Water Environment Research[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Application of a Definitive Screening Design and Optimal Augmentation to Characterize an Electro-Fenton Process Combined With Anodic Oxidation on BDD Electrodes.
Fidaleo M, Ennouri R, Lavecchia R … +3 more , Zuorro A, Elaoud SC, Petrucci E
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41633561 · Publisher ↗
The definitive screening design (DSD) represents a novel and highly efficient methodological approach that enables researchers to gain critical insights with minima experimental runs, significantly enhancing process effi...
The definitive screening design (DSD) represents a novel and highly efficient methodological approach that enables researchers to gain critical insights with minima experimental runs, significantly enhancing process efficiency and accelerating research outcomes. In this study, DSD was employed to examine the effects of nine process variables on the degradation of a textile dye using an electro-Fenton (EF) system with reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) cathodes and boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes. The primary goal was to assess the predictive capability of DSD in characterizing the complex EF system coupled with BDD electrodes and to optimize industrial dye treatment in wastewater, using a reduced experimental set. Only 23 experiments were needed to screen the effects of dye concentration, current density, NaCl and NaSO concentrations, pH, temperature, interelectrode distance, stirring rate, and Fe concentration. Subsequently, an optimal augmented design (OAD) was applied, adding eight more runs to refine the process characterization. Statistical analysis identified temperature, current density, and dye concentration as the key factors influencing total organic carbon (TOC) removal, with significant interactions observed between temperature and current density, and between pH and dye concentration. Under optimal conditions, a 73.1% reduction in TOC was achieved after 90 min. This study highlights the novel combination of DSD and OAD as a powerful approach for identifying critical process parameters and optimizing the treatment of industrial dyes in wastewater with reduced experimental effort and enhanced accuracy.
A National-Scale Historical Assessment of Nitrate in Public Drinking Water Supplies in New Zealand: Data Integration and Machine Learning Imputation Approaches.
Chambers T, Dean F, Klavs J … +6 more , Stanger N, Kim A, Hales S, Douwes J, Baker MG, Deng J
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41630146 · Full text
Nitrate in drinking water is a known health hazard for infants, although a growing body of epidemiological evidence suggests an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and some cancers. A major constraint of epidemi...
Nitrate in drinking water is a known health hazard for infants, although a growing body of epidemiological evidence suggests an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and some cancers. A major constraint of epidemiological research is the ability to quantify nitrate concentrations in public drinking water supplies over time. Data on nitrate concentrations in public drinking water supplies were retrieved by information requests, linked to a national dataset on the spatial extent of water distribution zones (WDZs) and linked with census information. We applied a number of data cleaning and imputation processes to address complexities in the raw data as well as missingness. In total, 599 WDZs (95.4%) had at least one nitrate measurement between 2000 and 2024 (n = 20,875 raw observations). After applying a set of imputation methods, the final dataset covered 89.8% of all person-years (n = 92,800,000) of the population on a public drinking water supply during the most recent period from 2000 to 2024. Overall, XGBoost imputation outperformed a range of other imputation methods when synthetic missingness was added to the original data. The large majority (95.3%) of the population was estimated to be on drinking water supplies of less than 1 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen. The population-weighted median nitrate concentration was 0.05 mg/L (IQR 0.04-0.36). This extensive assessment provides the foundation for epidemiological research into the health effects of nitrate contamination of drinking water in New Zealand. The effectiveness of the system for drinking water nitrate surveillance could be enhanced in several ways that would improve its ability to meet its intended purpose.
Anaerobic Codigestion of Municipal Wastewater, Landfill Leachate, and Crude Glycerin: Process Stability and Methane Yield Assessment Using a Screening Design.
Pedroso GH, Gotardo JT
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41630144 · Full text
Water resource recovery facilities often receive landfill leachate (LL), which can disrupt biological processes due to its toxicity and low biodegradability. This study evaluates the anaerobic codigestion (AcoD) of munic...
