Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42683493›Full record

ArticleWater Reuse2026

Perspectives on next-generation secondary wastewater treatment for potable reuse applications.

Raven C Althouse, Harmita Golwala, Michael A Saldana, Marisol Cira, Christelle Sawaya, Shu Ying Wee, Binglin Guo, Sarah E Philo, Adam L Smith

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Water Reuse, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Raven C AlthouseSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.ORCID 0009-0008-0617-4024
Harmita GolwalaSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Michael A SaldanaSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Marisol CiraSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Christelle SawayaSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Shu Ying WeeSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Binglin GuoSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Sarah E PhiloSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.
Adam L SmithSonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.

Funding

Southern California Superfund Research and Training Program for PFAS Assessment, Remediation, and Prevention (ShARP)P42ES036506 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI Jane Karen Steinberg · 2025 to 2026
$8.2M
NIEHS NIH HHS P42 ES036506
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The growing implementation of indirect and direct potable reuse (IPR and DPR) highlights the need for robust wastewater treatment to strengthen the performance and reliability of downstream advanced water purification facilities (AWPFs). Next-generation secondary waste-water treatment processes are now being considered to enhance compatibility in potable reuse schemes. This perspective analyzes the role of competing next-generation biotechnologies such as integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) and the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), Modified Ludzack-Ettinger membrane bioreactor (MLE-MBR) and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) upstream of reverse osmosis (RO)- and activated carbon (AC)-based AWP, and their ability to enhance contaminant removal and improve overall efficiency of AWP. Both MLE-MBR and AnMBR significantly enhance the removal of suspended solids, organics, and microbial contaminants through membrane filtration. AnMBR offers the possibility of net energy-positive operation but does not remove nitrogen, limiting compatibility with AWP. MLE-MBR removes nitrogen but has significantly greater energy demand due to aeration and mixed liquor return pumping. Overall, next-generation biotechnologies provide flexible and effective solutions to enhance secondary effluent quality, supporting safe and regulation-compliant IPR and DPR applications.

Indexed as

biotechnologycompatibilitynext-generationnutrient removalpotable reuse

Identifiers

PMID42683493
PMCPMC13533551

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.