Themed collection Best Papers 2018 – Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology

27 items
Editorial

Best Papers from 2018 in the Environmental Science family of journals: great science with a global reach

The Editors-in-Chief of the Environmental Science journals introduce the Best Papers of 2018.

Graphical abstract: Best Papers from 2018 in the Environmental Science family of journals: great science with a global reach
Critical Review

Current status and perspectives on anaerobic co-digestion and associated downstream processes

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) has the potential to utilise spare digestion capacity at existing wastewater treatment plants to simultaneously enhance biogas production by digesting organic rich industrial waste and achieve sustainable organic waste management.

Graphical abstract: Current status and perspectives on anaerobic co-digestion and associated downstream processes
Critical Review

Fundamental challenges and engineering opportunities in flue gas desulfurization wastewater treatment at coal fired power plants

This review identifies challenges and opportunities facing the electricity generation sector in treating flue gas desulfurization wastewater.

Graphical abstract: Fundamental challenges and engineering opportunities in flue gas desulfurization wastewater treatment at coal fired power plants
Critical Review

Emerging investigator series: the role of vegetation in bioretention for stormwater treatment in the built environment: pollutant removal, hydrologic function, and ancillary benefits

Bioretention vegetation contributes to both the hydrologic and pollutant removal functions of bioretention.

Graphical abstract: Emerging investigator series: the role of vegetation in bioretention for stormwater treatment in the built environment: pollutant removal, hydrologic function, and ancillary benefits
From the themed collection: Emerging Investigator Series
Critical Review

Electrokinetic desalination of brackish water and associated challenges in the water and energy nexus

This article presents the challenges and opportunities of electrokinetic desalination for brackish water and its recent development and prospective.

Graphical abstract: Electrokinetic desalination of brackish water and associated challenges in the water and energy nexus
Critical Review

A review of sanitation technologies to achieve multiple sustainable development goals that promote resource recovery

This study critically reviews literature and provides material flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon to determine the ability of existing sanitation technologies and strategies that can be deployed to safely recover resources and thus achieve multiple sustainable development goals.

Graphical abstract: A review of sanitation technologies to achieve multiple sustainable development goals that promote resource recovery
From the themed collection: Sanitation
Critical Review

Aerobic granulation for future wastewater treatment technology: challenges ahead

Aerobic granules were discovered around 20 years back.

Graphical abstract: Aerobic granulation for future wastewater treatment technology: challenges ahead
Communication

Cyto- and geno-toxicity of 1,4-dioxane and its transformation products during ultraviolet-driven advanced oxidation processes

Ultraviolet-driven advanced oxidation processes (UV/AOPs) are integral steps in water reuse treatment trains.

Graphical abstract: Cyto- and geno-toxicity of 1,4-dioxane and its transformation products during ultraviolet-driven advanced oxidation processes
Communication

Capacitive deionization for nutrient recovery from wastewater with disinfection capability

This study demonstrates that capacitive deionization can be effectively used for the removal and recovery of dominant nitrogen (ammonium) and phosphorus (phosphate salts) species present in wastewater.

Graphical abstract: Capacitive deionization for nutrient recovery from wastewater with disinfection capability
Paper

Role of microbial cell properties on bacterial pathogen and coliphage removal in biochar-modified stormwater biofilters

Bacterial pathogens and pathogen indicators suspended in stormwater are removed to a greater extent in biochar-augmented sand biofilters than sand biofilters; the processes governing the removal are distinct.

Graphical abstract: Role of microbial cell properties on bacterial pathogen and coliphage removal in biochar-modified stormwater biofilters
Paper

Effect of pyrolysis on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and class I integrons from municipal wastewater biosolids

Biosolids carry a substantial portion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) leaving wastewater treatment plants. Pyrolysis substantially reduces ARGs in biosolids.

Graphical abstract: Effect of pyrolysis on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and class I integrons from municipal wastewater biosolids
Paper

Urine-powered synergy of nutrient recovery and urine purification in a microbial electrochemical system

Energy in urine was extracted to synergize the in situ urine purification and nutrient recovery with net electricity production via a microbial electrochemical system named U-Power.

Graphical abstract: Urine-powered synergy of nutrient recovery and urine purification in a microbial electrochemical system
Paper

Recyclable amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for efficient demulsification of crude oil-in-water emulsions

Produced water from the oil and gas industry often contains stable crude oil-in-water emulsions that are typically difficult to treat with conventional separation methods.

Graphical abstract: Recyclable amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for efficient demulsification of crude oil-in-water emulsions
Open Access Paper

Metaldehyde removal from drinking water by adsorption onto filtration media: mechanisms and optimisation

Trace micropollutants should be removed during drinking water production without increasing the disinfection-by-product formation potential or energy demand of the treatment process.

Graphical abstract: Metaldehyde removal from drinking water by adsorption onto filtration media: mechanisms and optimisation
Paper

The fate of dichloroacetonitrile in UV/Cl2 and UV/H2O2 processes: implications on potable water reuse

The findings have important implications for the control of preformed DBPs by subsequent UV-AOPs for potable water reuse.

