ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-09-28DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c01035
Chun Liu, Yajie Sun, Jiahui Liang, Tian Xie, Jing Zhang, Yanqiong Wang, Xuesong Hui, Hongwu Wang
{"title":"Iron-Mediated Molecular Degradation and Macromolecular Transformation of Quinolone Antibiotics: From Enhancement Mechanisms to Transformation Product Profiles and Ecotoxicity Evolution","authors":"Chun Liu, Yajie Sun, Jiahui Liang, Tian Xie, Jing Zhang, Yanqiong Wang, Xuesong Hui, Hongwu Wang","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c01035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c01035","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Quinolone antibiotics, a class of persistent emergingcontaminants,are difficult to completely remove with conventional wastewater treatmentprocesses. Iron-based materials have been widely applied to enhancequinolone antibiotic removal through diverse physicochemical and biologicalpathways. This review systematically compares iron-mediated advancedoxidation processes (AOPs), biological treatment, and abiotic humificationfor quinolone antibiotic removal, with an emphasis on enhancementmechanisms, transformation-product profiles, and ecotoxicity evolution.Iron enhanced quinolone removal through oxidant activation and reactiveoxygen species generation in AOPs, regulation of microbial metabolismin biological systems, and nucleophilic addition and coprecipitationduring abiotic humification. Integration of reported transformationpathways, predicted toxicity, and experimental bioassays indicatesthat iron involvement not only promotes parent-compound removal butalso reshapes transformation products and associated ecological risks.In degradation-dominated systems, quinolones mainly undergo side-chainmodification, defluorination, piperazine ring cleavage, quinolone-coredestruction, and further degradation. Sufficient oxidation generallyfavors toxicity reduction in AOPs, whereas toxicity evolution in biologicalsystems is less predictable, because antibacterial intermediates maypersist. In abiotic humification systems, macromolecular transformationmay reduce predicted ecotoxicity by promoting quinolone sequestrationinto humic-like products. Overall, this Review provides a comprehensiveunderstanding of iron-mediated quinolone antibiotic removal by linkingenhancement mechanisms, transformation pathways, and ecological riskevolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6216–6229"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153010","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-09-16DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00467
Zhiquan Xiang, Min Xu, Lizeng Peng, Feng Wu, Dong Li, Chuan Jin
{"title":"Engineering Applications and Mechanistic Studies of the Combination of Aerobic Granular Sludge and the AAO Process in a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant","authors":"Zhiquan Xiang, Min Xu, Lizeng Peng, Feng Wu, Dong Li, Chuan Jin","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00467","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A full-scalewastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (4 × 10<sup>4</sup> t/d) wasemployed as the experimental site to investigatethe granulation process and application of aerobic granular sludge(AGS) in an anaerobic–anoxic–oxic system via bioaugmentedinoculation (AAGS). This study addresses the lack of a practical low-interruptionretrofit route for implementing AGS in full-scale continuous-flowAAO systems and the limited understanding of how bioenhancer-assistednucleation works together with sludge selection and hydraulic regulationduring granulation. The results demonstrated that the bioenhancersfacilitated initial nucleation through surface adsorption, forminga filamentous framework that promoted microbial aggregation, as theenhancers offered attachment sites, accelerating cell interactionsand retaining slow-growing microbes. Meanwhile, tightly bound extracellularpolymeric substances enhanced granule structural stability via hydrophobicinteractions, minimizing disintegration under shear. Within the system,hydrodynamic shear force fostered the development of anaerobic–aerobicmicroenvironments inside the granules, thereby enabling niche differentiationbetween <em>Nitrospira</em> and denitrifiers, due to layeredoxygen gradients supporting simultaneous nitrification–denitrification.The production-scale trial achieved AGS granulation within 30 days,with average COD, TN, and TP removal efficiencies of 87.4%, 79.4%,and 93.3%, respectively, through bioaugmentation and hydraulic optimization,demonstrating the potential of this technology for retrofitting continuous-flowWWTPs.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6325–6338"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153120","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-09-16DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00555
Imma Ferrer, Susheera Pochiraju, E. Michael Thurman
