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Innovative Approaches in Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Bioremediation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 153

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Interests: bioremediation; bioinformatics; computational and molecular biology; environmental biotechnology and wastewater microbiome

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Guest Editor
School of Agri-food Technology and Manufacturing, National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, Holbeach Technology Park, Park Road, Holbeach PE12 7PT, UK
Interests: bioinformatics; environmental microbiology; food safety; wastewater technology

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Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Interests: water microbiology; biostatistics; survey and treatment of microbial pathogens in water

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing volumes of wastewater due to urbanization and industrial growth are placing significant strain on existing infrastructure, making sustainable wastewater treatment more critical than ever. Conventional methods often struggle to address emerging pollutants like microplastics and pharmaceuticals, while also being energy-intensive and costly. Biotechnological advancements, including bioengineered organisms and microbial consortia, offer promising solutions for more efficient pollutant removal and nutrient recovery. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence can optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency. With emerging contaminants posing growing threats to environmental and public health, innovative, data-driven approaches are essential for effective mitigation.

This Special Issue, entitled "Innovative Approaches in Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Bioremediation", seeks to present the latest research in biotechnological and circular economy solutions for wastewater management. It aims to explore cutting-edge innovations that enhance pollutant removal and resource recovery, particularly through the use of bioengineered organisms, microbial consortia, and AI-driven optimization. This Special Issue will also address the implications of emerging contaminants on public health and the environment and examine innovative resource recovery and zero-waste concepts.

Articles covering the following topics, among others, are warmly welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue:

  1. Emerging Contaminants and Environmental Public Health Risks:

Investigating the effects of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, genes linked to resistance and virulence, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and other novel pollutants on ecosystems and public health.

  1. Innovative Biotechnological Solutions for Wastewater Treatment:

Focusing on the use of bioengineered organisms, microbial consortia, and advanced biotechnologies for enhanced treatment efficiency.

  1. Advanced Bio-adsorption and Bio-filtration Techniques:

Developing and applying bio-based materials like biochar, algae, plants, and biopolymers for adsorption and filtration of contaminants in wastewater.

  1. Energy-efficient and Renewable Energy from Wastewater Treatment:

Including the use of anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation), anaerobic digestion, bioelectrochemical systems, and advanced aeration techniques (e.g., fine-bubble diffusers).

  1. Economy of Wastewater Management for Sustainable Agriculture:

Combining bioremediation processes with nutrient recovery for agricultural use, promoting a closed-loop system and zero-waste concepts.

  1. Decentralized and Community-scale Wastewater Treatment Systems:

Exploring cost-effective, small-scale, and decentralized solutions for rural and underserved areas.

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Data-Driven Optimization in Biological Wastewater Treatment:

Applying AI, machine learning, and real-time data analytics to optimize and enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment processes.

  1. Risk Assessment in Wastewater Treatment:

Evaluating and managing potential hazards and risks associated with wastewater treatment processes, including the impact of emerging contaminants.

We welcome submissions focused on innovative technologies, reviews, analytical research, and interdisciplinary studies that contribute to fostering sustainable and effective wastewater management.

Dr. Abimbola Motunrayo Folami
Dr. Oluyemi Awolusi
Prof. Dr. Feroz Mahomed Swalaha
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable wastewater treatment
  • bioremediation
  • artificial intelligence
  • bioengineered organisms
  • emerging contaminants
  • nutrient recovery
  • renewable energy
  • decentralized treatment systems
  • environmental public health
  • risk assessment

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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