Water Research最新文献

{"title":"Transient calcium crusts in PD-HAP granules: Mechanisms and self-regulatory recovery","authors":"Yu Lan ,&nbsp;Konrad Koch ,&nbsp;Yanling Yang ,&nbsp;Shenbin Cao ,&nbsp;Jiawei Ren ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Fan ,&nbsp;Rui Du","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Calcium precipitation in granular sludge frequently threatens the stability and efficiency of biological nitrogen removal, yet most studies focus on slow, progressive calcification during long-term operation. Here, we report for the first time a transient calcification phenomenon in PD-HAP coupled granular sludge, where nitrite accumulation activity collapses within 24 h under fluctuating influent conditions (NO₃⁻-N deficiency). Microstructural analyses revealed that amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) initially deposits on the granule surface and migrates inward through axial mineral channels driven by microbial metabolism. Through the Ostwald ripening process, ACP gradually transforms into hydroxyapatite (HAP), simultaneously forming the characteristic Liesegang ring patterns. When microbial activity declines and migration driving forces are insufficient, surface deposition outpaces inward transformation, generating a transient calcium crust that blocks substrate-bacteria contact and triggers rapid activity loss. Over time, the repeated occurrence of such surface deposits and mineral phase transformations can ultimately form a more compact and stable mineral coating, exhibiting characteristics of progressive long-term calcium accumulation. Notably, this granular system achieves self-regulation by fracturing into functional micro components (<em>d</em> &lt; 0.2 mm), thereby restoring the system's exceptional nitrite accumulation capacity. These results elucidate the mechanistic basis of transient calcification, highlight the critical role of microbial metabolism in controlling calcium migration, and provide actionable strategies for mitigating calcification shocks in industrial wastewater treatment. Understanding these processes offers a foundation for designing granular sludge systems with enhanced resilience against sudden influent fluctuations and high-calcium wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 125418"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145995911","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":"Amplifying endogenous arsenic flux: The role of sediment bulking driven by organic matter mineralization","authors":"Xiangyu He ,&nbsp;Wenming Yan ,&nbsp;Xiang Chen ,&nbsp;Minjuan Li ,&nbsp;Yan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhongbo Yu ,&nbsp;Junliang Jin ,&nbsp;Zengchuan Dong ,&nbsp;Tingfeng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sediments serve as a major reservoir for endogenous pollutants, but dynamic changes in lake ecosystems could substantially modify sediment properties, and their implications on sediment arsenic (As) behaviors remain insufficiently understood. This study combined field investigations in a natural lake and laboratory experiments to examine As dynamics at the sediment water interface (SWI), using high-resolution dialysis techniques coupled with biochemical analyses. Our results showed that sediment bulking could enhance As release at the SWI. The degradation of organic matter by microbes reduces sediment shear strength, increases porosity through bulking, and alongside the dissolution of iron/manganese minerals, expands the mobility of dissolved As in pore water. Laboratory experiment further confirmed that sediments with high organic matter exhibit reduced shear strength, promoting sediment bulking and pore development, which in turn result in a 93.95% increase in As diffusion flux and a 25.58% increase in release flux. This study highlights the pivotal role of sediment physical deformation in regulating endogenous As dynamics, advances our understanding of As migration and transformation pathways within sediments, and provides a scientific basis for pollution mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 125447"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048600","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":"Electroplating parks as hidden sources of novel plastic additives: Occurrence, migration pathways, and ecological risks","authors":"Zi-Tong Li ,&nbsp;Zecong Ding ,&nbsp;Yingjie Chen ,&nbsp;Kai Cui ,&nbsp;Li Wang ,&nbsp;Hai-Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Qian Jiang ,&nbsp;Li-Qian Lin ,&nbsp;Jian-Liang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Novel plastic additives (NPAs), such as antioxidants and vulcanization accelerators, are frequently used in electroplated plastic products and electroplating solutions. However, their occurrence, migration pathways during the wastewater treatment process in electroplating parks and their environmental impact after discharge remain poorly understood. Here, we present the first comprehensive multi-matrix assessment of 35 NPAs, including <em>p</em>-phenylenediamines and their quinone derivatives, benzothiazoles and their derivatives, guanidine derivatives, and others, across wastewater, sludge, surface water, groundwater, and sediments from four electroplating parks in South China. Caprolactam and 1,3-Diphenylurea (DPU) dominated in influent (up to 5575 ng/L) and effluent (up to 1027 ng/L), whereas 6PPD (up to 2969 ng/g) prevailed in sludge. Treatment removal efficiencies ranged from 23.5 % to 95.2 %, with the membrane bioreactor achieving the highest removal (84.6 %), while hydrolysis acidification units promoted the formation of NPAs. The mass loadings of NPAs in sludge exceeded the influent-effluent differentials, suggesting that substantial NPAs were retained in the sludge. Concentrations of total NPAs in surface waters were highest at the On-site locations (up to 4358 ng/L), while groundwater beneath the treatment plants reached levels as high as 6431 ng/L. Multivariate statistical analysis identified electroplating wastewater as a primary source of pollution in the surrounding waters, with hydrophilic compounds migrating via surface–groundwater exchange, while sediments served as the ultimate sink for hydrophobic NPAs. Ecological risk assessment revealed medium-to-high risks, specifically identifying 2,5-bis(o-tolylamino)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4‑dione (DTPD-Q), DPU, and 1,3-Diphenylguanidine (DPG) as high-priority pollutants in the aquatic environment surrounding electroplating parks. Our study illustrates the extensive persistence and mobility of NPAs across both engineered and environmental systems, emphasizing the necessity for upgraded treatment and integrated tracking of their migration from industrial sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 125432"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005950","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":"Nanoconfinement engineering enhances HFO stability: Dual proton-sponge and size-exclusion strategy for robust heavy-metal sequestration in real electroplating effluents","authors":"Song Yaran,&nbsp;Ling Chen,&nbsp;Cheng Ximeng,&nbsp;Yang Yujia,&nbsp;Jian Meili,&nbsp;Zhu Qiuchen,&nbsp;Zhang Qingrui","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) based hybrid adsorbents are extensively used for heavy metal removal due to their high sorption efficiency and operational durability. However, the complexity of real electroplating wastewater, with high loads of organics, salts, and acid, critically challenges their stability, resulting in short service life. Here, we developed a polydopamine (PDA)-confined strategy to enhance the stability of HFO, using a commercial HFO–polystyrene nanocomposite (PS-Fe) as model. We unveil a collaborative “Proton-Sponge and Size-Exclusion” underpinning the enhanced stability. The catechol-rich PDA matrix acts as an effective proton buffer to regulate the local chemical environment, while its crosslinked network selectively excludes macromolecular organic ligands, thereby protecting the embedded HFO nanoparticles from complexation and dissolution. Under aggressive conditions-including extreme pH, high salinity, mixed organic acids, elevated temperature, and prolonged operation-the PDA-confined PSP-Fe demonstrated 2 to 7-fold reduction in Fe leaching compared to bulk HFO and the unmodified PS-Fe. The improved structural integrity further conferred exceptional selectivity in multicomponent competing systems, achieving a distribution coefficient (K_d) of 10271 mL/g, 5 to 41 times higher than reference materials. Multi-site field-scale tests validated its engineering applicability, yielding the treatment capacity of 3600–4300 L water/kg with effluent Pb(II) level below 10 μg/L. Our work provides a generalized materials strategy to enhance the durability and efficiency of HFO-based adsorbents, advancing sustainable heavy metal removal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 125429"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014707","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":"Seasonally different toxicity drivers in a river system revealed by insights from POCIS, bioassays, and suspect screening","authors":"Hyungjoon Im ,&nbsp;Yegyun Choi ,&nbsp;Kimberly Etombi Muambo ,&nbsp;Yunho Lee ,&nbsp;Jeong-Eun Oh","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To determine whether hydrological extremes alter the toxicological modes of action of riverine contaminant mixtures, an integrated framework combining passive sampler, <em>in-vivo</em> and <em>in-vitro</em> bioassays, and high-resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect screening was applied. POCIS were deployed in the Nakdong River of South Korea under contrasting monsoon-driven summer runoff and winter low-flow conditions. Seasonal mixtures differed not only in composition but also in biological mechanisms: summer extracts induced acute toxicity and activation of receptor-mediated endpoints (AR, ER, PPARγ, PXR), whereas winter extracts showed minimal acute toxicity but strong oxidative stress response (Nrf2), consistent with effluent-dominated chronic exposure. Across polarity-based fractions, the polar fraction (F4) accounted for the majority of observed bioactivities. Suspect screening identified 111 chemicals with a clear seasonal differentiation, with pesticides and UV filters prevailing in summer and pharmaceuticals in winter. To address the identification gap in effect-directed analysis, a quantitative potency-balance approach integrating bioanalytical equivalents (BEQ_bio) and chemically predicted equivalents (BEQ_chem) identified telmisartan as a major contributor to PPARγ activity. These findings demonstrate that hydrological regime shifts can drive mechanistic changes in mixture toxicity and highlight the value of potency-based EDA for linking biological effects to causative chemicals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 125453"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056478","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":"New insights into the interplay between