Water Research最新文献

{"title":"From crisis to clarity: tackling the sampling strategy challenge in airport wastewater surveillance during COVID-19","authors":"Kira Zachmann ,&nbsp;Janina Mattersdorf ,&nbsp;Susanne Lackner ,&nbsp;Shelesh Agrawal","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater surveillance at airports has gained interest as a tool for early pathogen detection, but current evidence remains largely feasibility-focused and provides limited guidance on where sampling efforts should be prioritised. In this study, we go beyond feasibility assessments and present a comparative framework for evaluating wastewater-based genomic surveillance at airports. From January to April 2023, wastewater samples were collected at Frankfurt and Berlin airports from single aircraft, lavatory trucks, a sewer combining aircraft and airfield wastewater, and an airport terminal. Viral RNA was concentrated and extracted, followed by short-read amplicon sequencing, digital PCR quantification, and variant annotation with SnpEff. Sequencing success and genome coverage varied by sample type. Aircraft wastewater showed variable coverage (median 20.2–52.1%) due to low SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while coverage from airport terminal wastewater was consistently high (median: 99.3%). Terminal wastewater exhibited the highest mutation diversity, with 143–286 mutations per sample (grab vs composite). Notably, &gt;95% of clinically known mutations were detected in the wastewater at least one week before clinical reporting, and over 9350 previously unreported mutations were identified—highlighting the early-warning potential of airport wastewater surveillance. These results demonstrate that differences in wastewater matrix and sampling location strongly influence genomic information yield. Wastewater surveillance can complement clinical surveillance and should be considered as part of broader global health monitoring. The framework established here offers replicable guidance for other transportation hubs and public health authorities seeking to strengthen early detection capabilities and pandemic preparedness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125229"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Molecular mechanisms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) removal from sludge alkaline fermentation liquid by coagulation: Role of interactions between DOM and PFASs","authors":"Chengyu Gu ,&nbsp;Sijia Ma ,&nbsp;Yuan Lin ,&nbsp;Yi Xue ,&nbsp;Hongqiang Ren ,&nbsp;Ke Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), as highly recalcitrant pollutants, tend to accumulate in sludge, posing challenges for subsequent treatment and resource recovery. Sludge alkaline fermentation (SAF) produces sludge alkaline fermentation liquid (SAFL) with potential for circular-economy reuse, while simultaneously transferring PFASs from the solid phase into SAFL, thereby creating a trade-off between resource recovery and contamination. Coagulation is a critical step in SAFL separation, yet the fate of PFASs during this process remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the performance of polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and polyferric sulfate (PFS) in removing nine representative legacy and emerging PFASs from SAFL. High removal efficiencies were achieved across PFASs with varying chain lengths and headgroups, with long-chain PFASs (<em>C</em> ≥ 8) reaching up to 74% and emerging short-chain PFASs (<em>C</em> &lt; 8) up to 55%. Spectroscopic analysis indicated that the hydrophobic interaction between PFASs and the Al/Fe based hydrolysates were the primary driving force for the direct removal of PFASs by coagulants. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in SAFL played a facilitating role in PFASs removal, with proteins identified as the key contributors. DOM analysis revealed that additional coagulants facilitated the removal of protein-like substance and hydrophobic macromolecules that have strong affinities for PFASs. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that Al/Fe-based hydrolysates increased electrostatic attraction and binding free energy, thereby increasing protein compactness and promoting co-precipitation removal of PFASs. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing coagulation strategies in practical applications to effectively mitigate ecological risks in DOM-rich water contaminated with PFASs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125291"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145894522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Trace carbonyls in water reuse: Structure-dependent multi-barrier penetration and enhanced deep mineralization via dual-radical oxidation synergism","authors":"Yun-Peng Wu ,&nbsp;Qian-Yuan Wu ,&nbsp;Zi-Bo Jing ,&nbsp;Yu-Ming Tian ,&nbsp;Jiang-Lei Xiong ,&nbsp;Mu-Da Han ,&nbsp;Sheng-Mei Li ,&nbsp;Er-Dong Wang ,&nbsp;Wen-Long Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organics in reclaimed water can penetrate multi-barrier treatments, compromising high-standard reuses including ultrapure water production, while the underlying processes mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study elucidated the mechanisms governing the penetration of carbonyl compounds through representative multi-barrier treatment trains (RO-UV_185/254-ion-exchange resin) and developed targeted dual-radical oxidation solutions. Low-molecular-weight neutral carbonyls, particularly aldehydes and amides, were the dominant RO-permeating and UV_185/254-IER persistent fractions. Their structural features dominated the resistance: strong polarity and H-bonding capacity explained