Nature Water

Nature Water, Published online: 02 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00696-9 This study elucidates the defluorination mechanism and pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in ultraviolet/sulfite systems, emphasizing the coupling roles of hydrated electrons, hydroxyl radicals and hydroxide ions.

Nature Water, Published online: 01 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00690-1 This study demonstrates that plasmon-enabled photocatalysis can break down PFAS at room temperature with minimal inputs, achieving complete or near-complete defluorination through mechanisms involving plasmon-driven hydrogen production and hydrated electrons.

Nature Water, Published online: 01 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00698-7 Existing uranium extraction methods rely on binding free uranyl ions, making them inefficient for natural waters, where uranium predominantly exists as stable carbonate complexes. Now, a new class of preorganized porous polymers features rigid triangular pockets designed to capture intact uranyl complexes from natur…

Nature Water, Published online: 01 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00700-2 This study presents a solar-powered multi-stage evaporation system that simultaneously produces freshwater, extracts lithium and uranium, and generates electricity, demonstrating strong technical performance and promising economic potential for sustainable resource and energy recovery.

Nature Water, Published online: 01 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00695-w Filter mating coupled with nanopore selective sequencing recovers recipient-compatible conjugative plasmids from wastewater without plasmid extraction, revealing greater plasmid diversity and stage-specific profiles than extraction-based sequencing.

Nature Water, Published online: 31 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00703-z A heterogeneous wetting membrane integrated with bidirectional gradient contraction channels enables the synchronous and continuous separation and parallel processing of opposing oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions with over 99.9% efficiency while delivering enhanced anti-fouling performance and long-term operation…

Nature Water, Published online: 28 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00707-9 The relationship between rock weathering and the global carbon cycle is complex. This complexity calls for research across spatial, temporal, and disciplinary boundaries and suggests that the emerging practice of issuing carbon credits for enhanced weathering is premature.

Nature Water, Published online: 28 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00706-w Earth observation and artificial intelligence provide unprecedented opportunities to monitor water systems. However, unequal access to data and underrepresentation of diverse perspectives risk reinforcing existing disparities.

Nature Water, Published online: 25 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00702-0 A machine learning-based framework is designed to adaptively optimize chlorine dosing across diverse water conditions to maintain disinfection reliability while reducing the formation of carcinogenic disinfection by-products.

Nature Water, Published online: 14 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00697-8 An optimized nationwide sludge-to-coal co-firing network in China could convert wastewater sludge into energy, reducing sludge volume by 79% and avoiding about 15.25 Mt of CO2 emissions annually.

Nature Water, Published online: 10 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00705-x Author Correction: Ten key insights and gaps to inform drought risk research, policy and practice

Nature Water, Published online: 10 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00694-x Phase engineering of high-entropy nanoalloys can enhance electrocatalysis. A one-pot synthesized 2H RhCuNiInSb nanoalloy outperformed its face-centred cubic counterpart for nitrate reduction, enabling efficient NH3 production and wastewater denitrification through an optimized electronic structure.

Nature Water, Published online: 03 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00675-0 This Perspective proposes the variable scale domains framework for explaining the spatial and temporal variability of river network dissolved organic and inorganic carbon through mechanisms that are primarily regulated by scale-dependent geomorphic attributes or by patchy geomorphic structures.

Nature Water, Published online: 31 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00680-3 Differing decision-making priorities and risk assessment approaches across jurisdictions have produced variation in national implementation of European Union drinking water PFAS standards. Analysis of such differences reflects uncertainty around harder-to-remove compounds such as TFA, which complicates planning and inves…

Nature Water, Published online: 31 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00670-5 The European Union Drinking Water Directive set new limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to health concerns, prompting varied implementation across member states. An analysis of these implementations reveals that while most adopt the sum of PFAS substances limit, diverse approaches may hinder consist…

Nature Water, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00689-8 Industrial wastewater contains both dissolved salts and valuable metals, yet existing technologies rarely achieve water reuse and resource recovery simultaneously. Programming electrode potential can direct the fate of dissolved ions, enabling desalination and selective metal recovery within a single electrochemical plat…

Nature Water, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00679-w Electrochemical ion pumping enables tunable, simultaneous desalination and selective heavy-metal recovery from complex industrial brines by precisely controlling the electrode potential to couple capacitive ion removal with targeted metal electrodeposition.

Nature Water, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00691-0 Machine learning is the key to uncovering where populations across the globe are at risk from manganese in their groundwater-sourced drinking water.

Nature Water, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00677-y Nitritation is limited by the difficulty of suppressing nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, the mechanisms of which are clear. This study shows that quorum sensing drives altruistic self-inactivation in Nitrospira, favouring ammonia oxidizers and stabilizing nitritation.

Nature Water, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00686-x Nitritation depends on selectively suppressing nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. Research now shows that quorum sensing reshapes how ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizers respond to inhibition, revealing a hidden layer of metabolic control in nitrogen removal.