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Applied Sciences
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Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production
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Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 4203

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Agapi Vasileiadou

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Guest Editor
Department of Energy Systems, University of Thessaly, Gaiopolis Campus, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Interests: energy production; waste to energy; thermochemical processes; biofuels; waste utilization; cicular economy
Dr. Vasilis Evagelopoulos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece
Interests: chemical environmental; atmospheric pollution; gas chromatography; simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Costas Tsioptsias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: thermal analysis; materials; waste treatment; algae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is an urgent need for circular economy and better waste management and for addressing energy demand issues as well as environmental challenges in order to reach and implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG7: green energy practices, SDG8: regarding green bioeconomy, SDG9: bioenergy technology and innovation, SDG11: sustainable cities and communities, SDG12: responsible consumption and production, and SDG13: strategies that enhance tenacity to climate action. Today, by using several waste treatment technologies, integrated systems, and mixed sources these goals could be achieved.

I am pleased to announce that, together with Dr. Evagelopoulos and Dr. Tsioptsias, we are serving as Guest Editors and cordially invite you to submit your manuscripts to the Journal of Applied Science for the forthcoming Special Issue entitled ‘Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production’.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome and research areas may include, but are not limited to:

  • Applied novel practices of waste treatment, waste to energy (WtE), biofuels, and value-added products;
  • Thermo-chemical conversion for solid, liquid, and gaseous biofuels (e.g., pretreatment, gasification, combustion, torrefaction, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, etc.);
  • Bio-chemical conversion of waste/biomass to liquid and gaseous biofuels;
  • Physico-chemical conversion (transesterification);
  • Green nano-catalysis for biofuel production;
  • Integrated WtE cycles for green energy generation, zero waste, and carbon neutrality;
  • Utilization of secondary wastes (e.g., bottom ash and fly ash);

We are looking forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Agapi Vasileiadou
Dr. Vasilis Evagelopoulos
Dr. Costas Tsioptsias
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. 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

  • waste utilization
  • waste to energy
  • energy production
  • waste treatment
  • thermochemical conversion
  • biochemical conversion
  • sustainable development
  • circular economy
  • intergrated WtE systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 2294 KiB  
Article
Anaerobic Digestion of Duckweed Used to Remediate Water Contaminated with Zinc and Ammonium
by Yan Zhang, Xinmin Zhan, Artin Hatzikioseyian and Piet Nicolaas Luc Lens
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 6212; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15116212 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 337
Abstract
This study presents an integrated approach for the remediation of zinc- and ammonium-contaminated water using duckweed, followed by the valorization of the harvested biomass through anaerobic digestion for biogas production. Duckweed was cultured with various initial concentrations of zinc (Zn, 0 mg/L, 2.5 [...] Read more.
This study presents an integrated approach for the remediation of zinc- and ammonium-contaminated water using duckweed, followed by the valorization of the harvested biomass through anaerobic digestion for biogas production. Duckweed was cultured with various initial concentrations of zinc (Zn, 0 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L, and 5 mg/L) and ammonium (NH4+-N, 0 mg/L, 20 mg/L, and 40 mg/L). Subsequently, duckweed was subjected to chemical pretreatment with sulfuric acid and the obtained residual solid and liquid fractions were evaluated as substrates for methane production. The liquid fraction consistently yielded higher methane production compared to the solid fraction. However, when duckweed was grown in zinc- and ammonium-rich conditions (2.5 or 5.0 mg/L Zn and 20 mg/L NH4+-N), methane production from the liquid hydrolysate was significantly reduced (120.90 ± 12.03 mL/g COD and 129.82 ± 10.65 mL/g COD, respectively) compared to the control duckweed (201.67 ± 5.72 mL/g COD). The lowest methane yields were observed for duckweed grown solely in zinc (111.32 ± 5.72 and 99.88 ± 10.49 mL/g COD for 2.5 and 5.0 mg/L Zn, respectively), attributed to the inhibitory effect of high dissolved zinc concentrations in the liquid fraction. The applicability of this integrated system is particularly relevant for the agricultural and industrial sectors, where wastewater streams are often co-contaminated with nutrients and trace metals. By demonstrating that acid-pretreated, zinc-rich duckweed biomass can be used for biogas production—provided that process conditions are optimized to mitigate metal inhibition and acidification—this study provides actionable strategies for developing circular, sustainable wastewater treatment systems. The approach not only maximizes pollutant removal and resource recovery, but also addresses environmental safety concerns associated with residual metals in the digestate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production)
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16 pages, 1068 KiB  
Article
Thermal and Exergetic Performance Assessment of an ORC Coupled with Thermal Energy Storage Using Thermal Oils for Low-Grade Heat Recovery
by Andrés Birriel, Jerson Romero, Nicolás Saavedra, Héctor Quinteros-Lama and Johan González
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 6153; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15116153 - 30 May 2025
Viewed by 377
Abstract
The transition towards sustainable energy systems demands efficient utilization of low- and medium-temperature thermal sources, which offer a promising alternative to pollutant energy carriers like fossil fuels. Among these, solar thermal, geothermal, and residual heat emerge as leading candidates for clean energy generation. [...] Read more.
The transition towards sustainable energy systems demands efficient utilization of low- and medium-temperature thermal sources, which offer a promising alternative to pollutant energy carriers like fossil fuels. Among these, solar thermal, geothermal, and residual heat emerge as leading candidates for clean energy generation. Organic Rankine Cycles (ORCs) stand out as robust technologies capable of converting these thermal sources into electricity with high efficiency. A critical factor in ORC performance lies in the effective transfer of heat from the thermal source to the working fluid. This study systematically evaluates various thermal oils as intermediate heat transfer media, aiming to optimize their selection based on key performance indicators. The analysis focuses on thermal and exergetic efficiencies, alongside mass and volumetric flow rates of both the working fluid and the thermal oil. The findings reveal that the integration of thermal oils notably boosts the exergetic efficiency of the ORC system, underscoring their pivotal role in maximizing energy conversion from sustainable heat sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production)
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10 pages, 4254 KiB  
Article
The Combination of Nitrogen (N2) Pyrolysis and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Activation for Regenerating Spent Activated Carbon
by Ya-Chen Ye, Wen-Shing Chen, Chi-Hung Tsai and Wen-Tien Tsai
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5336; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105336 - 10 May 2025
Viewed by 350
Abstract
In line with the principles of the circular economy, this study aimed to develop a pyrolysis-activation regeneration process capable of producing highly porous carbon materials from spent granular activated carbon (GAC), which was generated by a high-tech electronics manufacturing company in Taiwan. Thermogravimetric [...] Read more.
In line with the principles of the circular economy, this study aimed to develop a pyrolysis-activation regeneration process capable of producing highly porous carbon materials from spent granular activated carbon (GAC), which was generated by a high-tech electronics manufacturing company in Taiwan. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and other thermochemical analyses were first conducted to investigate the thermal decomposition behavior of the spent GAC. Subsequently, the thermal regeneration system was employed to perform the N2 pyrolysis and CO2 activation experiments under various process conditions (i.e., 800, 850, and 900 °C for holding 0, 30, and 60 min, respectively). Analytical instruments included a surface area and porosimeter for pore property analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for porous texture observation, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) for surface elemental distribution analysis. The results revealed that the pore properties of thermally regenerated GAC were significantly improved compared to the spent GAC, indicating the effective removal or decomposition of adsorbed organics and deposited substances under the process conditions. Additionally, thermal regeneration via physical activation with CO2 led to enhanced pore properties compared to simple pyrolysis. The maximum BET surface area achieved exceeded 720 m2/g, which was greater than those of spent GAC (approximately 425 m2/g) and N2-pyrolyzed GAC (approximately 570 m2/g) under the same regeneration conditions (i.e., 900 °C with a 30 min holding time). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production)
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Review

