Water, Air, & Soil Pollution最新文献

{"title":"Qualitative Screening of Pretreatment Workflows for Stereomicroscopic Visualization of Suspected Atmospheric Microplastics","authors":"Mohd Rosiskada Mohamed,&nbsp;Sara Yasina Yusuf,&nbsp;Anis Nadhirah Nasir,&nbsp;Nor Ruwaida Jamian,&nbsp;Muhamad Nur Firdaus Farid,&nbsp;Syazwaana Mohd Noor","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10133-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10133-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Atmospheric particulate samples collected on quartz-fibre filters can be difficult to examine stereomicroscopically because dense dark and granular residues obscure potential target particles. This exploratory study qualitatively screened five pretreatment configurations intended to improve visualization of morphologically suspected atmospheric microplastics. One PM₁₀-loaded quartz filter from a single 24-h sampling event was divided into eight approximately equal sections; five sections were allocated individually, one per method, without independent replication. All sections underwent static digestion in 100 mL of 30% H₂O₂ for eight days. The configurations then differed in additional heating, exploratory NaI-acetone or ZnCl₂ treatment, and final filtration through mixed cellulose ester (MCE) or glass microfibre (GF/F) filters. Entire filter surfaces were examined at 35 × magnification. H₂O₂-only treatment left a dense dark residue, additional heating produced abundant granular residue, and the NaI-acetone-treated MCE became tacky and yellowish. ZnCl₂ treatment followed by MCE filtration permitted visual detection of suspected particles, although granular residue remained. Under the conditions examined, the ZnCl₂-GF/F configuration provided the clearest visual differentiation of morphologically suspected particles against the processed filter background. These observations indicate visual promise only and do not demonstrate recovery, counting accuracy, reproducibility, polymer identity, or superiority of GF/F independently of treatment conditions. Replicated recovery experiments using matched filter substrates, treatment-specific blanks, complete-suspension filtration, and spectroscopic confirmation are required before analytical performance can be established.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338603","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":"Construction of Sewage Treatment Effluent COD Prediction Model: Feature Optimization and Interpretability Analysis","authors":"Yaqing Jiang,&nbsp;Fan Mo,&nbsp;Haibo Li","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10120-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10120-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reliable effluent Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) prediction is critical for stable operation and pollution control of municipal wastewater treatment systems. However, conventional forecasting methods are limited by feature redundancy, data imbalance and weak cross-model robustness. This study develops an integrated machine learning framework integrating feature screening, time-series data augmentation, multi-model evaluation and interpretability analysis. Based on 1,186 consecutive daily datasets from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Yunnan, Pearson correlation analysis and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) jointly screened six key variables: Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS), Sludge Volume (SV), pH, influent Total Phosphorus (TP), influent COD and influent Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅). A time-series-based Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) was adopted to optimize sparse high-COD samples and avoid temporal inconsistency and data leakage. Among 16 typical models, the ExtraTrees model performed best, with a test R² of 0.839 and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 1.79 mg/L. Hapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis proved MLSS as the core factor affecting effluent COD, followed by SV, pH and influent parameters. Effluent COD is co-regulated by biomass, sludge settleability, reactor environment and external load. This framework offers accurate, interpretable references for wastewater treatment plants in effluent prediction, early warning and intelligent management.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338604","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":"Integrating Hydrochemical Characterization, Pollution Indices, and Machine Learning for Groundwater Quality Assessment in the Maadher Hodna Aquifer (Algeria)","authors":"Mostafa Dougha,&nbsp;Tahar Selmane,&nbsp;Johnbosco C. Egbueri,&nbsp;Khaled A. El-Nagdy,&nbsp;Mourad Guesri,&nbsp;Ashraf A. Ahmed,&nbsp;Abdulrahman Seraj Almalki,&nbsp;Enas E. Hussein,&nbsp;Yacine Hasnaoui","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10107-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10107-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Groundwater in the Maadher Hodna aquifer (Algeria) was assessed using an integrated approach combining hydrochemical analysis, pollution indices, GIS mapping, and machine-learning techniques to distinguish natural hydrochemical controls from nitrate-related anthropogenic impacts. Electrical conductivity exceeded the drinking-water guideline in 93.33% of samples, while nitrate concentrations