image: Graphical Abstract
Credit: HY Hu, et al
The ecological use of reclaimed water faces major challenges due to residual pollutants. Trace toxic compounds, like endocrine disruptors, can accumulate in aquatic life and propagate through the food web. Pathogenic microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes may persist and multiply, elevating disease risks.
Additionally, nutrients and dissolved organic matter can disrupt natural cycles, trigger algal blooms, and alter the behavior of other contaminants. These risks are compounded by the complex synergistic interactions between different pollutants, posing substantial threats to ecosystem and human health.
In a new study published in Water & Ecology, a research team led by Hong-Ying Hu from Tsinghua University examined the entire process of the ecological use of reclaimed water — from water recharge to ecological buffer zones to receiving water bodies.
To address the inadequate understanding of these impacts, the study proposes a holistic evaluation framework that integrates five key dimensions of indicators: pollution level indicators including conventional and emerging contaminants; purification process indicators; sensory quality indicators like color and odor; and nature proximity indicators including dissolved organic matter and hardness.
“Undefined risk thresholds for toxins nutrients and pathogens are also a critical issue for ecological safety in water reuse,” Hu explains. “Developing differentiated safety standards using species sensitivity distribution and ecological modeling is crucial.”
Furthermore, water reclamation and ecological use processes generally involve a combination of multiple treatment units and varied technical pathways, which can result in distinct carbon emissions and comprehensive benefits via the ecological use of reclaimed water.”
The authors note that there is a need to optimize the overall benefits—encompassing resource, ecological, environmental, social, and economic aspects—under economic and carbon emission constraints. “Hence, we need to establish a framework for ecosystem service valuation and benefit evaluation of reclaimed water and to put forward optimal technical pathways and management strategies for the ecological use of reclaimed water under different scenarios, considering regional conditions, economic development level, water quality and quantity demand,” adds Hu.
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Contact the author: Dr. Hong-Ying Hu, hyhu@tsinghua.edu.cn
-State Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
-Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, China -Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua University, Suzhou 215163, China
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Journal
Water & Ecology
Method of Research
Commentary/editorial
Subject of Research
Not applicable
COI Statement
All authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Hong-Ying Hu is an editorial board member for Water & Ecology and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article.