Enabling closed-loop water recycling in greenhouses: An alginate composite gel and TEC-driven atmospheric water harvester for continuous humidity regulation and water reuse

Making waves: Moving beyond the 1 in 10,000 benchmark in quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) through evidence-informed risk approaches and systems decision-making.

Linking the occurrence, biodegradation, and N-nitrosodimethylamine formation of N,N-dimethylbenzylamine in natural waters and wastewater treatment systems.

Disinfection byproducts and cellular toxicity from UV/chlorine advanced oxidation for potable reuse and drinking water treatment compared to chlorination and UV/hydrogen peroxide.

Can integrating life cycle assessment with optimization modeling identify strategies for produced water reuse in offshore oilfield explorations and production? Model development and testing

Dual-shielded antibacterial thin-film composite membrane unifying ROS-mediated biocidal action and thermodynamic anti-adhesion for sustainable cooling water treatment.

Ammonium is associated with enhanced haloacetamide formation, cytotoxicity, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation during sulfate radical-based oxidation of acetaminophen.

Making waves: Conceptualization of seawater-augmented potable reuse.

Isolation and performance of ultraviolet tolerant bacterium strain for pretreatment and quorum quenching to control reverse osmosis biofouling.

ABSTRACT Water scarcity is a key obstacle to sustainable development, particularly in arid countries like Egypt, where limited freshwater resources pose challenges to agricultural activities. This study evaluates water management plans applied to the Western Nile Delta, using the so-called SIWARE (SImulation of Water management of Arab Republic of Egypt) model, to analyze irrigation scenarios under varying freshwater availability. The model utilizes diverse input datasets, including daily meteorological data (rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, and humidity), irrigation schedules, crop patterns, soil properties, and water salinity levels. It explores the impacts of reusing drainage water on soil salinity, crop yield, and sustainable irrigation practices. The results provide useful information on the potential spatial distribution of drainage water reuse and its associated salinity risks. About 835.9 million cubic meters/year (MCM/year) of drainage water were reused unofficially by farmers, with 86% classified as medium salinity (0.75–2 dS/m). Under the scenario of 30% reduced availability of fresh water, unofficial reuse decreased to 802.2 MCM/year. Average soil salinity was 2.55 dS/m, with a range from 1 to 7.57 dS/m; higher salinity levels were found in the northern and western coastal areas. About 533,000 feddans were mapped as having a moderate degree of salinity (2–4 dS/m). Drainage water from the Edko and Umom drains has substantial reuse for crop-tolerant salinity up to 2,000 ppm. Nearly all water from the Edko drain meets reuse standards, and 60% of Umom drainage water is suitable. Under reduced freshwater scenarios, reusability remained for the Edko drain but reusable water from the Umom drain declined to 48%. This study re-emphasizes the need to integrate drainage water reuse into water resource management plans. Enhanced adaptation tactics and irrigation techniques are crucial to address salt issues and water scarcity, hence maintaining the long-term sustainability of agriculture in the Western Nile Delta.

Using reclaimed water for irrigation is an effective strategy in semi-arid regions facing water scarcity. However, this water may contain pharmaceutical residues, posing potential environmental and health risks. To ensure sustainable reuse, it is essential to study how these substances accumulate in soil and transfer to crops. The aim of this research was to develop and optimise a rapid Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction method combined with Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–tandem Mass Spectrometry for quantifying 23 pharmaceuticals in non-cultivated soil. Following optimisation, 18 compounds were successfully extracted using a MeOH:H2O ratio of 75:25. The detection and quantification limits were found to range from 0.52 to 0.5 ng·g−1 and 1.75 to 35 ng·g−1, respectively. The matrix effects and recoveries varied by compounds’ type and concentration, but most results were acceptable. The evidence suggested that some drugs underwent microbial degradation. Soil irrigated with reclaimed water via subsurface drip since 2012 occasionally contained four pharmaceuticals (caffeine, carbamazepine, tamoxifen, and venlafaxine) at low concentrations, while others were absent. This indicates the capacity of soil to act as a barrier, and highlights the importance of proper water management. The study concludes that reclaimed water reuse is safe if supported by efficient treatment and management, offering a promising approach for long-term sustainability in water-scarce regions.

