a result of unsupportive sanitation environments, women may cope by suppressing urges to urinate and defecate or by not eating food and/or drinking water. Among urban women in Uganda and India, nearly all women surveyed reported suppressing urination and defecation urges. Withholding food and water was less common. Perceived privacy, safety and health influenced these coping behaviours.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 7","pages":"782-792"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12279531/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144700615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-11DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00446-3
Changzhi Wang, Yevhen Myshkevych, Tiannyu Wang, Mohammad Khalil Monjed, Pei-Ying Hong
Mass gatherings (MGs), such as Hajj and Umrah, gather vast and diverse populations and potentially contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the host country. However, assessing this impact is challenging due to the lack of a suitable baseline. During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and lifting, 185 sewage samples were collected from four wastewater treatment plants affected by MG and a control wastewater treatment plant, covering 3 Hajj seasons and 2 Ramadan periods. Here we show that despite no overall increase in total antibiotic resistance gene level, metagenomic analysis revealed that MGs introduced antibiotic resistance genes, including blaPER, into the local sewage. This gene was also found in a genomic island facilitated by the IS26 array, which was identified in viable opportunistic pathogens, including Shewanella putrefaciens, Shewanella xiamenesis and Aeromonas media, indicating emerging AMR threats to the local environment. These insights are crucial for informing public health strategies and interventions, ensuring better preparedness and response to AMR dissemination during MGs. Mass gatherings can impact the antimicrobial resistance in the environment. Surveillance of wastewater in areas of Saudi Arabia affected by mass gatherings after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions shows the introduction of new antibiotic resistance genes into local sewage.
{"title":"Wastewater surveillance unveils the impact of mass gatherings on antimicrobial resistance after the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Changzhi Wang, Yevhen Myshkevych, Tiannyu Wang, Mohammad Khalil Monjed, Pei-Ying Hong","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00446-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00446-3","url":null,"abstract":"Mass gatherings (MGs), such as Hajj and Umrah, gather vast and diverse populations and potentially contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the host country. However, assessing this impact is challenging due to the lack of a suitable baseline. During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and lifting, 185 sewage samples were collected from four wastewater treatment plants affected by MG and a control wastewater treatment plant, covering 3 Hajj seasons and 2 Ramadan periods. Here we show that despite no overall increase in total antibiotic resistance gene level, metagenomic analysis revealed that MGs introduced antibiotic resistance genes, including blaPER, into the local sewage. This gene was also found in a genomic island facilitated by the IS26 array, which was identified in viable opportunistic pathogens, including Shewanella putrefaciens, Shewanella xiamenesis and Aeromonas media, indicating emerging AMR threats to the local environment. These insights are crucial for informing public health strategies and interventions, ensuring better preparedness and response to AMR dissemination during MGs. Mass gatherings can impact the antimicrobial resistance in the environment. Surveillance of wastewater in areas of Saudi Arabia affected by mass gatherings after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions shows the introduction of new antibiotic resistance genes into local sewage.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"693-703"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00446-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Water scarcity impacts over 2.2 billion people globally, especially in underdeveloped, landlocked or off-grid regions. Passive sorbent-based atmospheric water harvesting offers a promising solution by converting ubiquitous atmospheric moisture into liquid water. However, current approaches are limited by low water production (a few millilitres a day), the release of unsafe lithium ions and poor efficiency in conditions of low relative humidity. Here we report an atmospheric water harvesting window (AWHW) featuring a vertical origami hydrogel panel and a window-like solar still. This passive, metre-scale device was tested in Death Valley, producing 57.0–161.5 ml of water a day across a relative humidity range of 21–88%. The device has a lifespan of at least 1 year and delivers safe water with lithium ion concentrations below 0.06 ppm. Our AWHW sets a benchmark in daily water production and climate adaptability, representing an advance towards practical, scalable, safe and sustainable decentralized water solutions for the most water-stressed regions. Water scarcity is a global issue that demands urgent resolution, but current approaches are inadequate. Now a metre-scale atmospheric water harvester, featuring a hygroscopic origami hydrogel panel and a window-like glass chamber, demonstrates exceptional efficiency in extracting water from air, even in extremely arid conditions.
{"title":"A metre-scale vertical origami hydrogel panel for atmospheric water harvesting in Death Valley","authors":"Chang Liu, Xiao-Yun Yan, Shucong Li, Hongshi Zhang, Bolei Deng, Nicholas X. Fang, Youssef Habibi, Shih-Chi Chen, Xuanhe Zhao","doi":"10.1038/s44221-025-00447-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44221-025-00447-2","url":null,"abstract":"Water scarcity impacts over 2.2 billion people globally, especially in underdeveloped, landlocked or off-grid regions. Passive sorbent-based atmospheric water harvesting offers a promising solution by converting ubiquitous atmospheric moisture into liquid water. However, current approaches are limited by low water production (a few millilitres a day), the release of unsafe lithium ions and poor efficiency in conditions of low relative humidity. Here we report an atmospheric water harvesting window (AWHW) featuring a vertical origami hydrogel panel and a window-like solar still. This passive, metre-scale device was tested in Death Valley, producing 57.0–161.5 ml of water a day across a relative humidity range of 21–88%. The device has a lifespan of at least 1 year and delivers safe water with lithium ion concentrations below 0.06 ppm. Our AWHW sets a benchmark in daily water production and climate adaptability, representing an advance towards practical, scalable, safe and sustainable decentralized water solutions for the most water-stressed regions. Water scarcity is a global issue that demands urgent resolution, but current approaches are inadequate. Now a metre-scale atmospheric water harvester, featuring a hygroscopic origami hydrogel panel and a window-like glass chamber, demonstrates exceptional efficiency in extracting water from air, even in extremely arid conditions.","PeriodicalId":74252,"journal":{"name":"Nature water","volume":"3 6","pages":"714-722"},"PeriodicalIF":24.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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