Water Research最新文献

{"title":"Characteristics of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) sites impacted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A 37-site study","authors":"Poonam R. Kulkarni ,&nbsp;Nicolette E. Andrzejczyk ,&nbsp;Arun Gavaskar ,&nbsp;Abigail Cartwright ,&nbsp;David T. Adamson ,&nbsp;John Cook ,&nbsp;Charles J. Newell","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A meta-analysis of 37 military aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) sites was conducted to gain insights into the fate and transport of seven key perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs): PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFHxA, PFBS, PFBA, and PFNA. Specifically, this study aims to examine occurrence of the seven PFAAs in soil and groundwater at AFFF source zones and understand PFAA plume characteristics as well as estimate plume lengths. Based on an evaluation of these PFAAs in soil samples collected in the source zone, the highest concentrations predominantly occur within the top one meter (m) below ground surface (bgs). PFOS and PFOA are the major PFAA contributors in soil at source zones, whereas groundwater exhibits a more diverse concentration distribution. Inferred Current Plume Lengths are presented for the seven PFAAs, with median plume lengths ranging from 220 to 800 m. Finally, an exceedance magnitude assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential contribution of each studied PFAA to the exceedance of groundwater regional screening levels (RSLs) or maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Results indicate that at typical AFFF sites, PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS generally contribute 99 % of the estimated exceedance magnitude, whereas short-chained PFAAs (PFHxA, PFBS, and PFBA) contribute &lt;1 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124124"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515179","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":"Evaluating dextrorphan as a wastewater biomarker for cough suppressant use: A longitudinal study in China","authors":"Xue-Ting Shao ,&nbsp;Xin-Dong Ma ,&nbsp;Jing-Long Li ,&nbsp;Jake W. O’Brien ,&nbsp;Kevin Thomas ,&nbsp;De-Gao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coughing often signals respiratory health issues. The use of dextromethorphan, available as an over-the-counter opioid antitussive in China, is largely undocumented. This study evaluates the feasibility of dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan, as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) biomarkers for monitoring dextromethorphan use. To determine their suitability, key criteria including urinary excretion, detectability in wastewater, unique human metabolic source, and stability were applied. Both dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan are excreted via urine (62.5 % as dextrorphan and 0.5 % as dextromethorphan) hence meet the “excreted in urine” criteria. Both biomarkers were also measured in wastewater meeting the “detectable in wastewater” criteria, and dextrorphan’s concentration ratio to dextromethorphan was consistent with its excretion profile suggesting that dextrorphan also meet’s the criteria of “unique source: human metabolism”. In-sample stability was assessed over 72 h and both biomarkers were deemed as stable. Consequently, employing dextrorphan as a WBE biomarker enables the assessment of temporal and spatial usage trends of dextromethorphan, underscoring its practicality. Additionally, a spatio-temporal investigation across 30 Chinese cities revealed an average dextrorphan consumption of 13 mg/d/1000 inh, closely aligning with China’s reported annual production estimate of 12 mg/d/1000 inh. This strong concordance supports the validity of using dextrorphan as a WBE biomarker for estimating dextromethorphan consumption. The consumption of dextromethorphan was higher in northern regions compared to southern regions. Temporally, the consumption of dextromethorphan decreased from 233 mg/d/1000 inh in 2015 to 12.3 mg/d/1000 inh in 2021, but with a notable increase in 2022 (24 mg/d/1000 inh) attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak in China in December 2022. Seasonally, the consumption of dextromethorphan in winter was higher compared to spring. This study confirms the suitability of dextrorphan as a biomarker for assessing dextromethorphan usage, and supports the application of WBE for monitoring population-level use of respiratory OTC medications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124119"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515213","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":"Ultrafast hypersaline wastewater decontamination via salinity-mediated surface redox with ultralow H2O2","authors":"Yumeng Wang ,&nbsp;Chang Zhong ,&nbsp;Peng Zhang ,&nbsp;Weixiang Liao ,&nbsp;Dandan Peng ,&nbsp;Fengchang Wu ,&nbsp;Chun Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cost-effective maximum removal of organic contaminants in hypersaline wastewaters, which can promote wastewater reclamation and environmental protection, remains a pervasive global challenge. Current advanced oxidation processes based on hydroxyl radicals, are inefficient and energy intensive. Herein, we report a catalytic system comprising a Cu(I)/Cu(II)-coordinated N-modified graphene-like structure encapsulating Cu⁰ with cation–π interactions. Salinity-mediated ultrafast destruction of organic contaminants occurs via surface cleavage–hydrolysis circulation to mineralization with ultralow H₂O₂ assistance, facilitated by the strong electric field from salinity–contaminant–H₂O synergetic coordination. The catalyst exhibited high efficiency and