Water resource recovery facilities often receive landfill leachate (LL), which can disrupt biological processes due to its toxicity and low biodegradability. This study evaluates the anaerobic codigestion (AcoD) of municipal wastewater (MWW), LL, and crude glycerin (CG) as a strategy to enhance organic matter removal and methane yield. Batch reactors were operated under varying conditions defined by a Plackett-Burman screening design, and methane production kinetics were modeled using modified Gompertz and Cone equations. Soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) removal ranged from 67.4% to 94.3%, whereas methane yield varied between 0.076 and 0.349 L /g tCOD (liters of normalized methane per gram of total COD added). The highest yield was achieved with 2% LL and 1% CG, approaching the theoretical maximum. Statistical analysis revealed that increasing CG content reduced methane yield, and extending the digestion time to 40 days offered limited performance gains. Despite the presence of inhibitory compounds, most conditions showed stable digestion, with short latency phases and effective microbial adaptation. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of codigesting MWW, LL, and CG, especially under optimized proportions, and highlight the potential for energy recovery in wastewater treatment plants using biodiesel by-products.
Synergistic Influence of Bacterial Proliferation and EPS Secretion on Porous Media.
Zhu Y, Wang Q, Lu Y … +2 more , Ma S, Wu Y
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41629756 · Publisher ↗
Bio-clogging is critical to the efficiency of soil aquifer treatment. In this study, we utilized a percolation column device to investigate the dynamic evolution of biofilm and the corresponding responses changes of thre...
Bio-clogging is critical to the efficiency of soil aquifer treatment. In this study, we utilized a percolation column device to investigate the dynamic evolution of biofilm and the corresponding responses changes of three typical hydraulic properties with the column within the percolation column. The results showed that the biofilm development exhibited five-stage growth morphology: bacterial stage, colony stage, biofilm with filamentous EPS stage, biofilm with mesh EPS stage, and dense biofilm stage. The hydraulic conductivity exhibited nonuniform decay across five stages: initial fluctuation period, swiftly declining period, accelerated declining period, gently decreasing period, and equilibrium stabilizing period. Both bacteria and EPS contribute to the attenuation of the infiltration properties. Due to its hydrophilic nature, EPS played a more prominent role in storing and dispersing water. As such, significant changes in water holding capacity and material transport mechanism occurred at EPS secretion onset. From 0-18 h, bacterial colonization slightly enhanced water retention, accompanied by a gradual rise in the hydraulic dispersion coefficient. After approximately 18 h, substantial EPS production markedly increased water-holding capacity and transformed the dominant transport mechanism from convection to dispersion.
Impacts of the Urban Wastewater Discharges on the Indus River Basin: Water Quality Assessment and GIS Pollution Mapping.
Gadhi TA, Bashir B, Channa N … +6 more , Bhanbhro U, Ali Z, Khokhar DA, Mahar RB, Ahmed Z, Ansari K
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41623207 · Publisher ↗
This study assessed variations in water quality at the Indus River Basin (IRB) impacted by wastewater (WW) drains from five densely populated urban and industrial cities: Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sukkur, and Hyderabad...
This study assessed variations in water quality at the Indus River Basin (IRB) impacted by wastewater (WW) drains from five densely populated urban and industrial cities: Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sukkur, and Hyderabad. Water samples from the barrages at upper and lower IRB, tributaries, and cities' WW drains were analyzed. GIS-based mapping was used to visualize the transport of pollution from the WW drains to the riverine bodies, identifying potential source cities and pathways of pollution. Employing sensitivity analysis through various models and validation matrices enhances the statistical reliability of hotspot mapping water quality variations. The riverine samples from the upper basin exhibited relatively good water quality with low COD and TOC levels. However, the COD levels at the Balloki and Panjnad barrages downstream of the Ravi and Chenab exceeded 160 mg/L. The analyzed WW drains in Lahore and Faisalabad discharged into the Ravi River and recorded high COD and TDS levels up to 600 and 4000 mg/L, respectively. Drains from the downstream Hyderabad region worsened contamination, with COD reaching 198 mg/L. Seasonal assessments revealed elevated pollutant concentrations during the dry season, with COD and TDS levels increasing by 1.68 and 1.58 times, respectively, compared to the wet season.
Development of a Global Classification Index for Drinking Water Quality Monitoring.
Hamchaoui S, Bouchraki F, Ayad LL … +3 more , Fetouh Y, Mezhoud C, Berreksi A
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41622989 · Publisher ↗
This study provides an automated classification tool for assessing the quality of drinking water distributed through supply networks. The methodology is based on the construction of a global quality index, using the mult...
