Emission hotspots, health-relevant effects, and pathogen cytotoxicity of bioaerosols in an urban wastewater treatment plant.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria contribute to core bacterial community and ARGs persistence during full-scale pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Arsenic and mercury contamination in alpine waters of khunjerab national park: Sources and health risk assessment.

Flow-assembled Janus catalyst arrays for low-energy-barrier cascade dechlorination and mineralization of chlorinated organic compounds in water.

Impacts of conventionally-treated and additionally ozonated wastewater on mortality, biochemical markers, and locomotor activity of two aquatic insect species: Leuctra geniculata (Plecoptera) and Hydropsyche incognita (Trichoptera).

Study on the efficacy and fluoride removal mechanism of a novel silica-aluminum composite coagulant.

Multivalent manganese-mediated synergistic aerobic denitrification boost nitrogen removal in oligotrophic aquatic systems: Insight into microbial functional and metabolic complementarity.

Tailored covalent organic frameworks with tunable fluorine groups for efficient adsorption of bisphenol analogues.

Fate of persistent and mobile substances in drinking water treatment: A systematic comparison of treatment options.

Three-way photocatalytic redox conversions: Removal of organic contaminant and Cr(VI) with concurrent H2 production achieved in aerated condition.

Asymmetric Co-O-La coordination achieves biocompatible and selective generation of high-valent cobalt-oxo species for boosting water purification.

Analytical challenges and occurrence of antibiotics in biosolids from municipal sewage treatment plants in North Spain.

Cetirizine was detected with concentrations ranging from 1-12 µg/L in effluent wastewater. No significant removal of cetirizine was observed in a full scale conventional activated sludge (CAS) wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in a balancing experiment. In a larger sampling campaign involving 80 WWTPs across eight EU countries, cetirizine was detected and quantified in all WWTPs. All WWTPs discharged cetirizine concentrations exceeding its predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC). Even though removal of cetirizine in activated sludge treatment plants was not observed, biotransformation of cetirizine in a biofilm reactor was detected, pointing towards biodegradation in biofilms. Eight metabolites formed by the biofilm were characterised by high performance liquid chromatography followed by high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS/MS) and possible structures of these microbial metabolites were described. The formation of cetirizine N-oxide in the biofilm reactor, was verified with authentic standards, and was found to be the main metabolite of microbial biotransformation. This compound was before known only from human metabolism. Other identified biotransformation reactions included hydroxylation, ether cleavage, dehydrogenation, and oxidation, giving thus access to future investigations in alternative wastewater treatment processes and in the environment. In spite of several metabolites being formed in biofilm systems at high Ceterizine concentrations, no metabolites including cetirizine N-oxide were detected in effluent wastewater in any WWTP at concentrations exceeded the LOD (0.01 µg/L) in WWTPs operating without ozonation.

This study investigates the feasibility of transitioning from biogas to biomethane as a fuel source for power generation in wastewater treatment plants. Using real operational data from the As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant in Jordan, the biogas upgrading process was modeled using water scrubbing and methanation techniques. Simulations were performed with Aspen Plus®, TRNSYS, and MATLAB® to analyze the biogas upgrading process, generator performance, and emissions. The results revealed that optimizing water flow rates and feed pressure during scrubbing enhanced methane purity to over 80% at the scrubbing stage, prior to the methanation step. After catalytic methanation, the final biomethane purity exceeded 90%. However, increasing the water flow temperature negatively affected the methane concentration in the produced biomethane, necessitating greater hydrogen addition during the methanation stage. Key operational parameters, such as reactor temperature and pressure, were also analyzed, achieving maximum methane recovery of 2500 kg/h at 15 bar and 350 °C. Replacing biogas with biomethane in generators increased power output from 5 MW to 7.9 MW due to biomethane’s higher calorific value, which led to a 50% increase in the heat release rate. Emissions analysis showed a 55% reduction in CO 2 mole fraction (from 9.5% to 4.2%), reflecting the lower CO 2 content in the upgraded fuel compared to raw biogas. • Transitioning from biogas to biomethane enhances power generation efficiency. • Water scrubbing and methanation improve methane percentage and recovery rates. • Biomethane use increases generator output from 5 MW to 7.9 MW. • Biomethane reduces the mole fraction of biogenic CO 2 per unit of energy by 55%. • Optimizing reactor conditions maximizes methane recovery and system performance.

Maximum mean discrepancy enhanced Informer for accurate cross-domain dual-timescale effluent prediction in wastewater treatment plants.

