ACS ES&T water最新文献

{"title":"Response of the Carbonate System to Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement: A Mesocosm-Scale Experiment","authors":"Selene Varliero,&nbsp;Piero Macchi,&nbsp;Daniela Basso,&nbsp;Paraskevi Pitta,&nbsp;Iordanis Magiopoulos,&nbsp;Chiara Santinelli,&nbsp;Giovanni Checcucci,&nbsp;Silvia Valsecchi,&nbsp;Laura Borromeo,&nbsp;Guido Raos","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00342","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00342","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We present the resultsof a mesocosm-scale experimentconductedin 2023 in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Crete, Greece) to evaluatethe effects of ocean liming via the addition of calcium hydroxide.We assessed two dosage regimes through repeated additions─low(20 μmol L^–1 alkalinity increase per addition,reaching a total theoretical alkalinity increment of 120 μmolL^–1) and high (180 μmol L^–1 per addition, reaching a total theoretical increment of 1080 μmolL^–1)─comparing against control mesocosmsover 14 days, monitoring the pH, total alkalinity, dissolved inorganiccarbon, and solid precipitates. The results for the treated mesocosmsshow that the low dosage effectively increased the total alkalinityand maintained it over the duration of the experiment, unlike thehigh dosage mesocosms, where the alkalinity dropped within a few daysdue to the secondary precipitation of carbonates and degassing. Inparticular, the final net changes of alkalinity were +110 μmolL^–1 for low dosages (close to the theoretical limit)but amounted to about −330 μmol L^–1 for the high ones. The concurrent changes in pH were equal to +0.1and +0.4, while those in dissolved inorganic carbon were equal to−60 and −620 μmol L^–1, respectively.The fact that, in the low dosage mesocosms, there was a slight reductionin the dissolved inorganic carbon (comparable to that occurring incontrol mesocosms) despite the total alkalinity increase suggestslimited atmospheric CO₂ uptake. We attribute this to restrictedair-sea gas exchange caused by the mesocosm lids, which are commonlyadopted in these facilities to prevent the entrance of external contaminants.Our study highlights future directions for testing and enhancing theefficiency of CO₂ uptake by seawater, improving ocean limingas a viable climate mitigation strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6316–6324"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153057","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 One-Step Quadruplex RT-ddPCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection and Absolute Quantification of Respiratory Viruses in Wastewater from Multiple Settings","authors":"Xingyu Zhang,&nbsp;Xingjie Yang,&nbsp;Weiwei Fan,&nbsp;Xiao Zhang,&nbsp;Liang Zhang,&nbsp;Jiayi Han,&nbsp;Lan Zhang","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00884","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00884","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wastewater-basedsurveillance of respiratory virusesincreasinglyrequires multiplex assays capable of detecting low-abundance targetsin complex environmental matrices without standard curves. In thisstudy, a highly sensitive and specific one-step quadruplex reversetranscription droplet digital PCR assay was developed for the simultaneousquantification of SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, influenzaA virus, and influenza B virus in wastewater. The assay achieved equivalentlimits of detection of 0.32–0.44 copies/μL, excellentlinearity (R² &gt; 0.999), and satisfactory precision,withall intra- and interassay coefficients of variation below 25%. Nosignificant quantitative differences were observed between the quadruplexassay and the corresponding singleplex assays (Wilcoxon signed-ranktest, <em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). When applied to 38 wastewatersamplescollected across multiple settings, the assay detected all four virusesat rates of 65.79%–81.58%, with 89.47% of samples positivefor two or more viruses, underscoring the value of multiplex monitoringfor cocirculating respiratory viruses. Compared with reverse transcriptionquantitative PCR, the assay showed good qualitative agreement withthe evaluated commercial quadruplex RT-qPCR kit (<em><strong>κ</strong></em> = 0.625–0.855, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), althoughdiscordant results were target-dependent. These findings support thefeasibility of the developed assay for multiplex detection of respiratoryviruses in wastewater under the conditions tested.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6750–6760"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153026","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":"Comparative Screening of Private, Public, and Bottled Drinking Water In Vitro Bioactivity","authors":"Paul M. Bradley,&nbsp;Kristin M. Romanok,&nbsp;Kelly L. Smalling,&nbsp;Stephanie E. Gordon,&nbsp;Sergei S. Makarov,&nbsp;Alexander V. Medvedev,&nbsp;Molly L. Schreiner","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00936","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00936","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study compares <em>in vitro</em> bioactivityprofilesof extracts from private tapwater (51 samples), public tapwater (143samples), and bottled water (31 samples), using high-throughput, multiplex,transcription factor screening. Of 48 biological end points tested,25 showed significant (≥50% above the field blank) activity.Frequently detected (≥10% of samples) bioactivities (in decreasingorder) included xenobiotic metabolism (pregnane X receptor [<em>PXR</em>], aryl hydrocarbon