Utilizing waste-derived carbon source for partial denitrification-anammox process: Wastewater- and sludge-derived organics.

The partial denitrification-anammox (PDA) process is a promising and sustainable technology for nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. It is well-suited for mainstream nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater, polishing of anammox for ammonia-rich wastewater treatment, and simultaneous treatment of nitrate and ammonia containing wastewater. While the PDA process reduces external carbon source consumption by over 40 %, it still requires additional carbon input.

Phosphorus enrichment altering the effects of antimony on cyanobacteria: Environmental implications for bloom management in surface waters.

The coexistence of antimony (Sb) contamination from textile industries and phosphorus (P) enrichment poses a significant yet understudied threat to aquatic ecosystems. This study elucidates how P availability determines Sb toxicity in cyanobacteria. Under P-deficient conditions (0 and 3.

Direct Quantification of Ion Partitioning and Diffusion Resistances in Reverse Osmosis Membranes via Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

Polyamide (PA) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are crucial for water desalination and purification, where salt ion transport is governed by partitioning and diffusion through the PA film. Despite extensive research, decoupling these two steps and quantifying their relative contributions remain challenging due to the lack of reliable characterization methods. Here, we develop a rapid, reproducible electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) protocol incorporating advanced electrical equivalent circuits to directly quantify partitioning and diffusion resistance.

Enhanced activation of peroxymonosulfate for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid elimination by Mo/VO: in situ vanadium cyclic utilization.

The solid vanadium (V) oxides are known for their excellent catalytic ability in varied gas/liquid phase reactions. However, there is a paucity of studies that utilize liquid-phase VO activation of peroxymonosulfate(PMS) for the degradation of organic pollutants. In this study, VO/PMS system was explored for oxidative degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and molybdenum (Mo) was introduced to promote the regeneration of low-valent vanadium species and enhance the removal of 2,4-D.

Interfacial reactions and speciation identification during arsenic treated with nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) in water: A review.

This perspective briefly summarized the progress of inorganic arsenic (As) treated with nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) in water over the past two decades. The intrinsic interfacial reaction between As and nZVI encompassed multiple effects, such as complexation, oxidation, reduction, and co-precipitation, ascribed to core-shell structure of nZVI and environmental behavior of As in water. Surface complexation occurred via ligand exchange of arsenate anions with Fe-OH groups on the iron oxide shell.

Characteristics of atmospheric reduced-sulfur compounds at a suburban site of Shanghai.

Atmospheric dimethyl sulfide (DMS, CHSCH) and methanethiol (MeSH, CHSH) have been widely studied and recognized to significantly constrain the atmospheric sulfur budget. Nevertheless, while the role of DMS and MeSH remains largely uncertain in inland regions, learning about dimethyl disulfide (DMDS, CHSSCH) is also limited. In this study, we measured atmospheric DMS, MeSH and DMDS in winter, from 19 December 2022 to 30 January 2023, and spring, from 24 April to 2 June 2023 with a Vocus proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Vocus PTR-TOF) at the Dianshan Lake (DSL) Air Quality Monitoring Supersite in a suburban area of Shanghai, China.

Immunosuppressive role of benzo[a]pyrene exposure in prostate cancer progression.

Epidemiological studies indicate that prostate cancer (PCa) is the second prevalent malignant tumor affecting men globally. Environmental pollution such as cigarette smoke is one of the important risk factors for the development of prostate cancer. However, as one of the main carcinogens in cigarette smoke, the role of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in prostate cancer is still unclear.

Microbial and functional resilience of a flocculent sludge-based partial denitrification-anammox system against cold temperature.

The anammox process offers low-carbon, cost-effective solution for municipal wastewater treatment but faces challenges in non-tropical regions due to temperature sensitivity. This study investigated the nitrogen removal performance, microbial dynamics, and functional gene responses of an integrated partial denitrification-anammox (PDA) system using flocculent sludge under gradual and sudden temperature declines. The PDA process maintained stable nitrogen removal under gradual cooling, with effluent total nitrogen (TN) <1.