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24 pages, 318 KiB  
Review
E-Waste Plastics in the Environment: Assessment, Characterisation, and Bioprocessing
by Diogo A. Ferreira-Filipe, Andrew Hursthouse, Armando C. Duarte, Teresa Rocha-Santos and Ana L. Patrício Silva
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(4), 2122; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15042122 - 17 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1085
Abstract
The accelerated growth of the electrical and electronic equipment market is a major driver behind increasing e-waste volumes worldwide. Although e-waste contains valuable resources, most remain unrecycled or improperly managed. Recycling efforts primarily focus on recovering metals, while plastic constituents remain overlooked. Furthermore, [...] Read more.
The accelerated growth of the electrical and electronic equipment market is a major driver behind increasing e-waste volumes worldwide. Although e-waste contains valuable resources, most remain unrecycled or improperly managed. Recycling efforts primarily focus on recovering metals, while plastic constituents remain overlooked. Furthermore, current e-waste plastic recycling approaches have led to environmental contamination by hazardous materials. Recent efforts for the valorisation of e-waste plastics have demonstrated the potential applications of these materials and their role in efforts towards implementing a more sustainable plastics economy. While the environmental impact and potential strategies for recycling e-waste plastics have been recently reviewed, a thorough discussion that accounts for the environmental impact, characterisation strategies, and potential biotechnological treatment options remains lacking. Accordingly, this review addresses this gap, discussing recent developments in the e-waste plastics field. It focuses on their environmental impacts, the collection of environmental samples and their characterisation, as well as innovative approaches for valorisation through biotechnological strategies. Specifically, the discussion is centred on studies that directly use or focus on plastics derived from e-waste. While progress has been made in the characterisation of environmental contaminants and remediation/bioprocessing strategies for this type of hazardous waste, challenges remain, including financial barriers, limited research volume compared to related fields (e.g., e-waste metals), and environmental impact and relevance concerns. This review identifies a need for increased research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy support to overcome these barriers and advance sustainable e-waste plastic management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies for Waste Treatment, Reuse and Energy Production)
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