Themed collection Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology Recent HOT Articles

Major pathways of monochloramine disinfectant decay, kinetics involved, various influencing factors and the existing models to determine the chloramine decay in drinking water distribution systems are reviewed.

This review systematically summarizes the application of magnetic composite adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions in water and focuses on the surface functionalization of magnetic materials.

First demonstration of the capture of salinity gradient energy from stormwater runoff to the ocean, used to power UV-LED disinfection.

A mathematical model for autotrophic biocathodic denitrification of groundwater has been developed. The model predictions captured current demand and energy consumption related to reduction of N-forms.

A new monitoring method has been developed for the rapid assessment of low levels of 137-Cs and its effective concentration and quantification in Fukushima seawater, directly using KCuHCF slurry ink with a 137-Cs recovery exceeding 99% within 30 min.

The presence of sulfate in sewage treatment has obvious impacts on biological nitrogen removal.

The influence of WWTP treatment standard on contaminant breakthrough is explored for 293 compounds.

Recent applications of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) have demonstrated its ability to track the spread and dynamics of COVID-19 at the community level.

Role of reactive species in the solar/chlorine process for elimination of diuron and risk of NDMA formation.

Increasing hydraulic residence time (HRT) along a chain of interconnected reservoirs enhances the formation potential of carbonaceous disinfection by-products (DBPs) and reduces the formation potential of nitrogenous DBPs, particularly N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

Strong-acid functionalized cathode is pH stable and sulfonic groups are stable to charge–discharge cycling.

Spatiotemporal development of anaerobic seed sludge in a new ABR after transfer from a long-running ABR treating low-temperature domestic wastewater.

This study analysed the spatial and temporal occurrence of 29 disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed by chlorination and chloramination.

We compared SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in primary settled solids and raw wastewater samples matched in date to investigate the relationship between the two matrices.

This study implicated stoichiometric limitation of influent organic carbon, unique microbial community enrichment, and differential nitrate and nitrite reduction kinetics as determinant factors in glycerol-driven denitratation.

Daytime-only and continuously mixed HRAPs had equivalent disinfection performance, compliant with reuse guidelines. Daytime-only mixing reduces energy demand and capital cost of wastewater treatment, promoting adoption of HRAPs in rural communities.

Electrode kinetics, gaseous CO₂ dissolution, mass transfer, and equilibrium of pH buffer and bicarbonate are considered to illustrate the bioelectrochemical behaviors of an MES.

Based on coordination chemistry, the removal of Hg²⁺ and the recovery of Ag⁺ are achieved simultaneously by selecting the 4,4′-azo-1,2,4-triazole (Atrz) as an organic ligand only through simple mixing, agitation and filtration.

Novel linear free energy relationships were determined between experimentally measured rate constants of solvated electrons and theoretically calculated one electron reduction potential for the elucidation of reductive reaction mechanisms.

Application of plasma oxidation for removal of pharmaceuticals in urine was assessed and compared to a traditional advanced oxidation process.

Waste streams continuously introduce active and inactive microbial populations that can influence assembly of microbial communities in chain elongation systems.

Sustainable HRT of 3–4 h achieved for MABR effluent with carbon and nitrogen meeting the discharge standard of level I class A in China for synthetic municipal wastewater treatment.

Dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria greatly increased the production of vivianite. Phosphate promoted the dissimilatory reduction of iron minerals and a high Fe/P ratio (2–4) is conducive for phosphorus recovery as vivianite.

Unique pilot design and innovative control strategies enabled mainstream nitrogen removal with a low COD to N removal ratio at both summer and winter conditions.

In the present study we coupled nontarget analyses data and predictive models in order to estimate the formation potential of NDMA, a nitrogenous disinfection by-product that has been included in drinking water regulations worldwide.

GenX is a major per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) of environmental concern. Redox-copolymers are explored as selective adsorbents for the electrochemically-mediated separation and remediation of GenX from water.

Potential inhibitors in the groundwater matrix that affect bone char (BC) mediated dechlorination of chlorinated ethylenes by green rust (GR).

A linear UV dose response is demonstrated using an ELISA assay that measures thymine dimers formed in the genomic DNA extracted from the mixed species of microorganisms filtered from UV treated pre-disinfection drinking water.

UV photolysis is an effective process to remove nitrosamines from contaminated water resources.

Environmental water quality data from England are used to establish the excess heat in sewage effluent discharges to rivers and subsequently estimate the national scale heat recovery potential of wastewater.

The trash-excluding attachment (Excluder) can be connected to a custom vacuum (such as the Flexcrevator), a vacuum truck, or a sludge pump. The system allows the mechanized emptying of pit latrines with high levels of trash without manual “fishing”.

A ZnO–[Zn(CPAMN)] complex-composite acts as a piezo-photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes pollutants and industry wastewater under ultrasonication and visible light irradiation due to the low rate of electron–hole pair recombination.

The photodegradation of an emerging pollutant, ammonium ionic liquid, is thoroughly investigated by using an advanced oxidation technique.

