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Applied Sciences
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Advancing Bioremediation Technologies for Emerging Micropollutants
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Advancing Bioremediation Technologies for Emerging Micropollutants

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 2453

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria João Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre of Marine Sciences—CCMAR, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Interests: bioprospecting of natural products; plant tissue culture; plant biotechnology; phytorremediation; saline cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Micropollutants, encompassing pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, are emerging as persistent contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments. These substances, often present at trace levels, exert outsized impacts on ecosystems and human health due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and resistance to conventional wastewater treatment methods. Their presence in water bodies can disrupt aquatic ecosystems, harm biodiversity, and introduce risks to the food chain, necessitating urgent intervention. The European Union’s updated urban wastewater directive, which mandates an 80% removal efficiency for such substances, underscores the global need for effective, scalable, and sustainable remediation technologies.

Bioremediation leverages natural and engineered biological systems to degrade or transform micropollutants into less harmful byproducts. Featured approaches include the use of microbial consortia, genetically engineered microorganisms, enzymatic treatments, and biofilm-based technologies, offering innovative solutions for both in situ and ex situ applications.

This Special Issue highlights the critical role of bioremediation as a green and sustainable approach to mitigate micropollutants across diverse ecosystems. Through a combination of cutting-edge research articles, case studies, and comprehensive reviews, this Special Issue offers a multifaceted view of bioremediation technologies. By presenting novel methodologies and exploring multidisciplinary collaborations, it aims to advance our understanding of sustainable micropollutant management while fostering the development of innovative, environmentally friendly solutions to safeguard ecosystems and public health.

Dr. Maria João Rodrigues
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Applied Sciences 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

  • environmental biotechnology
  • micropollutant bioaccumulation
  • bioremediation technologies
  • advanced water purification

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

38 pages, 3295 KB  
Article
Bioadsorbents for the Removal of Pollutants in Wastewater: Adsorption Kinetics, Validation Test Using Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange
by María J. San José, Raquel López, Sonia Alvarez and Francisco J. Peñas
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 1512; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031512 - 2 Feb 2026
Viewed by 111
Abstract
The presence of emerging contaminants in water has led to a need for the development of new materials and treatments. Four low-cost adsorbents derived from lignocellulosic biomass waste (pine nut shells and olive stones) were prepared via chemical treatment (with H3PO [...] Read more.
The presence of emerging contaminants in water has led to a need for the development of new materials and treatments. Four low-cost adsorbents derived from lignocellulosic biomass waste (pine nut shells and olive stones) were prepared via chemical treatment (with H3PO4 or NaOH) followed by thermal activation (at 550 °C under N2). Characterization of the bioadsorbents was carried out using N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, FTIR and Raman spectroscopic analyses, and pHpzc determination. The electrostatic interactions between the adsorbent surface and the dyes were determined, and it was found that the interactions in both adsorbents were attractive for the methylene blue and repulsive for methyl orange, at pH basic or neutral. The performance of the obtained activated carbons was evaluated at lab scale with two dyes (methylene blue and methyl orange), and a comparison was made between both adsorbents and with commercial charcoal. The H3PO4-activated adsorbents exhibited higher adsorption capacities (up to 300 mg/g for methylene blue and 285 mg/g for methyl orange), with adsorption efficiencies close to 100%. More than 10 adsorption–desorption cycles were performed, with efficiencies exceeding 85%. The good reusability shown by the H3PO4-activated adsorbents suggests significant potential for industrial application; namely, in the removal emerging contaminants from urban wastewater. It should be noted that the adsorption efficiency decreased after the fifth cycle, indicating a gradual reduction in performance over time (although it remained above 85% in the performed experiments). This study aims to achieve the goal of zero waste and contribute to the circular economy through the sustainable use of residual biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Bioremediation Technologies for Emerging Micropollutants)
19 pages, 4310 KB  
Article
Treatment of Water Contaminated with Cr(VI) Using Bacterial Cellulose and FeCl3 in a Continuous System
by Carreño Sayago Uriel Fernando
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(23), 12808; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152312808 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 426
Abstract
In today’s world, environmental projects that contribute to the protection of water resources are needed due to the ongoing deterioration caused by the discharge of heavy metals, especially chromium. One way to investigate this problem is to use adsorbent biomasses, such as bacterial [...] Read more.
In today’s world, environmental projects that contribute to the protection of water resources are needed due to the ongoing deterioration caused by the discharge of heavy metals, especially chromium. One way to investigate this problem is to use adsorbent biomasses, such as bacterial cellulose. This cellulose is increasingly popular due to its ability to chemisorb heavy metals present in water. Furthermore, the addition of iron chloride to this biomass improves its performance, creating more active sites and thus increasing its heavy metal adsorption capacity. Due to the promising results, pilot-scale research with physical models in fixed biomass columns has gained relevance, and adsorption isotherms could be used to adjust these models and optimize the design of these prototypes. For this reason, a project to treat water contaminated with Cr(VI) using bacterial cellulose and FeCl3 in a continuous system was created. Experiments were conducted with different concentrations, and treatment conditions were established based on the isotherms. Subsequently, elutions with EDTA were performed up to six times to allow biomass reuse in the continuous system with a bacterial cellulose column containing iron chloride. This achieved a total adsorption capacity of 626 mg/g, summing the six treatment cycles. The results provide practical parameters and evidence to support future studies to scale up and optimize Cr(VI) effluent treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Bioremediation Technologies for Emerging Micropollutants)
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16 pages, 1934 KB  
Article
Kinetic Modeling of Sulfamethoxazole Degradation by Photo-Fenton: Tracking Color Development and Iron Complex Formation for Enhanced Bioremediation
by Unai Duoandicoechea, Elisabeth Bilbao-García and Natalia Villota
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 4531; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15084531 - 19 Apr 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1521
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive kinetic analysis of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation by the photo-Fenton process, highlighting its potential for removing emerging micropollutants in water treatment. The degradation of SMX followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with increasing Fe(II) concentrations significantly accelerating the oxidation rate. A kinetic [...] Read more.
This study presents a comprehensive kinetic analysis of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation by the photo-Fenton process, highlighting its potential for removing emerging micropollutants in water treatment. The degradation of SMX followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with increasing Fe(II) concentrations significantly accelerating the oxidation rate. A kinetic model was developed to describe SMX removal, aromaticity loss, and color changes during treatment. Although SMX was rapidly eliminated, intermediate aromatic and chromophoric compounds persisted, requiring extended reaction times for complete mineralization. The kinetic modeling of aromaticity and color revealed distinct degradation pathways and rate constants, showing a strong dependence on iron dosage. The formation of nitrate and sulfate was used to monitor nitrogen and sulfur mineralization, respectively. Optimal nitrate formation was achieved at 22 mol SMX: 1 mol Fe(II), beyond which excessive iron promoted radical scavenging and the formation of stable Fe–aminophenol complexes, inhibiting complete nitrogen oxidation and aromatic degradation. Moreover, excessive Fe(II) led to increased water coloration due to complexation with partially oxidized aromatic byproducts. These findings emphasize the need for optimized catalyst dosing to balance degradation efficiency and minimize secondary effects. The proposed kinetic models offer a predictive tool for improving photo-Fenton-based treatments and integrating them with biological processes to enhance micropollutant bioremediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Bioremediation Technologies for Emerging Micropollutants)
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