Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology最新文献

{"title":"Advances and challenges in remediation technologies for uranium/radium-contaminated groundwater","authors":"Kaijie Lin, Yuxuan Wan, Haiqing Chang, Huarong Yu, Haiyang Yang and Fangshu Qu","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00910C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00910C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Groundwater contaminated by radioactive elements, such as uranium and radium, poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health due to their persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential. This review summarizes recent advances in uranium/radium-contaminated groundwater remediation technology. The characteristics, migration, and transformation of uranium/radium in groundwater are analyzed, emphasizing how their speciation and environmental behavior determine the selection and effectiveness of remediation technologies. The work comprehensively examines four primary removal methods: adsorption, membrane filtration, electrochemical treatment, and bioremediation, elucidating their fundamental principles, application scenarios, and limitations, while critically examining current bottlenecks and future research directions. Adsorption leverages materials like zeolites, activated carbon, and novel composites for targeted removal, yet faces regeneration challenges and ionic interference. Membrane technologies achieve &gt;95% rejection but suffer from fouling and high costs. Electrochemical methods enable efficient recovery <em>via</em> capacitive deionization or electrodeposition, though energy consumption and electrode stability require optimization. Bioremediation exploits microbial reduction and plant uptake for eco-friendly treatment but struggles with slow kinetics and environmental sensitivity. Future research should focus on enhancing existing technologies, exploring disruptive innovations (<em>e.g.</em>, advanced materials, hybrid systems), and establishing sustainable frameworks to achieve efficient, intelligent, and sustainable remediation of uranium/radium-contaminated groundwater.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 3","pages":" 769-788"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147352577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"DPD as an electron probe in ferrate oxidation: a novel spectrophotometric determination method and the fate of iron intermediates","authors":"Wen Qin, Haoxin Shen, Kai Li, Yang Song, Jin Jiang and Jun Ma","doi":"10.1039/D5EW01007A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW01007A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >An innovative analytical approach was established for quantifying Fe(<small>VI</small>) concentrations in the 0.47–40 μM range. This technique exploited the electron transfer reaction between Fe(<small>VI</small>) and <em>N</em>,<em>N</em>-diethyl-<em>p</em>-phenylenediamine (DPD), generating a stable radical cation species (DPD˙<small>⁺</small>) with characteristic absorbance at 551 nm in spectroscopic detection. The increase in the absorbance of the formed DPD˙<small>⁺</small> at 551 nm was linearly related to the added Fe(<small>VI</small>) concentration. The formed DPD˙<small>⁺</small> was found to be stable in synthetic water samples at pH 5–7 and real water samples. The stoichiometric relationship of the formed DPD˙<small>⁺</small> to Fe(<small>VI</small>) was 1 : 1 in reaction of Fe(<small>VI</small>) with excess DPD in 300 mM phosphate buffer at pH 6, which was lower than that in lower concentration of phosphate, due to the inhibiting impact of phosphate on the oxidation capacity of Fe(<small>V</small>) with DPD. Demonstrating a molar absorptivity of 2.08 × 10<small>⁴</small> M<small>⁻¹</small> cm<small>⁻¹</small> at 551 nm, the Fe(<small>VI</small>)–DPD method exhibited broad applicability while maintaining accuracy across diverse environmental water matrices. This methodology exhibited superior detection sensitivity, with detection limits established at 0.47 μM (LOD) and 1.57 μM (LOQ). The oxidizing capacity of the complexed Fe(<small>V</small>) followed the order: carbonate–Fe(<small>V</small>) &gt; borate–Fe(<small>V</small>) &gt; phosphate–Fe(<small>V</small>) &gt; pyrophosphate–Fe(<small>V</small>). The ratio of the formed DPD˙<small>⁺</small> to consumed Fe(<small>VI</small>) decreased with the increasing concentration ratio of pyrophosphate to Fe(<small>VI</small>) (2.5–3.6) at pH 5, indicating that pyrophosphate inhibited the oxidizing capacity of Fe(<small>VI</small>) to Fe(<small>V</small>) using DPD. The developed DPD probe method demonstrated reliable applicability in characterizing Fe(<small>VI</small>) reaction pathways due to its high sensitivity (2.08 × 10<small>⁴</small> M<small>⁻¹</small> cm<small>⁻¹</small>) and minimal matrix interference.