stability, achieving a removal of ∼74.5 % of total organic carbon in hypersaline pesticide wastewater with 1.5 mM H₂O₂ consumption for 30 days. The degradation rate and H₂O₂ utilization increased by 18 to 194.1-fold, and 5 to 50-fold, respectively, for various hazardous organics and pharmaceutical wastewater with &gt;100 mM salinity. Our findings highlight the potential utility of salinity driven surface redox for hypersaline wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124120"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515229","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 quantitative microbial risk assessment framework for cholera infection from post-flood ponds","authors":"Jingshui Huang ,&nbsp;Carolina I. Hotta ,&nbsp;Jorge Leandro","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Floods are the most common type of natural disaster worldwide and have substantial socioeconomic and environmental impacts, including public health effects. Exposure to floodwaters containing pathogens poses risks to infectious diseases such as cholera, leading to diminished well-being and even loss of life. Accra, the capital of Ghana, has a long history of flood events and cholera outbreaks. Post-flood periods have the potential for transmission of water-borne diseases with significantly higher cholera risk. This study aims to assess the health risks associated with <em>Vibrio cholerae</em> pathogens after flood events and evaluate their impacts on Accra’s population, focusing on Alajo, a neighbourhood in Accra. A post-flood pathogen (SPATE) model was developed, integrating hydrological processes (evaporation and infiltration) and pathogen decay rate, to simulate the spatial temporal distribution of floodwater ponds and the <em>V. cholerae</em> concentrations therein. The infection probability was calculated with the quantitative microbial and flood risk assessment. After flooding, the risk of <em>V. cholerae</em> infection tends to be higher in scattered ponds near the drainage network, surrounding areas of the Onyasia river, and the urban area northeastern of Alajo. The peak risk of <em>V. cholerae</em> infection occurs within the first 12 h post-flooding, declining rapidly thereafter. Variations in infection probability and flood exceedance probability are observed across the area, with an overall trend of reduced infection probability with increasing return periods. Notably, children engaging in water activities face higher risks compared to adults wading in post-flood waters. These findings contribute to decision-making in flood risk management and health risk assessment, facilitating prioritization of vulnerable areas and resource allocation to mitigate and prevent the health impacts of flooding, considering explicitly for the time after flooding when the risk remains elevated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124103"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515192","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":"Sources and transformations of dissolved organic matter in urban impervious surface sediments: Insights from optical signatures and environmental drivers","authors":"Xuan Wang ,&nbsp;Jiayi Wang ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Yan ,&nbsp;Yan Dong ,&nbsp;Weizhou Wang ,&nbsp;Qi Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaojiang Huang ,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinsuo Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the critical role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in urban aquatic environments, knowledge about DOM characteristics in urban impervious surface sediments—a major source of non-point pollution—remains limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating DOM spatiotemporal distribution, sources, and transformation mechanisms through an innovative integration of optical analysis with multidimensional environmental factors. Surface sediment samples (<em>n</em> = 171) were collected across different functional zones and impervious surfaces in Xi'an, China. Three major fluorescent components were identified: UV humic-like C1 predominantly from soil/vegetation, visible-light humic-like C2 mainly from atmospheric deposition, and protein-like C3 primarily from microbial/human activities. Redundancy analysis revealed that meteorological factors, land use, and air quality collectively explained 35.78 % of DOM variability, and structural equation modeling (SEM) further quantified their direct/indirect effects on DOM sources and transformation. Significant seasonal and spatial heterogeneity was observed: dry periods facilitated atmospherically deposited DOM accumulation, while rainfall preferentially washed off soluble low-molecular-weight fractions. Built-up area proportion negatively impacted C1, confirming its natural source origin. Atmospheric pollutants strongly influenced C2 composition and aromaticity, while temperature enhanced microbial processes, promoting C3 formation. These findings provide a scientific foundation for developing targeted non-point source pollution control strategies and deepen our mechanistic understanding of urban DOM cycling in rapidly urbanizing regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124117"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515516","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":"Antagonistic effect of changing salinity and dissolved organic carbon on N2O production via different pathways in saline lakes","authors":"Xiaoxi Sun ,&nbsp;Beichen Wang ,&nbsp;Jian Yang ,&nbsp;Hui Yu ,&nbsp;Bingfu Yao ,&nbsp;Mingxian Han ,&nbsp;Shenyan Dai ,&nbsp;Teng Wen ,&nbsp;Jibin Han ,&nbsp;Xiying Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinbo Zhang ,&nbsp;Hongchen Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124111","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Saline lakes are experiencing significant changes in salinity and organic matter content due to climate change. However, the specific impacts of these environmental changes on the production processes of nitrous oxide (N₂O)—particularly nitrification and denitrification—in saline lake sediments are still poorly understood, leading to significant uncertainty in current estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from these ecosystems. Here, we employed ¹⁵N-isotope labeling, functional gene quantification, and structural equation modeling to elucidate N₂O production pathways and rates in surface sediments along a salinity gradient (0.7–149.3 g/L) within Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) lakes undergoing rapid desalination and organic carbon enrichment. The results identified saline lake sediments as hotspots for N₂O production, with nitrification contributing an average of 43.51 % to N₂O flux and reaching up to 91.73 % in specific high-salinity habitats, highlighting its previously underestimated significance. Salinity was found to limit N₂O production through both nitrifying and denitrifying processes in lake sediments, although dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the sediment could counteract the limitation caused by salt. Low-salinity systems (&lt;35 g/L) exhibited predominant salinity-related inhibition of denitrification, whereas high-salinity systems (&gt;35 g/L) displayed DOC-mediated counteraction of salinity stress, stimulating both denitrification and heterotrophic nitrification through alterations in microbial community structure (e.g., reflected by <em>nir/nos</em> ratios). This finding illustrates that climate-driven freshening and organic carbon loading synergistically exacerbate N₂O emissions in saline lakes. While denitrification remains dominant, heterotrophic nitrification pathways are increasingly significant under saline conditions. This highlights susceptibility of cryosphere-affected ecosystems to hydrological disturbances, and emphasizes the necessity of refining global GHG inventories by incorporating context-dependent N₂O source partitioning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124111"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144488487","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":"Bio-driven Fe bond restructuring in bio-iron systems enhances electron transfer for chain elongation","authors":"Quan Liao ,&nbsp;Lianpeng Sun ,&nbsp;Huanzhong Deng ,&nbsp;Siru Zhou ,&nbsp;Mingxuan Li ,&nbsp;Xinzhe Zhu ,&nbsp;Chao Yang ,&nbsp;Xiao-yan Li ,&nbsp;Lin Lin ,&nbsp;Ruo-hong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The bio-iron system effectively overcomes the bottleneck in the biosynthesis of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) by enhancing extracellular electron transfer capability. However, the key structural characteristics and dynamic evolution of iron-based electron shuttles remain unclear, limiting system optimization and mechanistic understanding. Among the tested iron species in this study, Fe₃O₄ exhibited the most favorable extracellular electron transfer performance and MCFAs production, highlighting its potential as an efficient electron shuttle. In addition, this study revealed that microorganisms can induce partial transformation of iron powder and Fe₂O₃ into Fe₃O₄ through redox cycling. In contrast, FeCO₃ lacked both structural reconfiguration ability and electron transfer activity, thus limiting MCFAs biosynthesis. Partial least squares regression model, combined with characterization analysis, identified the Fe(III)-O-Fe(II) structure as the key structural characteristics of the electron shuttle. Moreover, X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, interpreted through Marcus theory, demonstrated that bio-driven Fe<img>O bond shortening reduces reorganization energy, while Fe<img>Fe bond elongation expands the electron transfer network. This study elucidates, at the atomic level, the microbial mechanisms underlying the construction and regulation of iron-based electron shuttles, providing a theoretical foundation for the design of bioinspired materials and the optimization of bio-iron systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124114"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515187","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":"Highly selective lithium recovery from seawater desalination brine using Li₂TiO₃ membrane-coated capacitive deionization","authors":"Hanwei Yu ,&nbsp;Chen Wang ,&nbsp;Sherub Phuntsho ,&nbsp;Tao He ,&nbsp;Gayathri Naidu ,&nbsp;Dong Suk Han ,&nbsp;Ho Kyong Shon","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124113","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124113","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selective lithium (Li) recovery from seawater-based resources is challenged by low Li concentrations and the presence of competing ions such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺. This study presents an innovative approach by integrating capacitive deionization (CDI) with a titanium-based lithium-ion sieve (LIS) membrane-coated cathode and an anion exchange membrane (AEM)-coated anode for enhanced Li recovery from seawater desalination brine (SWDB). The cathode was fabricated using Li₂TiO₃ (LTO) adsorbent through rolling pressing and dip coating methods. Characterization confirmed the successful fabrication of the LTO membrane-coated electrode. The performance of the LTO-AEM-CDI system was evaluated using simulated SWDB through an adsorption-rinsing-desorption operational mode. The results indicated that the rinsing stage plays