This study provides an automated classification tool for assessing the quality of drinking water distributed through supply networks. The methodology is based on the construction of a global quality index, using the multicriteria analytic hierarchy process method, which enables the objective weighting of 23 parameters: physico-chemical and bacteriological. The classification process, divided into five quality classes, is fully automated through a python algorithm, ensuring an evaluation that is both rapid and precise. Application to an extensive database of 1718 samples from the water service of the city of Bejaia (Algeria) revealed that 97.56% of cases fall within the good and very good quality classes, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the public distribution service. Sensitivity analysis using the Sobol method highlighted the decisive importance of certain parameters: specifically, total coliforms, manganese, calcium, and conductivity in defining the final quality. Flexible and operational, the tool allows managers to quickly identify at-risk situations and to target corrective interventions at critical indicators. Thus, this model constitutes an innovative and effective approach to strengthening monitoring and ensuring intelligent management of drinking water quality.
Anodic Dissolution and Passivation of Zn Electrodes in Electrocoagulation: Effect of Urea Concentration and Chloride-Induced Corrosion.
Atba W, Cherifi M, Moussaoui K … +5 more , Abderrahmane S, Chettouh S, Laefer DF, Hazourli S, Azzeddine G
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41618074 · Publisher ↗
This work highlights the phenomena that may occur on zinc electrodes used as sacrificial electrodes in a process for treating an effluent containing urea. Zinc ions (Zn) generated in situ promote coagulation, but in some...
This work highlights the phenomena that may occur on zinc electrodes used as sacrificial electrodes in a process for treating an effluent containing urea. Zinc ions (Zn) generated in situ promote coagulation, but in some cases, electrode passivation and localized corrosion can hinder dissolution and reduce treatment efficiency. For this reason, the effect of operational parameters such as current density, initial urea concentration, pH, and supporting electrolyte (NaCl) concentration on urea removal was studied in the first part. While the second part was dedicated to investigating the impact of urea and NaCl electrolyte concentrations on the electrochemical behavior of the zinc electrode, this was done by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and cyclic voltammetry, while surface changes were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The obtained results show that the highest urea removal was obtained with the operating conditions: current density of 22 mA/cm, pH 10, 25 mmol/L NaCl, and an initial urea concentration of 20 mmol/L: 12 mmol/L of urea was removed, corresponding to 91 mg/L of dissolved zinc, a faradaic efficiency of 110%. With regard to the surface state of zinc, it was demonstrated that passivation through zinc oxide formation was confirmed by PDP analysis. The results revealed the presence of ZnO crystalline phases as well as surface deposits, both indicative of the development of an oxide layer, which limited further zinc dissolution and floc generation under specific EC operating conditions. Zinc corrosion behavior was strongly influenced by pH, chloride concentration, and urea levels, as evidenced by electrochemical diagnostics (polarization curves and impedance spectra). At alkaline pH and moderate chloride concentrations, enhanced zinc release was observed, while higher urea levels promoted surface degradation and oxide accumulation. These findings highlight the need to balance dissolution and passivation of electrodes to optimize EC performance for nitrogenous pollutant treatment.
A Review of Advanced Oxidation Processes Applied to the Removal of Reactive Dyes: Efficiency, Removal Conditions, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Industrial Effluents Applications.
Castellanos-Henriquez CS, Rosso D, Chávez-Parga MDC … +1 more , Cortés JA
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41612953 · Publisher ↗
The textile industry significantly contributes to water pollution due to extensive dye usage, particularly reactive dyes, which are highly soluble, chemically complex, and poorly biodegradable. Advanced oxidation process...
The textile industry significantly contributes to water pollution due to extensive dye usage, particularly reactive dyes, which are highly soluble, chemically complex, and poorly biodegradable. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as effective alternatives for their removal. This review summarizes reactive dye properties and critically examines AOP applications in both synthetic and real textile effluents. Evaluated configurations include ozonation, Fenton's reagents, UV-based systems, electrochemical processes, and cavitation, which generate hydroxyl radicals (OH) and, in newer approaches, sulfate (SO ) and chlorine (Cl) radicals. In synthetic effluents, AOPs achieve over 90% removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC), whereas real effluent performance decreases because of matrix complexity; combined systems often exceed 80% efficiency. Stepwise evaluation from model solutions to actual wastewater aids in understanding reaction mechanisms and optimizing conditions. With appropriate optimization and integration into conventional treatments, AOPs show strong potential as industrially viable technologies for advanced textile wastewater remediation.
