Themed collection Best Papers 2020 – Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology
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Recent advances in portable heavy metal electrochemical sensing platforms
This Review explores the parameters to be engineered to design in situ electrochemical sensor platforms capable of meeting new EU regulation.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 2676-2690
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW00407C
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A critical review of resource recovery from municipal wastewater treatment plants – market supply potentials, technologies and bottlenecks
This critical review reveals the technologies and potentials to recover water, energy, fertilizers and products from municipal WWTPs but also analyses the various bottlenecks that may their hinder successful implementation.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 877-910
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00905A
Selective ion separation by capacitive deionization (CDI) based technologies: a state-of-the-art review
Selective ion extraction from aqueous solution is of great significance for water purification as well as resource recovery.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 243-257
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00835G
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Hydrophilic trace organic contaminants in urban stormwater: occurrence, toxicological relevance, and the need to enhance green stormwater infrastructure
Urban stormwater transports hydrophilic trace organic contaminants that need study to ensure safe stormwater discharge or stormwater harvesting for water supply.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 15-44
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00674E
Ferric tannate photothermal material for efficient water distillation
Ferric tannate is used as a photothermal material and integrated with a polymer membrane by atomic layer deposition for solar water distillation.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 911-915
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW01016E
Accumulation on and extraction of lead from point-of-use filters for evaluating lead exposure from drinking water
Point-of-use filters can both remove lead from drinking water and also be used for evaluating drinking water lead exposure.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 2734-2741
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW00496K
Assessment of the breakthrough of micropollutants in full-scale granular activated carbon adsorbers by rapid small-scale column tests and a novel pilot-scale sampling approach
This study aimed to compare three approaches for predicting the service life of full-scale GAC adsorbers for the removal of micropollutants.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 2742-2751
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW00405G
Mixture effects of drinking water disinfection by-products: implications for risk assessment
Disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water have been associated with increased cancer risk but effects of known DBPs cannot explain the mixture effects of disinfected water samples.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 2341-2351
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00988D
Response surface methodology directed adsorption of chlorate and chlorite onto MIEX resin and study of chemical properties
For the first time, response surface methodology has been used to optimize the adsorption process of chlorite and chlorate by MIEX.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 2454-2464
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW01003C
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Landfill leachate contributes per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals to municipal wastewater
Widespread disposal of landfill leachate to municipal sewer in the US calls for improved understanding of the relative organic-chemical contributions to the WWTP waste stream and associated surface-water discharge to receptors in the environment.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 1300-1311
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW00045K
Rapid degradation of PFAS in aqueous solutions by reverse vortex flow gliding arc plasma
Gliding arc plasma discharge is an energy-efficient treatment technology for a broad range of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in water.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 1044-1057
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW01050E
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Selective removal of natural organic matter during drinking water production changes the composition of disinfection by-products
Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are potentially toxic compounds formed upon chemical disinfection of drinking water. This study evaluate how treatment approaches affect DBP formation and composition.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 779-794
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00931K
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Field testing of low-cost titania-based photocatalysts for enhanced solar disinfection (SODIS) in rural India
We report the efficacy of titania-based photocatalysts for use as a simple and effective method of disinfecting drinking water in villages in West Bengal, demonstrating the viability of this technique to enhance solar disinfection in rural areas.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 809-816
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW01023H
Integrated shortcut nitrogen and biological phosphorus removal from mainstream wastewater: process operation and modeling
Combined nitritation–denitritation and biological phosphorus removal from real wastewater was achieved for more than 400 days without chemical addition.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 566-580
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00550A
Effective removal of Pb(II) from synthetic wastewater using Ti3C2Tx MXene
MXene (Ti3C2Tx) was used to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions; we focused principally on Pb(II) adsorption by MXene using several performance tests and various forms of characterization.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 173-180
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00625G
Assessing pharmaceutical removal and reduction in toxicity provided by advanced wastewater treatment systems
Despite large differences in removal efficiencies, all treatment processes investigated were sufficient in preventing short-term behavioral effects in zebrafish larvae.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2020,6, 62-77
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW00559E
About this collection
The Environmental Science Best Papers Initiative identifies a variety of excellent papers published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Environmental Science journal family, showcasing great research from across the globe. To celebrate more of the great papers published in Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology during 2020 which really deserve recognition, we’ve gathered all nominated papers in this special collection.