Wastewater Treatment and Reuse

The Section “Wastewater Treatment and Reuse” covers topics that are connected to water and wastewater treatment with conventional and emerging technologies, including the treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater and supply/process water, water/wastewater reuse technologies and applications, and ecological (natural) treatment technologies (e.g., constructed wetlands, phytoremediation, etc.), in addition to the treatment of emerging contaminants (e.g., anthropogenic particles such as nanoparticles, microplastics, or PFAS). This Section aims to present notable examples of consolidated practices, advancements in the state-of-the-art, and emerging concepts in water and wastewater treatment and reuse technology, including energy-related aspects of technologies, resource recovery from wastewater, and wastewater treatment residuals. This Section accepts the submission of original research articles, review papers, case studies, and perspective papers. Multidisciplinary studies aiming to achieve integrated solutions for water and wastewater management in urban areas are also welcome. 

The following topics are covered, though the submission of novel manuscripts is encouraged:

• Biological Wastewater Treatment Processes: Topics may include activated sludge, biofilms, membrane bioprocesses, bioelectrochemical processes, anaerobic digestion, nutrient removal, and process optimization;
• Physico-chemical Treatment Processes: Coagulation–flocculation, adsorption, membrane filtration, oxidation, ion exchange, AOPs, and ARPs. Submissions may cover treatment efficiency, novel materials, process optimization, or technology integration;
• Nature-Based Solutions: Systems that harness natural processes, such as constructed wetlands, green infrastructure, or biofiltration and their integration in hybrid schemes. Topics may include design, performance, ecosystem services, or resilience-building benefits;
• Decentralized Wastewater Treatment: Decentralized treatment solutions using conventional or alternative technologies, especially when aimed at resource recovery and decarbonization of the urban water cycle;
• Water/Wastewater Reuse and Resource Recovery: Recovery of resources (materials, nutrients, and energy), water reuse technologies, and their combinations;
• Wastewater Treatment Residue Management: Sludge (biosolid) treatment, handling, stabilization, disposal, recovery, and reuse. Topics may include anaerobic digestion, dewatering, nutrient recovery, energy generation, and environmental impact assessment;
• Instrumentation, Control, and Smart Sensors: Submissions focusing on the monitoring, automation, and optimization of water/wastewater treatment processes. Sensor development is not included, but submissions should focus on data analytics, real-time control, IoT applications, and system integration.