ACS ES&T engineering最新文献

{"title":"Elimination of NOx from Flue Gas in the Presence of Alkaline and Heavy Metals via Self-Protective Catalysts","authors":"Huan Wang,&nbsp;Fuli Wang,&nbsp;Yongjie Shen,&nbsp;Zaisheng Jin,&nbsp;Yanghailun He,&nbsp;Yuxin Zhang,&nbsp;Qinyi Zhou,&nbsp;Ming Xie,&nbsp;Penglu Wang* and Dengsong Zhang*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00285","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Selective catalytic reduction of NO_<i>x</i> by ammonia under the exposure of alkaline and heavy metals in fly ash still remains a major challenge for NO_<i>x</i> elimination among air pollution control. Herein, self-protective NO_<i>x</i> reduction catalysts with remarkable alkaline and heavy metal resistance are originally designed by Ce and Cu dual active metal cations coexchanging attapulgite clays. It is revealed that the inherent Si–OH sites among attapulgite and partially exchanged Cu species effectively captured alkaline and heavy metal cation poisons through coordinate bonding or ion exchanging to protect the active components from being deactivated. Ultimately, highly efficient NO_<i>x</i> reduction for stationary source flue gas catalytic purification is realized via the ingenious design of dual metal exchanged clay catalysts that own self-protective capacity to resist alkaline and heavy metal poisoning. This strategy paves the way for the development of low-temperature and high-efficiency denitrification catalysts with alkaline and heavy metal resistance for stationary source flue gas purification.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2380–2390"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the Potential of Engineered Nano-Enabled Microalgae System to Enhance Simultaneous Phycoremediation of 2-Nitroaniline and Carbon Sequestration","authors":"Kavitha Beluri,&nbsp;Luis Pablo S. Covarrubias,&nbsp;Nusrat Easmin,&nbsp;Felicia S. Manciu and Hamidreza Sharifan*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00172","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microalgae, particularly <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (CV), have gained increasing attention for their role in bioremediation and carbon sequestration due to their high photosynthetic efficiency, rapid biomass production, and ability to mitigate environmental contaminants. This study investigates the potential of an engineered nanoenabled microalgal system to enhance the simultaneous degradation of 2-nitroaniline (2-NA), a persistent nitroaromatic pollutant, and carbon sequestration under the influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs). The experimental approach assessed the effects of TiO₂ NPs on CV growth kinetics, photosynthetic pigment synthesis, and CO₂ fixation rates while analyzing the degradation efficiency of 2-NA. Results revealed that 20 mg L^–1 TiO₂ NPs optimized algal growth and photosynthetic activity, leading to a 37.4% increase in biomass productivity and enhanced CO₂ sequestration rates compared to control. Extensive characterization including Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed TiO₂ NP interactions with algal cellular components, demonstrating maintained structural integrity and biocompatibility. However, coexposure to 2-NA induced oxidative stress, evidenced by significant upregulation of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, indicating a defensive response. The TiO₂-integrated CV system demonstrated a 59.8% degradation efficiency of 2-NA at 10 mg L^–1, surpassing biological degradation alone (39%). These findings underscore the dual benefits of integrating nanotechnology with microalgal systems for environmental remediation, offering a circular bioeconomy approach that couples wastewater treatment with carbon capture.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2248–2259"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of a Low-Cost Active Air Sampler for the Surveillance of Airborne Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Using a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant as a Case Study","authors":"Naixiang Zhai*,&nbsp;Jinglong Li,&nbsp;Uli Klümper,&nbsp;Pooja Lakhey,&nbsp;Kevin V. Thomas and Jake W. O’Brien,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00180","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00180","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Assessing the risks associated with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment remains challenging due to limited understanding of their distribution and transmission across various media, including wastewater, air, and biosolids. This study addresses this gap by systematically collecting samples from diverse environmental sources and investigating the dynamics of ARG transmission in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). A low-cost 3D-printed air sampler was developed using off-the-shelf components and evaluated alongside a commercial active air sampler under identical conditions. The custom sampler was equipped with interchangeable filters, including glass fiber and PVDF membranes, and showed comparable or better performance in terms of ARG detection. While only single 24-h sampling events were conducted per sampler, differences in ARG yield, microbial