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Pollution Process and Microbial Responses in Aquatic Environment
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Pollution Process and Microbial Responses in Aquatic Environment

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Quality and Contamination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 6413

Editors

Dr. Fei-Fei Che

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Interests: environmental health; lake ecology; emerging pollutants; migration and transformation of pollutants; environmental risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: phosphorus; nitrogen; microbial activity; sediment pollution mechanism; sediment contamination control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, and pollutants, such as heavy mentals, microplastics, antibiotics, and PFASs, are released into the surface aquatic environment from agricultural, industrial, and municipal sources, posing risks to human health. As significant mediums in the aquatic environment, the overlying water, sediment, and organisms play crucial roles in the migration and transformation of these pollutants. The physical and chemical properties, the environmental conditions at the sediment–water interface, and the microbial communities are all important factors influencing the environmental behavior of pollutants. In addition, the migration and transformation process of pollutants in aquatic environment can alter properties of water and sediment as well as interface conditions, thus affecting microbial activities. This Special Issue solicits articles on scientific issues such as the pollution processes and mechanisms in aquatic environment as well as the influence and responses of the microbial communities to the processes. We welcome original research, new methods and protocols, and reviews.

Dr. Fei-Fei Che
Dr. Wei Huang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • aquatic environment
  • nutrient
  • heavy mentals
  • antibiotics
  • pfass
  • migration and transformation
  • microbial community
  • influencing mechanism

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2209 KB  
Article
Exploration of Phosphorus Release Characteristics in Sediments from the Plains River Network: Vertical Distribution and the Response of Phosphorus and Microorganisms
by Xiaoshuang Dong, Haojie Chen, Yongsheng Chang, Xixi Yang, Haoran Yang and Wei Huang
Water 2025, 17(15), 2196; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152196 - 23 Jul 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1460
Abstract
Plains River networks are important natural ecosystems that play a vital role in storing, draining, conserving, and purifying water. This study selected the river network in the northern plain of Jiaxing as the research area. Samples were collected in October 2023. Sediments were [...] Read more.
Plains River networks are important natural ecosystems that play a vital role in storing, draining, conserving, and purifying water. This study selected the river network in the northern plain of Jiaxing as the research area. Samples were collected in October 2023. Sediments were collected using a sampler and divided into five layers according to the collection depth, namely the surface layer (5 cm), the second layer (15 cm), the third layer (25 cm), the fourth layer (35 cm), and the bottom layer (45 cm). This study analyzed the vertical distribution of each form of phosphorus, the vertical distribution of the microbial community, and the response between the two in the sediments of this plain river network. The results showed high sediment TP concentrations (633.9–2534.7 mg/kg) in this plain river network. The vertical distribution trend of Fe-P was almost the same as that of TP and had the highest concentration (134.9–1860.1 mg/kg). Ca-P is the second highest phosphorus content, which is also an inert phosphorus component, as well as Al-P, and both exhibit a relatively low percentage of surface layers. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria showed heterogeneity in the vertical distribution of sediments. The river network sediments in the Plains River have a high potential for phosphorus release, with most sites acting as phosphorus “sources”. The sediments in the second of these layers show a strong tendency to release phosphorus. Bottom sediments have a low capacity to both adsorb and release phosphorus. The findings of this study will provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention and management of river networks in this plain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollution Process and Microbial Responses in Aquatic Environment)
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Review

