Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology最新文献

This study focuses on optimizing the biological treatment performance of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operating under the Daewoo nutrient removal process, particularly under conditions of high-strength nitrogen influent. Changes in influent water quality—driven by the increased use of food waste disposers, sewer system separation, and reduced rainwater dilution—have presented challenges for WWTPs in maintaining compliance with effluent nitrogen and phosphorus standards. Using five years of influent and effluent monitoring data, GPS-X simulation software, combined with the activated sludge model no. 2d, was employed to evaluate treatment performance under three influent scenarios: designed-level, high-concentration, and low-concentration conditions. The simulation incorporated detailed operational parameters and demonstrated that the current reactor volume is inadequate for regulatory compliance under high nitrogen loads. The process reconfiguration was found to improve nitrate removal and enhance phosphorus release in the anaerobic zone. These modifications led to simulated effluent concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus that consistently remained below target limits, validating the effectiveness of the proposed upgrades. This study highlights the value of simulation-based planning and the need for flexible design strategies in small- to mid-scale WWTPs facing evolving influent conditions.

This study investigated the integration of the thermal hydrolysis process (THP) as a pretreatment with thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) at a pilot scale using sludge from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. This is the first pilot-scale evaluation of THP–TAD employing thermophilic inoculum adapted to hydrolysed sludge, offering critical insights into the potential of THP (155 °C, 30 minutes) to enhance TAD (55 °C) performance and contribute to sustainable sludge management. This study assessed the effects of THP on process stability at reduced hydraulic retention times (HRTs), biogas production, sludge dewaterability, and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) reduction. The THP achieved a sludge disintegration degree of 26.8%, enabling a 50% reduction in HRT without compromising the reactor stability or process efficiency. At an HRT of 12 days, the specific biogas production averaged 0.28 Nm³ kg⁻¹ VS_in. Additionally, compared with traditional processes with longer HRTs, THP significantly enhanced ARG reduction, achieving a maximum reduction of 3.5 log units, while improving sludge hygienization and maintaining volatile solids reduction (VSR). Despite performance improvements, THP–TAD requires higher energy input, underscoring the need for optimization strategies. This study demonstrated that THP–TAD is a robust and effective approach for intensifying anaerobic digestion, offering notable reductions in capital costs (digester volume) while addressing critical environmental challenges such as ARG mitigation. Further investigations into sludge thickening and energy efficiency optimization are necessary to fully realize the potential of this technology as a cornerstone of sustainable wastewater management.

The cellulose pulp industry still consumes high amounts of water, making water recovery essential. To address this, pulsed electrodialysis reversal (pEDR) has been proposed; however, the remaining concentrate management is still a challenge. Thus, this study evaluates an integrated system combining ion exchange, pEDR and bipolar membrane electrodialysis for concentrate desaturation and simultaneous recovery of caustics and acids, as an alternative to conventional zero liquid discharge systems, such as evaporation and crystallization. Experiments with ion exchange resins assessed their capacity with industrial effluents, while bipolar membrane electrodialysis was tested at different voltages and (synthetic) reject stream concentrations. A nine-step setup simulated industrial performance, achieving 0.67 M NaOH with 73% efficiency and an energy consumption of 4.57 kWh kg⁻¹ NaOH. Economic analysis showed that integrating pEDR with evaporation and crystallization in an industrial scale system requires nearly 38% more in capital cost than integrating pEDR with the desaturation system. The operational cost for evaporation–crystallization with pEDR is 0.43 USD per m³, while desaturation with pEDR costs 0.34 USD per m³ and decreases to 0.20 USD per m³ with soda valorization. These results show a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative for zero liquid discharge in the cellulose pulp industry.

Correction for ‘A novel water-from-air technology: creeping clathrate desalination of deliquescent salt solutions’ by Anke Snauwaert et al., Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2025, 11, 2926–2934, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00838G.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose a growing public health threat globally, driven by climate change, urbanization, and increasing human mobility. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which has proven valuable for monitoring enteric and respiratory pathogens, is now being explored as a complementary tool for VBD surveillance. This manuscript synthesizes insights from a 2025 National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network (RCN) workshop (Award # 2202361), which convened researchers and public health professionals on March 13, 2025, to assess the feasibility, challenges, and future directions of WBE for VBD surveillance. The application of WBE to VBDs has several technical and biological challenges, including low and inconsistent shedding of arboviruses in feces and urine, RNA degradation in wastewater, availability of sewered networks for identification of hotspots, geography, and the limited performance of clinical qPCR assays in complex environmental matrices. Newer methods such as metagenomic sequencing and digital PCR (dPCR) offer enhanced sensitivity and detection, but are resource intensive and require additional technical specialization. The strategic selection of sentinel sampling locations such as hospitals, airports, and congregate settings can improve early detection, particularly in non-endemic or travel-associated outbreak contexts. The geographical expansion of competent arboviral vectors have been exacerbated by climate change, urging the development of WBE systems that are adaptable, geographically targeted, and integrated with climate and socio-ecological data. We highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, methodological innovation, and public health engagement to translate WBE signals of vector borne pathogens into timely and actionable responses. As global disease landscapes continue to evolve, WBE may serve as an important early warning system for emerging and re-emerging VBD threats.

Corrections are provided for “Shallow Shell SSTA63 resin: a rapid approach to remediation of hazardous nitrate” (Çendik et al., Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2024, 10, 2765–2775, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EW00584H) in response to the comment by K. H. Chu (Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2026, 12, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EW00976B).