Abstract Northern Europe’s wastewater utilities face unique challenges, stringent effluent limits under the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), cold-climate constraints, and sensitive transboundary catchments that demand advanced Circular Economy (CE) approaches. Seen through a CE lens, wastewater shifts from pollutant to resource, offering opportunities for nutrient recovery, renewable energy generation, and water reuse. This study identifies and prioritises the drivers and barriers (linkage and dependent) influencing CE adoption in the sector through a mixed-method approach. A survey of 30 experts (academia, utilities, and industry) was combined with Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and Matrix of Cross Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification (MICMAC) analysis to evaluate interdependencies among 25 potential factors, of which 12 emerged as critical. The results reveal Policy and Regulations (F20), Raw Wastewater Quality/Sewerage Connectivity (F23), and Effluent Water Quality (F1) as dominant driving factors that shape all subsequent outcomes. Five technical variables nutrient recovery, energy/methane recovery, sludge management, treatment technology, and material/chemical requirement were identified as linkage factors, transmitting influence across the system. Cost and environmental aspects, such as Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costs and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, were found to be dependent outcomes rather than initiators. Unlike prior studies that treat these elements in isolation, this work systematically establishes their hierarchical relationships, providing a decision-support framework for regulators, engineers, and plant operators. The findings emphasise that regulatory alignment and source-quality management must be prioritised to unlock technical and financial gains, advancing wastewater circularity in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG) (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Graphical abstract

This study evaluates the quality and irrigation suitability of drainage water in the Al-Jouf Region, Saudi Arabia, where water scarcity necessitates the reuse of nonconventional resources. Eighteen drainage water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and irrigation indices, including electrical conductivity (EC), sodium percentage (Na+%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH), Kelly’s ratio (KR), permeability index (PS), and irrigation water quality index (IWQI). Multivariate statistical tools were applied to identify dominant hydrogeochemical processes. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation in ArcGIS Desktop 10.8 was employed to map significant physicochemical data and irrigation indicators. Results revealed that while EC values indicated low to moderate salinity (0.74–25.2 μS/cm), most samples showed high Na+%, SAR, and KR, classifying them as doubtful to unsuitable for irrigation. The IWQI ranged from 84.47 to 1617.87, indicating poor to inferior quality due to evaporation, fertilizer leaching, and sodium accumulation. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of precise geographic modeling in determining whether drainage water is suitable for long-term agricultural use in arid regions such as Al-Jouf. Sustainable reuse of such drainage water requires freshwater blending, gypsum application, and the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives for sustainable water management in arid regions.

The dairy industry is very important to the economy, but it has big problems with sustainability since it doesn't use resources well and doesn't handle waste well. Eco-Efficiency (13.1%) and Technical Efficiency (58.7%) are still very low in Serbia because of ongoing structural inefficiencies. In Indonesia, where 90% of dairy farms are operated by smallholders, an estimated 84% of manure is discharged untreated, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and eutrophication. To solve these problems, we need to use Circular Economy ideas, such as closed-loop nutrient, energy, and water flows and integrated resource recovery. This review evaluates opportunities, sustainability gains, and barriers to implementing closed-loop systems across the dairy supply chain. The objectives include assessing farm-level efficiency, quantifying environmental and economic benefits of manure-derived resource recovery, evaluating circular feed substitution, and analysing biogas adoption barriers among smallholders. The research integrates findings from Stochastic Frontier Analysis, Life Cycle Assessment and Costing, Multi-regional Input–Output analysis, membrane-based water reuse models, and system dynamics, complemented by qualitative surveys of Indonesian farmers. Integrated recovery systems yielded carbon-negative results (up to –1790 kg CO₂ eq/year) and significant economic advantages ($825–$1,056/year). Biogas cut down on the consumption of LPG by about 45%. Circular feeds made more milk and had less of an effect, while treating whey membranes slashed the need for fresh water by 67–90%. Closed-loop solutions make dairy farming much more sustainable, but they need help from policymakers to be able to grow because of high investment costs and ongoing structural inefficiencies.

Reverse osmosis is extensively applied for desalination, potable water reuse, and ultrapure water production, but suffers from insufficient rejection of charge-neutral organics with low-molecular-weight (<150 Da), whose transport mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, amides and alcohols were identified as the most permeable substances, exhibiting permeation rates 30 to 90 times higher than those of inorganic ions and carboxylic acids. Systematic molecular parameter analysis revealed that molecular polarity, alongside van der Waals volume, determines transport behavior. By incorporating the molecular polarity index into the solution-friction model, it successfully explained transport differences between compounds of similar size but different functional groups. Theoretical calculations revealed the transport mechanism for charge-neutral organics: highly polar organic molecules preferentially partition at the membrane interface through hydrogen bonding, and are subsequently transported across the membrane channels via water clusters. A predictive model was developed, achieving >85% accuracy for diverse charge-neutral organics under environmentally relevant concentrations (μg·L-1). These findings advance the mechanistic understanding beyond size exclusion effects for RO and guide membrane design optimization for enhanced organic rejection.