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 3","pages":" 838-848"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147352589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Fate and transformation of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides during simulated drinking water treatment processes","authors":"Christopher J. Knutson, Abigail M. Carlin, Sania Kamran, James B. Gloer and David M. Cwiertny","doi":"10.1039/D5EW01004G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW01004G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Quinone outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs) are widely used across the United States, with common QoIs (<em>e.g.</em>, azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin) regularly detected in water resources that could serve as drinking water supplies in agriculturally dominated watersheds. Here, we explored the fate of several QoIs during simulated water treatment <em>via</em> coagulation/flocculation, chemical (lime-soda) softening, chemical disinfection with free chlorine, and granular activated carbon (GAC). Jar tests with Iowa River water found little QoI removal during coagulation/flocculation. Trifloxystrobin and kresoxim-methyl underwent base-promoted hydrolysis at pH values and over timescales used in lime-soda softening, with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data identifying known acid metabolites as major hydrolysis products. Select QoIs, kresoxim-methyl, pyraclostrobin, azoxystrobin, fenamidone, and dimoxystrobin, were reactive toward free chlorine under conditions and over timescales relevant for chemical disinfection, resulting in persistent, often chlorinated, transformation products. Notably, we observed distinct reaction sites during chlorination for each of the five QoIs found to be reactive toward free chlorine, including some cases where the biologically active moiety of the parent molecule was conserved. Successful management of QoIs can likely be achieved with GAC, which quickly removed all QoIs <em>via</em> sorption. Outcomes of this work will help to improve exposure assessments to QoIs and their transformation products through drinking water, while also identifying practical approaches for their removal during drinking water treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 684-697"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ew/d5ew01004g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"UV photolysis of peroxynitrite on micropollutant degradation: implications of oxidative capacity for potable reuse treatment","authors":"Liang Wu, Sitao Liu and Haizhou Liu","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00997A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00997A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Peroxynitrite (ONOO<small>⁻</small>) is naturally formed in membrane-UV potable reuse treatment trains <em>via</em> hydrolysis of dichloramine (NHCl<small>₂</small>), an antifouling agent generated during RO membrane separation. ONOO<small>⁻</small> coexists in downstream advanced oxidation processes (UV/AOPs), yet its reactivity and role in micropollutant degradation remain underexplored. This study investigated the 254 nm UV photolysis of ONOO<small>⁻</small> to assess its ability to generate reactive species. Using nitrobenzene (NB) as a probe, we confirmed that UV activation of ONOO<small>⁻</small> produces hydroxyl radicals (HO˙) <em>via</em> homolytic cleavage to O˙<small>⁻</small> and NO<small>₂</small>˙<small>⁻</small>, followed by rapid O˙<small>⁻</small> protonation. Degradation of 1,4-dioxane, DEET, caffeine, and carbamazepine correlated strongly with their known second-order HO˙ rate constants (<em>R</em><small>²</small> = 0.997). At a UV fluence typical of potable reuse (850 mJ cm<small>⁻²</small>), the UV/ONOO<small>⁻</small> system generated 1.2 to 4.7 times more cumulative HO˙ exposure than other UV/AOPs. HO˙ production increased rapidly with ONOO<small>⁻</small> concentration and reached a maximal NB degradation rate of 9 × 10<small>⁻⁴</small> cm<small>²</small> mJ<small>⁻¹</small> at 1 mM concentration of ONOO<small>⁻</small>, before declining slightly at higher ONOO<small>⁻</small> levels due to self-scavenging. A concentration-dependent reaction model was developed to predict an intrinsic quantum yield (<em>Φ</em>) of 0.452 mol per Einstein for ONOO<small>⁻</small> direct photolysis, and accurately captured the HO˙ exposure at varying ONOO<small>⁻</small> concentrations. Model predictions revealed that ONOO<small>⁻</small> photolysis during UV/AOP can generate a cumulative HO˙ exposure of 3.92 × 10<small>⁻¹¹</small> M s, comparable to that produced by the non-UV ONOO<small>⁻</small> hydrolysis pathway under realistic RO permeate conditions. This study discovered an overlooked mechanism by which <em>in situ</em> ONOO<small>⁻</small> photolysis can aid in oxidative micropollutant removal during potable reuse, increasing HO˙ exposure from NHCl<small>₂</small> hydrolysis by 54–81% depending on carbonate removal.