chain elongation and homoacetogenesis in microbial electrosynthesis: chloroform-enhanced medium-chain carboxylate production","authors":"Haifeng Qiang ,&nbsp;Xianbao Xu ,&nbsp;Zhihong Liu ,&nbsp;Seongbong Heo ,&nbsp;Xiuping Yue ,&nbsp;Aijuan Zhou ,&nbsp;Jacek Makinia","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microbial electrosynthesis (MES)-assisted chain elongation (CE) is a promising strategy for sustainable medium-chain carboxylic acid (MCCA) production from waste streams. However, MES induces inevitable H₂ evolution, and the understudied interaction between H₂-driven homoacetogenesis and CE creates a critical knowledge gap. To resolve this metabolic conflict, chloroform (CHCl₃) at 0.0075%–0.045% was used to inhibit homoacetogenesis, with systematic investigations on carbon flux distribution, functional microbial communities, and key metabolic pathways. Results showed 0.03% CHCl₃ optimized MCCA production to 2902.8 ± 116.1 mg COD/L (103.0% increase), with electron efficiency (40.8%) and acetate utilization efficiency (94.3%) significantly higher than the Control (21.8% and 43.5%, respectively). Homoacetogenesis inhibition conserved reducing power (moderated H₂, lowered NAD⁺/NADH) and redirected acetyl-CoA to drive CE. Microbial community analysis revealed enriched chain-elongating bacteria with more modular, cooperative interaction networks. Metagenomic analysis confirmed elevated abundances of reverse β-oxidation genes (e.g., <em>ACAT, crt</em>) and reduced homoacetogenesis genes (e.g., <em>cooF, cooS</em>) after treatment. Taxon-function contribution analysis identified <em>Clostridium_kluyveri</em> as the dominant functional agent for CE-related key genes. Economic and life-cycle assessments demonstrated a net economic gain of $1.61–4.22/m³ and mitigated key environmental impacts due to improved product yield. This study elucidates how regulating the competition between homo-acetogens and chain-elongating bacteria directionally enhances CE, providing a novel ecological perspective and strategy for optimizing electricity-driven biomanufacturing processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"298 ","pages":"Article 125790"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492591","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":"Making Waves: The ecological risk illusion—chemical tools are not final arbiters","authors":"Yang-Guang Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125779","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.125779","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147495971","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":"Dissolved organic matter treatability and disinfection byproducts formation potential: Role of floc aging","authors":"Jiangwei Lou, Zhiyuan Jin, Jiangfeng Dai, Hang He, Pingfeng Yu, Ruyuan Jiao, Dongsheng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125771","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.125771","url":null,"abstract":"Enhanced coagulation is a cost-effective method for removing particulates and organic matter in drinking water treatment. In full-scale operation, flocs may be subject to extended retention in sedimentation basins or sludge storage tanks, or be recirculated, processes that can trigger the release or re-adsorption of organic matter and subsequently influence disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formation. This study examines the interfacial migration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during the aging of polyaluminum chloride (PACl) flocs and its impact on DBP generation. It revealed the effects of aging time and pH on organic matter adsorption dynamics. Over 5 days of aging, humic substances removed by coagulation were slowly re-released into the supernatant with aluminum nanoparticles, with an average release intensity of 9% at all pH levels; while proteins occupied the vacant active sites left by the released humic substances. Due to enhanced floc crystallization and electrostatic repulsion, the release of humic acid at alkaline pH (7−8) was 1.83 times higher than at acidic pH (6−7). The released humic substances, which mainly belonged to the lignins and tannins, exhibited high unsaturation, high aromaticity, and low molecular weight (&lt;380 Da). This reactive DOM pool directly influenced DBPs formation. After 5 days of aging, the concentrations of known DBPs (THMs, HAAs, HALs, HANs) increased by 27%, and the cytotoxicity increased by up to 31%, while the number of unknown DBPs (including C-DBPs and N-DBPs) rose by 180%. Mass difference reaction network analysis indicated that 89% of the DBPs precursors in the released DOM originated from lignins and tannins. These findings suggest that increasing the frequency of floc discharge from sedimentation tanks, maintaining slightly acidic pH conditions, and treating sludge storage tank supernatant separately are effective strategies for mitigating DBPs and enhancing finished water safety.","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147470896","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":"Stable functional consortium assembly via uncoupled SAD/anammox inoculation drives synergistic nitrogen‑sulfur removal in sediment","authors":"Han Zhang, Bolin Li, Rui Ni, Li Ye, Guoliang Bai, Jianqiang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2026.125768","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.125768","url":null,"abstract":"The remediation of black‑odorous sediments remains challenging due to the intricate sediment matrix, the co-occurrence