Themed collection Best Papers 2018 – Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology
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Best Papers from 2018 in the Environmental Science family of journals: great science with a global reach
The Editors-in-Chief of the Environmental Science journals introduce the Best Papers of 2018.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2019,5, 629-630
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EW90013F
Current status and perspectives on anaerobic co-digestion and associated downstream processes
Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) has the potential to utilise spare digestion capacity at existing wastewater treatment plants to simultaneously enhance biogas production by digesting organic rich industrial waste and achieve sustainable organic waste management.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1759-1770
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00356D
Fundamental challenges and engineering opportunities in flue gas desulfurization wastewater treatment at coal fired power plants
This review identifies challenges and opportunities facing the electricity generation sector in treating flue gas desulfurization wastewater.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 909-925
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00264A
Emerging investigator series: the role of vegetation in bioretention for stormwater treatment in the built environment: pollutant removal, hydrologic function, and ancillary benefits
Bioretention vegetation contributes to both the hydrologic and pollutant removal functions of bioretention.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 592-612
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00511C
Electrokinetic desalination of brackish water and associated challenges in the water and energy nexus
This article presents the challenges and opportunities of electrokinetic desalination for brackish water and its recent development and prospective.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 613-638
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00550D
A review of sanitation technologies to achieve multiple sustainable development goals that promote resource recovery
This study critically reviews literature and provides material flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon to determine the ability of existing sanitation technologies and strategies that can be deployed to safely recover resources and thus achieve multiple sustainable development goals.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 16-32
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00195A
Aerobic granulation for future wastewater treatment technology: challenges ahead
Aerobic granules were discovered around 20 years back.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 9-15
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00148G
Cyto- and geno-toxicity of 1,4-dioxane and its transformation products during ultraviolet-driven advanced oxidation processes
Ultraviolet-driven advanced oxidation processes (UV/AOPs) are integral steps in water reuse treatment trains.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1213-1218
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00107C
Capacitive deionization for nutrient recovery from wastewater with disinfection capability
This study demonstrates that capacitive deionization can be effectively used for the removal and recovery of dominant nitrogen (ammonium) and phosphorus (phosphate salts) species present in wastewater.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 33-39
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00350A
Role of microbial cell properties on bacterial pathogen and coliphage removal in biochar-modified stormwater biofilters
Bacterial pathogens and pathogen indicators suspended in stormwater are removed to a greater extent in biochar-augmented sand biofilters than sand biofilters; the processes governing the removal are distinct.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 2160-2169
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00297E
Effect of pyrolysis on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and class I integrons from municipal wastewater biosolids
Biosolids carry a substantial portion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) leaving wastewater treatment plants. Pyrolysis substantially reduces ARGs in biosolids.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1807-1818
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00141C
Urine-powered synergy of nutrient recovery and urine purification in a microbial electrochemical system
Energy in urine was extracted to synergize the in situ urine purification and nutrient recovery with net electricity production via a microbial electrochemical system named U-Power.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1427-1438
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00306H
Recyclable amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for efficient demulsification of crude oil-in-water emulsions
Produced water from the oil and gas industry often contains stable crude oil-in-water emulsions that are typically difficult to treat with conventional separation methods.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1553-1563
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00188J
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Metaldehyde removal from drinking water by adsorption onto filtration media: mechanisms and optimisation
Trace micropollutants should be removed during drinking water production without increasing the disinfection-by-product formation potential or energy demand of the treatment process.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1543-1552
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00056E
The fate of dichloroacetonitrile in UV/Cl2 and UV/H2O2 processes: implications on potable water reuse
The findings have important implications for the control of preformed DBPs by subsequent UV-AOPs for potable water reuse.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1295-1302
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00195B
Potential formation of mutagenicity by low pressure-UV/H2O2 during the treatment of nitrate-rich source waters
LP-UV/H2O2 treatment of NOM-containing synthetic waters led to nitrite, nitrophenol and measurable but not mutagenic Ames responses in the presence of nitrate, where the NOM type affected the response levels.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1252-1261
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00389G
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Impact of upstream chlorination on filter performance and microbial community structure of GAC and anthracite biofilters
Dechlorination in GAC biofilters leads to greater bioactivity and growth of a diverse microbial community.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1133-1144
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00115D
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Propidium monoazide pretreatment on a 3D-printed microfluidic device for efficient PCR determination of ‘live versus dead’ microbial cells
A microfluidic chip for differentiating live versus dead cells was designed and tested experimentally with lab and environmental samples.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 956-963
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00058A
Effect of organic matter on the performance and N2O emission of a granular sludge anammox reactor
A continuously fed bubble column granular sludge anammox reactor was operated for 405 days to investigate the effect of organic matter on the reactor performance and N2O emission.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 1035-1046
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00125A
1,3,5-Trimethoxybenzene (TMB) as a new quencher for preserving redox-labile disinfection byproducts and for quantifying free chlorine and free bromine
1,3,5-Trimethoxybenzene can be used to quench residual chlorine and bromine without altering disinfection byproducts that are reactive toward traditional quenchers.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 926-941
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EW00062J
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Effects of ortho- and polyphosphates on lead speciation in drinking water
Polyphosphates may increase lead solubility via complexation, but the risk is not well characterized. Size-exclusion chromatography with multi-element detection could help determine the prevalence of lead-polyphosphate complexes in drinking water.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 505-512
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00521K
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Partial renewal of granular activated carbon biofilters for improved drinking water treatment
There is a trend of increasing natural organic matter (NOM) in raw drinking waters of Nordic countries due to climate change.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 529-538
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00413C
Copper current collectors reduce long-term fouling of air cathodes in microbial fuel cells
Long-term operation of wastewater-fed, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with cathodes made of activated carbon and stainless steel (SS) current collectors can result in decreased performance due to cathode fouling.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 513-519
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00518K
Emerging investigators series: comparing the inherent reactivity of often-overlooked aqueous chlorinating and brominating agents toward salicylic acid
Rates and selectivity of salicylic acid halogenation can be influenced by highly electrophilic species such as Cl2, BrCl, and BrOCl.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 369-384
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00491E
Effect of elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations on selenate removal by mesophilic anaerobic granular sludge bed reactors
The molar ratio of NO3− and SO42− to SeO42− is a key factor in SeO42− removal. A UASB reactor showed no inhibition of SeO42− at high NO3− and SO42− concentrations achieving 100% NO3−, 30% SO42− and 80% total Se removal efficiencies.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 303-314
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00307B
![Open Access](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/open-access-icon-orange.png)
Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing in the UK: assessing the viability and cost of management
Mounds of salt recovered during treatment of wastewaters from hydraulic fracturing in the USA.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 325-335
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00474E
Methane-driven microbial fuel cells recover energy and mitigate dissolved methane emissions from anaerobic effluents
The effluents of mainstream anaerobic treatment processes such as anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) contain dissolved methane that represents a large fraction of the available energy (approximately 50% at 15 °C) and a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission if released to the atmosphere.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2018,4, 67-79
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EW00293A
About this collection
The Environmental Science Best Papers Initiative identified a variety of excellent papers published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Environmental Science journal family, showcasing great science from across the globe in diverse subject areas. However, selecting the winning papers was no easy decision. The journals’ Editorial and Advisory Boards who selected these papers were faced with many difficult choices. So, to celebrate more of the great papers published Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology which really deserve recognition, we’ve gathered all nominated papers in this special collection.
Read the portfolio’s winning papers here and also browse the nominated papers from our sister journals Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts and Environmental Science: Nano.