receptor [<em>AhR</em>]),antioxidant response (antioxidant response element-binding nuclearfactor erythroid 2-related factor 2 [<em>NRF2</em>], activatorprotein 1 [<em>AP-1</em>]), endocrine signaling (estrogenreceptor [<em>ER</em>], peroxisome proliferator-activatedreceptor [<em>PPAR</em>]), and metals response (metals responseelement [<em>MRE</em>]). Significant bioactivities were observedacross all drinking water supplies, with some statistical differencesidentified. Bioactivities were moderately to strongly correlated withseveral individual exposure and corresponding benchmark- or activity-weightedmetrics, particularly for disinfection byproducts. Significant (α= 0.05) but weak correlations between measured bioactivity resemblancepatterns and those of the inorganic–organic exposure, toxicity-quotient(TQ), and exposure-activity-ratio (EAR) resemblance matrices suggestthat key drivers of observed drinking water bioactivity were not capturedby the extensive, targeted exposure assessment. Results highlightthe need for effects-based monitoring combined with improved exposureanalysis to better assess health risks from low-level contaminantmixtures in drinking water.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6796–6806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153032","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":"Complex Degradation of PBAT and PLA in Estuarine and Coastal Waters","authors":"Tracey Read,&nbsp;Clement Matthew Chan,&nbsp;Céline Chaléat,&nbsp;Bronwyn Laycock,&nbsp;Paul Lant,&nbsp;Steven Pratt","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00672","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00672","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the environmental degradation of biodegradableplasticsunder realistic aquatic conditions is critical for assessing theircontribution to microplastic pollution. Here, we report an 18-month <em>in situ</em> study of the degradation of poly(butylene adipate-<em>co</em>-terephthalate) (PBAT), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and linearlow-density polyethylene (LLDPE) sheets deployed in marine and estuarineenvironments under benthic and surface exposure conditions. PBAT showedhighly variable degradation, with mass loss ranging from 5% in likelyanaerobic or oxygen-limited benthic marine settings to 93% in estuarineconditions. After 10 months of exposure, mechanical property deteriorationand molecular weight loss were evident, with fragmentation into macro-and mesoplastics at several sites. PLA also exhibited a decrease inmolecular weight and mechanical properties over time, resulting infragmentation at all sites to various extents after 18 months, butit showed minimal mass loss, indicating slow bulk degradation andlikely persistence of both macro- and microplastics. LLDPE remainedlargely unchanged with no significant mechanical changes, supportingthe probability of long-term persistence of polyethylene. Overall,the results highlight that degradation and microplastic formationof PBAT and PLA samples are nonlinear and highly dependent on aquaticenvironmental conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6529–6544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153039","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":"Formation of Refractory Monomethylmercury Pools by Particle Adsorption","authors":"Sonja Gindorf,&nbsp;Abhinav Bharadwaj Tirunaghari,&nbsp;Charlotte Haugk,&nbsp;Alyssa Azaroff,&nbsp;A. Britta K. Sannel,&nbsp;Sofi Jonsson","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00243","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00243","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Adsorption of mercury (Hg) onto particles is known tolimit Hgavailability for important biogeochemical processes, including themethylation of Hg and biological uptake of monomethylmercury (MMHg).However, the extent to which particle adsorption forms refractoryHg pools, i.e., pools not readily available for desorption, remainslargely unexplored. Here, we present novel data on the formation ofrefractory particle-bound MMHg in slurries prepared from environmentalsoils and waters representing a gradient from terrestrially influencedto marine systems. Refractory pools were quantified from differencesin equilibrium partitioning between adsorption (up to 48 h) and desorption(up to 8 weeks) using an isotopically labeled MMHg tracer. Refractoryparticle-bound MMHg pools formed in all soil–water slurry combinations.The organic carbon content in soil and water increased and decreasedpartitioning coefficients, respectively, while effects on refractoryparticulate MMHg formation were less pronounced. These findings demonstratethe importance of considering refractory MMHg pools when predictingthe fate and associated environmental risks of MMHg exported fromterrestrial systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6247–6255"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149152996","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":"Degradation of Brill Red 10B Textile Dye: A Comparative Study of Coconut Husk Biochar Immobilized Bacteria and Eichhornia crassipes-Mediated Ag/ZnO Nanoparticles","authors":"Srimurali S,&nbsp;Sowmiya K,&nbsp;Shri Ranjini S,&nbsp;Rajesh Kannan V,&nbsp;Sumathi C. Samiappan","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00116","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigates the degradation of BrilliantRed 10B dyein textile wastewater using four sustainable treatment strategies: <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>-mediated biodegradation, coconuthusk biochar adsorption, immobilized bacterial systems, and green-synthesizedAg/ZnO