diversity, and assembly metrics were observed. Using metagenomic sequencing, air samples from locations near effluent discharge points and within biosolids processing areas, alongside wastewater samples, were analyzed. Genomic predictions and homology analyses revealed that ARGs are widely distributed across environmental media, with significant overlap between air and water samples. ARG abundance was higher in the biosolids processing area than at the effluent discharge point. This study introduces a cost-effective monitoring tool for airborne ARGs and provides novel insights into their environmental distribution and potential transmission in WWTPs, informing future risk assessment strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2260–2268"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Defect-Rich Molybdenum Disulfide for Improved Hydrogen Production via H2S Reforming with CH4","authors":"Yiwen Wang,&nbsp;Mengfei Zhao,&nbsp;Xiaoxiao Duan,&nbsp;Zheng Wei,&nbsp;Yiming Lu,&nbsp;Guoxia Jiang,&nbsp;Fenglian Zhang* and Zhengping Hao*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00265","url":null,"abstract":"<p >H₂S reforming with CH₄ (H₂SMR) provides a viable approach for the elimination of hazardous H₂S and the direct utilization of sour natural gas, efficiently producing CO_<i>x</i>-free H₂ while simultaneously yielding high-value-added sulfur chemicals. Herein, MoS₂ catalysts enriched with edge sites and sulfur vacancy defects were fabricated via a cost-effective one-step solvothermal synthesis method and examined for the H₂SMR reaction. MoS₂ synthesized using ethylene glycol (EG) solvent (MoS₂-EG) presented oxygen doping and featured fewer layers and a larger interlayer spacing, thus possessing abundant active edge sites and sulfur vacancy defects. Consequently, MoS₂-EG demonstrated exceptional hydrogen production efficiency and stability, achieving a hydrogen yield of 8.5 mmol/(g min) at 900 °C and a H₂S/CH₄ molar ratio of 3. The abundant defects and edge sites in MoS₂-EG contributed to the facile H₂S activation to preferentially form reactive sulfur species for C–H bond activation, which is responsible for the superior H₂SMR activity. This study significantly advances the development of high-efficiency, scalable catalysts for H₂SMR, presenting a transformative approach to utilizing sour natural gas as a resource while addressing environmental challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2358–2367"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Utilizing Electrosorption for Efficient Removal of Polyethylene Microplastics from Water: Critical Factors and Mechanistic Insights","authors":"Zhikun Chen,&nbsp;Maria Elektorowicz,&nbsp;Zhibin Ye,&nbsp;Qi Feng,&nbsp;Zheng Wang,&nbsp;Linxiang Lyu,&nbsp;Xuelin Tian and Chunjiang An*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00307","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00307","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Microplastics (MPs) produced by human activities can enter the environment through wastewater systems. A significant quantity of MPs still reaches the environment via wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent because the techniques commonly used in WWTPs are not effective at removing MPs, especially smaller particles. To address this, an electrosorption (ES) method was developed in this study to separate MPs (3–5 μm polyethylene particles) from water using graphite felt electrodes. Electrosorption experiments were conducted using a static water cell and a flow-through cell to examine the influence of hydrodynamic forces. Increasing the voltage (up to 12 V) enhanced electrostatic attraction, accelerating removal. Higher flow rates improved MP transport to the electrode, boosting the efficiency. The highest removal (96.9%) occurred at 80 mL/min, 12 V, and 20 mM KNO₃ after 150 min. By analyzing the influence of various parameters on MP removal efficiency and exploring the underlying mechanisms through DLVO theory, this study establishes a foundation for future advancements in ES for MP removal. Future studies could focus on investigating the removal of MPs using ES in more complex real-world environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2391–2400"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Novel Pre-denitrification Phosphorus Removal System: Process, Microorganisms, and Mechanism","authors":"Meng Bai,&nbsp;Weihua Zhao*,&nbsp;Haojie Qiu,&nbsp;Yanyan Wang,&nbsp;Xuejun Bi,&nbsp;Bo Wang,&nbsp;Shujuan Huang,&nbsp;Xiaolin Zhou,&nbsp;Xing Fan,&nbsp;Chuanxi Yang and Yingying Qin,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00194","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00194","url":null,"abstract":"<p >To achieve highly efficient and energy-saving wastewater treatment, a novel process involving a pre-anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic nitrification sequencing batch reactor (pre-A₂NSBR) was developed herein. Further, this process was used to treat mainstream wastewater, and the functional microorganisms in the process were regulated. The results showed that the dual sludge denitrification and phosphorus removal system achieved simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal, demonstrating a good treatment