Although various measures are being implemented to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at its sources, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), major point sources, continue to contribute to the spread of AMR in ambient environments. Research on the efficacy of existing treatment systems in removing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remains limited. The current study investigates the removal of six ARGs, namely, sul1, czcA, tetA, acrA, qnrS, and blaTEM, along with one integron integrase gene (intI1), the yccT gene (a bacterial marker for Escherichia coli), and the 16S rRNA gene (a general bacterial DNA marker) using a 10-L lab-scale modified sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The reactor treated a mixture of hospital and domestic wastewater, with equal cycle durations for aerobic and anoxic phases. The influence of ciprofloxacin, triclosan, chromium, zinc, and arsenic on ARG proliferation was also assessed. The SBR demonstrated efficient removal of most ARGs, with sul1 reduced by three orders of magnitude and tetA by over five orders of magnitude between the inlet and outlet. Notably, blaTEM levels increased in the effluent, likely due to hospital wastewater inputs and selection for β-lactam resistance during settling phases. The yccT and intI1 gene markers showed strong positive correlations with mixed liquor suspended solids, indicating that biomass influences ARG persistence. Ciprofloxacin and triclosan were removed with efficiencies exceeding 86%, while chromium and zinc were removed at more than 83% (arsenic removal was limited to 26%). The significant Spearman correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between the targeted genes and the coselectors, contradicting classical coselection theory paradigms and highlighting the complex interactions between the ARGs, coselectors, and environmental behavior in actual WWTPs. These findings suggest that variations in design parameters significantly improve ARG removal without structural overhauls or chemical disinfectants. The study offers valuable insights into optimizing existing SBR-based WWTPs, contributing to the reduction of emerging contaminants and minimizing public health risks associated with AMR dissemination into the ambient environment. This research also emphasizes the potential of modifying biological treatment systems to mitigate the environmental impact of AMR, especially in low- and middle-income countries like India, which face infrastructural and economic challenges.

Time-aware attention network for multi-step future prediction in wastewater treatment.

The accumulation and dispersal of marine plastic debris represent significant challenges for coastal systems, where estuarine hydrodynamics, strongly influenced by tides and wind, play a crucial role in their transport and retention. This study aims to investigate the hydrodynamic mechanisms that control the transport, retention, and export of microplastic particles discharged from the main wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain). The methodology followed comprises the use of the Delft3D modelling system to simulate a set of wind and tidal scenarios designed to identify the key processes governing the dispersion of microplastics in this estuarine system. Results show that floating microplastic particles are rapidly exported from the estuary within 24h after release, emphasizing the strong influence of estuarine hydrodynamics on particle residence time and transport efficiency. Upwelling favorable winds and neap tide conditions promote the most efficient export of microplastic particles toward the adjacent continental shelf, while downwelling conditions enhance particle retention within the estuary. Additionally, vertical stratification modulates transport efficiency: stronger stratification enhances surface advection, while weaker stratification increases mixing and retention. These findings are essential to improve wastewater discharge management and to mitigate microplastic pollution from WWTPs in estuarine environments, providing a scientific basis for developing more effective strategies to reduce microplastic export from estuarine systems to the adjacent coastal ocean.

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) like triclosan (TCS) and bisphenol A (BPA) are persistent micropollutants in aquatic environments that threaten human health and ecosystems through bioaccumulation and disruption of hormonal pathways. Conventional water treatment processes often fail to achieve sufficient removal of these compounds, necessitating the development of efficient adsorptive methods. Rather than introducing new materials , this study compares the adsorption capabilities of four types of commercially relevant natural adsorbents—granular activated carbon (GAC), granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), natural clinoptilolite zeolite, and surfactant-modified bentonite organoclay—chosen for their structural diversity and environmental relevance. All experiments were conducted under identical batch conditions using single-solute systems to enable direct comparison of adsorption behaviour. Batch experiments and characterisation analysis assessed physical properties, sorption efficiency, kinetics, and equilibrium behaviour for TCS and BPA removal. Results revealed that GAC exhibited the most consistent and broad-spectrum removal (>95% for both TCS and BPA), suggesting that adsorption is governed by chemisorption, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonding, best described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and suitable equilibrium models. Organoclays achieved near-complete TCS removal (up to 99.6%) via surfactant-mediated hydrophobic partitioning but were less effective for BPA (48–67%). GFH displayed remarkable selectivity, removing TCS with >90% efficiency but showing negligible affinity for BPA, reflecting compound-specific surface interactions such as surface complexation rather than non-specific adsorption . Zeolites demonstrated limited capacity, achieving ≤25% TCS removal and no detectable BPA adsorption, constrained by pore size and surface charge. These findings establish compound-specific adsorption mechanisms and selectivity patterns and highlight GAC as the most effective broad-spectrum option, while GFH and organoclays offer selective and potentially cost-effective alternatives. By decoupling surface area, pore structure, surface chemistry, and surface charge under controlled conditions, this study provides a mechanism-oriented comparative framework for adsorbent selection and optimisation in water treatment applications targeting EDCs. • GAC achieved the highest removal efficiency for both TCA and BPA (>95%). • Organoclays and iron-based materials showed selectivity toward TCA. • Adsorption predominantly followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Freundlich model. • Surface chemistry and porosity governed adsorbent performance and EDC selectivity. • Findings demonstrate cost-effective removal of TCS and BPA in water treatment.

Sand‑filter bioaugmentation with the BAM‑catabolic Aminobacter niigataensis MSH1 represents an advanced strategy for removing BAM from groundwater in drinking water treatment; however, prior studies indicate that efficacy lasts only for 1-2 weeks. Piscinibacter sp. K169, an isolate from drinking‑water sand filters, supports mineralization of BAM by MSH1 through accidental mutual cooperation, and co‑inoculation with K169 was suggested as an innovation to improve MSH1 bioaugmentation. We show that K169 promotes mineralization of OMPs by other bacteria and, hence, that the K169-degrader cooperation can be extended to support removal of other or even multiple OMPs. Benefits declined over time, likely due to nutrient depletion, making nutrient management a requirement for maintaining the cooperation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine specificity in accidental microbial cooperation, especially in a bioaugmentation context of water treatment. It is relevant both to a fundamental understanding of accidental microbial interactions and to applications in water treatment.