Newsletter #116 for May 2025

The Water Research Foundation Funds 19 New Research Projects Totaling $4.9M

The Water Research Foundation has announced it has funded 19 new research projects through its Research Priority Program totaling $4.9 million, and is seeking volunteer project participants. WRF is looking for subscribing utilities which are willing to serve as test sites, or subject-matter experts to join as members of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC). Each project will also include a volunteer PAC responsible for providing technical oversight and ensuring the research is scientifically rigorous and valuable to the water sector. 

Projects funded through the 2025 Research Priority Program include:

• Project: 5355 - Developing a Robust Framework for PFAS Source Identification and Characterization
  

  • This project will evaluate PFAS analytical methods, using machine-learning, to develop best practices for classifying PFAS sources in surface and groundwater.

• Project: 5361 - Simultaneous Control of Regulated and Emerging DBPs of Health Concern
  

  • This project will characterize the occurrence and formation potential of unregulated DBPs (e.g., HAL7, HAN6, HAM7, chloronitramide), optimize treatment and operational strategies for both regulated and unregulated DBPs. 
    

• Project: 5364 - Prioritization and Validation Methods for Microplastic Analysis in Drinking Water:
  

  • This project will aim to prioritize and evaluate analytical methods for microplastics (e.g., FTIR, Raman, PY-GCMS) to recommend the most reliable, practical method for regulatory and utility monitoring.
    

• Project: 5365 - State-of-Practice Manual for Inflow and Infiltration Detection and Mitigation at Street and Private Lateral Levels: 
  

  • This project aims to assess and compare state-of-the-art and emerging municipal practices, technologies, and policies for detecting and remediating I&I at both street and private lateral levels.

The deadline to apply to be PAC on these projects is June 13, 2025. WRF expects to release requests for proposals (RFP) for these projects in late summer 2025. Any questions about the projects or the program can be directed to Kenan Ozekin.

Specialized sponge recycles minerals from stormwater for reuse in agriculture and other industries

Researchers funded by the NSF have developed a reusable nanocomposite sponge embedded with surface iron-oxide nanoparticles that selectively adsorbs valuable minerals—such as zinc, copper, and phosphate—from stormwater runoff. The study, which was published in Environmental Science and Technology Water, highlights how the technology can be used as a universal sorbent or 'catch-all,' or it can be tailored to certain groups of contaminants like metals, plastics or nutrients.

Many industrial manufacturing and agricultural sites, in particular, experience mineral and fertilizer loss due to runoff, leaving valuable nonrenewable resources as pollutants in bodies of water. The sponge's iron-oxide nanoparticle coating is able to selectively bind target pollutants with the reactive surface hydroxyl groups. Lowering the water pH then flushes out the captured pollutants. This innovative sponge will be able to recover various pollutants, offering a reusable and low-cost solution for cleaning stormwater runoff. 

Source

PFAS detected in most US beers, with highest levels near contaminated water

Researchers have found that beers produced in areas of the country with known PFAS-contaminated water sources showed the highest levels of PFAS presence. Although breweries typically have water filtration and treatment systems, they are not designed to remove PFAS. Researchers utilized a modified EPA analytical method to determine the level of PFAS in 23 beers. Test subjects included products produced by U.S. brewers in areas with documented water system contamination, and popular domestic and international beers from larger companies with unknown water sources.

The study, Hold My Beer: The Linkage between Municipal Water and Brewing Location on PFAS in Popular Beverages, found a strong correlation between PFAS levels in municipal drinking water and locally brewed beer, with the highest concentrations found in beers produced near the heavily contaminated Cape Fear River Basin, NC. The study highlights the need for upgraded water treatment at both municipal and brewery facilities near contaminated sources to reduce consumer exposure to PFAS. 

Chromium In Drinking Water: New Regulations In California And Engineering Challenges

Chromium (Cr) is a naturally occurring element for which the EPA has established a total chromium drinking water standard of 0.1 mg/L (100 ppb). EPA’s national monitoring shows that total chromium (which includes both Cr(III) and the more toxic Cr(VI)) routinely appears in U.S. drinking water. This is a concern as hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a potent oxidant linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, and organ damage. This had led to California to reinstate a 10 ppb maximum contaminant level and tighten monitoring and reporting requirements.

To meet these stricter standards, utilities can employ a range of treatment technologies including:

• Reduction-coagulation-filtration, which converts Cr(VI) to the less toxic Cr(III) and removes it via coagulation and filtration

• Ion exchange (IX) systems for selective Cr(VI) removal

• Reverse osmosis membranes which can achieve over 90% removal rates 

Smaller systems may also consider alternatives like electrocoagulation, stannous chloride reduction, activated carbon adsorption, or emerging biological methods, which can be chosen based on site-specific factors such as water chemistry, cost, and operational capacity.

What is microbial electrosynthesis?

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an emerging process which uses electroactive bacteria (EAB) to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful chemicals or fuels. Using a cathode, by applying low voltage, microbes draw electrons from the electrode to reduce CO2 into valuable compounds such as acetate, ethanol, or butyrate. This process offers a novel route for carbon capture and utilization, turning wastewater into valuable products. Though widespread implementation will require advances in cathode materials, reactor design, microbial strain optimization, and system scale-up.