{"title":"Benzene Sulfonic Acids as Unique Aquatic Contaminants from Urban Runoff at the Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI)","authors":"Imma Ferrer, Susheera Pochiraju, E. Michael Thurman","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00555","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change has driven warmer fall and early wintertemperaturesin the Mountain States of the United States, creating dry and windyconditions that contributed to the rapid spread of the Marshall Fire,which burned approximately 2500 hectares in Boulder County, Colorado,and destroyed around 1100 homes in under 2 days at the end of 2021.Ash and smoke entered nearby streams, posing potential risks to drinkingwater quality. Characterization of over 50 unknown compounds, includingisomers, revealed a suite of benzene sulfonic acids (BSAs) in streamwater and runoff from burned urban areas. These compounds have neverbeen reported in wildfires or fires at the wildland–urban interface(WUI). Thus, BSAs may serve as unique indicators of WUI fire impactson drinking water sources. A second urban fire, the Nederland Fire(September 2025 in Colorado), replicated the occurrence of these BSAsas tracers of WUI fire impact on drinking water sources. Finally,laboratory experiments indicate that drywall (gypsum board) is onesource of BSAs, as confirmed by LC/QTOF-MS analysis.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6391–6399"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153157","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-09-22DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00758
Alinne de Assis Veras Queiroz, Célsio Assane, Andriane de Melo Rodrigues, Édio Damásio da Silva Júnior
{"title":"Water Stress Index (WSI) of the Araguaia River Basin, Brazil","authors":"Alinne de Assis Veras Queiroz, Célsio Assane, Andriane de Melo Rodrigues, Édio Damásio da Silva Júnior","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00758","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Araguaia RiverBasin (ARB), located in Brazil and positionedat the transition between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, stands outfor its socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural importance. Theregion contains extensive irrigated agricultural areas and numerouscommunities that depend directly on its water resources. This studyevaluated the Water Stress Index (WSI) in the ARB by harmonizing thedistinct water-allocation criteria adopted by the different statesthat comprise the basin, integrating heterogeneous definitions ofallowable withdrawal limits and regulatory thresholds into a unifiedanalytical framework. We analyzed data on surface water withdrawalpermits, water availability, and WSI values. Irrigation represents72% of surface water withdrawals and exceeds 94% of total demand inseveral sub-basins. More than 10 billion m<sup>3</sup> of water arewithdrawn annually, with the highest concentrations in the Alto MédioAraguaia, Vermelho, Alto Rio das Mortes, and Formoso sub-basins, allclassified as areas of highly critical water stress. Near to 25% ofthe analyzed area already exhibits severe water-stress conditions,a trend that may intensify due to increasing agricultural demand,weak permit-control mechanisms, the effects of climate change, andthe lack of harmonized water-management practices among the states.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6613–6625"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153050","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":"Environmental DNA Reveals Typhoon-Driven Multitrophic Food Web Reorganization in a Subtropical River","authors":"Rongxiang Wu, Kai He, Bo Li, Peizu Ruan, Feng Lin, Yun Zhang, Maochuan Hu, Xiaohong Chen, Bingjun Liu, Bing Yang, Qidong Yin","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00997","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Pairedpre- and post-typhoon environmental DNA surveys examinedhow typhoon disturbance was reflected in multitrophic community andfood web organization in the Lianjiang River basin, China. Phytoplankton,zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates (benthos), and fish were integratedinto an empirically constrained multitrophic network. Within thisintegrated framework, signed associations, pathway analysis, and thetrophic coupling index (TCI) assessed changes in potential trophicassociations and trophic coupling across four biological groups. Typhoondisturbance produced little overall change in alpha diversity, whereasbeta diversity and taxonomic composition differed between periods,indicating community reassembly across all four groups. This contrastmotivated the analysis of trophic organization. The post-typhoon networkwas denser, with positive edges increasing from 991 to 1769 and negativeedges declining from 941 to 772. TCI+ increased from 19.63 to 26.15,whereas TCI– decreased from 23.49 to 13.63, and pathway analysisshowed that changes were concentrated in selected trophic pathways.Because the networks represent potential trophic associations ratherthan direct feeding interactions, they are best used to compare changesin trophic organization under consistent sampling and analytical procedures.This eDNA-derived framework can provide a diagnostic layer for post-typhoonriver assessment when alpha diversity alone is weakly responsive.