Graphical abstract: The fate of dichloroacetonitrile in UV/Cl2 and UV/H2O2 processes: implications on potable water reuse
Paper

Potential formation of mutagenicity by low pressure-UV/H2O2 during the treatment of nitrate-rich source waters

LP-UV/H2O2 treatment of NOM-containing synthetic waters led to nitrite, nitrophenol and measurable but not mutagenic Ames responses in the presence of nitrate, where the NOM type affected the response levels.

Graphical abstract: Potential formation of mutagenicity by low pressure-UV/H2O2 during the treatment of nitrate-rich source waters
Open Access Paper

Impact of upstream chlorination on filter performance and microbial community structure of GAC and anthracite biofilters

Dechlorination in GAC biofilters leads to greater bioactivity and growth of a diverse microbial community.

Graphical abstract: Impact of upstream chlorination on filter performance and microbial community structure of GAC and anthracite biofilters
Open Access Paper

Propidium monoazide pretreatment on a 3D-printed microfluidic device for efficient PCR determination of ‘live versus dead’ microbial cells

A microfluidic chip for differentiating live versus dead cells was designed and tested experimentally with lab and environmental samples.

Graphical abstract: Propidium monoazide pretreatment on a 3D-printed microfluidic device for efficient PCR determination of ‘live versus dead’ microbial cells
Paper

Effect of organic matter on the performance and N2O emission of a granular sludge anammox reactor

A continuously fed bubble column granular sludge anammox reactor was operated for 405 days to investigate the effect of organic matter on the reactor performance and N2O emission.

Graphical abstract: Effect of organic matter on the performance and N2O emission of a granular sludge anammox reactor
Paper

1,3,5-Trimethoxybenzene (TMB) as a new quencher for preserving redox-labile disinfection byproducts and for quantifying free chlorine and free bromine

1,3,5-Trimethoxybenzene can be used to quench residual chlorine and bromine without altering disinfection byproducts that are reactive toward traditional quenchers.

Graphical abstract: 1,3,5-Trimethoxybenzene (TMB) as a new quencher for preserving redox-labile disinfection byproducts and for quantifying free chlorine and free bromine
Open Access Paper

Effects of ortho- and polyphosphates on lead speciation in drinking water

Polyphosphates may increase lead solubility via complexation, but the risk is not well characterized. Size-exclusion chromatography with multi-element detection could help determine the prevalence of lead-polyphosphate complexes in drinking water.

Graphical abstract: Effects of ortho- and polyphosphates on lead speciation in drinking water
Open Access Paper

Partial renewal of granular activated carbon biofilters for improved drinking water treatment

There is a trend of increasing natural organic matter (NOM) in raw drinking waters of Nordic countries due to climate change.

Graphical abstract: Partial renewal of granular activated carbon biofilters for improved drinking water treatment
Paper

Copper current collectors reduce long-term fouling of air cathodes in microbial fuel cells

Long-term operation of wastewater-fed, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with cathodes made of activated carbon and stainless steel (SS) current collectors can result in decreased performance due to cathode fouling.

Graphical abstract: Copper current collectors reduce long-term fouling of air cathodes in microbial fuel cells
Paper

Emerging investigators series: comparing the inherent reactivity of often-overlooked aqueous chlorinating and brominating agents toward salicylic acid

Rates and selectivity of salicylic acid halogenation can be influenced by highly electrophilic species such as Cl2, BrCl, and BrOCl.

Graphical abstract: Emerging investigators series: comparing the inherent reactivity of often-overlooked aqueous chlorinating and brominating agents toward salicylic acid
From the themed collection: Emerging Investigator Series
Paper

Effect of elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations on selenate removal by mesophilic anaerobic granular sludge bed reactors

The molar ratio of NO3 and SO42− to SeO42− is a key factor in SeO42− removal. A UASB reactor showed no inhibition of SeO42− at high NO3 and SO42− concentrations achieving 100% NO3, 30% SO42− and 80% total Se removal efficiencies.

Graphical abstract: Effect of elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations on selenate removal by mesophilic anaerobic granular sludge bed reactors
Open Access Paper

Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing in the UK: assessing the viability and cost of management

Mounds of salt recovered during treatment of wastewaters from hydraulic fracturing in the USA.

Graphical abstract: Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing in the UK: assessing the viability and cost of management
Paper

Methane-driven microbial fuel cells recover energy and mitigate dissolved methane emissions from anaerobic effluents

The effluents of mainstream anaerobic treatment processes such as anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) contain dissolved methane that represents a large fraction of the available energy (approximately 50% at 15 °C) and a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission if released to the atmosphere.

Graphical abstract: Methane-driven microbial fuel cells recover energy and mitigate dissolved methane emissions from anaerobic effluents
27 items

About this collection

The Environmental Science Best Papers Initiative identified a variety of excellent papers published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Environmental Science journal family, showcasing great science from across the globe in diverse subject areas. However, selecting the winning papers was no easy decision. The journals’ Editorial and Advisory Boards who selected these papers were faced with many difficult choices. So, to celebrate more of the great papers published Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology which really deserve recognition, we’ve gathered all nominated papers in this special collection.

Read the portfolio’s winning papers here and also browse the nominated papers from our sister journals Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts and Environmental Science: Nano.

Spotlight

Advertisements