Catalytic Degradation of Wastewater Pollutants: Advanced and Innovative Materials and Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

Catalytic technologies remain at the core of modern environmental engineering, as they enable the selective and energy-efficient abatement of persistent, low-biodegradable and emerging pollutants in water, wastewater, gaseous streams and complex industrial effluents. During the last years, remarkable progress has been made in the design of advanced catalytic materials (tailored oxides, doped photocatalysts, single-atom and supported metals, carbon-based catalytic platforms, bio-derived catalysts) and in the development of intensified processes (photocatalysis under solar/visible light, catalytic and electrocatalytic persulfate/Fenton activation, hybrid AOPs, catalytic membrane reactors, pilot-scale solar systems). Still, important challenges remain regarding stability, reusability, resistance to real-matrix constituents, catalyst recovery/regeneration, as well as the mechanistic clarification of multi-species degradation pathways.

This Special Issue of Catalysts, entitled “Catalytic Degradation of Wastewater Pollutants: Advanced and Innovative Materials and Technologies”, aims to gather contributions that demonstrate how rational catalyst design and process engineering can accelerate the degradation, detoxification and, where possible, mineralization of emerging contaminants. We particularly welcome studies that move beyond proof-of-concept and address scale-up, real water matrices, long-term operation and ecotoxicological aspects, as these are essential for practical implementation.

We invite the submission of original research papers, short communications and critical, well-documented review articles in, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Novel catalytic materials for environmental oxidation and reduction (metal/metal-oxide catalysts, doped/defect-engineered photocatalysts, carbon-based and bio-derived catalysts)
• Photocatalytic and photo-assisted degradation of organic and inorganic pollutants under UV, visible or solar irradiation
• Catalytic and electro-/photo-electrocatalytic activation of persulfate, peroxymonosulfate and H₂O₂; Fenton and Fenton-like systems
• Coupled or hybrid processes (catalysis–adsorption, catalysis–membranes, photocatalysis–biological treatment, sonocatalysis, ozonation–catalysis) showing synergy and improved energy efficiency
• Catalytic systems for Advanced Reduction Processes
• Catalytic treatment of real and complex matrices (industrial effluents, landfill leachate, hospital wastewater, saline/brackish water) and studies dealing with matrix effects and anion/cation interference
• Reactor, process and plant design for catalytic pollutant degradation, including solar CPC/flat-plate systems, immobilized catalysts and structured catalytic reactors
• Catalyst stability, deactivation/regeneration strategies, leaching control and ecotoxicity assessment of treated effluents
• Techno-economic/energy assessments and comparative studies demonstrating the advantages and limitations of catalytic AOPs against conventional treatments.

Our intention is to provide a platform where chemists, chemical and environmental engineers, materials scientists and practitioners can present results that are scientifically rigorous and at the same time relevant for future pilot- and full-scale implementation.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Dionissios Mantzavinos
Dr. Alexandra Ioannidi
Dr. Zacharias Frontistis
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 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. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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.

• catalysis
• advanced oxidations processes
• photocatalysis
• electrocatalysis
• environmental applications
• catalytic systems
• catalytic ozonation
• sonocatalysis
• Fenton like reactions