nanoparticles. Seven bacterial isolates were cultured fromtextile wastewater, characterized, and the BRDB 3 isolate achievedup to 75.2% dye degradation under optimized conditions. Biochar preparedfrom coconut husk by pyrolysis at 600 °C removed 100% of dyeat low concentrations within one hour. Immobilized BRDB 3 and BRDB4 resulted in 85.07% and 78.85% degradation, respectively. Ag/ZnOnanoparticles synthesized with <em>Eichhornia crassipes</em> extract exhibited rapid dye degradation, reaching 80% in 20 minunder sunlight. CHB was the most effective adsorbent (91.6% removal)when used on real textile wastewater, followed by immobilized BRDB3 (83.27%), and Ag/ZnO NPs had intermediate performance (32.11%).The GC–MS analysis showed that Ag/ZnO NPs acted as extensivemolecular breakers, which generated a range of low-molecular-weightcompounds. In contrast, Coconut husk biochar and immobilized bacterialtreatments yielded high degradation rates but left some persistenthigh-molecular-weight residues. These findings indicate the moderatelygood catalytic performance of the Ag/ZnO nanoparticles and establishthe importance of combining the biological and adsorptive frameworksto achieve effective textile wastewater purification.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6230–6246"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153134","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":"Chelating Agent-Mediated Pathways for PFOA Degradation and Defluorination in Fe3O4-Catalyzed H2O2 Reactions","authors":"Yi-Wei Biao,&nbsp;Bai-Quan Cheng,&nbsp;Wan-Ru Chen","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00506","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a widely used per- andpolyfluoroalkylsubstance, is persistent in the environment and linked to health concerns,leading to strict regulations and the need for remediation strategies.This study explores PFOA degradation using magnetite (Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;)-catalyzed H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;. To address theslow reaction rate of heterogeneous catalysts, five chelating agents(CAs) were tested as enhancements to investigate their influence onthe Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;–H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; process.Central composite design results showed that increasing H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; concentrations (0 to 2 M) improved PFOA degradation,but Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; needed to remain within 3–5.5g/L for optimal performance. Even under the optimized conditions,only 15% of PFOA was degraded after 48 h. However, adding chelatingagents significantly improved degradation rates. Ascorbic acid (AA)and oxalic acid (OX) were the most effective, enhancing PFOA degradationto 81.2% and 77.2%, respectively, compared to citric acid (27.3%)&gt; phosphonoacetic acid (23.4%) &gt; &lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt;-methyliminodiaceticacid (12.1%). Mechanistic studies revealed that AA accelerates theinitial reaction by reducing Fe&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt; to Fe&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, increasingthe initial-stage &lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;obs,0–10min&lt;/sub&gt; from0.0077 to 0.0304 min&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;. In contrast, OX facilitatesthe rapid dissolution of Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, forming a complexwith Fe&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; that improves H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; utilizationand significantly accelerates the reaction at the initial stage. Theobserved &lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;obs,0–2min&lt;/sub&gt; and &lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;obs,2–10min&lt;/sub&gt; are 0.4392 and 0.0189 min&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;, respectively. After approximately 10–20 min,the oxidized product of AA, despite losing its reducing capacity,continued to dissolve Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;. This maintainshigher reactivity in the Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;–H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-AA reaction (&lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;obs,10–180min&lt;/sub&gt; = 0.0050 min&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;). In contrast, the Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;–H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;–OX reactionalmost stopped (&lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;obs,10–180min&lt;/sub&gt; =0.0009 min&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;) due to Fe&lt;sup&gt;3+&lt;/sup&gt;–OX complexformation. Quenching experiments identified superoxide radicals asthe key reactive species responsible for PFOA degradation. Productanalysis further revealed that AA facilitated partial mineralization,as evidenced by the generation of short-chain perfluorocarboxylicacids and measurable fluoride release (∼50% of total fluorine).In contrast, F&lt;sup&gt;–&lt;/sup&gt; was not detectable in the OX system,suggesting limited defluorination despite substantial PFOA degradation.Similar degradation behaviors were also observed for other PFAS, includingperfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid(PFHxS), indicating that the identified pathways may be applicableto a broader range of PFAS. These findings highlight the critical","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6363–6373"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153195","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":"Microbial