Microplastic fragmentation into nanoplastics by water shear forces during wastewater treatment: Mechanical insights and theoretical analysis.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are generated from the fragmentation of microplastics (MPs) through mechanical forces such as mixing, sonication and homogenization in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Despite their environmental significance, the formation mechanisms and size distribution of NPs in WWTPs are not well understood. This study presents an in-depth investigation into the fragmentation mechanisms of polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) MPs, sized 250 μm and 106 μm, under simulated WWTP conditions.

Associations between Wastewater Microbiome and Population Smoking Rate Identified Using Wastewater-Based Epidemiology.

Tobacco use is known to cause health damage, partly by changing the mouth, respiratory tract, and gut-related microbiomes. This study aims to identify the associations between the human microbiome detected in domestic wastewater and the population smoking rate. Metagenomic sequencing and a biomarker discovery algorithm were employed to identify microorganisms as potential microbial biomarkers of smoking through wastewater-based epidemiology.

Comparative genomic analysis of ESBL-selected and non-selected Escherichia coli in Australian wastewater: Elucidating differences in diversity, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence profiles.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing E. coli have been proposed as an indicator bacterium for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance within a OneHealth framework. However, it is important to understand the effects and potential biases ESBL-selection has on E.

Impact of bioplastic contamination on the mechanical recycling of conventional plastics.

Quality assurance of a recycled product is currently one of the biggest issues that the plastic recycling industry faces. The purity of the input plastic waste stream has significant influence over the quality of the recycled product. This research evaluated the impact of polylactic acid (PLA) contamination within the input waste stream of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling.

A critical review of the mechanisms, factors, and performance of pervious concrete to remove contaminants from stormwater runoff.

Stormwater can carry pollutants accumulated on impervious surfaces in urban areas into natural water bodies in absence of stormwater quality improvement devices. Pervious concrete (PC) pavement is one of the low-impact development practices introduced for urban flooding prevention and stormwater pollution reduction. PC removes various types of water contaminants.

Elucidating the performance of UV-based photochemical processes for the removal of trace organic contaminants: Degradation and toxicity evaluation.

In this study, the performance of standalone ultraviolet (UV) photolysis and UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), namely, UV/hydrogen peroxide, UV/chlorine, UV/persulphate, and UV/permonosulphate, were investigated for the degradation of 31 trace organic contaminants (TrOCs). Under the tested conditions, standalone UV photolysis did not achieve effective removal of TrOCs. To improve the degradation efficiency of UV photolysis, four different oxidants were added individually to the test solution.

Role of Membrane-Solute Affinity Interactions in Carbamazepine Rejection and Resistance to Organic Fouling by Nano-Engineered UF/PES Membranes.

In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were modified with GO, Ag, ZnO, Ag-GO and ZnO-GO nanoparticles to improve carbamazepine removal and fouling prevention by making membrane surfaces more hydrophilic. The fabricated membranes were characterized for surface and cross-sectional morphology, surface roughness and zeta potential, as well as hydrophilicity, functional groups, surface tension parameters and water permeability Thereafter, the membranes were evaluated for their efficiency in removing MgSO and carbamazepine as well as antifouling properties. To understand the role of affinity interactions in rejection and fouling, membrane-solute adhesion energies (∆Gslm) were quantified based on the Lifshitz-van der Waals/acid-base method.

Microplastics as an emerging contaminant of concern to our environment: a brief overview of the sources and implications.

Over the years, it has become evident that microplastics are one of the most important contaminants of concern requiring significant attention. The large abundance of microplastics that are currently in the environment poses potential toxicity risks to all organisms that are exposed to them. Microplastics have been found to affect the physiological and biological processes in marine and terrestrial organisms.

Evaluating the generation of microplastics from an unlikely source: The unintentional consequence of the current plastic recycling process.

This study casts light on the potential of microplastic generation during plastic recycling - an unintended consequence of the process. To date, microplastics have been detected in the wastewater and sludge from plastic recycling facilities; however, generation pathways, factors and minimisation strategies are understudied. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting microplastic generation, namely, plastic type and weathering conditions.

Responses of syntrophic microbial communities and their interactions with polystyrene nanoplastics in a microbial electrolysis cell.

Microbial electrochemical technologies are promising for simultaneous energy recovery and wastewater treatment. Although the inhibitory effects of emerging pollutants, particularly micro/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs), on conventional wastewater systems have been extensively studied, the current understanding of their impact on microbial electrochemical systems is still quite limited. Microplastics are plastic particles ranging from 1 μm to 5 mm.

Change in the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of plastics due to UVA degradation in different water matrices: A study on the recyclability of littered plastics.

To move towards a circular society, the recyclability potential of littered plastics should be explored to provide potential value for a product that is typically destined for landfill or incineration. This study aims to understand the changes in physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of four types of plastics (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) and polylactic acid (PLA) after simulated environmental degradation. Plastic samples were subjected to different water matrices (in an attempt to simulate terrestrial, ocean, and river environments) to understand the role the environment plays on plastic degradation.

Dysregulated NAD(H) homeostasis associated with ciprofloxacin tolerance in investigated on a single-cell level with the Peredox [NADH:NAD+] biosensor.

Introduction: Antibiotic persistence (subpopulation tolerance) occurs when a subpopulation of antibiotic sensitive cells survives prolonged exposure to a bactericidal concentration of an antibiotic, and is capable of regrowth once the antibiotic is removed. This phenomenon has been shown to contribute to prolonged treatment duration, infection recurrence, and accelerated development of genetic resistance. Currently, there are no biomarkers which would allow for segregation of these antibiotic-tolerant cells from the bulk population prior to antibiotic exposure, limiting research on this phenomenon to retrograde analyses.