poor RO rejection, exemplified by 19.29 ∼ 66.25% rejection for amides versus &gt;95% rejection for ionized acids, while low HOMO energy explained oxidation resistance under conventional ^•OH. Under ^•OH oxidation, aldehydes were pathway-limited by downstream carboxylic acid accumulation despite facile initial H-atom abstraction, while amides are activation-limited at polar N–H bonds. Spectral matching at UV₂₂₂/peroxydisulfate generated dual-radical (^•OH and SO₄^•−) that synergistically overcome these limitations: SO₄^•− productivity increased 4.6-fold with 2.19∼12.9 times higher amide reactivity and 1.07∼1.86 times higher aldehydes activity, enabling 6.9∼197 folds faster parent degradation and 13.3∼140 folds faster mineralization at μg·L⁻¹ levels. Combined experimental-computational validation confirmed dual-radical synergism: ^•OH drive oxidative propagation and conjugated structure formation while SO₄^•− reduced activation barriers for conjugated systems disruption. This dual-radical approach enabled &gt;99.5% mineralization at practical fluences, providing reliable high-standard water treatment solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125322"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Can fungal degradation replace conventional biological processes for treatment of highly acidic and saline preserved fruit processing wastewater by virtue of Candida, Pichia and Saccharomyces?","authors":"Yong Wang ,&nbsp;Liang Cui ,&nbsp;Zhou Zhou ,&nbsp;Renju Liu ,&nbsp;Wanpeng Wang ,&nbsp;Lijing Jiang ,&nbsp;Xuesong Yi ,&nbsp;Zongze Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Preserved fruit processing wastewater, characterized by high levels of salinity, acidity, and organic load, presents significant challenges to conventional biological treatment technologies, which typically necessitate pH adjustment and salinity reduction. For the first time, a fungal consortium predominantly composed of <em>Candida, Pichia, and Saccharomyces</em> was employed in this study to directly deal with highly saline and acidic preserved plum processing wastewater, in order to achieve COD removal and pH enhancement. COD fractionation in preserved plum processing wastewater by virtue of particle size distribution and oxygen uptake rate shows that 84% of COD was soluble, and 97% of COD were degradable for the inoculated fungal consortium which was characterized by an extremely low biomass yield coefficient of 0.28 mg COD-biomass∙(mg COD-wastewater)^-1. In contrast to the conventional COD:N:P ratio of 100:5:1, fungal degradation utilized significantly less nitrogen and phosphorus, exhibiting a COD:N:P ratio of 386–770:4.4:1. Based on the results of pH and salinity effects, this fungal consortium demonstrated optimal performance within a pH range of 3–4 and a salinity range of 3%-5%, which aligns well with the typical conditions of preserved fruit processing wastewater. In the full-scale preserved plum processing wastewater treatment facility with a capacity of 50 m³∙d^-1 employing a novel combined process of fungal degradation and activated sludge treatment, the COD removal efficiencies during fungal degradation and subsequent activated sludge treatment were 67% and 27%, respectively, with pH being elevated from 3.42 to 6.52 solely through fungal degradation. Microbial structure analysis indicated that the inoculated fungal consortium was firmly established in the fungal degradation tank, constituting a substantial proportion of the microbial community. Species interaction network analysis revealed that positive correlations predominated within fungal and bacterial communities, particularly among <em>Candida, Pichia, and Saccharomyces</em>, suggesting a collaborative relationship among these species. The findings of this study confirm that fungal degradation is a viable and promising alternative to traditional biological treatment technologies for highly saline and acidic wastewater from preserved fruit processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125371"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Electrochemical activation of peroxymonosulfate with a boron-doped diamond anode boosts short-chain fatty acid production from waste activated sludge","authors":"Kexin Li ,&nbsp;Zhendong Lei ,&nbsp;Yujia Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinling He ,&nbsp;Ming Zheng ,&nbsp;Ai Zhang ,&nbsp;Pin Gao ,&nbsp;Xiang Li ,&nbsp;Gang Xue","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125358","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125358","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) is a promising valorization strategy, yet it is often constrained by inefficient hydrolysis and the presence of contaminants. This study reports a synergistic electrochemical activation coupling a boron-doped diamond anode (BDD) with peroxymonosulfate (PMS), i.e., B/P, which enhances SCFA production and pollutant degradation. The integrated B/P system achieved a maximal SCFA yield, which was 2.0-fold higher than the control and significantly surpassed mono-pretreatments (BDD, PMS) and their sequential combination (B + P). Furthermore, it optimized product composition, increasing the proportion of high-value acetic acid by 2.7-fold. