Large Volumes Of Water Research Articles

Effects of seawater scrubbing on a microplanktonic community during a summer-bloom in the Baltic Sea

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has gradually applied stricter regulations on the maximum sulphur content permitted in marine fuels and from January 1, 2020, the global fuel sulphur limit was reduced from 3.5% to 0.5%. An attractive option for shipowners is to install exhaust gas cleaning systems, also known as scrubbers, and continue to use high sulphur fuel oil. In the scrubber, the exhausts are led through a fine spray of water, in which sulphur oxides are easily dissolved. The process results in large volumes of acidic discharge water, but while regulations are focused on sulphur oxides removal and acidification, other pollutants e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals and nitrogen oxides can be transferred from the exhausts to the washwater and discharged to the marine environment. The aim of the current study was to investigate how different treatments of scrubber discharge water (1, 3 and 10%) affect a natural Baltic Sea summer microplanktonic community. To resolve potential contribution of acidification from the total effect of the scrubber discharge water, “pH controls” were included where the pH of natural sea water was reduced to match the scrubber treatments. Biological effects (e.g. microplankton species composition, biovolume and primary productivity) and chemical parameters (e.g. pH and alkalinity) were monitored and analysed during 14 days of exposure. Significant effects were observed in the 3% scrubber treatment, with more than 20% increase in total biovolume of microplankton compared to the control group, and an even greater effect in the 10% scrubber treatment. Group-specific impacts were recorded where diatoms, flagellates incertae sedis, chlorophytes and ciliates increased in biovolume with increasing concentrations of scrubber water while no effect was recorded for cyanobacteria. In contrast, these effects was not observed in the “pH controls”, a suggestion that other parameters/stressors in the scrubber water were responsible for the observed effects.

Focused Flows to Maintain Natural Nursery Habitats

Regulatory standards for environmental flows to estuaries are not common, but they are required in Texas. This has led to adoption of complex freshwater inflow regimes that reflect seasonal and yearly fluctuations that vary geographically throughout the state. The flow regimes are based on dilution of saline water with fresh water in whole systems. Because the estuaries are large lagoons, large volumes of fresh water are required to meet standards. However, this volume of water is not available during dry periods. We present a new concept, focused flows, for lower flow volumes that would maintain the ecological health of the upper reaches of estuaries during droughts. The concept is based on maintaining ecological integrity of nursery habitats, which is an important ecological function of estuaries. These focused flows would protect nursery habitats during droughts and allow estuaries to recover more quickly when the hydrology returns to average or higher flow periods. This approach could be applied globally where increasing water infrastructure and deficits are a concern or increasing aridity due to climate change is reducing river flows to coasts.

Changes in Deep Groundwater Flow Patterns Related to Oil and Gas Activities.

Large volumes of saline formation water are both produced from and injected into sedimentary basins as a by-product of oil and gas production. Despite this, the location of production and injection wells has not been studied in detail at the regional scale and the effects on deep groundwater flow patterns (i.e., below the base of groundwater protection) possibly driving fluid flow toward shallow aquifers remain uncertain. Even where injection and production volumes are equal at the basin scale, local changes in hydraulic head can occur due to the distribution of production and injection wells. In the Canadian portion of the Williston Basin, over 4.6 × 109 m3 of water has been co-produced with 5.4 × 108 m3 of oil, and over 5.5 × 109 m3 of water has been injected into the subsurface for salt water disposal or enhanced oil recovery. Despite approximately equal values of produced and injected fluids at the sedimentary basin scale over the history of development, cumulative fluid deficits and surpluses per unit area in excess of a few 100 mm are present at scales of a few 100 km2 . Fluid fluxes associated with oil and gas activities since 1950 likely exceed background groundwater fluxes in these areas. Modeled pressures capable of creating upward hydraulic gradients are predicted for the Midale Member and Mannville Group, two of the strata with the highest amounts of injection in the study area. This could lead to upward leakage of fluids if permeable pathways, such as leaky wells, are present.