Microalgae-Mediated Heavy Metal Removal From Wastewater: A Review on Recent Perspectives and Future Trends.
Farokhpour M, Mainardis M, Pirouzi A … +4 more , Nasirahmadi K, Zuorro A, Altaee A, Amanzadeh O
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41605469 · Publisher ↗
Human activities such as the development of industries, mining, disposal of heavy metal and electronic wastes, use of coal, leaded gasoline, pesticides, and various fertilizers cause contamination of water resources with...
Human activities such as the development of industries, mining, disposal of heavy metal and electronic wastes, use of coal, leaded gasoline, pesticides, and various fertilizers cause contamination of water resources with heavy metals such as Zn, Hg, Cd, Pb, and Cr. Exposure to heavy metals can cause acute poisoning, cancer, damage to the kidneys, liver, and lungs, and even death. Recent innovations introduce modern and environmentally friendly techniques to remediate heavy metal contamination in wastewater. Meanwhile, the biological processes using algal species are gaining importance for sustainability, simplicity, and environmental benefits. Phytoremediation, as this method is known, involves intracellular and extracellular mechanisms, including cell surface biosorption, intracellular accumulation, and interaction with antioxidant enzymes. Such mechanisms change the pollutants by reducing their toxicity and reactivity, ultimately leading to their detoxification or transformation into less harmful compounds. The type of microalgae, the concentration and type of heavy metals, and the physicochemical conditions of the environment are factors that affect the efficiency of this process. In addition, the toxic effects of these elements on the environment and living organisms and their removal/detoxification mechanisms by microalgae and finally the challenges and perspectives of this method were investigated. The commercial application of microalgae still demands attention because of extended retention times compared to other methods, which leads to the need for larger areas. Thus, further improvement of this technique for optimal results is still needed and necessitates detailed analysis.
A Comparison of the Adsorption Behavior of Bisphenol A by Microplastics From Different Sources.
Wang X, Jiang X, Pan J
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41605466 · Publisher ↗
Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive carriers of aquatic pollutants, yet their adsorption behaviors, especially after environmental aging, remain incompletely understood. This study systematically investigated the adsorptio...
Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive carriers of aquatic pollutants, yet their adsorption behaviors, especially after environmental aging, remain incompletely understood. This study systematically investigated the adsorption of bisphenol A (BPA) onto four common MPs: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin resin (PO), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE), and their ultraviolet (UV)-aged counterparts. We found that UV aging universally enhanced the adsorption capacity, with increases of up to 19% compared to pristine MPs. Aged PVC (A-PVC) exhibited the highest overall affinity. Adsorption mechanisms diverged: PO, PP, A-PVC, and A-PE followed multilayer chemical adsorption, whereas PE, A-PO, and A-PP exhibited monolayer chemical adsorption; only pristine PVC followed monolayer physical adsorption. Importantly, UV aging altered these adsorption mechanisms by modifying the surface physicochemical properties of MPs. Environmental factors significantly modulated adsorption, which increased with contact time and initial BPA concentration but decreased with higher MPs dosage and pH, peaking at 25°C and remaining unaffected by salinity. These results reveal that UV aging not only intensifies adsorption capacity but can also alter the fundamental adsorption mechanism, thereby reshaping the role of MPs as transport vectors for endocrine-disrupting compounds like BPA in aquatic environments. This study provides crucial insights for ecological risk assessment of coexisting MPs and organic pollutants.
Investigating the Impact of Iron and Aluminum Coagulants on the Performance of Capacitive Deionization Technology for Domestic Water Purification.
Mazumder T, Saha DR, Giddi HS
Water Environ Res · 2026 Feb · PMID 41603080 · Publisher ↗
A significant advantage of membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) lies in its ability to achieve medium to high water recovery rates. A prototype of MCDI unit demonstrated a recovery around 68% while consistently achiev...
