João Pedro Stepan Wagner, Maria Fernanda Rech, Bruno Aschidamini Prandi, Ana Cláudia Franco, Caroline Rigotto, Fabiana Horn
{"title":"Epidemiological monitoring of sewage sludge and wastewater from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor using SARS-CoV-2 as a model.","authors":"João Pedro Stepan Wagner, Maria Fernanda Rech, Bruno Aschidamini Prandi, Ana Cláudia Franco, Caroline Rigotto, Fabiana Horn","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.014","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the potential of sludge-based monitoring from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor for epidemiological surveillance, using SARS-CoV-2 as a model. We monitored SARS-CoV-2 copy numbers and mutations, and compared concentrations in sludge to concentrations in wastewater samples taken on the same days. From January to August 2021, 32 sludge samples were analyzed; 30 (93%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and copy numbers varied from 0.147 to 2.314 copies ×10<sup>6</sup>/L. In wastewater samples collected on the same days, 31 (96%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and copy numbers ranged from 0.058 to 3.014 copies ×10<sup>6</sup>/L. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in the sludge rose along with confirmed hospitalization cases in March, while wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations rose 2 weeks earlier along with numbers of new confirmed cases. Mutations of variants of concern, Gamma and Delta, were identified in sludge samples in the same months that they became dominant in the corresponding regions. Our results indicate that, although monitoring of sewage sludge was not effective in anticipating infection numbers, it is a promising way to gain insight into the epidemiological situation in a city or region.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 4","pages":"333-343"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B Szelag, N Ciuccoli, Josué González-Camejo, C Giansanti, A Kiczko, A L Eusebi, C Palermo, F Fatone
{"title":"Seawater intrusion and infiltration modelling coupled to digital tools to avoid high saline concentrations in reclaimed water: application in coastal central Italy.","authors":"B Szelag, N Ciuccoli, Josué González-Camejo, C Giansanti, A Kiczko, A L Eusebi, C Palermo, F Fatone","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.012","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Industrial symbiosis approach was established between an industrial company and a water utility to prioritize the reuse of urban wastewater for industrial purposes. This requires low-salinity water, but this area is frequently affected by saline intrusion, thus creating water-related conflicts between the different economic activities. This study proposes a digital solution that combines dynamic simulation model (that predicts seawater intrusion and runoff) with digital tools, i.e., smart equalization (control algorithm) and matchmaking platform (decision support system). The models aim to predict the periods where significant peaks of salinity occurs, whereas the tools aim to distribute the wastewater and reclaimed water streams to diverse applications (industrial, agricultural) and/or treatments (conventional treatment, reverse osmosis) to maximize the amount of wastewater reused in efficient and sustainable way. During the 2D simulated period, wastewater conductivity was in range of 2100-2700 µS·cm<sup>-1</sup>. Although this conductivity was over the limit required for industrial reuse, the digital solution implemented in this study enabled to recover 71% of the total wastewater produced for industrial purposes and 10% for irrigation, only discharging 19% of the total. The approach implemented in this study would be very useful to be replicated in coastal areas where saline intrusion is relevant.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 3","pages":"280-294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xin Liu, Xianxiong Cheng, Junfeng Lian, Jiahua Tang, Rui Wang
{"title":"Z-scheme heterojunction BiOBr/MIL-100(Fe) visible photocatalytic-permonosulfate degradation of AO7.","authors":"Xin Liu, Xianxiong Cheng, Junfeng Lian, Jiahua Tang, Rui Wang","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.010","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered significant interest in the field of photocatalysis. In this study, Z-scheme heterojunction BM-x composites consisting of bismuth bromide oxide (BiOBr) and iron-based metal-organic backbone (MIL-100(Fe)) were successfully synthesized using ethylene glycol as a solvent. The composites were characterized using various techniques. BM-x exhibit abundant functional groups, large specific surface areas, and narrow band gap energy, thus provide numerous active sites for catalytic reactions and respond well to visible light. Notably, BM-7 displays remarkable catalytic activity in a visible light-activated permonosulfate (PMS) system and achieves a degradation rate of 99.02% over 100 mg/L gold orange II (AO7) within 60 min. The effects of BM-7 and PMS addition, initial AO7 concentration, initial pH, inorganic anions, and humic acid on the degradation system were investigated. The proposed mechanism of the Z-scheme heterojunction in the BM-7 photocatalyst demonstrates effective photoelectron transfer from the BiOBr conduction band to the MIL-100(Fe) valence band, resulting in excellent catalytic activity. Radical burst experiments identified <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>, h<sup>+</sup>, and ·O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> as the main active substances. BM-7 has high stability and reusability, with a degradation rate reduction of only 14.48% after three recycles. These findings provide valuable insights into using persulfate combined with visible light.