Efficient conversion of municipal sludge to practical carbon source via N/MO in catalytic wet air oxidation.

The residual liquid phase after wet air oxidation of sludge has long been recognized as a potential carbon source due to its richness in volatile fatty acids (VFAs). However, nitrogen inevitably accumulates in the form of ammonia during the process, undermining the goal of adding a carbon source to aid bioreactors in nitrogen removal. To address this issue, different N/MO catalysts were synthesized with noble metal (N=Ru, Pt, Pd) and metal oxide supports (MO=AlO, TiO, CeO, ZrO).

Harnessing conductive materials for sustainable food waste treatment: Comparative evaluation of biochar and magnetite in volatile fatty acid production.

Anaerobic fermentation offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to converting food waste (FW) into high-value volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Although both carbon- and metal-based conductive materials can enhance VFAs yields during FW fermentation, a comprehensive comparison of these materials and their underlying mechanisms remains unexplored, limiting their practical selection and application. This study systematically investigated the differences between biochar and magnetite, which are representative carbon- and metal-based conductive materials, in promoting VFAs production during FW fermentation.

Concurrent Formation of Low-Maturity EC and BrC in Biomass and Coal Burning: O-PAH as a Precursor.

Black carbon (BC) significantly influences climate change through light absorption. Traditional emission inventories equate BC with elemental carbon (EC) and overlook the variability in its properties across sources, leading to uncertainties in climate predictions. This study shows that EC from solid fuel combustion contains substantial low-maturity EC (char), whose emissions increase alongside the light absorption of soluble organic carbon (OC) as the fuel aromaticity rises.

Phytoremediation of OTC-Cu/Zn contaminated sediment: Synergetic removal mechanism and microbial community response.

Antibiotics and heavy metals (HMs) from aquiculture enter waters and eventually sink into sediments. However, sediments carrying excessive contaminants can become a source of contamination. Macrophytes are frequently employed to treat water contaminated with HMs due to their adaptability, rapid growth rate, and ability to extract contaminants.

MPs Entering Human Circulation through Infusions: A Significant Pathway and Health Concern.

Human uptake of microplastic particles (MPs) is causing increasing health concerns, and there is mounting pressure to evaluate the associated risks. While MPs can be ingested, breathed in, or drank in, a very direct entrance channel is available through ingress into the bloodstream. Intravenous infusion usually proceeds from plastic bottles.

Microstructure-Dependent Ion Selectivity in Graphene Oxide-Based Membranes.

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes hold promise for precise separation due to their unique laminar structures and tunable separation properties. However, although water transport in GO membranes has been extensively investigated, the key mechanisms governing ion transport and selectivity remain poorly understood. In this work, we fabricated pristine and propylenediamine (PPD)/pentamethylenediamine (PTD)-cross-linked GO membranes via vacuum filtration and employed low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) to elucidate their nanoscale pore architectures, including pinholes and structural defects.

A review of enhancement of chlorophenol bioremediation using synergistic effects between zero-valent iron and microorganisms.

Chlorophenols (CPs) are a class of synthetic organic chemicals that are widely distributed in soil and groundwater, posing significant risks to human health and the environment due to persistence, acute toxicity, and potential carcinogenicity. Zero-valent iron (ZVI) has emerged as a promising remediation technique for CPs, but its efficacy is often hindered by surface passivation, non-target competition, and limited mobility in the subsurface. While CPs are inherently biodegradable, their high toxicity and the lack of functional enzymes in indigenous microbial systems restrict the effectiveness of bioremediation.

Effect of Rh Loading on the Performance of Rh/CeO in CH Combustion: Important Role of Forming RhO Nanoparticles.

In order to avoid the emission of CH into the air, catalytic combustion of CH is a practical solution, but it is challenging to develop efficient catalysts due to the inertness of CH. Herein, Rh/CeO catalysts with different Rh loadings were synthesized and compared. The catalytic activities in CH oxidation were found to increase with an increase of Rh loading.