A significant advantage of membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) lies in its ability to achieve medium to high water recovery rates. A prototype of MCDI unit demonstrated a recovery around 68% while consistently achieving salt removal efficiencies of ≥ 90% from feed water with a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 1490 mg/L. However, the presence of coagulant-derived multivalent ions, particularly Fe, Fe, and Al, poses a challenge to long-term salt rejection efficiency. When Fe or Al was present at concentrations near 10 mg/L in feed water with a TDS of ~400 mg/L, the residual iron or aluminum concentration in the treated water exceeded the permissible limits defined by drinking water standards. Despite high removal efficiencies (> 90%) for key cations including Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, and Fe, regeneration studies revealed a distinct desorption trend: Mg > Na > Ca > Al > Fe ≈ Fe. This trend indicates that Fe and Fe are the most strongly retained and thus the most scale-forming ion in MCDI systems, followed by Al. Salt adsorption capacity of NaCl is 0.66-4.14 mg/g and modeled using the modified Donnan model effectively described the nonlinear adsorption behavior and also for all other systems with and without coagulant ions. Due to the presence of divalent ions, Donnan potential decreased compared to NaCl system without coagulant ions. The presence of coagulant ions further decreased the Donnan potential. Energy consumed 68.2-78.6 kT/ion and mostly increased to 60.6-101.3 kT/ion during partially choked condition. Post-operational surface analyses using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the accumulation of these metal ions on the carbon electrode surfaces. The observed deposition of oxide and hydroxide of coagulant ions significantly impacts long-term MCDI performance, underscoring the need for pretreatment strategies and electrode material optimization to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of MCDI in domestic water purification applications.
Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Irrigation and Drinking Water Suitability Along the Rural-Urban Interface of Bengaluru.
Uday Kumar SN, Murthy RK, Devakumar AS … +4 more , Fasiha, Govinda K, Bhavya N, Nagaraju N
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41578666 · Publisher ↗
Groundwater is essential for drinking and irrigation, but its quality is impacted by human activities and rapid urbanization. This study presents a unique assessment of groundwater quality in agroecosystems situated at t...
Groundwater is essential for drinking and irrigation, but its quality is impacted by human activities and rapid urbanization. This study presents a unique assessment of groundwater quality in agroecosystems situated at the rural-urban interface of Bengaluru, an area undergoing rapid land-use change and intensive agricultural practices. Unlike earlier studies that examine only rural or urban zones, this study integrates physicochemical analysis, hydrochemical facies (Piper plot), water quality index (WQI), and principal component analysis (PCA) to provide a comprehensive understanding of seasonal variations in groundwater quality. A total of 60 borewell water samples were collected from the study site and analyzed for various water quality parameters. Results show that groundwater remains within permissible limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The Piper plot indicates that most samples are of mixed type, with alkaline earths exceeding alkalis, and strong acids surpassing weak acids. Water chemistry is affected by the dominance of evaporation and precipitation. The WQI showed that 50% of the samples were classified as excellent during the post-monsoon period, increasing to 76% in the pre-monsoon period. PCA explains 96.30% and 84.80% of the variance in post- and pre-monsoon conditions, with principal component (PC1) accounting for 49.40% and 48.60%, respectively. Most groundwater is suitable for human use and irrigation. However, the government should monitor contamination sources to enable more comprehensive future assessments of groundwater quality.
Hybridization of Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Balanced Polyimide Membranes With Nanoporous Entities (TiO, SiO, and MOF) for Efficient Removal of Neurotoxic Organic Solvents and Oil From Wastewater.
Krishnan ASA, Arthanareeswaran G, Plisko T … +2 more , Dharshini MD, Priyadharshini S
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41562201 · Publisher ↗
The growing global concern over oily wastewater pollution necessitates the development of advanced and efficient separation technologies. In this study, polyimide (PI) based mixed matrix membranes were fabricated by inco...
The growing global concern over oily wastewater pollution necessitates the development of advanced and efficient separation technologies. In this study, polyimide (PI) based mixed matrix membranes were fabricated by incorporating SiO, TiO, and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) into a polyethersulfone (PES) matrix to enhance oily wastewater treatment performance. The successful integration of these nanomaterials was confirmed through FTIR and XRD analysis. The modified membranes showed enhanced thermal stability (Tg PES/PI/MOF: 80.63°C) and increased surface hydrophilicity. Among the fabricated membranes, MOF incorporated exhibited the highest pure water flux of 50 L m h. The PES/PI/MOF membrane achieved superior performance in separating different oil water emulsions, including DCM/SLS and PE/CTAB systems, with flux of 73.23 ± 0.82 L m h and 64.78 ± 0.59 L m h, respectively. It also displayed a high flux recovery ratio (82.34%), demonstrating excellent antifouling behavior, and achieved an oil rejection efficiency of 83.02% for the DCM/SLS emulsion. Overall, this study highlights the synergistic effect of nanomaterial incorporation in enhancing membrane permeability, selectivity, and fouling resistance, showing PES/PI based mixed matrix membrane as promising candidates for sustainable oily wastewater treatment applications.
