Themed collection Transformation and innovation for resilient equitable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services
Targeted LC-MS/MS method for quantifying respiratory pharmaceuticals in wastewater
Background: We developed and validated a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS method using multiple reaction monitoring for 10 common respiratory pharmaceuticals.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2026, Advance Article
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00894H
Pyrolysis of faecal sludge and biomass waste for resource recovery in Kampala, Uganda
Resource recovery potential of chars produced from faecal sludge and biomass waste, in Kampala, Uganda. Comparison with fundamental properties of excreta-derived chars allows the quantification of optimisation pathways via source control.
Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2025,11, 2542-2554
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00434A
About this collection
Coverage and sustainability of equitable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems is a major concern for developing countries. It is also a concern in many middle- and high-income countries, especially from an inequality lens. Research has identified several sustainability challenges, including poor maintenance, inappropriate technology, corruption, non-participation of stakeholders, insufficient operational and regulatory capacity, politics and bureaucracy, and inadequate sector financing particularly for operation and maintenance. Furthermore, global challenges of climate change and population growth pose short- and long-term threats to safe and reliable WASH.
Climate resilience, innovation, intersectional sensitivity, and systems strengthening are currently highlighted as necessary for sustainability and equitability in the WASH sector. As such, an interdisciplinary critical outlook that cuts across technical, social, economic, environmental and governance domains is necessary for sustainable progress on safe and reliable WASH services. Articles in this themed collection focus on WASH systems transformation and innovation. These concepts here are defined broadly as: systems are understood as complex, adaptive collections of interrelated elements from which intended or unintended functions emerge; innovation can be any new method, idea, process or product that may influence change within the system.