Chlorination-induced spread of antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water systems.

Chlorine, the most widely utilized disinfectant for drinking water globally, has recently been implicated in facilitating the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), raising concerns about its underestimated environmental and ecological risks. However, given the current fragmented research focus and results, a comprehensive understanding of the potential mechanisms and influencing factors behind chlorination-promoted ARGs transmission in drinking water systems is crucial. This work is the first to systematically review the variations in abundance, transmission mechanisms, influencing factors, and mitigation strategies related to ARGs during the chlorination process.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics using Z-scheme MIL-88(Fe)/TiC/MoO: Mechanistic insights and toxicity assessment.

Antibiotic residues cause water contamination and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Herein, we reported the fabrication of a novel Z-scheme heterojunction, MIL-88A(Fe)/TiC/MoO (MTO), for safe and efficient removal of antibiotics. TiC was introduced into the MIL-88A(Fe)/MoO (MO) heterojunction as an electronic mediator to accelerate charge separation.

Unlocking Drivers of Country-Specific Sensitivities of Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Accumulation: Preparing for Future Pandemic Management.

The global atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) accumulation trajectory has been subjected to fluctuations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Country-level virus prevalence and geography conditions added complexity to understanding atmospheric GHG accumulation sensitivities in terms of the growth rate. Here, extensive data sets were comprehensively analyzed to capture historical and projected fate of atmospheric GHG concentrations.

pH-dependent medium-chain fatty acid synthesis in waste activated sludge fermentation: Metabolic pathway regulation.

Transforming waste activated sludge (WAS) into medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation (CE) technology is sustainable, yet pH effects on this process are poorly understood. In this study, semi-continuous flow experiments demonstrated that WAS degradation was highest under alkaline pH (10) but unsuitable for CE. Continuous output of MCFAs indicated that CE could be successfully performed under acidic pH (5) and neutral pH (7).

Space-Confinement and in Situ Reduction of Pt with 1T-MoS for Exceptional Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Simulated Seawater.

Efficient catalysts for hydrogen generation from seawater are essential for advancing clean energy technologies. In this study, we present a straightforward method for producing Pt nanoparticles enclosed within metallic 1T-phase MoS nanosheets on graphite paper as a promising catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The resulting 14.

Unraveling temperature effects on caproate and caprylate production from waste activated sludge.

This study explored the impact of different temperatures on the continuous production of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) from waste activated sludge (WAS). Experimental results showed that there was almost no MCFAs accumulation at 55 °C. Both 25 °C and 37 °C were suitable for MCFAs production, with 25 °C favoring high-value caprylate production.

Combination of coagulation and adsorption technologies for advanced wastewater treatment for potable water reuse: By ANN, NSGA-II, and RSM.

To reuse water and reduce water pollution, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), PO, NTU, and NO, advanced wastewater treatment technologies (a combination of coagulation (FeCl) and adsorption (Activated Carbon (AC))) are attractive. Considering that water reclamation can help provide an irrigation system for crops and domestic purified water, removing organic matter and nutrients prior to wastewater reuse is fundamental. In order to remove contaminants like organic matter and nutrients from wastewater, advanced wastewater treatment processes are recommended.

Understanding nitrogen removal and NO emission mechanisms in an anaerobic-swing-anoxic-oxic (ASAO) continuous plug-flow system for low C/N municipal wastewater.

This study aims to investigate effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and aerated hydrodynamic retention time (HRT) on nitrogen removal and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions in a novel anaerobic-swing-anoxic-oxic (ASAO) continuous plug-flow system for treating low carbon to nitrogen ratio municipal wastewater. The swing zones had varying DO levels and volumes, deciding the aerated HRT of the ASAO system. Results showed that low DO level (0.

Revisit the role of hydroxylamine in sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification.

Through dedicated batch tests using the enriched sludge dominated by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), the potential transformation of hydroxylamine (NHOH) by SOB and the effects of NHOH on the rate-limiting sequential reduction processes of sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SDAD) were systematically explored in this study. The results indicated that NHOH might be first converted to NO by SOB and then participate in the SDAD process, thus accelerating the utilization of S and contributing to the formation of NO. Up to 3.

A simple and efficient method for selective recovery of copper from nitric acid leaching solution of printed circuit boards containing nickel, zinc, lead, aluminum, and iron.

The Cu content in discarded printed circuit boards (PCBs) is a crucial aspect, and employing suitable methods for the recovery of Cu holds significance in resource recovery. However, the selective recovery of Cu from an acidic leaching solution containing multiple metals such as Ni, Zn, and Pb poses challenges. L-cys contains the thiol (-SH), the amino (-NH) and the carboxyl (-COOH) groups, which may complex with metal ions.

