Journal of Environmental Management最新文献

{"title":"Minimum sampling density determines soil bacterial diversity through ecosystem multifunctionality in a typical steppe","authors":"Xinzhou Zhao,&nbsp;Lan Li,&nbsp;Fujiang Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring an appropriate sampling density will accurately reflect the ecosystem condition. However, the knowledge gap of the minimum sampling density limits our deeper comprehension of the significance of ecosystem multifunctionality in maintaining soil bacterial diversity. We established a long-term grazing trial in a typical steppe since 2001 and have now formed a stable heterogeneous environment. Based on this, we conducted a full-factorial sampling density experiment in 2024. By analyzing 4016 sample combinations, we quantified the characteristics of bacterial communities (structure, function, and diversity), biotic factors (plant diversity, aboveground biomass, as well as the total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents in plants), and abiotic factors (organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate, ammonium, and available phosphorus contents in soil). Using inflection points of exponential decay curves of the coefficient of variation of sampling density, we determined the minimum sampling density for each indicator. Our findings reveal that asynchronous responses result in differences in minimum sampling densities among different indicators. Although the minimum sampling density for bacterial richness was 0.76 m² ha⁻¹, multi-dimensional trade-offs suggest that a range of 1.0–1.3 m² ha⁻¹ is suitable for the typical steppe. Path analysis shows that sampling density primarily regulates bacterial diversity through the direct positive effect of bacterial community composition and the indirect negative effects of biotic factors. It is crucial to establish a causal relationship between determining the minimum sampling density, constraining maximum multifunctionality, and assessing stable species diversity. This will prevent biodiversity misestimation and reverse biodiversity loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126313"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Dietary changes and uneven sanitation systems widen urban-rural health environment efficiency disparity","authors":"Yanliang Li,&nbsp;Huihang Sun,&nbsp;Shanshan Luo,&nbsp;Wei Zhan,&nbsp;Weijia Li,&nbsp;Yuelei Li,&nbsp;Tianrui Zhao,&nbsp;Wei Zuo,&nbsp;Yu Tian,&nbsp;Lipin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diets have synergistic effects on human health and environmental pollution, comprehensively revealing their impact mechanisms is crucial for promoting health-and environment-friendly diets. This study proposes a Health-Environment Efficiency (HEE) indicator, defined as the ratio of health benefits to diet-related reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions, to reveal the environmental cost of supporting human health through diets in urban and rural China from 1980 to 2022. Although dietary changes improved health benefits in both areas, per capita Nr emissions increased by 17.9 % in urban areas and 105.1 % in rural areas, leading to divergent HEE trends. From 1980 to 2003, increased animal-based food consumption caused additional Nr pollution, offsetting health benefits and causing a continuous decline in HEE. During 2004–2022, healthier diets and upgraded sanitation systems improved urban HEE, widening the urban–rural disparity eightfold. Urban sanitation system has become the primary driver of Nr reduction, while rural dietary changes still caused a 0.2 Tg increase in Nr emissions. Projections to 2050 under shared socioeconomic pathways suggest that integrating dietary transitions with treatment upgrades can effectively balance health and environmental goals, narrowing the urban–rural HEE disparity by 48.4 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126444"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Unlocking climate resilience by exploring the mitigation potential of improved rotation with cover cropping","authors":"Ahmed Attia ,&nbsp;Prem Woli ,&nbsp;Charles R. Long ,&nbsp;Francis M. Rouquette Jr. ,&nbsp;Gerald R. Smith ,&nbsp;Avishek Datta ,&nbsp;Til Feike ,&nbsp;Nithya Rajan","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126352","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126352","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agroecosystem services of conservation agriculture practices, such as crop rotation with cover crops (CCs), can effectively contribute to climate change mitigation through reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, the long-term impact of CCs on possible SOC saturation must be considered, along with potential trade-offs between SOC sequestration and N₂O emissions. This study aimed to (i) determine the impact of including legume and non-legume CCs in improved crop rotations on crop productivity, SOC sequestration, GHG emissions, water use efficiency (WUE), and direct on-farm C footprint (DCFP) compared with no-CC and business-as-usual (BAU) rotations, and (ii) evaluate the spatial variability and long-term effects of these management practices under projected climate conditions in the Texas High Plains (THP) using the DSSAT model. The results demonstrated that CC-inclusive rotations led to significant