Influence of Salinity and Temperature Gradients on the Variability of the North Brazil Undercurrent

The North Brazil Undercurrent (NBUC) is a narrow (<1°) northward western boundary current in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. It carries a large volume of water (>16 Sv) and plays an important role in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and the South Atlantic Subtropical Cell. Strong salinity and temperature fronts occur over the NBUC region. The role of temperature and salinity gradients on the genesis of NBUC variability has never been explored. This study uses three high-resolution (≤0.1°) and one low-resolution (=0.25°) model outputs to explore the linear trend of NBUC transport and its variability on annual and interannual time scales. We find that the linear trend and interannual variability of the geostrophic NBUC transport show large discrepancies among the datasets. Thus, the linear trend and variability of the geostrophic NBUC are associated with model configuration. We also find that the relative contributions of salinity and temperature gradients to the geostrophic shear of the NBUC are not model dependent. Salinity-based and temperature-based geostrophic NBUC transports tend to be opposite-signed on all time scales. Despite the limited salinity and temperature profiles, the model results are consistent with the in-situ observations on the annual cycle and interannual time scales. This study shows the relationship of salinity-based and temperature-based geostrophic NBUC variations in the annual and interannual variability and trend among different models and highlights the equal important roles of temperature and salinity in driving the variability of NBUC transport.

Genesis and evolution of KIMIE: New cost-effective indigenous human breast milk pasteurizer

Natural mother’s breast milk is the best food for all newborns, especially preterm babies. However, if mother’s milk is unavailable or donor breast milk (DBM) is inadequate, DBM is the next best choice. Human milk pasteurizers are traditionally big, costly, and require special electrical and water connections, as well as need a large volume of water that is not recycled and an ongoing supply of disposable plastic bottles. Operation of these machines necessitates specialized training. The creation of Kimie, a compact, automated, and user-friendly human breast milk pasteurizer capable of pasteurizing small volumes of DBM, is described here. This system needs no special water plumbing, recycles water, and is reasonably priced.

Microplastic contamination assessment in water and economic fishes in different trophic guilds from an urban water supply reservoir after flooding

Rain and floods events are responsible for the transport of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, yet to date, rare study has examined microplastics pollution in urban water supply reservoirs during such events. In this study, we investigated the concentrations and characteristics of microplastic in water and economic fish species with different feeding guilds in the Dafangying Reservoir, an important source of drinking water for Hefei city. Microplastic concentrations in water were relatively higher than that in natural lakes, indicating abundant microplastic contaminants input through overland runoff triggered by flooding. Our results detected five types (fiber, debris, film, microbead and particle) and six colors (black, transparent, blue, yellow, red and green) of microplastics in water samples. Fiber accounted for the dominant shape, which may result from the household sewage from washing clothes and desquamated fiber transported by wind and overland runoff. Meanwhile, transparent was the predominant microplastic color, which can be ascribe to the widely use of intentionally manufactured transparent disposable plastic commodities in cities. Then in fish samples, the microplastic concentrations ranged from 8.75 to 51.3 items/individual in fish guts, and 9.5–52.6 items/individual in fish gills. Our results demonstrated significant higher microplastic concentrations in planktivorous and herbivorous species. The filter feeding capture mode, i.e., engulfing floating prey through frequently drawing in large volume of water confused with microplastics, may result in the higher microplastic concentrations of planktivorous fishes. Due to the dense microplastics adhering on plant surface, herbivorous fishes can concentrate higher microplastics abundance through the ingestion of macrophytes. According to the biological concentration factor (BCF), all the determined microplastics gave BCF far below 1, suggesting the low bioaccumulation capacity of microplastics in fish species.

Swelling and Deswelling Kinetics of Thermo‐Responsive Microcapsules with Ultrathin Membrane

AbstractMicrocapsules with a stimuli‐responsive hydrogel membrane are promising as drug carriers and microreactors as they can regulate transmembrane transport. Thinner membranes are usually preferred to facilitate molecular transport and maximize payload. However, swelling behaviors of ultrathin hydrogel membrane have not been systematically investigated. Here, swelling and deswelling kinetics of ultrathin membranes made of thermo‐responsive hydrogels with a lower critical solution temperature are studied. The thinness of hydrogel membrane dramatically alters the response of the microcapsules. The membrane rapidly responds to temperature changes by ejecting or accommodating a small amount of water. By contrast, the microcapsules require the transmembrane transport of a large volume of water for shrinkage or expansion, which takes a relatively long time. The difference in the timescales causes the microcapsules to behave unexpectedly. For example, the thickness of membrane decreases to be even thinner than the equilibrium for sudden increases of temperature. The shrinkage of the microcapsules is slower for higher temperature even though the deviation from equilibrium is greater. For sudden decreases of temperature, the fast expansion of membranes causes the microcapsules to buckle. Understanding the two different response timescales helps predict the peculiar responses and design microcapsules for the drug carriers and microreactors.