Nano and microplastics occurrence in wastewater treatment plants: A comprehensive understanding of microplastics fragmentation and their removal.

Nano/microplastic (NP/MP) pollution is a growing concern for the water environment. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered the major recipients of MP before discharging into local waterbodies. MPs enter WWTPs mainly from synthetic fibers through washing activities and personal care products.

Antibiotic sorption onto microplastics in water: A critical review of the factors, mechanisms and implications.

Microplastics as vectors for contaminants in the environment is becoming a topic of public interest. Microplastics have been found to actively adsorb heavy metals, per-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and polybrominated diethers (PBDs) onto their surface. Particular interest in microplastics capacity to adsorb antibiotics needs further attention due to the potential role this interaction plays on antibiotic resistance.

Dimethoate residues in Pakistan and mitigation strategies through microbial degradation: a review.

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are used extensively for crop protection worldwide due to their high water solubility and relatively low persistence in the environment compared to other pesticides, such as organochlorines. Dimethoate is a broad-spectrum insecticide that belongs to the thio-organophosphate group of OPs. It is applied to cash crops, animal farms, and houses.

A critical review of process parameters influencing the fate of antibiotic resistance genes in the anaerobic digestion of organic waste.

The overuse and inappropriate disposal of antibiotics raised severe public health risks worldwide. Specifically, the incomplete antibiotics metabolism in human and animal bodies contributes to the significant release of antibiotics into the natural ecosystems and the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria carrying antibiotic-resistant genes. Moreover, the organic feedstocks used for anaerobic digestion are often highly-rich in residual antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant genes.

Identification, classification and quantification of microplastics in road dust and stormwater.

Microplastics (MP) have become a major emerging class of pollutants representing significant eco-toxicological risks for ecosystems and marine environments. The aim of this study was to identify, classify and quantify MP present in both road dust and stormwater samples. A significantly higher level of MPs within road dust samples was detected from industrial area (1130 particles/kg of dust) than from residential area (520 particles/kg of dust), while stormwater samples from industrial and residential sites yielded 26 particles/L and 17 particles/L, respectively.

Applications of Membranes for Sustainability.

Applications of membranes in water and wastewater treatment, desalination, as well as other purification processes, have become more widespread over the past few decades [...

Acid mine drainage and sewage impacted groundwater treatment by membrane distillation: Organic micropollutant and metal removal and membrane fouling.

Groundwater is the dominant source of freshwater in many countries around the globe, and the deterioration in its quality by contaminants originating from anthropogenic sources raises serious concern. In this study, a scenario where groundwater is contaminated by acid mine drainage (AMD) from mining activities and/or sewage was envisaged, and the performance of a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) system was investigated comprehensively for different compositions of the AMD- and sewage-impacted groundwater. Regardless of the composition, MD membrane achieved 98-100% removal of metals and bulk organics, while the removal of the selected micropollutants ranged between 80 and 100%.

A review of mechanisms underlying the impacts of (nano)microplastics on anaerobic digestion.

The presence of (nano)microplastics in domestic wastewater and their subsequent release to the aquatic environment via the discharge of treated sewage has raised significant concerns. Previous studies have also identified their excessive accumulation in sewage sludge. Anaerobic digestion is one of the most used sludge stabilization methods in wastewater treatment plants.

Reduction of excess sludge production by membrane bioreactor coupled with anoxic side-stream reactors.

While cleaning wastewater, biological wastewater treatment processes such as membrane bioreactors (MBR) produce a significant amount of sludge that requires costly management. In the oxic-settling-anoxic (OSA) process, sludge is retained for a temporary period in side-stream reactors with low oxygen and substrate, and then it is recirculated to the main reactor. In this way, excess sludge production is reduced.

Impact of Inorganic Ions and Organic Matter on the Removal of Trace Organic Contaminants by Combined Direct Contact Membrane Distillation-UV Photolysis.

This study investigated the degradation of five trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) by integrated direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and UV photolysis. Specifically, the influence of inorganic ions including halide, nitrate, and carbonate on the performance of the DCMD-UV process was evaluated. TrOC degradation improved in the presence of different concentrations (1-100 mM) of fluoride ion and chloride ion (1 mM).

A chronicle of SARS-CoV-2: Seasonality, environmental fate, transport, inactivation, and antiviral drug resistance.

In this review, we present the environmental perspectives of the viruses and antiviral drugs related to SARS-CoV-2. The present review paper discusses occurrence, fate, transport, susceptibility, and inactivation mechanisms of viruses in the environment as well as environmental occurrence and fate of antiviral drugs, and prospects (prevalence and occurrence) of antiviral drug resistance (both antiviral drug resistant viruses and antiviral resistance in the human). During winter, the number of viral disease cases and environmental occurrence of antiviral drug surge due to various biotic and abiotic factors such as transmission pathways, human behaviour, susceptibility, and immunity as well as cold climatic conditions.

A critical review on advanced oxidation processes for the removal of trace organic contaminants: A voyage from individual to integrated processes.

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), such as photolysis, photocatalysis, ozonation, Fenton process, anodic oxidation, sonolysis, and wet air oxidation, have been investigated extensively for the removal of a wide range of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs). A standalone AOP may not achieve complete removal of a broad group of TrOCs. When combined, AOPs produce more hydroxyl radicals, thus performing better degradation of the TrOCs.