Impact of Leachate on the Quality of Groundwater From the Hassi Bounif Technical Landfill: A Pollution Diagnosis and Risk Assessment.
Belmehdi E, Mekkakia Mehdi M, Derias FZ … +1 more , Azzabi BOE
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41562141 · Publisher ↗
Waste management has become a major environmental challenge worldwide, particularly due to the rapid increase in solid waste generation associated with population growth and socioeconomic development. The accumulation of...
Waste management has become a major environmental challenge worldwide, particularly due to the rapid increase in solid waste generation associated with population growth and socioeconomic development. The accumulation of waste in landfills leads to the production of leachate, a highly contaminated liquid that poses serious risks to soil and groundwater. This study investigates the impact of the Hassi Bounif Technical Landfill, located in Oran, northwestern Algeria, on the physicochemical quality of nearby groundwater. Leachate and groundwater samples were collected during both summer and winter seasons and analyzed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals using standard analytical methods. The leachate exhibited high contamination levels, with mean concentrations of Fe (17.55 mg/L), Pb (0.85 mg/L), and Cu (3.00 mg/L), while the average levels of Al, Cr, Mn, Hg, Ni, Cd, Mg, and Zn were 5.00, 1.25, 3.50, 0.04, 0.85, 0.60, 4.00, and 5.50 mg/L, respectively. Elevated organic loads were also recorded (COD = 28,653 mg/L; BOD = 6223 mg/L), resulting in a leachate pollution index (LPI) value of 33.94, indicating a high pollution potential. Groundwater samples collected near the landfill showed electrical conductivity ranging from 3536 to 7905 μS/cm and elevated concentrations of major ions (Na, Ca, Mg, Cl, and SO ), exceeding both World Health Organization (WHO) and Algerian standards. A distinct gradient was observed, with contamination levels decreasing with distance from the landfill. Seasonal variations were evident in both leachate and groundwater quality, with higher pollutant concentrations during the summer season, primarily due to enhanced evaporation and reduced groundwater dilution. The findings confirm the significant influence of landfill leachate on groundwater quality in the study area and underscore the urgent need for improved leachate treatment and management practices to mitigate environmental and public health risks in semiarid regions such as Oran.
Simultaneous Nitrogen and Benzoic Acid Removal of Pseudomonas sp. A2 and Its Potential Application in Wastewater Treatment.
Yan J, Liang H, Shao S … +1 more , Luo L
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41557493 · Publisher ↗
Inorganic nitrogen and organic pollutants are commonly coexisted in various wastewaters. Bacteria capable of removing multiple pollutants simultaneously possess unique advantages in wastewater treatment. In this study, t...
Inorganic nitrogen and organic pollutants are commonly coexisted in various wastewaters. Bacteria capable of removing multiple pollutants simultaneously possess unique advantages in wastewater treatment. In this study, the heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HNAD) bacterium Pseudomonas sp. A2 simultaneously possessed the ability to degrade benzoic acid. Experimental data demonstrated that strain A2 exhibits outstanding nitrogen removal performance, with the maximum removal rates of 13.87 and 12.69 mg/L/h for ammonium and nitrate, respectively. Approximately 99.42% of ammonium and 100% of nitrate were efficiently removed under optimal conditions: sodium succinate as carbon source, C/N ratio 14, 30°C, pH 7.0, and shaking speed of 160 rpm. Batching test and genome analysis suggested that A2 achieved heterotrophic nitrification with hydroxylamine as an intermediate and reduced nitrate to N under aerobic condition. Additionally, strain A2 could utilize benzoic acid as an electron donor for nitrogen removal, though the nitrogen removal efficiency decreased significantly. Genomic analysis indicated that strain A2 may degrade benzoic acid via both the ortho pathway and the protocatechuate pathway. Bioaugmentation with strain A2 improved both nitrogen removal performance and stability of sequencing batch reactor (SBR), suggesting its potential in application. The discovery of strain A2 enriches the understanding of the nitrogen removal mechanism of HNAD bacteria and provides novel insights into the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and benzoic acid from wastewater.