agronomic and environmental benefits. Compared to BAU, CCs increased grain units (GU) stability, enhanced SOC sequestration, and reduced net GHG emissions and DCFP. Notably, rotations incorporating CCs decreased DCFP by 60% (0.091 vs. 0.250 kg CO₂-eq kg⁻¹ GU) compared with BAU and 30% (0.091 vs. 0.132 kg CO₂-eq kg⁻¹ GU) compared with no-CC, reinforcing their potential role in climate-smart agriculture. SOC sequestration increased by 13.4% (74.0 vs. 65.9 Mg ha⁻¹) compared with BAU and by 6.9% (74.0 vs. 69.2 Mg ha⁻¹) compared with improved rotations without CCs, highlighting the potential role of CCs in long-term C storage. Additionally, WUE improved with CC integration, particularly in the northern and eastern regions of the study area. While no-CC had a WUE ranging from 8.5 to 9.5 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ under historical conditions, CC-based rotations achieved &gt;10.5 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹, emphasizing their contribution to water resource efficiency. These findings emphasize the critical role of CCs in climate-smart agricultural strategies, highlighting the need to optimize rotations and nutrient management practices to sustainably intensify agriculture in semi-arid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126352"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Analysis of microplastic flux from the Gediz River to the Aegean Sea: A modeling study for environmental management","authors":"Yiğithan Kazancı ,&nbsp;Nefise Alyürük ,&nbsp;Cumana Alpergün ,&nbsp;Nursena Kara ,&nbsp;Neval Baycan ,&nbsp;Orhan Gündüz","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is critical to determine the abundance of microplastics in terrestrial inland waters, understand their fate and transport mechanisms, and reveal their status in aquatic environments. This study aimed to develop and calibrate a mathematical model to simulate microplastic (MP) pollution in the Gediz River Basin, Türkiye, which focused on MP fate and transport under existing conditions and various management scenarios. The baseline scenario revealed that, despite a ninefold difference in flow rates, the midstream and upstream parts of the basin also exhibited significant contamination, with an average concentration of 25 n/L compared to the downstream average of 29 n/L. The model was later simulated to test the effects of various mitigation scenarios including but not limited to reducing MP discharges from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and implementing vegetative barriers in tributaries. Scenario 4, which involves reducing MP concentrations in upstream tributaries with vegetative barriers, achieved the highest average reduction across all segments (32 %) and specifically in the downstream area (47 %). In contrast, Scenario 1, aimed at reducing wastewater discharges from urban and industrial WWTPs through water reclamation, and Scenario 2, which focused on eliminating MP in Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ) discharges by changing industrial inputs, achieved the most effective MP reductions in the upper basin, with reductions of 20 % and 17 %, respectively. Scenario 3, targeting flow reduction and accumulation through constructed wetlands, had minimal impact, with reductions close to 0 % in most areas. These results highlight the need for comprehensive approaches to effectively reduce MP pollution, particularly in managing upstream and tributary sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126412"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Biocrust effects on soil stability and hydrodynamic erosion in southern China's red soil","authors":"Jieling Wu ,&nbsp;Ruibo Zha ,&nbsp;Shiting Chen ,&nbsp;Qin Zhou ,&nbsp;Qiang Lin ,&nbsp;Xuan Zha","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biocrusts are essential for regulating soil erosion and hydrologic processes. However, the response of biocrusts to soil aggregate stability, erosion processes and their hydrodynamic characteristic in eroded red soil remains underexplored. This study investigated the effects of biocrust cover (BC) on the erosion processes, flow hydrodynamics, and soil aggregate stability under varying rainfall intensities (RI). Simulated rainfall experiments were conducted on bare and BC red soil plots under four RI (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mm min⁻¹). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to identify the direct and indirect pathways through which BC affects erosion. The results showed that BC significantly reduced runoff and erosion rate and improved soil stability (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), as indicated by increased mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter values. A strong linear relationship was observed between runoff rate and erosion rate (R² = 0.834–0.944), indicating that soil erosion on BC plot is primarily governed by runoff processes. Stream power (VP) was strongly correlated with both runoff rate (R² = 0.994) and erosion rate (R² = 0.797), suggesting its suitability as a key predictor of erosion dynamics. Importantly, soil aggregate loss exhibited a bimodal distribution, characterized by two distinct peaks in particle size, with enrichment in &lt;0.5 mm and 1–2 mm aggregates. SEM further revealed that increased BC (path coefficients = 0.60), enhanced