In this study, the removal of dyes by NSMD and NSFH was investigated, and two high-quality QSAR models for these adsorbents were established using multiple linear regression (MLR). Finally, the dye removal mechanisms of the two adsorbents were studied and compared.

Better chemical removal in waste stabilisation ponds was linked to the presence of a maturation pond, higher solar irradiation, and warmer temperatures.

The electron-transfer process is the main pathway occurring in the BC800/PDS system and the singlet oxygen pathway is determined to have little contribution to the oxidation of SMX.

This study used a molecular dynamics simulation approach to predict and evaluate the coagulation of organic pollutants around the Moringa oleifera 2S albumin protein extracted from the seed.

A potentially scalable configuration of a H₂-based MBfR was developed in this study to test the feasibility of treating real secondary effluent.

Ion exchange (IX) removes hexavalent chromium from water, but waste brine disposal makes implementation cost-prohibitive in many communities. Nanofiltration treats waste brine for reuse in the next regeneration cycle.

A Janus biomass carbon/sponge (JBCS) solar-driven desalination system is composed of carbonized original leaf particles and commercial melamine sponge seamlessly integrated with each other by a simple “soak-dip” method.

RO enables the recovery of clean water and ammonium in anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent. pH governs the ammonia speciation and membrane surface charge and is the key operational factor that affects the total ammonia rejection efficiency of RO.

3D graphene anchored zerovalent metal aerogel as an alternative route for the efficient removal of organic pollutants from wastewater.

Sodium silicate has been used to control lead levels in drinking water, but there is little theoretical support for this practice. We find that sodium silicate is not effective in controlling lead release from lead(II) carbonate.

The reproducibility and sensitivity of 36 methods for quantifying the genetic signal of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater was evaluated in a nationwide interlaboratory assessment in the U.S.

This study for the first time investigated the turnover of dissolved organic nitrogen in lab-scale thermal hydrolysis pretreatment at different temperatures with and without mesophilic anaerobic digestion at a solids retention time of 15 days.

Peracetic acid (PAA) is being considered as a disinfectant in membrane-based wastewater reuse systems. This study shows that PAA is overall compatible with polyamide membranes and proposes PAA-polyamide reaction mechanisms.

This graph compares the potential amplification of Legionella spp. and specific pathogenic species in the premise plumbing of five buildings.

This work demonstrates insights gained from monitoring absolute microbial abundance in full-scale disinfected drinking water distribution systems and lays a foundation for statistical approaches that could provide a basis for applying these tools.

Municipally-treated drinking water (DW) is a potential source of exposure to bacterial opportunistic pathogens (OPs), which can cause infection in susceptible individuals.

First investigation of ARG and MGE removal in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor co-treating real wastewater and manure shows increased manure loading improves ARG and MGE removal.

On-site demonstration tests evaluated 1,4-dioxane removal in reverse osmosis permeate (RO permeate) at the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF).

Municipal wastewater discharges after secondary biological treatment (e.g., the activated sludge (AS) process) are a major potential source of N-nitrosamine precursors which may impact downstream source water quality.

Emerging electrochemical systems, such as advanced electro-oxidation, provide a potentially powerful alternative to conventional oxidation processes which can often be unsuitable for small, remote and decentralised system applications.

Pre-oxidation is commonly used to mitigate the formation of byproducts during post-disinfection.

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in complex water matrix can be detected reliably by ion chromatography (IC) due to its superior separation ability.

Peracetic acid pre-oxidation of algal impacted waters can reduce formation of trihalomethanes but promote formation of haloacetonitriles, due to the degradation of dissolved organic matter and coincident release of intracellular organic matter.

Soil aquifer treatment significantly decreased the SA concentration in recharged synthetic water and aerobic biodegradation played a great role.

Pharmaceuticals removal by photocatalytic ozonation: evaluation of radiation fluence, GO content and GO–TiO₂ dosage synergies in ultrapure water photocatalytic ozonation. Two reaction kinetic periods proposed for wastewater photocatalytic ozonation.

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.

A stand-alone small-scale nanophotonics enhanced solar membrane distillation (NESMD) testbed was designed, developed, and tested for desalinating seawater and high salinity feedwaters.

Anti-fouling and durability are two important parameters that are closely associated with the development and deployment of membrane distillation (MD).

Ferrihydrite supplemented to establish DIET between iron-reducing bacteria and methanogens with Fe oxides in anaerobic digestion.

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.

This study investigated the transformation of a THM mixture and the change of toxicity risk in drinking water distribution systems for the first time.

Kinetics and transformation products for the reactions of ozone with pyrrole, imidazole, and pyrazole were determined. For the imidazole–ozone reaction, all possible transformation products were identified, completing the mass balance.

Gliding arc plasma discharge is an energy-efficient treatment technology for a broad range of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in water.

A parameterized costing model was used to investigate the impacts of ion selectivity on water treatment price for selective ion removal with capacitive deionization (CDI) systems.

The support layer of RO membranes can significantly affect the permeability depending on its sublayer structure.