Prediction of airborne bacterial concentrations and identification of critical factors in contaminated waste facilities: Insights into interpretable machine learning models.

The efficient prediction of airborne bacterial concentrations is crucial for better understanding and management of environmental sanitation risks in waste facilities. Traditional linear models have proven inadequate in capturing the complex relationships governing the formation of airborne microorganisms. This study developed four machine learning (ML) models to estimate airborne bacterial concentrations in waste facilities regarding the combined dataset as input features.

Exploring the ecological niche of comammox Nitrospira by in-situ enrichment within mainstream nitrification systems.

Complete-ammonia-oxidization bacteria (Comammox Nitrospira) hold promising potential for reducing carbon footprint in mainstream wastewater treatment. However, the inadequate understanding of comammox Nitrospira within wastewater systems has greatly hindered the utilization of these novel microbial resources. This study explored the ecological niche of comammox Nitrospira within mainstream nitrification systems by enriching them under varied operational conditions.

Synergistic Oxygen Vacancy and Dual-Electron Centers for Enhancing Peroxymonosulfate Activation by Fe─Mn─Mg LDH/BC: Insights into the Key Roles of Magnesium.

Enhancing singlet oxygen (O)-dominated nonradical oxidation with higher selectivity and longer lifetime is crucial for efficient antibiotic degradation. Herein, Fe/Mn/Mg layered double hydroxides (FeMnMg-LDH) modified rice husk biochar composites (BC/FeMMg-LDH, x = 1, 2, and 3) are prepared to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for sulfamethazine (SMT) removal. Increasing Mg content in FeMnMg-LDH enhances catalytic efficiency, achieving 99.

Machine learning-optimized advanced oxidation for enhanced sludge dewatering: EPS mechanistic insights and predictive modeling.

The recalcitrant nature of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in sewage sludge severely limits dewatering efficiency. While advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) disrupt EPS matrices, their optimization remains challenging. This study integrates machine learning (ML) with AOPs to establish predictive frameworks for parameter optimization.

Depassivation of Zero-Valent Iron through Continuous Surface Renewal with Mechanochemical Processing.

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is a solid reductant that can react with a wide array of contaminants; however, its effectiveness is significantly reduced by the surface passivation layer formed on its surface. This study introduces mechanochemical depassivation to revitalize passivated ZVI and restore its reactivity. The method is exemplified through mechanical milling to depassivate ZVI with different passivation layers formed in solutions containing Cr(VI), Ni(II), and/or trichloroethylene, as well as in a complex water matrix.

Deciphering Mechanisms of Silica-Metal Scaling on RO Membranes via 3D Structural and Compositional Analysis.

Deciphering the structure and composition of the scaling layer is crucial for understanding its formation mechanisms in the reverse osmosis (RO) process. However, conventional characterization techniques face challenges in providing high three-dimensional resolution and precise compositional analysis of mixed scales, which hinders in-depth elucidation of the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we combined the exceptional depth resolution of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and the superior mixed-scale discrimination capability of thermogravimetry-infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR) to analyze Si/Al scaling, a common issue in industrial RO systems.

Hydrochar relieved long chain fatty acids (LCFA) inhibition in continuous anaerobic reactor treating food waste.

In the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, high concentration of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) can inhibit the metabolic activities of microorganisms and even cause reactor collapse. The present study showed hydrochar enhanced the methane production from LCFA-inhibited food waste by 37.2 % in a semi-continuous flow anaerobic reactor.

Full-scale studies are closer to reality than lab-scale ones: Tertiary treatment constructed wetlands maintain robust removal capability for pharmaceuticals and personal care products in cold weather conditions.

In contrast to previous lab-scale studies, full-scale studies show that low temperatures do not significantly hinder pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) removal in tertiary treatment constructed wetland (CW) systems. This study investigated PPCP removal pathways (substrate adsorption, plant uptake, microbial degradation) in two full-scale CWs, highlighting the differences between full-scale and lab-scale study outcomes. Results demonstrated that low temperatures did not adversely affect PPCP removal in full-scale CWs.