Upcoming Events

A listing of webinars, symposia, and conferences relevant to this work.

Recent Publications

Wastewater | Open Access

Tracing antibiotics in sewers: Concentrations, measurement techniques, and mathematical approaches

Montes C., Guerrero S., Moreno M., Henao L. 2025. Tracing antibiotics in sewers: Concentrations, measurement techniques, and mathematical approaches. Water Science & Technology. 91(9). doi:10.2166/wst.2025.053.

Why it's interesting: High concentrations of antibiotic compounds in sewer systems can lead to increased bacterial resistance and contaminating downstream environments. Due to the limited research in this area, data on antibiotic concentrations and behavior in sewers have been lacking. To address this gap, this study conducted a comprehensive literature review of 91 studies published between 2014 and 2024, compiling reports on 109 distinct antibiotic compounds, including sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides, which were most frequently detected, to assess concentration ranges, detection and quantification techniques, and existing models. 

The review highlights that advanced analytical methods such as liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is now the gold standard for reliably quantifying antibiotics in wastewater influent and effluent samples, allowing for routine monitoring of priority compounds. Although modeling efforts were limited, the authors identify kinetic fate models, Risk Quotient (RQ) assessments, and Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) as emerging tools for estimating loads and public‐health implications. This review compiles 992 reports into a comprehensive dataset intended to support future research and to help lay the groundwork for standardized monitoring protocols, predictive model development, and informed regulatory frameworks to manage antibiotic pollution in sewer systems.

Drinking Water | Not Open Access

A novel approach to healthy water Treatment: Boiling-Based UV photoelectrochemical oxidation process for the removal of disinfection by-products from drinking water

Huang X., Ao Y., Yang H., Feng M., Wang X., Chen R., Yang Q., Lu J. 2025. A novel approach to healthy water Treatment: Boiling-Based UV photoelectrochemical oxidation process for the removal of disinfection by-products from drinking water. Chemical Engineering Journal. 515. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2025.163658.

Why it's interesting: This study introduces an enhanced photoelectrochemical–thermal process (E-UV/BO) that integrates household boiling with UV-driven electrochemical oxidation. In this process, water is boiled in a modified kettle containing Ti/RuO₂–IrO₂ anode rods and stainless-steel cathode, while 254 nm UV lamps are used to irradiate the water under a low DC current. The added boiling process both volatilizes DBPs, such as trihalomethanes (60-80% removal) and raises temperature to improve catalyst performance, boosting UV‐electrochemical removal of non-volatile DBPs (haloacetic acids (HAAs), aromatic DBPs) to over 70 % within minutes. This low-cost, point-of-use device consumes only 0.5–0.8 kWh/day for a four-person household, while significantly reducing DBP loads downstream and offering a practical complement to centralized treatment for enhancing public health against DBP-related risks.

Wastewater | Open Access

Innovative optimization of modified waste cotton cloth biofilm reactor for sustainable domestic wastewater treatment

Husein M., Zhao R., Cheng L., El-Mesery H., Issaka S., Salem A., Abdelfattah A. 2025. Innovative optimization of modified waste cotton cloth biofilm reactor for sustainable domestic wastewater treatment. Environmental Technology & Innovation. 39. doi:10.1016/j.eti.2025.104236.

Why it's interesting: This study evaluated a lab‐scale biofilm reactor using modified waste cotton cloth (MWCC) as a novel and low-cost biofilm carrier for optimizing decentralized wastewater treatment systems (septic systems). Waste cotton cloth refers to discarded or surplus cotton textiles, which in this study, was repurposed as a low-cost biofilm carrier material. These WCC were modified using hydrosulfuric acid to enhance its surface characteristics and improve biofilm growth and attachment. This study hypothesizes that waste cotton cloth, due to its high surface area, hydrophilicity, low-cost, and biodegradability, can serve as an sustainable alternative to conventional plastic or ceramic carriers in horizontal plug flow reactor systems.

Industry News

First-Of-Its-Kind AI Tool Can Predict Water Quality Across the U.S.

University of Vermont researchers have invented a new tool using artificial intelligence and real-time sensor data to help communities better predict streamflow and water quality parameters. 

New roadmap advances catalytic solutions to destroy ‘forever chemicals’ 

An international team of researchers have proposed a sequential “treatment train" for treating PFAS in water using heterogeneous catalysis, a process which has the potential to mineralize PFAS into harmless by-products.

Christine Wang’s Innovative Fruit Peel-Based Water Purification System that Removes Toxic Heavy Metals Featured in XYZ Media’s “Next Generation of Innovators”

A student at The Harker School in San Jose, CA has developed a novel, biodegradable water purification system using preactivated fruit peel waste to filter out toxic heavy metals. 

New method to monitor sewage pollution in rivers

Scientists at the University of Stirling, UK have developed a low-cost monitoring system using microplastic beads housed in submerged cages downstream of wastewater treatment effluent pipes to continuously capture and detect pathogenic bacteria. 

Innovations for Small Systems is a continuation of the newsletter previously provided by the two National Centers for Innovation in Small Drinking Water Systems: DeRISK at the University of Colorado - Boulder and WINSSS at University of Massachusetts - Amherst under a U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant.

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