Study of the Sedimentation Characteristics of Solids in Carwash Wastewater.
Miranda JPC, Martins AA, de Melo Rodrigues A … +2 more , Assane C, da Silva Júnior ÉD
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41549787 · Full text
Studies evaluating the sedimentation of solid particles in carwash wastewater (CWW) are scarce. This research is innovative because it is the first to study solid sedimentation specifically in CWW. The motivation lies in...
Studies evaluating the sedimentation of solid particles in carwash wastewater (CWW) are scarce. This research is innovative because it is the first to study solid sedimentation specifically in CWW. The motivation lies in the fact that existing parameters (for sanitary sewage) are inadequate due to the peculiar physicochemical characteristics of CWW. This study evaluated the settleability of solids present in CWW, aiming to generate empirically validated parameters to support the optimized design of sedimentation units. Granulometric characterization of the settleable material and column settling tests for total suspended solids (TSS) were performed. The granulometric analysis of the settleable solids revealed a predominance of the sandy fraction (D = 1.1 mm), with an average of 87.44%. This characteristic confirms the coarse texture of the retained material and its high sedimentation velocity during the first hour. The column settling tests for TSS demonstrated highly variable removal efficiency, which did not directly correlate with the initial concentration of solids or with rainfall conditions. Results indicated the need for hybrid sedimentation models to adequately represent TSS sedimentation. A surface application rate of 1.5 m·h is suggested, which corresponds to an average TSS removal efficiency of approximately 80%. The adoption of specific design parameters for CWW provides greater reliability in the sizing of treatment units, supporting both operational efficiency and the economic viability of the system.
Enhanced Phosphorus Removal From Wastewater by Microflocculation Coupled With Micro-Nanobubble Flotation: Mechanism and Optimization.
Wang Y, Zhang J, Wen J … +6 more , He X, Mei H, Niu K, He J, Wang W, He C
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41545320 · Publisher ↗
Achieving ultra-low phosphorus levels (< 0.05 mg L) in wastewater effluents is a critical engineering challenge for mitigating eutrophication. This study developed a coupled microflocculation and micro-nanobubble flotati...
Achieving ultra-low phosphorus levels (< 0.05 mg L) in wastewater effluents is a critical engineering challenge for mitigating eutrophication. This study developed a coupled microflocculation and micro-nanobubble flotation process for enhancing phosphorus removal. Comprehensive screening determined that 50 mg L polyaluminum chloride coupled with 1.0 mg L cationic polyacrylamide provided optimal microflocculation performance. Orthogonal experiments confirmed that a hydraulic retention time of 15 min, aeration rate of 200 L h, and dissolved air pressure of 0.60 MPa resulted in the highest TP removal efficiency. The process was able to reduce TP in actual secondary effluent from 0.86 to 0.036 mg L, achieving an average removal efficiency of 95.8% over 30 days of continuous operation. Mechanistic analysis revealed that high dissolved air pressure (0.60 MPa) was critical for generating a dense, bimodal distribution of micro- and nanobubbles with extended residence times, dramatically increasing bubble-floc collision and electrostatic attachment efficiency. This study establishes a highly efficient technology for meeting increasingly stringent phosphorus discharge standards in municipal wastewater treatment.
Measuring the Pulse of SBR Technology: Efficiency, Contamination Indices, and Long-Term Trends.
Qader MQ, Othman BA, Aziz AH
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41545299 · Publisher ↗
This study assessed the long-term performance of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology for municipal wastewater treatment in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, over the period 2021-2024. Four sampling stations (S1-S4) we...
