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Editorial

Sustainable Environmental Engineering

1
Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry (DCCI), University of Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
2
Ecas4 Australia Pty Ltd., Mile End South, SA 5031, Australia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105726
Submission received: 13 May 2025 / Accepted: 17 May 2025 / Published: 20 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Environmental Engineering)

1. Introduction

The field of environmental engineering is undergoing a vital transformation, driven by the urgent need to address environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and climate change. This Special Issue of Applied Sciences, titled “Sustainable Environmental Engineering”, showcases a curated selection of seven original research articles that span three core domains—remediation, modelling, and sustainable processes. These contributions collectively highlight the pivotal role of innovation in engineering for sustainable development.

2. Remediation

In the remediation domain, nature-based solutions and green technologies are at the forefront.
Vocciante et al. [1] demonstrate the promise of enhanced phytoremediation using plant growth-promoting bacteria to rehabilitate oil-contaminated agricultural land, emphasizing eco-friendly and cost-effective soil recovery.
Similarly, Filali et al. [2] propose a cyclic graywater treatment system integrating mechanical, biological, and plant-based filtration, presenting a scalable and sustainable model for wastewater reuse in agriculture.
Ramos et al. [3] contribute with a novel nanocatalyst synthesized from plant extracts for the photodegradation of antibiotics, offering a green approach for tackling pharmaceutical contaminants in water bodies.

3. Modelling

The Modelling section advances our understanding of environmental systems and decision-making.
Cai et al. [4] introduce a cutting-edge hybrid machine learning model—Optuna–LightGBM–XGBoost—that accurately estimates carbon emissions based on electricity data, enabling better emission management strategies.
Çetin et al. [5] present a comprehensive life cycle assessment of medical waste management in Istanbul, comparing multiple treatment scenarios and underlining the environmental benefit of waste segregation and minimization strategies.

4. Sustainable Processes

Finally, the Processes section presents technological advancements aimed at improving efficiency and reducing environmental footprints.
Davila-Iniesta et al. [6] explore the use of automated image segmentation for defect detection in robotic welding, enabling cleaner and more resource-efficient production lines.
Li et al. [7] investigate optimal drying parameters for chicken manure treatment using variable temperature methods, utilizing residual heat for sustainable waste-to-resource conversion in agriculture.

5. Conclusions

Together, these articles underscore the interdisciplinary and solution-oriented nature of sustainable environmental engineering. From green remediation techniques and intelligent modelling to optimized industrial processes, the research presented in this issue offers pathways to a more resilient and sustainable future.
We thank the contributing authors for their valuable insights and the Reviewers for their critical assessments, which have helped ensure the quality of this collection.
We hope this Special Issue will inspire further research and collaboration in advancing sustainable technologies and systems for environmental protection.

Author Contributions

M.V.: writing—original draft, writing—review and editing; S.F.: writing—original draft, writing—review and editing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Vocciante, M.; Franchi, E.; Fusini, D.; Pedron, F.; Barbafieri, M.; Petruzzelli, G.; Reverberi, A.P. Sustainable Recovery of an Agricultural Area Impacted by an Oil Spill Using Enhanced Phytoremediation. Appl. Sci. 2024, 14, 582. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Filali, H.; Moussa, M.; Barsan, N.; Nedeff, V.; Irimia, O.; Hachicha, M. A Cyclic Graywater Treatment Model for Sustainable Wastewater Management Applied in a Small Scale. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 2836. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Ramos, R.M.B.; Monteiro, P.I.; da Rocha, L.V.M.; Santos, O.O.; Alves, E.R.; Dantas, T.L.P. Experimental Investigation of Antibiotic Photodegradation Using a Nanocatalyst Synthesized via an Eco-Friendly Process. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 4308. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Cai, Y.; Feng, J.; Wang, Y.; Ding, Y.; Hu, Y.; Fang, H. The Optuna–LightGBM–XGBoost Model: A Novel Approach for Estimating Carbon Emissions Based on the Electricity–Carbon Nexus. Appl. Sci. 2024, 14, 4632. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Çetin, E.; Esenlikçi Yıldız, İ.A.; Öz Yaşar, Ç.; Yulistyorini, A. Life Cycle Assessment of Medical Waste Management: Case Study for Istanbul. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 4439. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Davila-Iniesta, E.M.; Lopez-Islas, J.A.; Villuendas-Rey, Y.; Camacho-Nieto, O. Automatic Segmentation of Gas Metal Arc Welding for Cleaner Productions. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 3280. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Li, X.; Kang, X.; Xi, L.; Dou, Q.; Shi, Z.; Liu, T.; Wang, L. Drying Characteristics of Chicken Manure Under a Variable Temperature Process. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 4093. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
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MDPI and ACS Style

Vocciante, M.; Ferro, S. Sustainable Environmental Engineering. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 5726. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105726

AMA Style

Vocciante M, Ferro S. Sustainable Environmental Engineering. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(10):5726. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105726

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vocciante, Marco, and Sergio Ferro. 2025. "Sustainable Environmental Engineering" Applied Sciences 15, no. 10: 5726. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105726

APA Style

Vocciante, M., & Ferro, S. (2025). Sustainable Environmental Engineering. Applied Sciences, 15(10), 5726. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105726

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