Skip to main contentNews & ViewsPublished: 02 March 2026Biological wastewater treatmentQidong Yin ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9063-53971,Kai He ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1041-07381 &Bingjun Liu ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9393-06741 Nature Water (2026)Cite this articleSubjectsEnvironmental biotechnologyWater microbiologyMicrobial consortia underpin biological wastewater treatment, but controlling cooperative metabolism remains challenging. Mesoscale confinement modulates porin transport and metabolite enrichment, boosting pollutant removal and resource recovery.This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institutionAccess optionsSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 digital issues and online access to articles118,99 € per yearonly 9,92 € per issueLearn moreRent or buy this articlePrices vary by article typefrom$1.95to$39.95Learn morePrices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkoutFig. 1: Schematic of the mesospace-domain strategy for regulating microbiota metabolism for robust wastewater treatment.ReferencesEl-Chichakli, B., von Braun, J., Lang, C., Barben, D. & Philp, J. Nature 535, 221–223 (2016).Article PubMed CAS Google Scholar Liu, T. et al. Nat. Water 2, 936–952 (2024).Article CAS Google Scholar Herold, M. et al. Nat. Commun. 11, 5281 (2020).Article PubMed PubMed Central CAS Google Scholar Su, C. et al. Nature 642, 1024–1033 (2025).Article PubMed CAS Google Scholar Giangeri, G. et al. Environ. Sci. Technol. 57, 16399–16413 (2023).Article PubMed PubMed Central CAS Google Scholar Yang, X. et al. Microbiome 13, 178 (2025).Article PubMed PubMed Central CAS Google Scholar D’Souza, G. et al. Nat. Prod. Rep. 35, 455–488 (2018).Article PubMed Google Scholar Fritts, R. K., McCully, A. L. & McKinlay, J. B. Microbiol. Mol. Bio. Rev. 85, e00135–20 (2021).Article CAS Google Scholar Nikaido, H. & Saier, M. H. Jr Science 258, 936–942 (1992).Article PubMed CAS Google Scholar Liu, C. et al. Nat. Water https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00579-5 (2026).Article Google Scholar Download referencesAcknowledgementsThis work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52400107).Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsSchool of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaQidong Yin, Kai He & Bingjun LiuAuthorsQidong YinView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarKai HeView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarBingjun LiuView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorCorrespondence to Qidong Yin.Ethics declarationsRights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this article