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 532-538"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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 blue-green infrastructure mitigate waterborne infection risks through recreational activities in densely urbanized waterways?","authors":"J. Petrucci, J. Derx, R. Sommer, J. F. Schijven, H. Müller-Thomy, S. Dorner, J. Jalbert and F. Bichai","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00706B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00706B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) release pathogens into urban recreational water bodies and pose a threat to water quality, ecosystems, and public health. This risk is expected to increase with climate change, as more frequent and intense rainfall events are likely to exacerbate the number of overflows. Exposure to contaminants from CSOs can cause waterborne diseases, underscoring the need for effective stormwater management strategies. Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) offers a sustainable solution to mitigate the adverse impacts of CSOs while enhancing urban resilience through multiple co-benefits. This study combines hydrologic modeling with quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to assess the potential of BGI implementation strategies ranging from 0% to 50% of converted impervious surfaces, to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the microbiological quality and safety of urban rivers used for recreation downstream of CSOs. A strategy involving increased storage capacity by 28 000 m<small>³</small> was also considered to compare its performance in terms of risk reduction with BGI implementation. The approach was applied to an Austrian urban river catchment frequently used for recreational activities such as swimming, wading, and playing. Three planning horizons were analyzed – baseline (C20), near-term future (NTF) and long-term future (LTF). Results show that BGI reduces the probability of infection across all seasons, with the highest benefit observed in summer when recreational water use peaks. For <em>Cryptosporidium</em>, the 95th percentile infection risk in a worst-case scenario (<em>i.e.</em>, children swimming in the river) is reduced, when adding 50% of BGI, by 0.4 log<small>₁₀</small> for the C20 period, 0.5 log<small>₁₀</small> for the near-term future, and 0.6 log<small>₁₀</small> for the long-term future, demonstrating the potential of BGI to improve the safety of recreational waters under changing climate.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 601-619"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ew/d5ew00706b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Downcycling of real electroplating sludge into nickel-rich solution for chemical nickel-plating","authors":"Dandan Yang, Xin Lan, Minglin Zheng, Leilei Zhang, Suiyi Zhu and Mingxin Huo","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00520E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00520E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The recovery of metals from electroplating sludge has gained significant attention due to the dual imperatives of resource valorization and environmental protection. To address these challenges, a simple, waste-liquid-free process was developed for efficiently recovering nickel from Ni-rich electroplating sludge, with subsequent <em>in situ</em> utilization for electroplating. The sludge consisted of 24.2 wt% Ni, 1.9 wt% Fe, 8.8 wt% Al, and 25.3 wt% moisture. After sulfuric acid leaching, a brief hydrothermal treatment was introduced to transform Fe and Al from the leachate into easily filterable natroalunite particles, yielding a purified Ni-rich solution with Fe and Al concentrations each below 0.1 g L<small>⁻¹</small>. Two main valorization routes for Ni were established. First, the purified solution serves directly as an electrolyte for nickel electrodeposition onto iron substrates, producing uniform, compact, and thermally stable coatings. This route achieves impressively high nickel recovery (nickel loss &lt;2%) and avoids the need for organic additives or redox reagents, eliminating the generation of liquid waste. Second, downstream purification of the solution involves P204 extraction to further remove Fe and Al and extract Ni, followed by evaporation and crystallization to produce electroplating-grade NiSO<small>₄</small> crystals (25.4 wt% Ni), compliant with industrial standards. Additionally, the natroalunite-rich by-products are readily filterable and hold promise as precursors for flocculant production. Overall, this process enables high-efficiency nickel recovery, minimizes secondary pollution, and provides versatile end-product options, highlighting its promise for sustainable resource utilization in the metal finishing sector.