exceeded 50 mg L⁻¹ in 78.3% of samples. Groundwater was predominantly of the Ca–Mg–SO₄–Cl type, reflecting carbonate and evaporite dissolution, with evaporation contributing to salinization in some wells. The Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG) indicated mainly low to moderate overall groundwater pollution, whereas the Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) classified 70% of wells as nitrate-polluted, indicating substantial localized anthropogenic influence. Support vector regression (SVR) showed weak and unstable nitrate prediction from routine hydrochemical variables under five-fold cross-validation (<span>({R}^{2}=0.23pm 0.30)</span>; two folds yielded negative <span>({R}^{2})</span> values), suggesting that nitrate variability is not adequately explained by background hydrochemistry alone. The support vector machine (SVM) efficiently reproduced PIG-based groundwater-quality classes from the hydrochemical variables used in the PIG calculation, demonstrating potential for automated screening rather than an independent predictive relationship. Overall, the integrated framework identifies widespread mineralization and spatially heterogeneous nitrate contamination and provides a basis for targeted groundwater monitoring and agricultural pollution management.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11270-026-10107-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338501","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":"Studies on the Release of Selected Plasticizers from Polymer Packaging into the Aquatic Environment under Laboratory Conditions","authors":"Alina Pohl","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10119-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10119-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plastics constitute a significant source of chemical additives that can migrate into aquatic environments during use and the degradation of polymer materials. The aim of this study was to determine the release dynamics of selected plasticizers (phthalates and bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate) and phenolic compounds (alkylphenols and bisphenol A) from single-use products made from different types of plastics. The study was conducted under laboratory conditions using leaching tests in distilled water over three time intervals (7, 30, and 60 days). The analyzed materials were classified into seven groups according to recycling codes (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), other (OTHER)). Concentrations were determined using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed significant variation in the amounts of released additives depending on the type of polymer and the duration of the test. The highest concentrations of phthalates and bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate were observed in products made of HDPE and PVC, whereas for alkylphenols and bisphenol A, PVC was the dominant polymer exhibiting the highest concentrations. Temporal variability in the concentrations of organic compounds leached from the polymer matrix was observed, most likely due to the experimental design and the non-linear nature of the leaching process. The obtained results indicate that single-use polymer products can serve as a potential source of organic contaminants in aquatic environments, and that the migration of additives is influenced by multiple material and environmental factors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11270-026-10119-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338606","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":"Electrokinetic–solidification Using Recycled Construction-waste–slag Binders: Strength–leaching Coupling in Pb–Zn Sludge","authors":"Xinhao Qin,&nbsp;Jianwen Ding,&nbsp;Chuanrong Xue,&nbsp;Zhengtao Yang","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10135-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10135-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigated Pb–Zn co-contaminated, high-plasticity, low-permeability sludge treated with construction-and-demolition waste powder (CDWP) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) binders. Three routes were compared: direct solidification, solidification after 72 h electrokinetic remediation (EKR), and ordinary Portland cement solidification. At the optimal 50:50 CDWP:GGBFS ratio, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) increased from 643 to 1089 kPa for A3 and from 747 to 1191 kPa for B3; B3 exceeded A3 by 16.1% and 9.3% at 7 and 28 days, respectively. EKR pretreatment produced lower electrical conductivity and faster pH recovery during curing. The EKR-stage mass recoveries were 92.43% for Pb and 98.72% for Zn. Zn had a higher electrolyte-associated mass than Pb, indicating stronger migration into the electrolyte, whereas Pb showed lower electrolyte-associated migration and greater retention in the soil–binder matrix with partial leachability. All solidified samples showed Pb and Zn leachate concentrations below the GB 5085.3–2007 limits. SEM and XRD results were consistent with matrix densification and crystalline hydration-phase development, although specific Pb/Zn binding mechanisms require direct speciation analysis. Overall, EKR pretreatment followed by CDWP–GGBFS solidification improved strength and leaching performance and provides preliminary guidance for treating Pb–Zn-contaminated low-permeability sludge.