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the electrochemical synergy generated reactive species (e.g., •OH, SO₄•⁻, ¹O₂), which profoundly accelerated sludge solubilization (supported by 10.7 times of SCOD produced by B/P relative to the sum of SCOD by mono-BDD and mono-PMS). Microbial analysis demonstrated that B/P pretreatment restructured the community to enrich key hydrolytic and acidogenic phyla. This was corroborated by the upregulation of genes associated with carbohydrate hydrolysis and acidogenesis, alongside the suppression of methanogenesis. Beyond SCFA enhancement, the B/P system also improved sludge dewaterability (24 % reduction in capillary suction time), efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole (62.7 %), and substantially transferred heavy metals from the sludge solids into the liquid phase (e.g., 71.8 % of total Cu was transferred from the solid phase to the supernatant). These findings highlight the B/P process as a multifunctional pretreatment for efficient sludge bioconversion, pollutant removal, and environmental risk mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125358"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Multi-contaminants in road runoff of a compact city: Characteristics, interactions, and ecological risks","authors":"Yinghong Lin ,&nbsp;Brigitte Helmreich ,&nbsp;Yuen-Wa Ho ,&nbsp;James Kar-Hei Fang ,&nbsp;Chunling Luo ,&nbsp;Yuhong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As urban road runoff is a critical source of water contamination, it poses a persistent challenge to water quality management, particularly in compact cities. Yet the sources, transport mechanisms, interactions, and ecological risks of these co‑occurring contaminants remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, we investigated 32 stormwater quality parameters in runoff from six representative road sites across 11 rainfall events over a 17-month period in Hong Kong. Contaminant levels in initial road runoff were markedly higher than those in natural rainwater; notably, <em>Escherichia coli</em> concentrations were more than four orders of magnitude greater. Concentrations of organic matter, solids, nutrients, pathogens, and metals in the initial road runoff exceeded the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO) objectives in Hong Kong by several to dozens of times. A pronounced first flush effect was observed for chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), zinc (Zn), and microplastics (MPs). MPs correlated positively with pH, <em>E. coli</em>, phosphate (PO₄³⁻), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^—N), and negatively with dissolved oxygen (DO) and iron (Fe), suggesting their role as vectors for nutrients and pathogens under oxygen-poor, biologically enriched conditions. Contaminant levels varied by land use and season, with higher concentrations on residential roads and winter peaks for COD, chloride (Cl⁻), Zn, Fe, and TSS. Ecological risk indices indicated very high metal risk, primarily from lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni), and moderate-to-high polymer risk from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). These findings highlight road runoff as a key driver of urban water quality degradation, emphasizing the importance of managing first-flush discharges through land–use–specific controls, seasonally optimized street cleaning, and targeted treatment of high-risk contaminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125260"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"A framework for assessing the credibility of flood-inundation locations derived from social media using multi-source data","authors":"Yilin Chen ,&nbsp;Xiaolan Li ,&nbsp;Xiaohong Chen ,&nbsp;Maochuan Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, social media data has been widely applied in disaster management due to its large data volume, diverse content, low acquisition cost, and immediacy. However, the primary challenge in leveraging social media data for flood disaster management lies in the inherent uncertainty of social media data quality. Based on multi-source data (meteorological, topographic, and urban infrastructure data), this study proposed a framework for assessing the credibility of flood-inundation locations derived from social media (FLLSs). From the perspective of flood formation mechanisms, the framework aims to enhance the application quality of social media data in flood disaster emergency management. First, the most probable inundated coordinate was selected from multiple geocoded results for each ambiguous location name. Second, FLLS credibility was assessed by the combined weighting method based on multi-source data. Finally, the correlation mechanisms between the assessment indicators and the FLLS credibility were analyzed using an interpretable machine learning method. The proposed framework addressed the geocoding problem, where a single location name maps to multiple coordinates, resulting in a 22.81% increase in localization accuracy. FLLS credibility effectively enhances the performance of utilizing social media data for flood risk zone identification. Rainstorm factors and topographic wetness index significantly impact FLLS credibility. There is an inequality in the attention given to flood disasters on social media, with more attention focused on urban areas, and less on suburban and rural areas. Therefore, social media data should be integrated with other data sources to comprehensively analyze flood disasters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125224"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Lotus-petiole inspired porous zwitterions electrode for efficient electrochemical uranium extraction from seawater","authors":"Hao Li ,&nbsp;Xingrui Tang ,&nbsp;Qiang Xian ,&nbsp;Shibing Zuo ,&nbsp;Yiyang Zeng ,&nbsp;Chen Xu ,&nbsp;Jun Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125347","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125347","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrochemical method offers a promising route for the continuous uranium extraction from seawater, thereby