a crucial role in significantly enhancing Li selectivity. A 10-cycle stability test demonstrated the system's reliability, maintaining the active Li selectivity (ALS) consistently above 100 across all cycles. This research highlights the potential of combining LIS, membrane technologies, and CDI for effective Li extraction from seawater-based resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124113"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515366","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":"Engineering intermolecular C–F···C=O interactions in covalent organic framework promotes dual-path H2O2 photosynthesis for sustainable disinfection","authors":"Yuxin He ,&nbsp;Guocheng Huang ,&nbsp;Xuejian Guo ,&nbsp;Shaokui Chen ,&nbsp;Qiaoshan Chen ,&nbsp;Wenjun Yang ,&nbsp;Weikang Peng ,&nbsp;Xiaoying Xu ,&nbsp;Jie Ye ,&nbsp;Jinhong Bi ,&nbsp;Po Keung Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The urgent need to address the high prevalence of waterborne diseases in underdeveloped regions necessitates the development of economically viable, decentralized, and sunlight-assisted disinfection techniques. An encouraging solution lies in the utilization of photosynthesized H₂O₂ to initiate advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). However, challenges persist in the quest to develop efficient photocatalysts and reactor designs. Herein, we present the rational design and synthesis of a metal-free supramolecular photocatalyst achieved via the post-functionalization of fluorine-substituted covalent organic frameworks (FCOFs) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The resulting FCOF/PVP composite establishes intermolecular C–F···C=O interactions at the interface, which facilitate accelerated charge separation and transfer, as well as promote efficient intersystem crossing to enhance the formation of molecular triplet excitons. These photophysical enhancements enable dual-pathway H₂O₂ generation mediated by superoxide radicals (•O₂⁻) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂), yielding a H₂O₂ production rate of 1763.50 μmol/g/h from pure water and atmospheric oxygen. The photosynthesized H₂O₂ is subsequently catalyzed by Fe(II) to generate hydroxyl radicals (•OH), achieving effective inactivation of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. A continuous-flow system was further developed to couple photocatalytic H₂O₂ production with Fenton disinfection, combining the benefits of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis while addressing limitations in photocatalyst recovery and light dependency. This system exhibited robust disinfection performance under real water matrices and intermittent light conditions. Economic analysis supports the feasibility of the system for deployment in resource-limited settings, offering a novel material-based approach for decentralized water treatment and global efforts to mitigate waterborne diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124112"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515368","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":"Exploration of low-dose ozone-activated periodate (O₃/IO₄⁻) for rapid degradation of the β-Blocker pindolol: efficiency and radical mechanism","authors":"Mengya Zhang ,&nbsp;Tao Lin ,&nbsp;Han Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124116","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.124116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The emergence of recalcitrant organic pollutants poses a significant threat to aquatic environments. PI-based AOPs have been widely used in water treatment and show great potential in degrading these pollutants. This study pioneers the application of low-dose ozone-activated periodate (O₃/IO₄⁻), a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP), for rapid degradation of β-blocker contaminants exemplified by pindolol (PIN). The O₃/PI system exhibits broad pH applicability. Under optimal conditions of 0.175 mg/L O₃, 0.1 mM IO₄⁻, and pH 7.0, the system achieved 99.2 % PIN degradation within 20 s (k_obs = 0.254 s⁻¹) when treating an initial PIN concentration of 1 µM, indicating a strong synergistic effect between low-dose O₃ and PI activation. Radical quenching experiments coupled with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed a multi-radical mechanism involving iodine species (IO₃•) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (•OH, •O₂⁻, ¹O₂), with density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirming ozone-periodate adduct formation (OOOIO₄⁻) as the initiation step for radical chain propagation. The degradation of PIN by the O₃/PI system was minimally affected by coexisting substances in the aqueous matrix, with only high concentrations of HCO₃⁻ and humic acid (HA) showing some influence, while Cl⁻ had negligible effects. This highlights the stability of the O₃/PI system and its potential for practical water treatment applications. The identification of transformation products (TPs) and theoretical calculations elucidated the key ROS (IO₃• and •OH) in the PIN degradation process and their attack pathways (HAA, RAF, and SET). Potential degradation pathways for PIN are proposed. Zebrafish toxicity experiments showed that the O₃/PI system effectively detoxifies PIN, though the toxicity of intermediates warrants attention. In conclusion, the developed O₃/PI system offers an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for PI activation and the treatment of emerging organic pollutants such as PIN.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"285 ","pages":"Article 124116"},"PeriodicalIF":11.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515518","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}