Background: The healthcare sector plays a significant role in environmental degradation, particularly through energy consumption, emissions, and resource use associated with hospital operations. Despite growing global awareness of the impacts, environmental sustainability remains only partially embedded with the design, planning, management, and evaluation of hospital facilities, and empirical evidence is still limited. Methods: This exploratory study employed a mixed-method, two-phase approach. First, a scoping literature review identified key environmental dimensions and approaches for environmental sustainability in hospitals infrastructures. Second, a structured survey was distributed to Italian hospitals from Lombardy Region, between May and June 2024, to assess environmental performance and environmental strategy adoption. Results: Eight (n = 8) core environmental sustainability dimensions emerged from the review: energy efficiency, resource and waste management, transportation and mobility, materials and construction, environmental compliance, emissions, site sustainability, and design strategies. The subsequent based on these dimensions, gathered responses from (n = 18) healthcare facilities from Lombardy region, Italy. Findings revealed substantial gaps, since key measures such as on-site renewable capacity, water reuse systems, environmental certification application and health-island mitigation practices appear to be adopted sporadically. In addition, many of the surveyed facilities show consumption levels that exceed the benchmarks outlined in the literature. Discussion: The findings of this study reveal a notable misalignment between the sustainability debate, maturity promoted in the academic literature and the actual practices implemented in the Italian regional context. This mismatch highlights the importance of developing more uniform evaluation tools, policy requirements, and strengthening the organizational capabilities, to improve environmental performance in Italian hospital facilities.

Controlling and optimizing the volatile organic compound and organic contaminant removal by improved water management in plastic recycling plants

Arid and desert regions face acute water scarcity, limited arable land, and a heavy reliance on food imports. This paper examines an advanced agroponic system (US Patent 12356905B2) that integrates aquaculture and hydroponics with AI-driven monitoring to enable sustainable crop production in such environments. The technology recirculates water and recycles nutrients from animal (fish) waste in a closed-loop, circular ecological model, providing a rich, natural nutrient solution for plants while purifying water for reuse. We describe the system’s design, including its sensor networks and machine-learning feedback controls, and detail its 5-year pilot operation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The pilot demonstrated high productivity and water efficiency, growing a wide variety of crops year-round with up to 80–90% less water than traditional farming methods. We analyse the large-scale benefits of desert agriculture, such as enabling local cultivation of vegetables, fruits, and even grains with minimal water, thereby bolstering food security and socioeconomic resilience. The system’s closed-loop design yields two products (fish protein and crops) while avoiding synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, aligning with organic farming principles and providing a pathway to organic certification. We compare the patented agroponic approach with conventional hydroponics and aquaponics, highlighting its advantages in nutrient diversity, environmental sustainability, and yield predictability under extreme climatic conditions. Finally, we discuss the potential to scale this technology across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Sub-Saharan Africa, and project its role in reducing import dependency, creating rural employment opportunities, and building climate-resilient agricultural systems in non-fertile, dry geographies.

&lt;p&gt;Water scarcity and inefficient resource management present critical challenges for Azerbaijan, a country heavily dependent on transboundary flows from the Kura and Araz rivers. This study develops the Adaptive Azerbaijan Water Governance Model (AAWGM), which combines the governance principles of the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (EU WFD) with Israel’s advanced water reuse and irrigation technologies. The model addresses agricultural inefficiency, outdated infrastructure, and ecosystem degradation through three integrated strategies: precision irrigation, treated wastewater reuse, and basin-scale governance reforms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The methodological framework employs indicator-based evaluation, including the Governance Coordination Index (GCI), Operational Expenditures (OPEX), and SDG-aligned indices. All results are calibrated against national datasets for 2000-2023 and extended with scenario projections for 2025-2040, with monetary values consistently reported in USD. Findings show that adaptive and technology-driven scenarios deliver the highest performance, combining lower long-term costs with substantial gains in water efficiency, ecological quality, and institutional coordination.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aligned with SDG 6, 7, 13, 15, and 17, the AAWGM offers a scalable roadmap for national and regional adoption. By integrating international best practices into Azerbaijan’s governance and technological landscape, the model provides a pragmatic path toward long-term water security and resilience under climate and institutional risks.&lt;/p&gt;

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic, highly persistent environmental contaminants increasingly recognized for their global occurrence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicological impacts. This review provides a critical overview of analytical challenges and the environmental fate of both legacy and emerging PFAS, with particular emphasis on ultrashort-chain compounds such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The existing literature pertaining to PFAS occurrence across aquatic systems, landfill leachates, sewage sludge, and food matrices is synthesized, and their interactions with microplastics (MPs) are examined, underscoring combined risks to ecosystems and human health. Advances in targeted liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) coupled with non-target analysis (NTA) have greatly expanded PFAS detection, identifying over 750 novel compounds and revealing total concentrations up to seven times higher than targeted screening alone, while gas chromatography-non-target screening (GC-NTS) enables the detection of neutral and volatile PFAS from high-temperature processes. The insights presented aim to support the development of sustainable monitoring, mitigation, and policy frameworks for PFAS management in the context of global water reuse and the circular economy.