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6821–6832"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153023","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":"Distribution and Transfer of Mercury in the Soil–Plant Systems of the Yellow River Estuary Coastal Wetland: Important Roles of the River–Sea Interaction","authors":"Xiaoquan Liu, Zheng Li, Wenfang Zhao, Yingying Chen, Yingjun Wang, Xiaomeng Ji, Qingzhe Zhang, Yue Song, Yanbin Li, Yongguang Yin, Yong Cai","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00840","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Coastal estuarine wetlands are vulnerable to river overflowsandtidal inputs, yet their roles in mercury (Hg) cycling remain unclear,especially regarding soil Hg distribution, neurotoxic methylmercury(MeHg) production, and plant accumulation. This study investigatedthe spatial patterns and transfer of total Hg (THg) and MeHg in soilsand plants of the Yellow River Estuary wetland (YREW). Soil THg (14.6± 6.09 ng/g) decreased from the river bank and coast toward wetlandinteriors, consistent with the weakening influence of Yellow Riverdischarge and Bohai Sea tidal inputs. Soil MeHg (0.0837 ± 0.0521ng/g) showed a broadly similar spatial pattern but was likely influencedby external inputs and <em>in situ</em> Hg methylation. Tidal-influencedsoils exhibited higher MeHg/THg ratios (0.715–0.944%, commonlyrepresenting Hg methylation) compared to river-dominated soils (0.389–0.397%),probably suggesting relatively greater MeHg production and/or accumulationunder stronger tidal influence. Moreover, plant THg and MeHg accumulationvaried among species and broadly corresponded to soil Hg patterns,suggesting that river–sea interactions may influence plantHg accumulation through soil-derived uptake and species-specific transfer. <em>Suaeda salsa</em> exhibited higher bioconcentration and transferfactors than <em>Spartina alterniflora</em> and <em>Phragmites australis</em>, indicating stronger Hg accumulation and root-to-abovegroundtranslocation.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6685–6695"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153031","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-09-08DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00799
Yong Huang, Yufei Bao, Peng Hu, Qinghui Zeng, Jialong Huang, Shanze Li, Jie Wen, Qian Zhang, Yuchun Wang
{"title":"Methane Cycling in Alpine River-Reservoir Systems: Insights into Microbe-Mediated Mechanisms","authors":"Yong Huang, Yufei Bao, Peng Hu, Qinghui Zeng, Jialong Huang, Shanze Li, Jie Wen, Qian Zhang, Yuchun Wang","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00799","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00799","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Reservoirimpoundment alters riverine habitats and biogeochemicalcycling, influencing diffusive methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) fluxes andregional effects. Research on plain rivers and reservoirs is wellestablished, but studies on CH<sub>4</sub> dynamics and drivers inhigh-altitude river-reservoir ecosystems remain scarce. This studycombined field sampling, monitoring, and metagenomic sequencing atGuoduo Reservoir (upper Zhaqu River, Lancang Basin). The results showedthat diffusive CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes in the reservoir section (105.25± 21.62 μmol·m<sup>–2</sup>·d<sup>–1</sup>) were significantly higher than those in adjacent tributaries (39.97± 6.99 μmol·m<sup>–2</sup>·d<sup>–1</sup>) and the upstream natural river reach (11.24 ± 1.87 μmol·m<sup>–2</sup>·d<sup>–1</sup>). Sediment metagenomicanalyses revealed that acetoclastic methanogenic archaea dominatedthe reservoir sediments, and genomes of <em>Methanothrix</em> harbored complete gene sets encoding key enzymes for acetoclasticmethanogenesis. Lowest upstream diffusive CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes werelinked to aerobic methanotrophs (e.g., <em>Methylobacterium</em>) that oxidize CH<sub>4</sub> and suppress net emissions. Co-occurrencenetwork analysis revealed strong synergies between methane-cyclingmicroorganisms and functional groups (e.g., Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria)that jointly regulate diffusive CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes. The findingsreveal the mechanisms of enhanced diffusive CH<sub>4</sub> emissionsfrom plateau reservoirs, aiding the understanding of carbon cyclingand greenhouse gas assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6656–6671"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153045","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-08-11DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00795
Qihong Zhan, Zepeng Rao, Xin Xiao, Baoliang Chen
{"title":"pH-Regulated Interfacial Charge of Ozone Micro-Nanobubbles Controls ROS Selectivity and Sulfamethoxazole Transformation Pathways","authors":"Qihong Zhan, Zepeng Rao, Xin Xiao, Baoliang Chen","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00795","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00795","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Micronanobubbles(MNBs) offer enhanced interfacial area and distinctinterfacial physicochemical properties, but the mechanistic role ofinterfacial charge in governing ozone-derived reactive oxygen species(ROS) remains inadequately understood. Herein, the pH-dependent interfacialcharge characteristics of ozone micronanobubbles (O<sub>3</sub>-MNBs)were systematically examined to elucidate their influence on sulfamethoxazole(SMX) degradation. O<sub>3</sub>-MNBs increased the apparent degradationrate by approximately 4-fold relative to macrobubbles, with initialenhancement driven by facilitated ozone dissolution and subsequentacceleration governed by interfacial reaction processes. ζ potentialmeasurements and ROS