Low pressure buildup with large disposal volumes of oil field water: A flow model of the Ellenburger Group, Fort Worth Basin, northcentral Texas

Low pressure buildup with large disposal volumes of oil field water: A flow model of the Ellenburger Group, Fort Worth Basin, northcentral Texas

Assessment of microplastic sampling and extraction methods for drinking waters

To date, no standardized methods have been proposed for conducting microplastic analyses in treated drinking waters, resulting in challenges associated with direct comparisons among studies. This study compares known methods for collecting and extracting microplastics from drinking waters: an in-laboratory (in-lab) filtration method and an in-line filtration method (i.e., water filtered on-site without an intermediate storage and/or transportation step). In-lab methods have been the predominant method for sample collection in drinking water matrices, and in-line methods are emerging due to the potential to sample large volumes of water on site and minimize contamination from airborne particles, but the two methods have yet to be directly compared using real samples. In response, this study evaluates both methods in terms of recovering spiked reference microplastics, collecting microplastics from tap water samples using the same water volume, and quantifying the removal of microplastics through a full-scale ultrafiltration system. In-line filtration was shown to have higher recoveries for all the reference microplastics examined (+37 % for PVC fragments, +23 % for PET fragments, +22 % for nylon fibers and +7 % for PET fibers) and a greater potential to reduce microplastic contamination. It also resulted in lower standard deviations for total microplastic counts in the tap water and UF influent and effluent samples. The filtration capacity of the proposed in-line filtration method could exceed 350 L of treated water, but this is highly dependent on the water quality. This study therefore supports the use of in-line filtration methods towards the standardization of microplastic collection procedures in drinking water.

Coffee Processing Wastewater Management: An Overview

Globally, one amongst the major agro-based industry contributing significantly is Coffee. Coffee growing estates use water for pulping and the wastewater generated from coffee pulping activity is generally discharged to the water bodies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of effluents from traditional wet coffee processing plants on the water quality. Coffee fruits are processed by two methods, wet and dry process. The wet processing produces a drink of higher quality and has the advantage of reducing the drying space area and time required. However, this preparation step generates high volume of coffee wastewater as it involves utilizing large volumes of water with concurrent generation of wastewater. Throughout wet processing, coffee fruits generate enormous quantities of high strength wastewater. The so generated wastewater is characterized by high concentrations of organic matter, low pH, nutrients, suspended matter associated with odor and dark color with high chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand requiring systematic treatment before disposal. The inadequate disposal of the coffee wastewater into environment directly without proper management and handling will pose aa pollution risk to receiving water body. Efforts have made by various researchers to evolve an alternative method for the treatment of coffee pulping waste and the same is discussed in this paper.

Annual production of microalgae in wastewater using pilot-scale thin-layer cascade photobioreactors

Microalgae-based wastewater treatment has been suggested as an alternative to polluting and energy-consuming conventional processes. The main advantage of this strategy is the dual role of microalgae: they recover nutrients from waste and simultaneously produce biomass with varied industrial applications. In the current study, biomass of Scenedesmus sp. was produced using primary wastewater in two pilot-scale thin-layer cascade photobioreactors (63 and 126 m2). The wastewater used for microalgal growth was not subjected to any conventional treatment process, besides removal of solids, and contained a variable N-NH4+ content of 83.0–210.6 mg L−1. Biomass productivity values were comparable to those obtained when operating using freshwater and commercial chemicals as nutrient sources. When operating at a dilution rate of 0.3 day−1, the average annual productivity was 24.8 g m−2 day−1 (82.0 t ha−1 year−1) with a maximum of 32.8 g m−2 day−1 in summer. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates varied between 695.4 − 2383.4 and 70.4 − 111.8 mg m−2 day−1, respectively. Production of Scenedesmus sp. using wastewater would allow not only to process large volumes of water that could be reused for agricultural irrigation or safely disposed into water streams, but also reduce production costs by 0.44 € kg−1, based on a preliminary economic analysis. Overall, results demonstrate that thin-layer cascade reactors can be used to effectively remove nutrients from wastewater while simultaneously produce valuable biomass with potential applications in agriculture or animal feed production.