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 4","pages":"363-381"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Collaborative removal of microplastics, bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and heavy metals in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant.","authors":"Ran Yu, Peng Li, Rong Shen","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.023","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plastics are used in large quantities in food packaging and industrial products in China, which results in ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) to the environment. In this study, the MPs' removal efficiency of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the internal interaction of microorganisms, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and heavy metals with MPs were investigated. The dominant MPs in urban sewage were polyurethane (PU), acrylate copolymer (ACR), fluororubber, and polyethylene. MPs in wastewater were removed by WWTP with a total efficiency of 76%. The removal efficiencies of ACR, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polybutadiene, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), polystyrene, and polypropylene reached 100%. The highest concentration of MPs PU in the influent got a removal efficiency of 93.41%. The interactions between MPs, heavy metals, microorganisms, and ARGs involved adsorption, hydrogen bonds, coprecipitation, and polar interaction. Heavy metals and MPs formed larger aggregated particles, which were removed in the primary process. Heavy metals accumulated in sludge pose ecological risks to soil during landfill or compost to fertilizer. The release of MPs from WWTPs leads to accumulation in organisms and soil. It may affect the entire food chain and promote the transmission of ARGs in the environment, posing potential threats to the entire ecosystem.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 4","pages":"438-452"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Calibrating the Priestley-Taylor model for evapotranspiration across different substrate depths in green roofs.","authors":"Haowen Xie, Yawen Wu, Mark Randall","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.011","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to address a common issue in current research: the neglect of the calibrating model parameters when estimating evapotranspiration (ET) from green roofs (GRs) using the Priestley-Taylor model, with most studies limited to a single substrate depth (SD). To overcome this limitation, this research improves the accuracy of ET estimation for different SDs on GRs by calibrating the Priestley-Taylor coefficient <i>α</i>. The study period was 692 days in total, from 25 April 2021 to 26 April 2023. Daily ET data from the outdoor GR experimental group were used to calibrate and validate the model. Uncalibrated models perform well for medium SDs (150 mm) but decline for deeper (300 mm) or shallower (50 mm) ones. NSGA-II optimization significantly improved model performance across all SDs, notably at 300 mm. The research underscores the importance of parameter calibration for water management in GRs and sets a foundation for future research on optimizing water retention and regulation functions in GRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 3","pages":"252-265"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mehdi Khoury, Barry Evans, Tavishi Guleria, Joep Van Der Broeke, Lydia Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia, Otto Chen, Navonil Mustafee, Albert Chen, Slobodan Djordjevic, Dragan Savic
{"title":"Towards the development of an online platform for an industry metabolic pathway.","authors":"Mehdi Khoury, Barry Evans, Tavishi Guleria, Joep Van Der Broeke, Lydia Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia, Otto Chen, Navonil Mustafee, Albert Chen, Slobodan Djordjevic, Dragan Savic","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.020","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper presents the design of a web-based decision co-creation platform to showcase water treatment technologies connected via industrial symbiosis for a circular economy approach. The platform is developed as part of the EU H2020-funded ULTIMATE project. This system initially investigates three case studies focusing respectively on: water and nutrient recovery in greenhouses, pre-treatment of wastewater from olive mills before integration into communal wastewater systems, and value-added compound recovery from wastewater in a juice factory. These cases are then merged into one abstract composite example showing all three aspects of the problem, connecting greenhouses, juice factories, and olive mills, describing a pioneering form of industrial 'metabolic network' of the circular economy. This work describes the modelling framework, the online platform and the interactive visualisations that allow users to explore the industrial symbiosis configurations enabled by the metabolic pathway. The platform thus serves as a decision support tool that merges circular economy and industrial symbiosis, as well as a pedagogical tool.