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While blue space has been linked to metabolic health, research has primarily focused on water quantity rather than quality. This study finds that lower water coverage and higher exposure to black-odorous water increase risk of metabolic syndrome.
Antibiotics are increasingly being detected in water systems worldwide. Long-term exposure to low-dose antibiotics causes Escherichia coli to remodel its extracellular matrix, limiting antibiotic access to the bacterial cells.
A fluorochromic metal–organic framework sensor enables real-time visualization of thorium adsorption and exhibits a higher selectivity than other tetravalent cations.
As the next UN Water Conference approaches, the world must look beyond SDG6 and short-term deadlines. A broader, more adaptive vision is essential to address the political, social, and environmental realities of water.
Groundwater, enhanced through managed aquifer recharge, is crucial for alleviating water stress. This study demonstrates that isotopic tracers, including tritium from nuclear power plant effluents, can be used to map groundwater flow in Swiss alluvial systems, revealing insights into groundwater travel time distributions and informing sustainable groundwater management globally.
A multifunctional adsorbent, composed of copper-doped polydopamine-functionalized magnetic silica, enables the simultaneous removal and on-site detection of label-free nano- and microplastics.
Electrochemical nitrate reduction can simultaneously remove pollutants and produce ammonia but is often limited by hydrogen side reactions. This study shows that nanoconfined CuCo catalysts enable a proton-coupled electron transfer pathway that delivers highly selective, efficient and stable ammonia synthesis.
This study presents an electrolyte-free electrochemical system that leverages dual electrocatalytic zones to effectively remove a wide range of recalcitrant pollutants across various water matrices, including low-conductivity organic wastewater.
An electrothermal fluorination methodology has been developed to transform granular activated carbon-sorbed aqueous film-forming foam waste into graphene and a fluorinating reagent, subsequently enabling lithium recovery from brine sources.
The global water agenda is outdated and narrow and is framed mainly as a downstream impact sector. Scientists must step up to help the world recognize water as an opportunity sector and to design a bolder water agenda.
Glacial lakes provide key freshwater resources, though regional supply does not always match water demand. A study now provides a framework to assess the global resource potential of glacial lakes.
Atmospheric water harvesting promises decentralized water supplies but has largely prioritized yield over safety. A multifunctional material demonstrates how water harvesting and microbial control can be combined within a single platform.
Minerals in drinking water are valued for taste and nutrition, yet their roles during enteric infection remain poorly understood. A mouse model study shows that magnesium can worsen Salmonella-induced inflammation by reshaping gut microbiota.
Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) offers sustainable freshwater but faces persistent microbial safety concerns. A mussel-inspired hygroscopic aerogel achieves rapid water uptake with solar-driven bacterial inactivation, enabling a scalable AWH system.
A nanocarbon aerogel embedded with a photochemical phenol–quinone redox pair achieves continuous, high-yield recovery of gold and other precious metal ions from wastewater, offering a scalable and sustainable alternative.
Transformative interdisciplinary water research carefully embraces difference and diverse knowledges, rather than enforcing conformity with conventional scientific methods.
Water management often produces unintended ‘water paradoxes’, where well-intentioned policies backfire, and this Review argues that integrating paradoxes into decision-making will help shift water policy from an emphasis on ‘fixing’ problems towards coping with dynamic, co-evolving human–water systems.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are widely distributed, persistent contaminants in water that pose serious risks to environmental and human health. Now, a sunlight-powered and flow-compatible photocatalytic platform enables the cleavage of robust C–F bonds under mild and scalable conditions, opening up a sustainable route for PFAS decontamination.
Vesicle-associated viruses are an emerging viral form with implications for infectivity and environmental transmission. Wastewater sampling and selective vesicle isolation show that a substantial share of noroviruses and many other human, animal, plant and bacterial viruses occur in vesicles, underscoring their relevance for wastewater treatment and public health.