Development and evaluation of DEAE silica gel columns for simultaneous concentration of coliphages and rotavirus from natural water samples

Enteric viruses are commonly present in water bodies in regions with poor sanitation. Although the occurrence of these viruses poses a health risk they are difficult to quantify due to their low concentration and they may remain undetected in the absence of adequate preconcentration. The present study reports the synthesis and utilization of DEAE silica gel (DSiG) as an adsorbent for virus concentration. Two coliphages, MS2 and SUSP2, and an enteric virus, rotavirus A (RVA) were chosen for examining the preconcentration efficiency of DSiG columns. Studies conducted at a low flow rate of 5 mL/min yielded good removal of viruses through adsorption. Studies at a higher flow rate of 50 mL/min followed by elution with optimized eluents yielded a high recovery of MS2 and RVA even when they were present at low concentration (0.01 copy/mL). The eluent Na(1.5 M)-Tw(2%)-G3X (glycine 3X broth, 1.5 M NaCl, 2% Tween, pH 10.2) showed maximum elution of RVA and MS2. Optimal SUSP2 recovery was observed on employing an eluent composed of 1.5 M NaCl, 3% Tween, 0.05 M KH2PO4 at pH 9.2. Subsequently, both the eluents were successively applied for elution of the adsorbed viruses. This method was applied for virus preconcentration from lake water in the monsoon and winter seasons. The DSiG column could achieve adequate preconcentration for all the three viruses, i.e., SUSP2, MS2, and RVA, even when they were present at very low concentration and the recovery achieved was comparable to that achieved with ultracentrifugation while the processing time required for handling large volumes of water was considerably lower.

Pilot-scale direct UV-C photodegradation of pesticides in groundwater and recycled wastewater for agricultural use

Pesticides widely used for intensive agriculture may leach to groundwater and pose problems to drinking water and irrigation. UV-C disinfection systems (UV-DS) for water disinfection can be used also for the abatement of organic micropollutants. A pilot-scale continuous flow-through UV-DS system was evaluated for its degradation efficiency of atrazine (ATR), malathion (MAL) and glyphosate (GLY) from 40 L water. Groundwater used to irrigate potato fields and recycled wastewater used to wash potatoes were treated without catalysts to avoid any toxicity effect on potatoes. Chromatographic methods were used to quantify very low pesticide levels before and after UV-C treatments (<10 µg L−1), while a specific method was adapted to analyse traces of GLY (0.0008–10 µg L−1) in recycled wastewater containing suspended particulate matter (SPM). ATR was completely eliminated from groundwater after 15 min photodegradation while 80% was removed from the turbid wastewater after 25 min. For MAL, 70–80% was removed in 25 min from the groundwater. For wastewater, the initial concentration was important for the performance of the photolytic process. An amount of 75% of GLY was eliminated after 10 min irradiation at concentrations higher than those found in natural groundwater. In wastewater, the UV-C treatment was less efficient because GLY was mainly adsorbed to SPM which obstruct the photodegradation process. Therefore, the pilot-scale UV-DS using a turbulent flow and a multiple-lamp system was performed to remove quantitatively traces of pesticides from large volumes of water, by direct photolytic oxidation, when the turbidity of the treated water was limited.

Evaluation of a modified rapid viability-polymerase chain reaction method for Bacillus atrophaeus spores in water matrices

A rapid method that provides information on the viability of organisms is needed to protect public health and ensure that remediation efforts following a release of a biological agent are effective. The rapid viability-polymerase chain reaction (RV-PCR) method combines broth culture and molecular methods to provide results on whether viable organisms are present in less than 15 h. In this study, a modified RV-PCR (mRV-PCR) method was compared to a membrane-filtration culture method for the detection of viable Bacillus spores in water matrices. Samples included small and large volumes of chlorine and non‑chlorine treated tap water. Large volume water samples (up to 100 L), were processed by ultrafiltration using a semi-automated waterborne pathogen concentrator, followed by centrifugation as a secondary concentration technique. The concentrated samples were analyzed by mRV-PCR and culture methods. The overall agreement between the mRV-PCR and culture methods when seed concentrations were greater than 10 spores per sample volume analyzed was 96%. The total time from the start of sample processing to the final sample result for the mRV-PCR method was decreased by approximately 2 h, in comparison to the previously published RV-PCR method because of the incorporation of shorter, more efficient primary and secondary concentration steps and a shorter DNA extraction technique. Overall, this study confirmed that RV-PCR is a promising approach for identifying viable Bacillus spores in small- and large-volume water samples and for producing results in less time than traditional culture methods.

