Biotechnology and Materials for Wastewater Treatment
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical and Molecular Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2026 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editors
Interests: biomass valorisation; process intensification; enabling technologies; biorefineries
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The increasing demand for clean water and the environmental impacts of urban, industrial, and agricultural activities have driven significant advances in wastewater treatment technologies. Historically, conventional treatment systems were designed to remove organic matter and nutrients. However, recent scientific evidence highlights the urgent need to address emerging contaminants, microplastics, antibiotic residues, and persistent pollutants that escape conventional processes.
In this context, biotechnology and advanced materials have emerged as complementary tools to design more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable treatment systems.
This Special Issue focuses on innovative approaches integrating microbial processes, bioengineered materials, and hybrid reactors for the treatment, reuse, and valorization of wastewater. Topics include anaerobic digestion, biosorption, electrochemical–biological systems, biochar, nanomaterials, and membrane technologies.
Research contributing to the understanding of microbial community dynamics, process intensification, and material–microorganism interactions is particularly encouraged. The aim is to provide a comprehensive view of current advances that support the transition to circular and low-carbon wastewater management strategies.
By gathering contributions from environmental biotechnology and materials science, this Special Issue seeks to highlight the critical role of this interdisciplinary field in shaping the next generation of resilient and sustainable water treatment systems.
Prof. Dr. Ulises Durán-Hinojosa
Dr. Mike O. Ojemaye
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- wastewater treatment
- environmental biotechnology
- functional materials
- anaerobic digestion
- hybrid bioreactors
- emerging contaminants
- microbial processes
- biochar and nanomaterials
- resource recovery
- circular economy
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