{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T07:23:18Z","timestamp":1787556198530,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"26","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786665600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786665600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001795","name":"University of Southern Queensland","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001795","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Environ Sci Pollut Res"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The increasing release of engineered nanoparticles into wastewater systems has raised concerns regarding their long-term effects on biological treatment processes and soluble microbial product (SMP) formation. However, the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the composition, diversity, and persistence of low-molecular-weight (low-MW) SMPs in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) remain poorly understood. In this study, the long-term effects of ZnO NP exposure on SMP characteristics were investigated in submerged anoxic-aerobic MBRs operated with and without ZnO NP addition. SMP production, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), molecular weight distribution, fluorescence properties, and low-MW SMP identification were analyzed using HPLC-SEC, FEEM fluorescence spectroscopy, and GC\u2013MS. ZnO NP exposure increased polysaccharide production in both loosely bound and tightly bound EPS fractions, indicating stress-induced enhancement of the extracellular protective matrix. High-MW SMP fractions and protein- and fulvic acid-like fluorescence intensities also increased under ZnO NP stress. GC\u2013MS analysis revealed that ZnO NP exposure increased the number and diversity of detectable low-MW SMPs, with a shift toward aromatics, esters, and alcohols, while the relative abundance of alkanes and alkenes decreased. Several compounds were detected exclusively in the ZnO NP-exposed reactor, suggesting stress-induced metabolic transformation and altered biodegradation pathways. Although many SMPs were partially or fully removed during treatment, some recalcitrant compounds persisted in the effluent, including long-chain hydrocarbons and aromatic derivatives. The results demonstrate that ZnO NP exposure substantially alters SMP composition and promotes the formation of more diverse and persistent low-MW organic compounds in MBR systems. These findings provide new insights into nanoparticle-induced stress responses and their implications for SMP dynamics, effluent quality, and membrane fouling in biological wastewater treatment systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-026-38139-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]],"date-time":"2026-08-14T20:54:16Z","timestamp":1786740856000},"page":"13459-13474","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Long-term effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on soluble microbial product composition and transformation in submerged membrane bioreactors"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"33","author":[{"given":"Dongqing","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2880-708X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antoine Prandota","family":"Trzcinski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"38139_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"255","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2003.09.031","volume":"38","author":"SF Aquino","year":"2004","unstructured":"Aquino SF, Stuckey DC (2004) Soluble microbial products formation in anaerobic chemostats in the presence of toxic compounds. 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