effect. After 300 days of operation, the system achieved chemical oxygen demand, PO₄^3–-P, NH₄⁺-N, and total inorganic nitrogen removal rates of 85.3%, 91.2%, 99.2%, and 70.5%, respectively, resulting in average effluent concentrations of 29.9, 0.7, 0.5, and 12.4 mg·L^–1, respectively. Microbial analysis showed that the main functional microorganisms of the nitrification sequencing batch reactor (NSBR) were <i>Nitrosomonas</i> and <i>Nitrospira</i>, with relative abundances of 13.6% and 15.7%, respectively. The main functional microorganisms of the anaerobic/anoxic/oxic sequencing batch reactor (A₂SBR) were Dechloromonas, <i>Candidatus Accumulibacter</i>, and <i>Thauera</i>, with relative abundances of 21.8%, 1.8%, and 6.2%, respectively. The proportion of the nitrification-related enzyme nxrA and the phosphorus-related enzyme ppk1 increased significantly, which was the main reason for the good nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency of the pre-A₂NSBR system. The above-mentioned results demonstrate that the novel pre-A₂NSBR process is a promising technique for energy-efficient wastewater treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2281–2293"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling Stainless-Steel Corrosion in the Drinking Water Distribution System: Interdisciplinary Insights on Water Quality and Anticorrosion Design","authors":"Xinyu Pan,&nbsp;Yumeng Zhao*,&nbsp;Xuhui Dang,&nbsp;Meng Sun,&nbsp;Gang Liu*,&nbsp;Gang Wen,&nbsp;Xinlei Li,&nbsp;Ao Chen,&nbsp;Chotiwat Jantarakasem,&nbsp;Federick Pinongcos,&nbsp;Linda Li and Jun Ma,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c0026010.1021/acsestengg.5c00260","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00260https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00260","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Drinking water distribution system (DWDS) necessitates sustainable, durable, and nonpolluting materials for enhanced water quality of the end-users. Stainless steel (SS) is gaining momentum in DWDS, particularly in end-point distribution facilities such as secondary water storage tanks, pumps, and household water pipes due to its high chemical stability and robust mechanical strength. However, SS’s susceptibility to corrosion in given defect areas is of great concern, and there is a lack of fundamental insight on SS corrosion from an interdisciplinary perspective of materials science and environmental science. Herein, the SS corrosion in the DWDS environment is critically assessed, encompassing the basic science of SS corrosion occurrence, its cascading influence on water quality, and anticorrosion strategies. Electrochemical corrosion mechanisms of SS corrosion are specifically differentiated, particularly those initiated at given SS defects, including welding points, grain boundaries, and areas with tensile stress. It is shown that SS corrosion influences water quality by destroying the Cr-rich passive film and releasing Cr, Fe, and other heavy metals from the corrosion scale. The critical factors influencing SS corrosion are subsequently identified, namely, SS elemental composition, SS manufacturing process (e.g., heat-affected zone, stress concentration), and water condition in DWDS (e.g., chlorine, oxygen, sulfate, hydraulic shock, pH). Corresponding strategies are elucidated to facilitate the anticorrosion resistance of SS and improve the water quality, including SS alloying enhancement, SS dispersion strengthening, SS surface treatment/modification, and tuning water condition in DWDS. Overall, this review highlights the importance of controlling SS corrosion, which could provide guidance on the rational design and utilization of SS in DWDS to enhance the ultimate water quality of the end-users and the overall resilience of the DWDS.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 6","pages":"1357–1372 1357–1372"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144269613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electromicrobial Hybrid System for High-Purity Sulfur Recovery from High-Salinity Wastewater","authors":"Houguang Wang,&nbsp;Gaoming Wu,&nbsp;Luning Wang,&nbsp;Yichang Wang,&nbsp;Jianguo Lu,&nbsp;Bin Yang,&nbsp;Yang Hou,&nbsp;Lecheng Lei and Zhongjian Li*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00157","url":null,"abstract":"<p >High-salinity wastewater contains a high concentration of sulfate (SO₄^2–), posing environmental risks while offering potential for resource recovery. This study developed an electromicrobial hybrid system to achieve simultaneous SO₄^2– removal and elemental sulfur (S⁰) recovery by integrating electrolytic hydrogen-mediated microbial sulfate reduction, H₂S stripping, and off-field electrochemical oxidation. Sulfate reduction occurred in the cathode of the electrolytic-hydrogen-fed reactor, where the generated sulfide was stripped as H₂S into an off-field oxidation unit using a FeCN₆^3–/FeCN₆^4– redox mediator. FeCN₆^3– oxidized H₂S to S⁰, while FeCN₆^4– was regenerated to FeCN₆^3– at the anode. The reactor performance was enhanced by introducing PU@RGO@MnO₂ carriers, with the optimal SO₄^2– removal current identified as 300 mA (6.7 A m^–2). SO₄^2– removal and S⁰ recovery performance was tested under this condition. H₂S