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338252","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":"Source-Sink Differentiation of Phosphorus in Cascade Reservoirs: Hydrodynamic Controls on Phosphorus Migration and Transformation","authors":"Mengru Li,&nbsp;Yalei Liu,&nbsp;Qing Wang,&nbsp;Weiqing Zhou,&nbsp;Ningtao Wang,&nbsp;Xinyu Hou,&nbsp;Yiyang Li","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10118-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10118-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hydrodynamic disturbance regulates phosphorus (P) release and retention in reservoir sediments, but the response varies spatially among cascade reservoirs. We investigated Xuanmiaoguan and Tianfumiao reservoirs using field measurements, P fractionation, and 48-h adsorption-release experiments conducted under static, low- and high-disturbance conditions. Contrasting source-sink patterns were observed between the two reservoirs. The deep mid-reservoir zone acted as a P source in Xuanmiaoguan, where porewater PO₄-P was 3.89 times that in the overlying water, whereas the tail acted as a sink. The tail was the main source in Tianfumiao, whereas the head acted as a sink. Distinct hydrodynamic responses were further observed between the two reservoirs. The highest cumulative release reached 94.5 mg kg⁻¹ under sustained low disturbance in Xuanmiaoguan source sediment, indicating prolonged P mobilization, whereas Tianfumiao source sediment showed a more sustained release pattern. Phosphorus capture was enhanced differently in the two sink zones, with the highest adsorption reaching 122 mg kg⁻¹ under low disturbance in Tianfumiao. Phosphorus fractionation further indicated that disturbance-driven mobilization was accompanied by redistribution from inorganic P to organic P. These results demonstrate that hydrodynamic forcing regulates phosphorus source-sink differentiation through reservoir-specific effects on release, adsorption, and fraction transformation, providing a basis for site-specific hydrodynamic management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338251","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":"Peroxymonosulfate Activation by Iron-modified Mulberry Biochar for Imidacloprid Removal: Performance and Mechanism","authors":"Jing Li,&nbsp;Ercheng Zhao,&nbsp;Junjie Jing,&nbsp;Ping Han,&nbsp;Guilong Peng,&nbsp;Xingle Guo,&nbsp;Kai Wang,&nbsp;Junxue Wu","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10101-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10101-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Developing sustainable and high-performance heterogeneous catalysts is crucial for removing organic pollutants via peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes. This study developed a novel iron-modified mulberry biochar composite (Fe-MBC) featuring Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄ heterojunctions on an agricultural waste-derived matrix to achieve efficient degradation of imidacloprid (IMI). The catalytic performance of Fe-MBC was systematically evaluated under optimized reaction conditions. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the successful loading of Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄ onto a mesoporous biochar matrix with a BET surface area of 181.2 m² g⁻¹. The Fe-MBC/PMS system achieved 93.2% IMI removal within 360 min, with catalytic degradation being the dominant mechanism and contributing 92.5%. Furthermore, the system demonstrated excellent adaptability across a wide initial pH range (3.5–9.5) and maintained removal efficiency above 48.6% over 5 consecutive reuse cycles. Mechanistic analyses (quenching and EPR) revealed a synergistic non-radical and radical mechanism where O₂^•⁻ plays an important role as one of the major reactive species and a key precursor, supplemented by •OH and ¹O₂. The biochar matrix accelerated Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox cycling, promoting sustained PMS activation. Degradation pathways involved hydroxylation, nitro-reduction, and ring cleavage. Although ECOSAR predictions highlighted transient chronic toxicity increases for specific intermediates (e.g., <i>Daphnia</i>), the system's high mineralization capacity (78.9% TOC removal) effectively mitigated degradation intermediates risks. This work confirms Fe-MBC as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly catalyst for agricultural pesticide wastewater remediation.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338291","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":"The Adsorption Behavior and Mechanism of Magnetic Porous Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Composite Aerogel for Diclofenac Sodium","authors":"Yangzong Zhou,&nbsp;Yi Xie,&nbsp;Zhipeng Xiang,&nbsp;Dian Jiao,&nbsp;Xuhui Yang,&nbsp;Hongyu Wang,&nbsp;Dao Zhou,&nbsp;Jianwei Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10124-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10124-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chitosan (CS), a natural biopolymer, has been investigated for wastewater treatment. However, its application faces limitations: poor mechanical strength, solubility in acidic media, and lack of selectivity. To address these challenges, this study developed a magnetic porous PVA/chitosan composite aerogel incorporated with Fe₃O₄ for adsorption and