Next-Generation Intelligent Constructed Wetlands for Sustainable Water Purification and Phosphorus Recovery

"The sustainability and security of global aquatic ecosystem have been threatened by anthropogenically-driven water quality problems, including eutrophication and antibiotic residue. Despite national efforts such as River Basin Management Plans, only 37% of surface water bodies in the European Union currently achieve the ""good ecological status"" defined under the Water Framework Directive. Notably, these water quality problems, caused by pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus (P) and antibiotics, are particularly severe in low- and middle-income areas (e.g. rural area), where limited capacity for water pollution governance exacerbates existing environmental inequality and vulnerability. Eliminating pollutants from water using constructed wetlands (CWs) provides an attractive low-cost approach for water treatment. Additionally, achieving simultaneous P recovery during water purification is believed to promote the development of sustainable food production and the circular economy in many regions. The SMART-WET project, undertaken at Water@Leeds (one of the world's largest interdisciplinary water research centers), aims to integrate a heterogeneous catalytic material-modified CW system with machine learning-driven intelligent design for sustainable water purification and P recovery. This advanced, cost-effective, scalable system is poised to address the 'water–energy–sanitation' crisis. By converging the processes of water purification and P recovery into an affordable system, the SMART-WET project not only advances a leap towards sustainable resource management but also promises a substantial enhancement in water quality, addressing the urgent need for safe, equal and accessible water."