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36 pages, 2129 KB  
Review
Differential Regulation of Arsenic Cycling by Algal and Submerged Macrophyte-Derived DOM During Lake Eutrophication: A Review
by Fuwen Deng, Zhanqi Zhou, Jiayang Nie, Xin Chen, Dong Shi and Feifei Che
Water 2026, 18(7), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18070798 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 875
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous and highly toxic metalloid with well-established carcinogenicity. Its accumulation and secondary release from lake sediments pose potential risks to lake ecosystem integrity and human health. Meanwhile, the ongoing intensification of lake eutrophication at the global scale has altered [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous and highly toxic metalloid with well-established carcinogenicity. Its accumulation and secondary release from lake sediments pose potential risks to lake ecosystem integrity and human health. Meanwhile, the ongoing intensification of lake eutrophication at the global scale has altered the sources, composition, and environmental behavior of internally derived dissolved organic matter (DOM). These changes have profoundly influenced As mobilization and transformation at the sediment-water interface (SWI). To advance understanding of the regulatory roles and underlying mechanisms of algal dissolved organic matter (ADOM) and submerged macrophyte dissolved organic matter (SMDOM) in As biogeochemical cycling under lake ecosystem regime shifts, extensive findings from the international literature were synthesized. The characteristic properties and environmental behaviors of ADOM and SMDOM were systematically compared, and their distinct regulatory pathways in lacustrine systems were further summarized. Results indicate that ADOM is typically characterized by low molecular weight, weak aromaticity, and high bioavailability. It can enhance As dissolution and mobilization from sediments through direct complexation, competition for adsorption sites, and stimulation of microbial metabolism and Fe(III) reduction. In contrast, SMDOM exhibits higher molecular weight, greater aromaticity, and a higher degree of humification. It tends to form stable complexes with mineral phases. Under the influence of radial oxygen loss (ROL) from submerged macrophyte roots during the growth phase, its capacity to promote mineral reduction is relatively limited. This process favors stable As retention in sediments. The regulatory effects of ADOM and SMDOM on As behavior are strongly modulated by environmental factors such as pH, redox potential (Eh), temperature, and light conditions, as well as by microbial communities. ADOM is more sensitive to reducing environments and photochemical processes. SMDOM, in contrast, exerts more persistent control under oxidizing conditions and at mineral-water interfaces. In addition, ADOM more readily drives microbial community shifts toward assemblages with enhanced capacities for Fe(III) reduction and As reduction or methylation. SMDOM is less likely to trigger strongly reducing processes. Based on these mechanisms, the outbreak and decay phases in algal-dominated lakes often correspond to critical periods of enhanced As mobilization and elevated ecological risk. In submerged macrophyte-dominated lakes, the decay phase may represent an important window for sedimentary As release. Finally, a conceptual framework describing the differential regulation of As biogeochemical cycling by ADOM and SMDOM is proposed. This framework provides a theoretical basis for As risk identification, the determination of critical risk periods, and the development of management strategies across lakes with different trophic states. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollution Process and Microbial Responses in Aquatic Environment)
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26 pages, 5508 KB  
Review
From Sources to Environmental Risks: Research Progress on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in River and Lake Environments
by Zhanqi Zhou, Fuwen Deng, Jiayang Nie, He Li, Xia Jiang, Shuhang Wang and Yunyan Guo
Water 2025, 17(21), 3061; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17213061 - 25 Oct 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3298
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have attracted global attention due to their persistence and biological toxicity, becoming critical emerging contaminants in river and lake environments worldwide. Building upon existing studies, this work aims to comprehensively understand the pollution patterns, environmental behaviors, and potential [...] Read more.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have attracted global attention due to their persistence and biological toxicity, becoming critical emerging contaminants in river and lake environments worldwide. Building upon existing studies, this work aims to comprehensively understand the pollution patterns, environmental behaviors, and potential risks of PFASs in freshwater systems, thereby providing scientific evidence and technical support for precise pollution control, risk prevention, and the protection of aquatic ecosystems and human health. Based on publications from 2002 to 2025 indexed in the Web of Science (WoS), bibliometric analysis was used to explore the temporal evolution and research hotspots of PFASs, and to systematically review their input pathways, pollution characteristics, environmental behaviors, influencing factors, and ecological and health risks in river and lake environments. Results show that PFAS inputs originate from both direct and indirect pathways. Direct emissions mainly stem from industrial production, consumer product use, and waste disposal, while indirect emissions arise from precursor transformation, secondary releases from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT). Affected by source distribution, physicochemical properties, and environmental conditions, PFASs display pronounced spatial variability among environmental media. Their partitioning, degradation, and migration are jointly controlled by molecular properties, aquatic physicochemical conditions, and interactions with dissolved organic matter (DOM). Current risk assessments indicate that PFASs generally pose low risks in non-industrial areas, yet elevated ecological and health risks persist in industrial clusters and regions with intensive aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) use. Quantitative evaluation of mixture toxicity and chronic low-dose exposure risks remains insufficient and warrants further investigation. This study reveals the complex, dynamic environmental behaviors of PFASs in river and lake systems. Considering the interactions between PFASs and coexisting components, future research should emphasize mechanisms, key influencing factors, and synergistic control strategies under multi-media co-pollution. Developing quantitative risk assessment frameworks capable of characterizing integrated mixture toxicity will provide a scientific basis for the precise identification and effective management of PFAS pollution in aquatic environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollution Process and Microbial Responses in Aquatic Environment)
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