aggregate stability, and decreased stream erosive power were key mechanisms for reducing soil erosion. These findings provide novel insights into the ecohydrological functions of biocrusts and highlight their practical potential as a nature-based solution for erosion control and land restoration in subtropical red soil regions, informing sustainable land management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126458"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Evolution of characteristic components from retired wind turbine blades in multiple thermal atmospheres: thermal decomposition characterization and kinetic behavior","authors":"Haoyun Liu ,&nbsp;Pei Li ,&nbsp;Yonggang Zhou ,&nbsp;Jinsong Zhou ,&nbsp;Jianzhong Shi ,&nbsp;Bing Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The lack of adequate data and in-depth insights into the thermal decomposition kinetics of retired wind turbine blades (RFTBs) critically impede its thermal recycling and upgrade. This study explores the non-isothermal pyrolysis of RFTBs under inert N₂ atmosphere and reactive air and CO₂ atmospheres at heating rates of 10–30 K/min. The PET component (C1) and full RFTBs component (C3) exhibited two pyrolysis stages (Py1 and Py2) in N₂, whereas the glass fiber reinforced polymer (C2) revealed only one pyrolysis stage. Higher heating rates shifted peaks of heat weight loss rate upward due to thermal hysteresis. Under air and CO₂ atmospheres, all feedstocks developed an additional gasification stage (Gs, &gt;400 °C), originating from products undergoing partial oxidation reactions in air and interactions in CO₂. Both pathways release heat that accelerates pyrolysis through localized thermal enhancement, effectively reducing heat transfer limitations via short-distance energy redistribution. Apparent activation energies for C3 obtained via Model-free fitting method were 148.43/181.34 kJ/mol (Py1/Py2, N₂), 151.07/151.57/136.62 kJ/mol (Py1/Py2/Gs, air), and 67.76/87.79/78.85 kJ/mol (Py1/Py2/Gs, CO₂), demonstrating that autothermal pyrolysis in air and CO₂ gasification are more active and energy-saving than traditional pyrolysis in N₂. Model-fitting method revealed optimal mechanisms involving random nucleation and nuclei growth (A_n, n = 4 for Py1, n = 2/3 for Py2 and Gs), accurately describing CO₂ gasification of full RFTBs component, and these were validated through kinetic compensation effect analysis. This study provides accurate and critical guidance for the design, optimization and scale-up of RFTBs pyrolysis procedures and reactors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126341"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Effects of voluntary certifications on sustainable development goals","authors":"Simona Bigerna,&nbsp;Silvia Micheli,&nbsp;Paolo Polinori","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126370","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126370","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sustainability implies a development model that involves businesses and consumers, shifting attention to production systems which implement criteria of greater responsibility in social, environmental and economic terms. So far, many companies are adopting voluntary certifications (VCs) which confirm that they have carried out the certification procedures and that the product, process, or service requirements comply with specified requirements. VCs provide a detailed specification of the environmental and social standards that must be respected in the production processes. This paper aims to evaluate which sustainable development goals (SDGs) are most affected by VCs and analyzes the ways they support sustainable development. Using qualitative content analysis, the study explores the mechanisms behind VCs' role in promoting these global goals, offering insights into their strategic impact on a sustainable future. Our results indicate that there is a significant and positive relationship among VCs and SDGs, and specific SDGs are identified. This research provides useful insights to support governmental organizations for policy interventions in creating an enabling environment for the use of VCs in both developed and developing countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126370"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Life-cycle assessment of concrete production with carbon capture and carbon upcycling process","authors":"Tianyu Chen,&nbsp;Jacob P. Nelson,&nbsp;Vijay Gupta,&nbsp;Paul D. Mobley","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The main CO₂ utilization methods for concrete production, aimed at reducing its carbon footprint, include several promising approaches. These methods include the carbonation of concrete, where CO₂ reacts with calcium hydroxide to form calcium carbonate; CO₂-activated concrete, achieved by infusion of CO₂ into concrete during the mixing or curing process; and carbonation of recycled concrete, which uses industrial byproducts like slag and fly ash to sequester CO₂. Another method is the use of biochar in concrete, where CO₂ is sequestered from organic waste to enhance material properties. More recently, a new method has emerged where CO₂ is used to transform industrial byproducts into enhanced supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) that are then used to either produce