stripping coupled with sulfate reduction and off-field sulfide oxidation eliminated the inhibition of high concentration sulfide on sulfate-reducing bacteria, achieving 100% H₂S-to-S⁰ conversion. Therefore, the system achieved an efficient SO₄^2– removal rate of 464.3 ± 7.1 mg of SO₄^2–-S L^–1 d^–1 and a S⁰ production rate of 450.6 ± 8.6 mg of S⁰-S L^–1 d^–1 (SO₄^2– removal efficiency = 92.6 ± 1.3%; S⁰ recovery efficiency = 89.8 ± 1.6%), with a remarkable electrical energy efficiency of 62.5 ± 1.9% and an energy consumption of 20 kWh kg S⁰^–1. The recovered S⁰ exhibited high purity (99.15%) and could be efficiently separated via gravity settling. The recovered S⁰ exhibited an electrochemical performance comparable to that of commercial S⁰ in the lithium–sulfur battery. This study provides a sustainable approach for wastewater treatment and sulfur recovery, bridging environmental remediation with energy storage application.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2212–2223"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling Biological Ammonium Oxidation in Toxic Petrochemical Wastewater Treatment: A Metagenomic Exploration with Practical Implications","authors":"Ling Jiang,&nbsp;Jialin Li,&nbsp;Da Kang,&nbsp;Hui Wang and Liang Zhang*,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00188","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Ammonia oxidation plays a pivotal role in biological nitrogen removal from toxic petrochemical wastewater, but its microbial stability under prolonged toxic stress remains poorly understood. This study employed a membrane bioreactor with a gradient dilution approach to treat real petrochemical wastewater, demonstrating that gradual acclimation to toxicity enabled sustained ammonia removal at 0.26 ± 0.02 kg of N·m^–3·d^–1. Progressive dilution selectively enriched the <i>Nitrosomonas</i> and <i>amo</i> genes. However, exposure to low-diluted wastewater triggered a 68.9% reduction in ex-situ ammonia oxidation activity. Notably, <i>Comammox Nitrospir</i>a exhibited ecological resilience under high-stress conditions, with its <i>amoA</i> gene abundance increasing 7.6-fold (to 1.3 × 10⁸ copies gVSS^–1) and network centrality surpassing most <i>Nitrosomonas</i> species. Concurrently, <i>Nitrospira</i> maintained a stable <i>nxrB</i> gene abundance and harbored genes for toxic compound degradation, enhancing their ecological versatility. As a genus member, <i>Comammox Nitrospira</i> might leverage these adaptive traits to gain a competitive edge in high-stress environments. These findings reveal toxicity-dependent niche partitioning between <i>Nitrosomonas</i> and <i>Comammox</i> and emphasize the need to integrate microbial community dynamics into early prediction of performance shifts for optimizing industrial wastewater treatment under fluctuating toxic loads.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 8","pages":"2100–2107"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144809167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy Efficient and Robust Shortcut Nitrogen Removal via Novel Acidic Partial Nitrification Coupling Anammox for Actual Municipal Wastewater Treatment","authors":"Fangzhai Zhang,&nbsp;Yujing Zhang,&nbsp;Dan Qu*,&nbsp;Hongying Lu,&nbsp;Jiahui Wang,&nbsp;Ziyi Du and Yongzhen Peng,&nbsp;","doi":"10.1021/acsestengg.5c00140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.5c00140","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Acidic partial nitrification (a-PN) has great potential for efficient nitrite accumulation but may hinder subsequent anammox coupling due to its associated low pH. This study developed an acidic partial nitrification coupling anammox (a-PNA) in a single reactor to elucidate the metabolic interactions. As a prerequisite for anammox, a-PN driven by both <i>Candidatus Nitrosoglobus</i> and <i>Nitrosomonas</i>, maintains a pH below 6, achieving nondiscriminatory suppression of NOBs. Results demonstrate that a-PN is highly reproducible and has been demonstrated in biomass from four wastewater plants across China. During the a-PNA phase, 94.5% nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) was realized, with effluent quality of 2.7 mg/L NH₄⁺–N, 0.4 mg/L NO₂^––N, and 1.1 mg/L NO₃^––N. The a-PNA could adapt to various stresses by evolving community structure, reconfiguring metabolic pathways, and regulating gene expression. Notably, the anammox community was drastically altered, with <i>Candidatus Brocadia</i> (4.9%), which has weak acid tolerance, being the only detectable genus. Under substrate-limited conditions, a-PNA greatly enhanced organic carbon utilization, energy metabolism, and denitrification capacity, ensuring community stability and metabolic function sustainability. Consequently, even as influent ammonia decreased to 24.2 mg/L, a robust nitrogen removal rate of 0.19 kg/m³/d and NRE of 89.3% was demonstrated. This study presents a novel, sustainable wastewater treatment approach, contributing to environmental sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":7008,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T engineering","volume":"5 9","pages":"2191–2200"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145036480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}