of multiple pollutants, and the difficulty in maintaining stable functional microbial consortia under fluctuating redox conditions. Although calcium nitrate (CN) is a used chemical oxidant, its sole application often results in incomplete nitrogen removal and risks of secondary pollution. While the integration of CN with sulfur-autotrophic denitrification (SAD) and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) presents a promising alternative, the microbial, especially concerning the assembly and efficacy of different microbial inoculation strategies, are poorly understood. This study systematically compared two distinct bioaugmentation approaches: the pre-coupled addition of a SAD and anammox consortium versus an uncoupled strategy involving separate additions of SAD and anammox consortium, both in combination with CN. Results demonstrated that the CN+S+A (uncoupled) treatment achieved optimal performance, enhancing the removal of NH₄⁺, NO₃^-, and total nitrogen by 42%, 40%, and 35%, respectively, compared to CN alone, while also effective oxidizing acid‑volatile sulfide. Mechanistic analysis revealed that CN first optimized the sediment microenvironment. The uncoupled inoculation uniquely fostered a stable, dual-core microbial consortium dominated by <em>Thiobacillus</em> (3.00%) and <em>Candidatus Brocadia</em> (0.83%), which established a sustainable \"sulfur-driven nitrogen removal\" cycle. Metagenomic and isotopic tracing confirmed the enrichment of key functional genes and elevated process rates underpinning this synergy. These findings highlight that CN combined with uncoupled bioaugmentation is a novel and effective strategy for rebuilding stable nitrogen-sulfur cycles in black-odorous sediments.","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"95 1","pages":"125768"},"PeriodicalIF":12.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147465279","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":"The relative importance of multiple environmental factors on river macroinvertebrate abundance across different groups based on a nationwide dataset from England","authors":"Dinara Sadykova ,&nbsp;Andrew C. Johnson ,&nbsp;Yueming Qu ,&nbsp;Peter A. Henrys ,&nbsp;Monika D. Jürgens ,&nbsp;Virginie D.J. Keller ,&nbsp;Nuria Bachiller-Jareno ,&nbsp;Peter M. Scarlett ,&nbsp;Michael G. Hutchins ,&nbsp;Lisa Gecchele ,&nbsp;Alexander Sadykov ,&nbsp;John P. Sumpter ,&nbsp;Emma Jardine ,&nbsp;Emma Gardner","doi":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.watres.2025.125270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many countries are concerned by and wish to arrest or reverse what is termed a biodiversity crisis in invertebrates. To understand the issues facing riverine invertebrates in England, a fully integrated dataset where macroinvertebrate monitoring sites were aligned in space and time with physical, geographic, habitat, and chemical factors from 2003 to 2018 (quantitative abundance data being universally available from 2003) was brought together for statistical analysis. Over this period the median abundance either did not change or for some groups actually increased. The aim was to identify what the principal factors were that influenced <em>Ephemeroptera</em> (Mayflies), <em>Plecoptera</em> (Stoneflies), <em>Trichoptera</em> (Caddisflies), <em>Odonata</em> (Dragonflies and Damselflies), <em>Diptera</em> (True Flies), <em>Coleoptera</em> (Beetles), <em>Hemiptera</em> (True Bugs), and <em>Gastropoda</em> (Snails) abundance over this 16-year period. The dataset was examined using an ensemble framework within two modelling approaches: generalised linear mixed-effects models with permutation-based variable importance, as well as non-linear generalised additive mixed models to assess the percentage of deviance explained by each variable. The range of approaches aimed to offer different perspectives on variable importance, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the data and highlighting how model selection can influence ecological data interpretation. For most groups, physical factors, such as altitude, distance from source, slope, bed substrate and flow discharge, were strong predictors of abundance, likely reflecting natural habitat preferences shaped by evolutionary history. Land cover was also influential, with seminatural areas generally supporting higher abundances and urban land cover associated with lower abundances. Some chemical and ecological factors – such as wastewater and nutrient content, were particularly important for <em>Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera</em>, and <em>Trichoptera</em> abundance. For <em>Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Trichoptera, Diptera</em> and <em>Gastropoda</em>, metal levels played a role in their abundance, whilst for <em>Odonata,</em> mean temperature appeared to be important. <em>Diptera</em> appeared to be relatively insensitive to the factors examined. This statistical examination of large monitoring datasets, with no a priori assumptions, is vital in resolving a key challenge in bioassessment: identifying what influences invertebrate abundance when data are sparse. The results can provide policy options to improve ecological conditions, and the approach is transferable to other regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":443,"journal":{"name":"Water Research","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 125270"},"PeriodicalIF":12.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823937","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}