Mechanisms of Biofilm Reactor Degradation of Refractory Phenolic Compounds Driven by Dissolved Oxygen Gradient","authors":"Fulin Jia,&nbsp;Jingxin Shi","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00995","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00995","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigated how progressively enhanced oxygensupplyaffected mixed-phenolic-compound removal and microbial niche differentiationin biofilm reactors. Four 250 mL reactors containing suspended sludgeand polyurethane (PU) carriers treated synthetic wastewater with sixphenolic compounds at total phenol (TPh) concentrations of 10–300mg/L. Oxygen availability was varied through sealed, limited-gas exchange,partial-gas exchange, and fully open configurations rather than fixeddissolved oxygen set points. At 300 mg/L TPh, R3 and R4 achieved finalremoval efficiencies of 99.99% and 99.62%, respectively, whereas R1and R2 deteriorated under high loading. In a representative 48 h batchtest, R4 achieved 79.92% TPh removal at 16 h compared with 66.45%for R3, indicating faster early stage removal under the strongestoxygen-supply condition. 16S rDNA sequencing showed distinct suspended-sludgeand PU-biofilm communities, with <em>Rhodanobacter</em> predominatingin the R4 PU biofilm. PICRUSt2 and FAPROTAX predicted shifts towardcarbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, electron-transfer-relatedfunctions, and oxidative aromatic-compound transformation under enhancedoxygen availability. These findings support oxygen-supply managementas a useful strategy for high-strength phenolic wastewater treatmentwhile identifying the need for validation with real wastewater anddirect transformation-product analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6807–6820"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149152858","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":"Advantages of Compound Electrocoagulation–Filtration with Calotropis procera for the Treatment of Emulsified Oil in Water","authors":"Odilon Junio Gonçalves de Oliveira,&nbsp;Flávio Duarte Couto Oliveira,&nbsp;Eduardo Perini Muniz,&nbsp;Paulo Sérgio da Silva Porto","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00483","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Emulsified oil removal from water was evaluated usingelectrocoagulation(EC) with aluminum electrodes coupled to filtration through <em>in natura</em><em>Calotropis procera</em> (CP) fibers. The integrated EC–CP system outperformed filtrationalone and maintained higher efficiency at increased flow rates thanstandalone EC. At the highest flow rate tested (6 mL·s^–1), it achieved 97 ± 2% oil removal (OR%T), 91 ± 1% chemicaloxygen demand reduction (COD%T), and 99.6 ± 0.4% turbidity removal(Turb%T). Higher flow also lowered specific energy consumption to1.2 kWh·m^–3, less than half the value for aflow rate of 2 mL·s^–1. Overall, operating atelevated flow rates reduced average energy cost (<em>C</em>_energy) by 72% and operational cost (<em>C</em>_op) by up to 67%, because larger volumes could be treatedwhile preserving higher OR% than pure EC. The best combined performancefor COD%T, Turb%T, and OR%T occurred at 6 mL·s^–1 and an electrode inversion time (ti) of 20 s.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6354–6362"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149152840","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":"Indicator Compliance in Bulk Water Does Not Reflect Biofilm-Associated Microbial Community Composition or Potential Risk in UV-C LED-Treated Rainwater Harvesting Systems","authors":"Christelle Schang,&nbsp;Tristan M. Nolan,&nbsp;Karl G. Linden,&nbsp;Nicholas D. Crosbie,&nbsp;Heather M. Murphy,&nbsp;David T. McCarthy,&nbsp;Debbie Lee","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00646","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00646","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems are increasingly usedto supplementpotable and nonpotable water supplies but remain understudied withrespect to biofilm-associated microbial risk. This study used a pilot-scale,temperature-controlled pipe loop to investigate how pipe material(copper and cross-linked polyethylene, PEX) and point-of-use ultraviolet-Clight-emitting diode (UV-C LED) disinfection influence bulk waterquality and biofilm microbial communities. UV-C LED treatment reduced <em>Escherichia coli</em> and total coliforms to below detectionlimits (&lt;0.5 most probable number/100 mL, MPN/100 mL) across allpipe materials and temperatures, matching conventional mercury-vaporultraviolet performance in the single warm-copper configuration whereboth technologies were directly compared. Despite compliant bulk waterquality, putative opportunistic pathogen-associated genera, including <em>Legionella</em>, <em>Pseudomonas</em>, and <em>Mycobacterium</em>, persisted within pipe-surface biofilms. Pipe material stronglyinfluenced biofilm ecology independent of UV treatment or temperature.PEX supported greater microbial diversity and greater absolute <em>Legionella</em> abundance, whereas copper supported lower overalldiversity but a higher relative abundance of pathogen-associated genera.These findings demonstrate that compliance with traditional fecalindicator organisms does not necessarily reflect biofilm-associatedmicrobial risk in RWH systems and highlight the importance of combiningpoint-of-use disinfection with material-aware biofilm management.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6503–6515"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153046","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}