blended cements or used directly in concrete. These techniques not only lower carbon emissions but also have the potential to enhance the strength and durability of concrete, making it even more desirable for construction applications. A significant reduction in the CO₂ intensity of concrete production can be achieved by using post-combustion CO₂ capture processes to capture the CO₂ emissions from the cement production process. A life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is crucial to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of concrete. Various decision makers and manufacturers are keenly interested in using an LCA approach to understand and minimize the ecological footprint of concrete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126303"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Equilibrium strategy for deep-sea mineral investments amid protester actions: Balancing terrestrial benefits and marine preservation","authors":"Mingxing Zheng ,&nbsp;Fengxuan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126374","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Deep-sea mining (DSM) supplies resources to produce new energy materials, which offers benefits for terrestrial environments while causing significant risks to marine ecosystems. To mitigate marine pollution, it is essential to assess the behavior interactions among three parties: new energy materials suppliers (NEMSs), protesters, and governmental bodies. This study develops a game-theoretic framework incorporating stochastic disturbances via stochastic differential equations. The results indicate that: (1) Incomplete information about the government stance distorts the investment range for NEMSs. By strengthening social welfare initiatives, NEMSs can expect clearer government support, optimizing the investment environment. Intriguingly, the analysis suggests that ambiguous governmental attitudes may inadvertently incentivize NEMSs to enhance their social responsibilities. In our simulation experiments, the government's ambiguous approach to DSM has the potential to increase the social welfare provided by NEMSs from the original 10 %–20 %. (2) The consistency and efficacy of governmental policies moderate the impact of protesters on NEMSs' decision-making processes. In contrast to the ambiguity of external policies, the government's internal stance on DSM should maintain clarity and consistency. The divergent policy approaches applied by relevant authorities to various stakeholder groups can effectively channel social forces to facilitate the responsible development of DSM. (3) Environmental protests are not always entirely eco-friendly. Some protest activities have devolved into mere symbolic exercises, lacking substantive impact. Avoiding formism is the primary task to maintain the effectiveness and compliance of public supervision. (4) Finally, the core results of the main model are extended by designing three types of regulations: subsidies, penalties, and mixed framework. Based on this, we give an effective penalty elasticity based on the regulation intensity and provide an optimal form of subsidy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126374"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Wastewater is still a major problem: a comprehensive evaluation of N and P loads into water bodies of the most populous state in Brazil","authors":"Karen Tavares Zambrano,&nbsp;João Miguel Merces Bega,&nbsp;Davi Gasparini Fernandes Cunha","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nutrient pollution from wastewater systems, particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), continues to be a major challenge in Brazil and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), driven by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and urbanization, along with inadequate sanitation infrastructure. This study assessed municipal wastewater systems across all 645 municipalities in the state of São Paulo using the most up-to-date data available (from the Sewage Atlas, 2015–2016). Daily potential nutrient loads were estimated at 327.48 t (N) and 40.93 t (P). The 768 Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) mainly served small municipalities (≤50,000 inhabitants) in isolated, centralized systems. Stabilization ponds were common in municipalities with populations up to 100,000 inhabitants, while aerobic reactors and activated sludge systems dominated in larger municipalities. Most WWTPs operated below 80 % capacity utilization, with many medium/large plants below 70 %. Secondary treatment was most common, with average expected nutrient removal efficiencies of 56.5 % for N and 37.3 % for P. Due to low efficiencies and limited coverage (64.8 %), modest reductions in residual loads were observed (36.9 % for N and 25.2 % for P). Despite the statistically significant difference between potential and residual loads, substantial discharges into receiving water bodies (206.53 t N and 30.60 t P daily) persist, leading to frequent exceedances of regulatory standards. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to expand wastewater treatment coverage and efficiency, and mitigate pollution from untreated and non-point sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"391 ","pages":"Article 126440"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}