Bioplastic polyhydroxyalkanoate conversion in waste activated sludge.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have been proposed as a promising solution for plastic pollution due to their biodegradability and diverse applications. To promote PHA as a competitive commercial product, an attractive alternative is to produce and recover PHA in the use of mixed cultures such as waste activated sludge from wastewater treatment plants. PHA can accumulate in sludge with a potential range of 40%-65% g PHA/g VSS.

A state-of-the-art review of environmental behavior and potential risks of biodegradable microplastics in soil ecosystems: Comparison with conventional microplastics.

As the use of biodegradable plastics becomes increasingly widespread, their environmental behaviors and impacts warrant attention. Unlike conventional plastics, their degradability predisposes them to fragment into microplastics (MPs) more readily. These MPs subsequently enter the terrestrial environment.

Electrochemical production of HO and O for sulfide removal from sewage.

In this study, a comparative analysis of two electrochemical methods for sulfide control in sewer networks was performed for the first time. In addition, the mechanism of sulfide control by HO was elucidated, and an analysis of the device operation and electrolyte selection was performed. The two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e-ORR) using untreated gas diffusion electrode (GDE) was superior to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using stainless-steel mesh in terms of cell voltage, product formation, and sulfide suppression.

Interaction of poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride with sludge components: Anaerobic digestion performance and adaptive changes of anaerobic microbes.

The wide utilization of poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) in industrial conditions leads to its accumulation in waste activated sludge (WAS), thereby affecting subsequent WAS treatment processes. This work investigated the interaction between polyDADMAC and WAS components from the perspective of anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and anaerobes adaptability variation. The results showed that polyDADMAC decreased the content of biodegradable organic substrates (i.

Biodegradable microplastics aggravate greenhouse gas emissions from urban lake sediments more severely than conventional microplastics.

Freshwater ecosystems, such as urban lake sediments, have been identified as important sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, as well as persistent sinks for ubiquitous microplastics due to the high population density and frequent anthropogenic activity. The potential impacts of microplastics on GHG production, however, remain underexplored. In this study, four types of common biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) versus four conventional non-biodegradable microplastics (NBMPs) were artificially exposed to urban lake sediments to investigate the responses of nitrous oxide (NO) and methane (CH) production, and make a comparison regarding how the biodegradability of microplastics affected GHG emissions.

Efficient degradation and mineralization of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics by the synergy of sulfate and hydroxyl radicals in a heterogeneous electro-Fenton-activated persulfate oxidation system.

The presence of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics (MPs) in waters has posed considerable threats to the environment and humans. In this work, a heterogeneous electro-Fenton-activated persulfate oxidation system with the FeS-modified carbon felt as the cathode (abbreviated as EF-SR) was proposed for the efficient degradation of PET MPs. The results showed that i) the EF-SR system removed 91.

One-stage anammox and thiocyanate-driven autotrophic denitrification for simultaneous removal of thiocyanate and nitrogen: Pathway and mechanism.

The coupled process of anammox and reduced-sulfur driven autotrophic denitrification can simultaneously remove nitrogen and sulfur from wastewater, while minimizing energy consumption and sludge production. However, the research on the coupled process for removing naturally toxic thiocyanate (SCN) is limited. This work successfully established and operated a one-stage coupled system by co-cultivating mature anammox and SCN-driven autotrophic denitrification sludge in a single reactor.

Ways to mitigate greenhouse gas production from rice cultivation.

Rice cultivation boasts a rich historical legacy, serving as the primary sustenance for over 50% of the global population. However, the cultivation process gives rise to the emission of methane (CH) and nitrous oxide (NO), two potent greenhouse gases. Notably, the global warming potential (GWP) of CH and NO surpasses CO by 27-30 times and 273 times over 100 years, respectively.

Lactobacillus inoculation mediated carboxylates and alcohols production from waste activated sludge fermentation system: Insight into process outcomes and metabolic network.

Producing medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) from waste activated sludge (WAS) is crucial for sustainable chemical industries. This study addressed the electron donor requirement for MCFAs production by inoculating Lactobacillus at varying concentrations (7.94 × 10, 3.

Syntrophic propionate degradation in anaerobic digestion facilitated by hydrochar: Microbial insights as revealed by genome-centric metatranscriptomics.

Propionate is a model substrate for studying energy-limited syntrophic communities in anaerobic digestion, and syntrophic bacteria usually catalyze its degradation in syntrophy with methanogens. In the present study, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics were used to study the effect of the supportive material (e.g.

Role of comammox bacteria in granular bioreactor for nitrogen removal via partial nitritation/anammox.

In this study, two bioprocess models were first constructed with the newly-discovered comammox process described as one-step and two-step nitrification and evaluated against relevant experimental data. The validated models were then applied to reveal the potential effect of comammox bacteria on the granular bioreactor particularly suitable for undertaking partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) under different operating conditions of bulk dissolved oxygen (DO) and influent NH. The results showed although comammox bacteria-based PN/A could achieve > 80.