This study assessed the long-term performance of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology for municipal wastewater treatment in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, over the period 2021-2024. Four sampling stations (S1-S4) were monitored for key physicochemical parameters, including TSS, BOD₅, COD, turbidity, nitrate, and phosphate, before and after treatment. The reduction efficiency index (REI), contamination factor (CF), and pollution load index (PLI) were applied to evaluate system effectiveness and contamination trends. Results showed consistently high removal efficiencies (70%-90%) for TSS, BOD₅, COD, turbidity, nitrate, and phosphate. However, a gradual decline in performance was observed from 2022 to 2024, particularly for TSS, COD, and turbidity, indicating possible operational or load-related variations. Among all stations, S1 exhibited the most stable treatment efficiency, with PLI decreasing from 0.892 in 2021 to 0.517 in 2024, signifying improved water quality and sustained reactor performance. Overall, the findings confirm the reliability of SBR systems for municipal wastewater treatment under semiarid urban conditions, while emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring and operational optimization to maintain long-term efficiency.
Waterborne Diseases in Algeria (2000-2023): Spatiotemporal Trends Analysis and Public Health Determinants.
Benikdes A, Hazzab A, Korichi K … +1 more , Fatmi B
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41542829 · Publisher ↗
This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics and determinants of waterborne diseases (WBDs) in Algeria between 2000 and 2023, using annual epidemiological reports from the National Institute of Public Health. Five maj...
This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics and determinants of waterborne diseases (WBDs) in Algeria between 2000 and 2023, using annual epidemiological reports from the National Institute of Public Health. Five major diseases are analyzed: foodborne disease outbreaks (FBDOs), hepatitis A, dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera. Descriptive statistics, temporal trend analysis, and age-stratified profiling are applied to identify epidemiological patterns and underlying determinants. Results indicate a significant epidemiological transition: Typhoid fever and dysentery declined by nearly 98%, reflecting progress in access to safe water and sanitation. In contrast, FBDOs and hepatitis A account for more than 80% of the total burden, with distinct seasonal peaks: hepatitis A in winter and FBDOs in summer. Cholera remains sporadic but re-emerged in 2018, highlighting persistent outbreak risks. Age-stratified analysis reveals differential vulnerabilities: Children and adolescents are most affected by hepatitis A and dysentery, young adults by typhoid fever and FBDOs, and older adults by cholera. Spatial disparities are evident, driven by climatic variability, unequal access to safe water, and weaknesses in the food supply chain. These findings underscore the need for an integrated public health approach that combines strengthened epidemiological surveillance, sustainable improvements in water and sanitation systems, enhanced food safety regulation, targeted vaccination, and climate-sensitive health policies. The Algerian experience offers insights relevant to other North African and Mediterranean contexts facing similar environmental and socio-demographic challenges.
Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Beach Sediments Along the Eastern Algerian Coast: Distribution Patterns, Abundance, and Potential Origins.
Zeghdani Z, Mohamedi MR, Bouchema N … +2 more , Tellil B, Brahmi CE
Water Environ Res · 2026 Jan · PMID 41537694 · Publisher ↗
Microplastics have garnered global attention due to their widespread presence in the environment, significant ecological impacts, and potential human health risks. This study was conducted in the Gulf of Bejaia (Algeria)...
Microplastics have garnered global attention due to their widespread presence in the environment, significant ecological impacts, and potential human health risks. This study was conducted in the Gulf of Bejaia (Algeria), focusing on three representative beaches: Sidi Ali Labher, Aokas, and Oueddas. Sampling was carried out between April and May 2024 across 100 m transects at each site, subdivided into 50 cm × 50 cm quadrats, yielding 20 replicates under calm weather conditions. Microplastics (MPs) were separated using NaCl flotation and vacuum filtration on gridded cellulose ester filters. Quantitative analyses included MPs density (items/m), ANOVA for abundance and size differences, and visualizations via Python libraries. Three indices were computed: the Microplastics Pollution Index (MPPI), the Pellets Pollution Index (PPI), and the Fibers Ingestion Potential Index (FIPI). The distribution of MP types showed that fragments were the most prevalent, followed by fibers, foams, films, and pellets. The MPPI indices revealed high abundance at Aokas (MPPI total = 17.18), moderate abundance at Sidi Ali Lebhar (MPPI total = 9.28), and low abundance at Oueddas (MPPI total = 4.22). The FIPI values for Aokas, Sidi Ali Labher, and Oueddas were 0.09, 0.10, and 0.11, respectively, indicating minimal to low potential for fiber pollution from beaches. This study highlights the significant variation in microplastic distribution across the studied beaches and suggests that fibers ingested by biota in these regions are not predominantly from beach pollution.
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