probe analyses demonstrated that solution pHmodulates MNB interfacial charge, thereby regulating pollutant interfacialenrichment and shifting ROS dominance. Acidic conditions promotedhydroxyl radical (<sup>•</sup>OH) formation through interfacialinstability, whereas neutral and alkaline conditions favored the generationof superoxide radicals (O<sub>2</sub><sup>•–</sup>)and singlet oxygen (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>). Quadrupole time-of-flightmass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) further confirmed that these distinctROS regimes correspond to divergent SMX transformation pathways. Thefindings establish interfacial charge regulation as a critical determinantof reaction selectivity in O<sub>3</sub>-MNB systems and provide mechanisticguidance for optimizing MNB-assisted ozonation in advanced water treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6635–6645"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153135","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-08-11DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00893
Yinguo Qiu, Juming Shao, Jie Zhang, Lixing Cai, Tong Wu, Yaqin Jiao, Juhua Luo, Hongtao Duan, Qitao Xiao
{"title":"A Knowledge-Graph-Driven Framework for Intelligent River Pollution Traceability","authors":"Yinguo Qiu, Juming Shao, Jie Zhang, Lixing Cai, Tong Wu, Yaqin Jiao, Juhua Luo, Hongtao Duan, Qitao Xiao","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00893","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00893","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Frequent river pollution incidents threaten drinkingwater safety,ecological balance, and social stability. Rapid and precise sourceidentification is critical for emergency response, yet conventionalmethods suffer from high computational costs, reliance on prior knowledge,and outcome uncertainties. This study proposes an intelligent traceabilityframework using knowledge graph technology. Topological relationshipswere established among multiple factors-mainstream-branch connections,source-sink dynamics, and upstream-downstream monitoring dependencies-alongwith spatial linkages between units, river reaches, and outfalls.Distinctive discharge patterns specific to different industrial sectorswere also characterized. An intelligent river pollution traceabilityframework was developed based on these topological relationships andcharacteristic discharge patterns, implementing a three-stage hierarchicallocalization structure comprising: target river reach, risk spatialunit, and potential pollution source. Field implementation in theRiver Nanfei Watershed achieved significant enhancements in riverpollution traceability, demonstrating improved efficiency (less than20 seconds) and enhanced positional accuracy for the precise localizationof risk units or pollutant discharge entities. This methodologicaladvancement holds significant scientific value, as it enhances emergencyresponse to river pollution and enables precise aquatic resource management─criticalneeds for addressing the escalating pollution challenges facing theworld’s major rivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6773–6784"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153136","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}
ACS ES&T waterPub Date : 2026-10-09Epub Date: 2026-08-17DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.6c00858
Jasneet Pala, S. Nima Mahmoodi, Milad Rabbani Esfahani
{"title":"Mechanism-Specific Fouling Mitigation via Tunable Resonance-Based Magnetic Vibrations in Ultrafiltration Membranes","authors":"Jasneet Pala, S. Nima Mahmoodi, Milad Rabbani Esfahani","doi":"10.1021/acsestwater.6c00858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00858","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fouling remains one of the most significant challengesin membrane-basedseparation processes, reducing productivity and increasing operationalcosts. This study introduces resonance-based magnetic membrane vibrationas a nondestructive, real-time antifouling strategy, where membranesare excited at their natural frequencies to selectively mitigate fouling.Two magnetic membrane configurations were investigated: a centralizedmagnetic membrane (CMM), with iron particles concentrated at the center,and a scattered magnetic membrane (SMM), with particles distributedacross the surface. These distinct distributions produced differentmorphologies, natural frequencies, and fouling behaviors. The firstnatural frequencies of CMM and SMM were 10 and 15 Hz, with thresholdpressures of 18 and 35 psi, respectively, indicating higher intrinsicfouling resistance for SMM. For CMM at 10 psi, vibration at the firstnatural frequency reduced 6 h flux decline from 24.5 to 7.5%. Operationat 85 Hz, corresponding to the (3,1) vibration mode, reduced initialflux decline from 33 to 19%, targeting pore-blocking fouling. A sequentialmultifrequency strategy, 85 Hz for the first 15 min followed by 10Hz, combined both advantages, reducing overall flux decline to 11.4%.These results establish a framework for mechanism-specific, real-timeantifouling control in membrane filtration systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":93847,"journal":{"name":"ACS ES&T water","volume":"6 10","pages":"6696–6707"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153111","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}