ACS ES&T water最新文献

The effectiveness of engineered media in stormwater biofiltration systems depends on their inherent properties that drive contaminant removal mechanisms. Using dissolved copper (Cu), this study identifies the measurable properties of engineered media that determine Cu sorption in batch systems using a representative roadway runoff matrix. An industry standard sand and amendments (regenerated activated carbon, three biochars, and zeolite) were characterized for their physicochemical properties and tested for their sorption affinity (K_d) for dissolved Cu in batch systems. A strong correlation (r = 0.88) was found between cation exchange capacity (CEC), measured by exchangeable cations, and K_d, endorsing the use of CEC as a screening tool for biofiltration materials. Furthermore, the performance of engineered media in column systems was evaluated under high infiltration rates that simulate field conditions. Loading a cumulative rainfall of 275–495 cm to intermittent flow-through column systems demonstrated that volumetric sorption affinity (ρK_d) can serve as a comparative metric for assessing the sorption capacity; however, kinetic limitations under high infiltration rates compromised the accuracy of the predictions. Overall, this study identified key measurable properties of engineered media that can predict Cu removal performance in biofiltration systems, bridging the gap between lab-scale experiments and field applications.

Ceramic-composite membrane-based processes emerge as an attractive choice for removal of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from coastal subsurface water. This study is primarily based on the development of a multilayer superhydrophobic composite membrane supported on mullite and rejection efficiency analysis of polyaromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated water. Groundwater samples collected from two different locations in Sundarban coastal areas revealed the presence of high levels of Na⁺, Cl^–, and various metal oxides along with the main contaminant PAHs (6.96–11.24 μg/mL). While the developed composite membranes could effectively remove divalent and multivalent ions, monovalent ions were separated less favorably. The removal efficiency increased with rising transmembrane pressure, achieving up to 97.55% for mildly PAH-contaminated water (6.96 μg/mL). Experimental removal rates were useful for developing predictive models, suggesting that the Spiegler–Kedem–Katchalsky-Film Theory model was suitable for describing PAH rejection in mildly contaminated water, whereas the Film Theory-Extended Nernst–Planck Equation Model better predicted PAH rejection in highly contaminated water. The developed membrane showed structural and PAH removal integrity for up to 50 days of prolonged exposure to contaminated water, depicting excellent durability and revealing the reciprocal interaction among pore statistics, removal rate, and fouling models.

The aquatic risks associated with various pharmaceuticals can be significantly influenced by the ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs), leading to unforeseen environmental effects. Uncovering the interactions between MPs and pharmaceuticals with diverse functional groups is of crucial importance for accurate risk assessment. Here, the sorption behaviors and underlying mechanisms by which polystyrene (PS) MPs interact with pharmaceuticals having different functional groups were explored through experimental methods, site energy distribution theory, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Results indicated that PS MPs exhibited a notable sorption capacity for pharmaceuticals, with the order of sorption being naproxen (NAP), bezafibrate (BZF), norfloxacin (NOR), ibuprofen (IBU), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and carbamazepine (CAB). A deeper analysis revealed that multiple factors, including hydrophobicity, electrostatic repulsion, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonding, regulate the sorption process. Furthermore, the Dubinin–Astakhov (DA) model was employed to calculate the energy distribution. The adsorption affinity (E_m = 2.88–8.36 kJ/mol) and energy heterogeneity (σ_e* = 1.59–2.25) of PS MPs for different pharmaceuticals followed the order SMX > NOR > NAP > CAB > IBU > BZF. DFT calculations confirmed that the formation of n−π bonds between PS MPs and pharmaceuticals was also a primary sorption mechanism. The different sorption mechanisms of PS MPs for various pharmaceuticals can eventually alter their toxicity, such as increased toxicity of pharmaceuticals with carboxyl groups. Overall, this study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between MPs and pharmaceuticals, which can contribute significantly to the risk assessment of pharmaceuticals in the presence of MPs.