Background: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) enables the population-level surveillance of molecular and chemical targets. Despite the high prevalence of respiratory diseases, there is a lack of sensitive analytical methods for detecting associated medications in complex wastewater matrices. Methods: We developed and validated a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS method using multiple reaction monitoring for 10 common respiratory pharmaceuticals. The workflow integrated freeze-drying for preconcentration, online solid-phase extraction for cleanup, and stable isotope-labeled internal standards (SILs) to compensate for matrix effects. Results: Detection and quantification limits ranged from 0.7 to 19 ng L⁻¹ and 3 to 125 ng L⁻¹, respectively, with recoveries of 82–194% and precision within 0.14–7.2% relative standard deviation. Matrix effects (64–228%) were effectively corrected using SILs. Application to 12 neighborhood-level wastewater samples detected 9 of the 10 target compounds, with 6 (albuterol, amoxicillin, azithromycin, cetirizine, diphenhydramine, and fexofenadine), detected above their quantification limits. Fexofenadine was the most abundant, reaching 3309 ng L⁻¹. Conclusion: This robust, low-volume, high-throughput LC-MS/MS method enables the reliable detection of respiratory pharmaceuticals in wastewater, supporting WBE applications for pharmaceutical use surveillance.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent synthetic chemicals that pose serious environmental and public health risks due to their resistance to degradation, bioaccumulative nature, and toxicity. Their widespread occurrence in water, soil, and biota underscores the urgent need for effective remediation strategies. Conventional methods such as adsorption, filtration, and chemical oxidation, often fail to achieve complete mineralization and may generate harmful by-products. Biodegradation, driven by microbial and enzymatic processes, has emerged as a promising sustainable alternative. This review evaluates recent advances in PFAS biodegradation, focusing on the role of bacteria, fungi, and enzymatic mechanisms, as well as the influence of environmental factors on degradation efficiency. Innovative strategies including enzyme immobilization, phytoremediation, hybrid chemical–biological systems, and machine learning-based predictive modeling are evaluated for their potential to enhance treatment efficiency. Remaining challenges include incomplete understanding of metabolic pathways and limited scalability. A future research roadmap is proposed to integrate metabolic engineering, system optimization, and field-scale validation toward effective, sustainable PFAS biodegradation. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge and outlines strategic directions to advance PFAS biodegradation research and its practical implementation.

This study investigated the optimization of color, lignin, and total phenol removal from pulp and paper wastewater with immobilized laccase from Trametes versicolor on titanium dioxide nanoparticles. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design was used to efficiently investigate the impacts of four essential factors: catalyst concentration, pH, reaction temperature, and reaction time, each of which varied over three levels. The immobilized laccase's performance was examined by assessing the reduction in color (Pt–Co), lignin (mg L⁻¹), and total phenols (mg L⁻¹ GAE). The results demonstrated remarkable variations in the reduction of pollutants, highlighting the significance of the selected parameters. The best combination of factor values for simultaneous elimination was found using S/N ratio analysis, with time having the greatest impact. The regression models for lignin removal showed the strongest predictive power, with R² values of 98.23% for free laccase and 94.41% for immobilized laccase. All of the models were validated to be statistically significant. Immobilized laccase outperformed free laccase with removal efficiencies of 94.01% for color, 95.45% for lignin, and 94.25% for total phenols compared to the lower removal rates of 64.46%, 58.32%, and 52.65% observed respectively for the pollutants. This study demonstrates the Taguchi method's effectiveness in optimizing pulp and paper wastewater treatment with immobilized laccase, offering valuable insights for efficient and cost-effective pollutant removal.

Zidovudine (AZT), a persistent pharmaceutical contaminant detected in diverse biological and environmental matrices, raised significant concerns due to its ecological and health risks. This study systematically investigates the degradation kinetics, mechanisms, and toxicity evolution of AZT in a UV/peroxymonosulfate (UV/PMS) system. The UV/PMS process demonstrated superior performance with a degradation rate constant of 0.0384 min⁻¹, surpassing UV/H₂O₂ (0.0138 min⁻¹) and UV/NaClO (0.0300 min⁻¹), achieving 84.44% removal efficiency. Radical quenching experiments and kinetic modeling revealed synergistic contributions from direct photolysis (51.0%), hydroxyl radicals (18.1%), and sulfate radicals (30.9%). Degradation exhibited strong pH dependence, with optimal efficiency at pH 5.2–6.1 (k = 0.0486 min⁻¹, >92% removal), while alkaline conditions significantly inhibited the process. Coexisting substances differentially influenced degradation: HCO₃⁻ (10 mM) reduced efficiency to 68.6% (k = 0.0194 min⁻¹), NO₃⁻ (3 mM) slightly enhanced removal to 90.85% (k = 0.0414 min⁻¹), and NO₂⁻ (3 mM) and humic acid (10 mg L⁻¹) caused severe suppression (46.2% and 36.84% removal, respectively) through radical quenching and UV absorption. In real water matrices, Yellow River source reservoir water inhibits AZT degradation: under identical oxidant concentrations, UV/PMS, UV/NaClO, and UV/H₂O₂ systems showed 26.85%, 31.2%, and 32.9% lower efficiencies than in ultrapure water. Increasing PMS to 15 and 25 mg L⁻¹ enhanced UV/PMS removal to 70.04% and 81.03%. Inhibition is linked to inorganic ions, scavenging radicals, alkaline pH (8.27), high turbidity interfering with UV absorption, and organics competing for radicals. Three primary degradation pathways were identified, involving thymine formation, azide group elimination, demethylation, and double bond addition. Toxicity assessments using Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence indicated an initial increase followed by partial reduction in acute toxicity, though residual toxicity persistently exceeded baseline levels.