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 577-587"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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-scale investigation of Cu(ii) interactions with synthetic and natural zeolites during removal and recovery","authors":"Case M. van Genuchten, Kaifeng Wang, Claus Kjøller and Knud Dideriksen","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00972C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00972C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Copper (Cu) is simultaneously an environmental pollutant present in industrially relevant waters, including geothermal fluids, and a strategic raw material (SRM) in the European Union, which highlights the value of technologies that couple its removal and recovery. In this work, we investigated the uptake and subsequent recovery of Cu(<small>II</small>) using two zeolites with distinct structures: synthetic faujasite and natural clinoptilolite. Batch Cu(<small>II</small>) adsorption isotherms (0.001 to &gt;1 mM Cu(<small>II</small>)), kinetic Cu(<small>II</small>) uptake measurements, and acidic zeolite regeneration experiments were combined with molecular-scale solid-phase characterization by synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and Cu K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results revealed significant differences in Cu(<small>II</small>) uptake, extractability and solid-phase speciation depending on zeolite structure. With respect to Cu(<small>II</small>) uptake, synthetic faujasite outperformed natural clinoptilolite, removing more Cu(<small>II</small>) per zeolite mass with faster uptake kinetics. The characterization data indicated synthetic faujasite removed Cu(<small>II</small>) primarily <em>via</em> monomeric adsorption (<em>i.e.</em>, outer- and inner-sphere complexes), whereas Cu-loaded natural clinoptilolite contained a mixture of monomeric and polymeric Cu (<em>i.e.</em>, Cu–Cu bonding was detected). Multiple acidic regeneration cycles of synthetic faujasite was highly effective (&gt;95% Cu(<small>II</small>) extracted) using 0.01 M HCl, with higher HCl concentrations destabilizing the faujasite structure. By contrast, 0.1 M HCl was required to extract Cu(<small>II</small>) efficiently from natural clinoptilolite, with minimal impact on zeolite structure. Taken together, these macroscopic and molecular-scale results provide critical information to optimize the deployment of zeolite-based filters for holistic Cu(<small>II</small>) removal and recovery from aqueous solution.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 1","pages":" 314-327"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145969490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Research on a small-concentration chemical oxygen demand prediction algorithm based on an enhanced parrot optimizer–BPNN and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy","authors":"Hongmei Wang, Qiaoling Du and Xin Wang","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00882D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00882D","url":null,"abstract":"<p > <strong>Purpose:</strong> determining small concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) is crucial for domestic drinking water safety. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis spectroscopy) is important for COD determination, but the multi-wavelength method has low accuracy and stability for small-concentration COD due to turbidity interference. This paper presents an enhanced parrot optimizer (EPO) algorithm for back propagation neural network (BPNN) parameter optimization to improve small-concentration COD prediction, which includes accuracy and stability. <strong>Results:</strong> firstly, the EPO algorithm uses the LHS population initialization strategy, which generates the initial population with the help of Latin hypercube sampling and improves the population diversity from the source; secondly, the EPO algorithm adopts the persistence-random-boundary (PRB) location update strategy, improves the position update formula in the residence phase, and integrates the simulated annealing idea to dynamically adjust the search step length to realize the precise balance between global exploration and local development ability; finally, this article proposed the contraction and whirl (CAW) individual elimination strategy, combined with the elite retention logic of the whale optimization algorithm, to periodically eliminate the inferior individuals to avoid premature maturation of the algorithm, and to strengthen the evolutionary momentum of the population. The synergistic effect of the above strategies can accurately optimize the weights and thresholds of the BPNN, and finally build a small concentration COD prediction model that is resistant to low turbidity interference. The core logic of the model's anti-turbidity interference lies in that the BPNN simultaneously learns the mapping relationship of “COD concentration – turbidity concentration – spectrum” and automatically identifies and deducts the contribution of turbidity to the spectrum when predicting COD, thereby offsetting its nonlinear interference and ultimately achieving accurate prediction of low concentration COD. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> the EPO–BPNN model is outstanding in convergence speed and accuracy. On the standard drinking water quality simulation data set, the coefficient of determination (<em>R</em><small>²</small>) reached 0.9976, the root mean square error (RMSE) was as low as 0.3930 mg L<small>⁻¹</small>, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was only 3.47%, the percentage bias (PBIAS) was −0.081%, and the maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) was 2.26% (&lt;3%). In the interference of multiple substances in the monitoring data of the inter-reservoir, the standard deviation (SD) of COD concentration values predicted by the model was 0.2876 and 0.3437, respectively; the fluctuations were 81.88% and 79.61% lower than those of the traditional model.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 1","pages":" 293-313"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145969453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Emerging investigator series: why we should care about the fate of biological contaminants from municipal wastewater in reverse osmosis concentrate","authors":"Lauren C. Kennedy, Camila L. Madeira, Mya Valenzuela and Scott E. Miller","doi":"10.1039/D5EW00886G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW00886G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Potable reuse, the use of treated wastewater for drinking, is becoming more common globally. Reverse osmosis is a treatment technology employed in potable reuse treatment trains because it is a physical barrier to most biological and chemical contaminants, but it produces a concentrate stream that must be managed. The concentrate includes chemical contaminants of concern, which are an emerging topic of research, but we were not able to identify studies characterizing biological contaminants in reverse osmosis concentrate from municipal wastewater. In this perspective, we i) determine how common the use of reverse osmosis is in potable reuse globally; ii) determine current management practices for concentrate globally; iii) identify biological contaminants that may be present in reverse osmosis concentrate; and iv) summarize factors that need further research to assess the fate of biological contaminants from wastewater in reverse osmosis concentrate. Factors identified that needed further research included the effects of reverse osmosis concentrate composition (<em>e.g.</em>, salinity and heavy metal content) and the effectiveness of concentrate treatment technologies for biological contaminants. In addition, we identified that discharge of reverse osmosis concentrate to the ocean (11/22 coastal facilities) or to other surface water bodies (4/7 inland facilities) were the most common reverse osmosis concentrate management strategies for coastal and inland potable reuse facilities, respectively. Ultimately, concentrate from these facilities was discharged to surface water bodies, either directly or through sewer discharge, which highlights the potential for human exposure that depends on the uses of the receiving surface water bodies. To our knowledge, this is the first summary of concentrate management practices of global potable reuse facilities. This work will inform future research and regulatory decisions about reverse osmosis concentrate treatment and management.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 508-518"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Optimization of biological reactor capacity in a municipal wastewater treatment plant using GPS-X simulation under high nitrogen loads","authors":"Chan Kwon Kim and Eun-Sik Kim","doi":"10.1039/D5EW01008J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EW01008J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study focuses on optimizing the biological treatment performance of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operating under the Daewoo nutrient removal process, particularly under conditions of high-strength nitrogen influent. Changes in influent water quality—driven by the increased use of food waste disposers, sewer system separation, and reduced rainwater dilution—have presented challenges for WWTPs in maintaining compliance with effluent nitrogen and phosphorus standards. Using five years of influent and effluent monitoring data, GPS-X simulation software, combined with the activated sludge model no. 2d, was employed to evaluate treatment performance under three influent scenarios: designed-level, high-concentration, and low-concentration conditions. The simulation incorporated detailed operational parameters and demonstrated that the current reactor volume is inadequate for regulatory compliance under high nitrogen loads. The process reconfiguration was found to improve nitrate removal and enhance phosphorus release in the anaerobic zone. These modifications led to simulated effluent concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus that consistently remained below target limits, validating the effectiveness of the proposed upgrades. This study highlights the value of simulation-based planning and the need for flexible design strategies in small- to mid-scale WWTPs facing evolving influent conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":75,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology","volume":" 2","pages":" 673-683"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}