Multiple water quality-related indicators in surface water involve many interactions. However, there is still no global interactive landscape considering the river network (up- and downstream relationship). Fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) are a type of quantitative method that conducts the time series prediction while considering the interaction among different variables (including self-impact). Additionally, FCMs enable the analysis of variable interactions across different locations, such as the monitoring sites within a surface water network (e.g., river network). In this study, we utilized the global monitoring data from 49 stations (sites) along the Qu River, Fu River, and Jialing River, Hechuan, Chongqing, China (February 1, 2021, to March 9, 2024), to construct a global map illustrating the interactions among the indicators across all of these sites. The analyzed results provide insights to infer the interaction between any pairs of variables and predict the amount of variables in future time stamps. The interstation and intrastation relationships were analyzed from three perspectives: simple path, cycle, and degree derived from the FCM-produced graph. Concrete interactions were quantified using edge weights in the graph to uncover the causes of pollution and understand the hidden trends in the data.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is commonly used in drinking water distribution systems and building plumbing. Organotin compounds (OTCs) utilized in PVC pipe production are a public health concern. Here, we examined the significance of organotin release into water under different scenarios of temperature and stagnation in complementary laboratory and field studies. Over a two-year laboratory experiment, monomethyltin (MMT) concentrations ranged from 88 to 186 ng/L, and dimethyltin (DMT) ranged from 9 to 75 ng/L. Methyltin was also the main organotin species leached from aged PVC with a biofilm and with the biofilm removed. Laboratory studies revealed that initial leaching rates of MMT and DMT in the segment reactors with a biofilm were about 53% lower in 15 year-old pipe segments compared to 2 year-old segments due to increased rates of biodegradation from mature biofilms. Certain PVC and chlorinated PVC (CPVC) pipe systems can cause consumer exposure to trace organotin compounds from drinking water.

Beryllium (Be) and thallium (Tl) are highly toxic, naturally occurring trace metals increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Sediments act as both a major sink and a potential source of these metals, influencing their bioavailability and ecological impact. However, their combined adverse biological effects on aquatic biota in natural sedimentary environments remain unknown. This study presents the first quantitative ecotoxicological risk assessment of Be and Tl in surface sediments using the SPI model, which integrates species sensitivity distribution, probabilistic risk assessment, and the inclusion-exclusion principle. Due to the lack of an established diffusive gradients in thin films protocol for Be and Tl, we employed a validated transformation model to convert weak acid-exchangeable sediment concentrations (mg/kg) into estimated aqueous-phase concentrations (mg/L). These were used as inputs for the SPI model. Sediment samples from the Pearl River Estuary showed a 37.05% probability of combined toxic effects, exceeding the 25% ecological risk threshold and indicating a mild ecotoxicological risk. This study introduces a novel framework for evaluating the bioavailability and joint risk of Be and Tl in sediments, providing new insights for estuarine ecological risk assessment and environmental policy development.

Ensuring sustainable water management is critical in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) because fertilizer-rich wastewater generated from fertigation needs treatment before discharging into the environment. Conventional systems rely on evaporation ponds to naturally evaporate brine; however, they are inefficient, require extensive land, suffer from slow evaporation rates, and cause scaling issues with hard waters. To address these challenges, a photothermal MXene-candle soot composite foam-based interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) system has been developed as a high-efficiency, low-cost alternative. This system accelerates brine evaporation and freshwater extraction, allowing continuous reuse of the same discharge water. Unlike open evaporation ponds, the proposed system enables localized and contained evaporation without direct brine exposure to surrounding soil, thereby reducing environmental contamination. The composite foam, which integrates MXene nanosheets and candle-soot particles, exhibits enhanced broad-spectrum light absorption (63.28% in dry conditions and 81.71% in wet conditions) while significantly improving water transport and salt resistance. Solar evaporation experiments confirmed an evaporation rate of 0.65 kg m^–2 h^–1 (40.81% efficiency) for fertilized brine versus 1.11 kg m^–2 h^–1 (69.68% efficiency) for seawater with 85% performance retention over 25 cycles. Water quality analysis demonstrated the suitability of the distillate for hydroponic reuse.

NMP is a typical N-heterocyclic compound and has been widely used in several industries, such as the lithium battery industries. High-strength NMP wastewater was difficult to treat due to its strong toxicity to microorganisms. Since aerobic granular sludge (AGS) had a unique layered structure and exhibited high tolerance to organic loading rate (OLR), herein, AGS was directly cultivated with the influent NMP of 10,000 mg/L (OLR of ∼5.8 kg COD/(m³ d)) in a sequencing batch reactor with the inoculum of activated sludge. Granulation was successfully completed in 20 days with a D₅₀ of 520 μm, SVI₃₀ of 53.1 mL/g, and SVI₃₀/SVI₅ of 0.9. COD and TN removal ratio were maintained at >97.2% and 28.3%–46.5% during the long-term operation, in which genera Methylobacillus, Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium, and Arenimonas were the main bacteria. The relatively low TN removal was similar to other biological treatment processes, which was primarily due to the evident stepwise carbon removal and nitrogen release, as well as the suppression of nitrifying bacteria. Furthermore, an up-to-standard AGS-two-stage-A/O process was developed using Aspen Plus V10. To our knowledge; this study first developed the AGS system for high-strength NMP wastewater treatment, and it showed the highest NMP-stress tolerance in various NMP biodegradation strategies.