Nitrogen loss processes in response to upwelling in a Peruvian coastal setting dominated by denitrification – a mesocosm approach

Abstract. Upwelling of nutrient-rich deep waters make eastern boundary upwelling systems (EBUSs), such as the Humboldt Current system, hot spots of marine productivity. Associated settling of organic matter to depth and consecutive aerobic decomposition results in large subsurface water volumes being oxygen depleted. Under these circumstances, organic matter remineralisation can continue via denitrification, which represents a major loss pathway for bioavailable nitrogen. Additionally, anaerobic ammonium oxidation can remove significant amounts of nitrogen in these areas. Here we assess the interplay of suboxic water upwelling and nitrogen cycling in a manipulative offshore mesocosm experiment. Measured denitrification rates in incubations with water from the oxygen-depleted bottom layer of the mesocosms (via 15N label incubations) mostly ranged between 5.5 and 20 nmol N2 L−1 h−1 (interquartile range), reaching up to 80 nmol N2 L−1 h−1. However, actual in situ rates in the mesocosms, estimated via Michaelis–Menten kinetic scaling, did most likely not exceed 0.2–4.2 nmol N2 L−1 h−1 (interquartile range) due to substrate limitation. In the surrounding Pacific, measured denitrification rates were similar, although indications of substrate limitation were detected only once. In contrast, anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) made only a minor contribution to the overall nitrogen loss when encountered in both the mesocosms and the Pacific Ocean. This was potentially related to organic matter C / N stoichiometry and/or process-specific oxygen and hydrogen sulfide sensitivities. Over the first 38 d of the experiment, total nitrogen loss calculated from in situ rates of denitrification and anammox was comparable to estimates from a full nitrogen budget in the mesocosms and ranged between ∼ 1 and 5.5 µmol N L−1. This represents up to ∼ 20 % of the initially bioavailable inorganic and organic nitrogen standing stocks. Interestingly, this loss is comparable to the total amount of particulate organic nitrogen that was exported into the sediment traps at the bottom of the mesocosms at about 20 m depth. Altogether, this suggests that a significant portion, if not the majority of nitrogen that could be exported to depth, is already lost, i.e. converted to N2 in a relatively shallow layer of the surface ocean, provided that there are oxygen-deficient conditions like those during coastal upwelling in our study. Published data for primary productivity and nitrogen loss in all EBUSs reinforce such conclusion.

Global climate and river transport simulations of early Mars around the Noachian and Hesperian boundary

Over the past few decades, numerous geochemical and geological observations of early Mars have suggested the presence of surface river systems during the late Noachian and early Hesperian. A large volume of liquid water combined with stable and long-term fluvial activity is required to explain these river systems, suggesting that early Mars must have experienced a long period during which the climate was sufficiently warm and wet for stable surface liquid water and precipitation to occur. We performed 3-dimensional climate simulations for the late Noachian and early Hesperian using a paleo-Mars global climate model (PMGCM), assuming a CO2/H2O/H2 atmosphere under the “Faint Young Sun” condition and using the assumed topography before the formation of the Tharsis load. Cases of surface pressures of up to 2 bar and obliquities of 20°, 40°, and 60° were investigated. We also developed a river transport model, CRIS (Catchment-based RIver Simulator), which enabled us to estimate global river discharge and the transport of bedload and suspended load sediments from the PMGCM output for a variety of sediment particle sizes.Our simulation results revealed that CO2 atmospheres with surface pressures of above 2 bar and a few percent of H2 composition produced a hospitable surface environment that could support the stable liquid water on the surface for long periods. Annual precipitation increased with surface pressure, and intense precipitation occurred around the low to mid-latitudes, where the majority of the valley networks are currently observed. Our river model CRIS produced river runoff, which agrees with some parts of the observed valley distribution, and revealed that these valleys could be formed in ~104 years, which agrees with previous geological studies. However, our simulation results also suggested that Martian valleys were not all created as a result of precipitation-fed river activity, and other mechanisms such as seasonal or transient snow melting should be simultaneously considered to explain Martian valley networks.