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 4","pages":"382-399"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Uncertainty in Evapotranspiration Inputs Impacts Hydrological Modeling.","authors":"Mehnaza Akhter, Manzoor Ahmad Ahanger","doi":"10.2166/wst.2024.381","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2024.381","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This work addresses the role of accurate input data in hydrological model simulations and explores the often-overlooked errors associated with evapotranspiration (ET). While existing literature primarily focuses on uncertainties in rainfall, this study underscores the necessity of considering errors in ET, as evidenced by some studies suggesting their substantial impact on hydrological model responses. A comprehensive exploration of uncertainty quantification resulting from errors in ET in hydrological model simulations is presented, highlighting the imperative to scrutinize this facet amidst diverse uncertainties. There are two approaches for addressing uncertainty in potential evapotranspiration (PET) inputs as discussed: directly considering uncertainty in PET data series or accounting for uncertainty in the parameters used for PET estimation. Furthermore, details are provided about the existing error models for PET measurements, revealing a limited number of studies that specifically account for ET-related uncertainties. Researchers commonly address ET errors by considering both systematic and random errors; some studies suggest that systematic errors in PET have a more substantial impact compared to random errors on hydrological model responses. In summary, the objective of this paper is to offer an in-depth exploration of uncertainty associated with PET inputs and their influence on hydrological modeling.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 3","pages":"235-251"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Temporal analysis of the Hooghly River's water quality: investigating pre- and post-monsoon scenarios in West Bengal, India.","authors":"Farzana Shamim, Barna Chakraborty","doi":"10.2166/wst.2024.373","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2024.373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This research aimed to investigate the influence of ferry operations and religious activities on the water quality of the Hooghly River in Kolkata, West Bengal, during 2022, while pinpointing pollution hotspots and suggesting mitigation strategies. As a crucial distributary, the Hooghly River is significantly impacted by human activities, particularly near ferry terminals and pilgrimage locations. Water samples (4 L) were taken from eight critical sites during pre- and post-monsoon periods at high tide, concentrating on important physico-chemical and biological attributes. Though pre-monsoon water quality largely adhered to BIS guidelines, heightened chemical oxygen demand and total coliform (TC) levels indicated potential pollution hotspots, likely caused by ferry movements and religious gatherings. Post-monsoon data revealed acceptable pH and temperature ranges but flagged concerns due to increased biochemical oxygen demand and TC counts, especially in high-traffic zones. The water quality index varied between 213 and 282, with a higher pre-monsoon value of 282 and a post-monsoon value of 213, primarily influenced by total dissolved solids, hardness, alkalinity, and conductivity. The comprehensive pollution index ranged from 1.30 to 1.33, surpassing the acceptable limit. These assessments reveal the impact of ferry and religious activities on the Hooghly River's water quality, stressing the need for targeted pollution control.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 3","pages":"266-279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yonggang Gu, Xuan Shi, Pengkang Jin, Xiaochang C Wang
{"title":"Assessing entropy changes in urban sewer systems during pollutant degradation.","authors":"Yonggang Gu, Xuan Shi, Pengkang Jin, Xiaochang C Wang","doi":"10.2166/wst.2025.017","DOIUrl":"10.2166/wst.2025.017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human activities are intricately linked to entropy changes, inevitably impacting the ecological environment. The initial transportation of urban pipe network systems plays a critical role in this process. These systems involve processes such as fermentation, hydrogen production, acetic acid production, and methane production, generating gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide. Despite their importance, the mechanisms underlying entropy changes during organic matter degradation remain underexplored. This study establishes a 1,200-m-long urban sewer pilot system to analyze pollutant degradation through reaction equations. A novel method, based on standard molar reaction enthalpy changes, is developed to calculate entropy changes, revealing distinct stages of entropy increase. Results indicate that environmental entropy rises primarily during sugar degradation and acetic acid production, while entropy decreases during glucose degradation and methanogenesis. During sewage transport, the heat released from pollutant degradation exceeds that associated with greenhouse gas emissions, leading to a general increase in entropy in the external environment. The findings of this study could help to predict the actual influent quality of wastewater treatment plants and facilitate the optimization of wastewater treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23653,"journal":{"name":"Water Science and Technology","volume":"91 4","pages":"424-437"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}