recovery. Ethanol was utilized as a pore-forming agent to construct a porous structure, increasing the surface area and sites for diclofenac sodium (DS). The parameters, including CS concentration, crosslinking agent (glutaraldehyde, GTA) mass fraction, and component ratios, were optimized, achieving an adsorption capacity of 264.03 mg/g. Characterization via FTIR, SEM‑EDS, XRD, XPS, TGA, and BET revealed that the adsorption mechanism involved electrostatic interactions (protonated amino groups on CS and anionic DS) and hydrogen bonding (hydroxyl groups from PVA and carboxylate groups of DS). Kinetic demonstrated the adsorption followed a pseudo‑second‑order model, indicating chemisorption as the rate‑limiting. Isotherm fitting depended on temperature, no single model fully described the data, suggesting combined homogeneous and heterogeneous interactions rather than exclusively monolayer adsorption. Thermodynamic (ΔG° &lt; 0, ΔH° = 31.42 kJ/mol) confirmed the spontaneous and endothermic nature. The aerogel exhibited moderate reusability, retaining 58.6% DS removal after five cycles via NaOH/HCl regeneration. This work provides a magnetically recoverable adsorbent for DS removal, demonstrating potential for wastewater treatment applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338270","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":"Multi-decadal Trends, Regime Shifts, and Time-series Projections of Carbon Monoxide Emissions in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Salisu Dan’azumi,&nbsp;Abdulhayat M. Jibrin,&nbsp;Ali Aldrees","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10137-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10137-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions remain a significant air-quality concern in countries with intensive fossil-fuel consumption and rapid socio-economic development. Understanding their long-term evolution is essential for evaluating emission dynamics and supporting effective air-quality management. The objective of this study was to investigate long-term trends, structural changes, emission regimes, and future trajectories of national CO emissions in Saudi Arabia using annual records covering five decades. A comprehensive analytical framework integrating the Modified Mann–Kendall (MMK) trend test, Sen's slope estimator, Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA), Bayesian change-point detection, and time-series forecasting was applied to characterize historical emission behavior and evaluate future patterns. The results indicate a significant long-term increase in national CO emissions despite a period of partial stabilization after the mid-2000 s. Structural analysis identified distinct emission regimes separated by statistically supported change points, while the ITA confirmed a consistent upward shift across the emission distribution. Forecasting results suggest that national CO emissions are likely to remain on an increasing trajectory during the coming decade, although projection uncertainty increases with forecast horizon. The combined evidence indicates that recent moderation has not reversed the long-term expansion of CO emissions and highlights the need for sustained mitigation measures targeting transport, industrial activities, and energy production. The proposed analytical framework provides a robust basis for long-term emission assessment and supports evidence-based air-quality planning in Saudi Arabia.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338290","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":"Submicroscopic Sized Magnetic High Entropy Spinel Oxide of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zr for Photo-Fenton Catalysis Application","authors":"Sanjula Pradhan,&nbsp;C. Mohapatra,&nbsp;A. K. Mishra,&nbsp;K. C. Barick,&nbsp;Vasundhara Mutta,&nbsp;N. K. Prasad","doi":"10.1007/s11270-026-10127-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11270-026-10127-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>High-entropy oxides are promising for environmental catalysis owing to their configurational stability and multi-element redox chemistry. The spinel HEO having equiatomic concentration of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Zr was synthesized via a sol–gel route followed by calcination at ~ 700 °C. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning TEM–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm its single phase, compositionally uniform nanostructure incorporating all the above-mentioned cations. The material exhibits ferrimagnetism (~ 21 emug⁻¹), enabling facile magnetic separation after the photo or photo-Fenton catalytic reaction. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Mott–Schottky analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy corroborate its activity for dye degradation via photocatalytic, Fenton, and photo-Fenton pathways. Under photo-Fenton conditions, methylene blue degradation reached 99% within 90 min. Mass spectrometry verified degradation of the dye during the photo-Fenton process. The synergy of multivalent cations and magnetic recoverability positions this HEO as robust, reusable catalyst for wastewater treatment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":808,"journal":{"name":"Water, Air, & Soil Pollution","volume":"237 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338179","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}