holding significant potential to ensure a sustainable supply of uranium for the nuclear energy industry. The electrode material plays a critical role in determining uranium extraction efficiency, demanding excellent mass transfer performance and high selectivity for effective extraction. Herein, inspired by the hierarchically ordered, porous, and intercross-linked vascular bundle structure of lotus petiole, we report the rational design and successful synthesis of zwitterionic ordered porous electrodes (SBMA-MPAO). This biomimetic architecture not only enhances charge/ion transfer rate and ensures sufficient seawater transport, but also provides numerous adsorption sites for uranyl capture. Furthermore, the integration of zwitterionic moieties enables a synergistic interaction with uranyl species, significantly enhancing extraction efficiency. In natural seawater, the SBMA-MPAO electrode achieves an outstanding uranium adsorption capacity of 9.54 mg/g within 72 h, including a remarkably high uptake rate of 4.58 mg/g/d on the first day, while maintaining excellent selectivity throughout the process. This work proposes a novel strategy to construct high-performance electrodes for uranium extraction from seawater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125347"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"A generalized approach for predicting and mitigating total dissolved gas supersaturation at data-scarce dams","authors":"Shicheng Li ,&nbsp;Junfeng Chen ,&nbsp;Yuanming Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaolong He","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation downstream of dams threatens aquatic life by causing ecological stress, particularly to fish susceptible to gas bubble disease. However, existing TDG prediction models are often site-specific, data-intensive, and lack interpretability. To address these issues, this study proposes TransTDG, a generalized and explicit framework for TDG forecasting and mitigation. It is the first interpretable and transferable model for TDG modeling applicable to data-scarce dam environments, bridging the gap between site-dependent black-box methods and complex physics-based simulations. The model is developed by coupling transfer learning (TL) with symbolic regression, and two TL strategies are introduced to enhance model adaptability. The model is validated on 12 data-limited dams along the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers. With only 1% local data, it achieves a mean coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.93 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.74%. The model maintains high accuracy even without upstream TDG measurements, yielding R² = 0.80 and RMSE = 2.98%. Both scenarios show a mean relative error of 1.0%. The model also holds real-world operational relevance for sustainable hydropower. Flow optimization results in a 4.7% reduction in TDG and an 8.5% increase in power output. Results from two additional dams on the Clearwater River and the South Fork Flathead River further confirm TranTDG’s satisfactory performance, with 95% and 98% of the predictions exhibiting a relative error below 5%. This study advances ecological management by contributing a transferable and transparent framework for TDG modeling in data-constrained settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125282"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Metagenomic and cytotoxicity insights into the migration behavior and pathogenic potential of multi-medium microorganisms in a wastewater treatment plant","authors":"Wenwen Wang ,&nbsp;Song Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanjie Wang ,&nbsp;Jingyun Ge ,&nbsp;Lin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As important interphases between the human society and natural water environments, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) accumulate a variety of human activity-related microorganisms. The characteristics of potential pathogenic microorganisms associated with WWTPs have gradually become a research hotspot. In this study, the distribution characteristics and migration patterns of potential pathogenic genera in different processes, media and seasons were investigated via the metagenomic analysis of samples regularly collected at a typical WWTP in North China. The results obtained 112 pathogenic bacteria and 33 pathogenic fungi in the wastewater, sludge, and bioaerosol samples. Resistance mechanisms were dominated by antibiotic efflux with proportion of 62.63–63.53%. Functional genes encoding offensive virulence factors (VFs) including adherence, secretion system, toxin, invasion, and actin-based motility were the most common category in all the WWTP samples. Network analysis revealed the presence of core antibiotic resistance genes (including <em>mtrA, bcrA, oleC, MexB, PmrE</em>) and core VFs (including Type IV pili (VF0082), HIS-I (VF0334), LOS (CFV494), and Alginate (VF0091)) on multiple microbes, which increased the survival rate of microorganisms even under adverse conditions and enhanced the invasion potential to cause diseases. Additionally, cell exposure experiments confirmed the ability of <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> to induce inflammatory responses in Beas-2B cells. Based on these findings, which offer the insight of a comprehensive understanding of the potential pathogenicity of microorganisms in WWTPs, it is recommended to improve regulation of effluents from WWTPs a nd the implementation of measures to reduce the risk posed by airborne pathogenic microorganisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125285"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}