Use of the gray water footprint as an indicator of contamination caused by artisanal mining in Colombia

The production chain in the gold mining sector in Colombia is one of the most controversial as it requires large volumes of fresh water, and in some cases generates discharges without adequate prior treatment, which results in a high degree of contamination for ecosystems. In the municipality of Suarez there is a large territory dedicated to artisanal mining therefore, in order to provide relevant information for the mitigation of pollution caused by mining, a regional study is completed. In this study, the gray water footprint (GWF) was determined in 6 beds dedicated to artisanal gold mining, in the municipality of Suarez, Cauca, Colombia associated with high contents of TSS (Total suspended solids) and Hg (Mercury). The results showed indicated that the greatest problem in the high levels of GWF by artisanal gold mining activities is related to the dumping of total suspended solids and to a lesser extent the dumping of mercury, however the volume of water necessary to assimilate the pollutant load of mercury still high, so the implementation of clean technologies and the non-use of Hg is recommended.Therefore, it is recommended to build treatment systems to reduce the pollutant load discharge for minimize the environmental impact generated by them.

Prolonged hypo-salinity to control Neobenedenia spp. monogenean infection in large display aquaria.

The majority of public aquaria have at least one very large tank (>370,000 liters, 100,000 gallons) as part of their collection. The large water volumes can make treatment difficult when pathogens escape quarantine or cross contamination occurs. The cost and methods of dispersion of chemotherapeutics to control infectious agents (bacterial, protozoal, or metazoan) can be prohibitive in large volumes. Currently there are few treatments for stenohaline monogeneans in large aquaria that are efficacious, safe, and affordable. This case demonstrates the safety and efficacy of a decade long use of prolonged hyposalinity that replaced the repeated use of copper and organophosphate treatments to control a Neobenedenia spp. monogenean infestation. The use of prolonged 20 ppt saline water is safe for a list of species traditionally listed as stenohaline which makes altering salinity a useful tool in treating parasites with restricted saline tolerances.

The Steam Pumping Stations of the London Main Drainage, 1858–75

ABSTRACT London’s Main Drainage was one of a number of projects in Europe and North America in the mid-19th century to design and retro-fit a sewage network in cities struggling to cope with unprecedented health, sanitary and environmental problems caused by industrialisation. The Main Drainage was both the most ambitious of these, and the first in the world to be based around steam-powered pumps. They were used to lift very large volumes of human sewage, storm water and manufacturers’ waste so it would flow under gravity to beyond the limits of the metropolis. Once the plan had been approved, the Metropolitan Board of Works, led by its Chief Engineer J.W. Bazalgette, solicited proposals from leading foundries for how to pump the sewage, and the optimal size and configuration for the steam engines. Their suggestions formed the basis for the four pumping stations that were built. The largest, Crossness and Abbey Mills, were commissioned from a railway-station architect whose designs, despite the isolated locations, were highly expressive. Their construction and inauguration attracted enormous public attention, reflecting the high expectations of their sanitary and environmental benefits. These sites trialled the use of steam-powered pumps to raise sewage, a critical technological step in the history of urban systems, while their contribution to solving the Victorian sanitary crisis makes them of particular historical interest.

Detection of naphthenic acid uptake into root and shoot tissues indicates a direct role for plants in the remediation of oil sands process-affected water

Bitumen extraction from surface-mined oil sands deposits results in the accumulation of large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). Naphthenic acids (NAs) are primary contributors to OSPW toxicity and have been a focal point for the development of OSPW remediation strategies. Phytoremediation is an approach that utilizes plants and their associated microbes to remediate contaminants from soil and groundwater. While previous evidence has indicated a role for phytoremediation in OSPW treatment through the transformation and degradation of NAs, there are no reports that demonstrate the direct uptake of NAs into plant tissue. Using NAs labelled with 14C radioisotopes (14C-NAs) paired with whole-plant autoradiography, we show that NAs representing aliphatic (linear), single-ring, and diamondoid compounds were effectively removed from hydroponic solution and OSPW-treated soil by sandbar willow (Salix interior) and slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus) and their associated microbiomes. The NA-derived 14C label accumulated in root and shoot tissues of both plant species and was concentrated in vascular tissue and rapidly growing sink tissues, indicating that 14C-NAs or their metabolic derivatives were incorporated into physiological processes within the plants. Slender wheatgrass seedlings grown under axenic (sterile) hydroponic and soil conditions also effectively removed all 14C-NAs, including a highly stable diamondoid NA, demonstrating that plants can directly take up simple and complex NAs without the assistance of microbes. Furthermore, root and shoot tissue fractionation into major biomolecule groups suggests that NA-derived carbon is allocated toward biomolecule synthesis rapidly after NA treatment. These findings provide evidence of plant-mediated uptake of NAs and support a direct role for plants and their associated microbes in the development of future large-scale OSPW phytoremediation strategies.