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Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition
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Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 January 2026 | Viewed by 3412

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Seyed Borhan Mousavi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
J. Mike Walker ’66 Mechanical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Interests: water treatment; polymer materials; environmental sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos

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Guest Editor
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electric Power Division, Photometry Laboratory, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: environmental and renewable energy law; economic development; environmental impact analysis; climate change; atmospheric pollution; water pollution regulations; environmental management standards; technology transfer; sustainability; higher education policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce the release of a new Special Issue entitled "Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition", following the success of its first edition. The contamination of freshwater by wastewater is a critical environmental issue, as various pollutants, including aromatic compounds, heavy metals, pharmaceutical micropollutants, and organic cationic dyes, pose significant threats to water quality. Among these pollutants, biological contaminants such as bacteria and viruses, as well as pharmaceutical residues like antibiotics, hormones, and analgesics, present particular challenges due to their persistence, bioactivity, and resistance to conventional treatment methods. These pollutants not only affect human health but also contribute to antimicrobial resistance, endocrine disruption, and ecological imbalances.

To address these challenges, numerous remediation techniques have been employed, ranging from chemical, physical, and biological treatments to more advanced approaches involving polymer composites and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These materials have demonstrated significant potential in effectively removing toxic contaminants from wastewater.

This Special Issue aims to explore the role of polymer-based materials, including their synthesis methods, characterization, and applications, in the treatment of wastewater and the removal of toxicants. It will focus on innovative strategies that integrate advanced materials, catalytic systems, and hybrid technologies to address the growing environmental threats posed by wastewater contamination.

We invite scientists and researchers to submit their work covering these critical issues in wastewater treatment, with an emphasis on the development of advanced polymer-based solutions.

Dr. Seyed Borhan Mousavi
Dr. Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

  • water treatment
  • polymer materials
  • environmental sciences

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2146 KB  
Article
PVDF/Polypyrrole Composite Ultrafiltration Membrane with Enhanced Hydrophilicity, Permeability, and Antifouling Properties for Efficient Crude Oil Wastewater Separation
by Banan Hudaib, Rund Abu-Zurayk, Asma Eskhan and Muayad Esaifan
Polymers 2025, 17(19), 2566; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17192566 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 384
Abstract
The treatment of oily wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge, creating a demand for advanced separation technologies. Membrane technologies, especially ultrafiltration (UF), offer a promising solution. A novel composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polypyrrole (PPy) membrane was created via an in situ polymerization [...] Read more.
The treatment of oily wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge, creating a demand for advanced separation technologies. Membrane technologies, especially ultrafiltration (UF), offer a promising solution. A novel composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polypyrrole (PPy) membrane was created via an in situ polymerization method, which enhances the membrane’s functionality by combining the chemical stability of PVDF with the outstanding properties of PPy, through a simple two-step process that decreases manufacturing costs. The PPy content in the PVDF matrix varies from 0 to 1.5 wt%. The membranes were analyzed for their structure, morphology, hydrophilicity, porosity, mechanical strength, flux, oil rejection, and antifouling performance. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful integration of PPy, which increased hydrophilicity; the contact angle dropped from 68° for pure PVDF to 55.6° at a 1.5% PPy concentration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed an evident increase in surface porosity and macrovoid formation; calculated porosity increased from 59.5% to 79.9%, and the hydraulic pore size increased from 2.8 nm to 28.5 nm with 1.5% PPy. Although porosity improved, mechanical strength decreased due to the formation of voids. The enhancement in hydrophilicity and porosity resulted in improved flux recovery (FR), with the PP-1 membrane achieving 93% FR and 93% fouling resistance (Rt), indicating an optimal balance for practical use. These modified membranes successfully reduce fouling, making them easier to clean in oil–water separation applications. PP-1 showed only a reduction in flux but maintained an oil rejection rate over 99%, demonstrating high stability. This combination of PVDF’s durability and PPy’s functionality makes a cost-effective, high-performance membrane that transforms oil/water separation processes for sustainable water security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 2022 KB  
Article
Removal of Textile Dye Mixture by Fe3O4/Acrylamide/Triacryloylhexahydro Triazine Composite Hydrogel Polymer
by Sude Sena Erdağı, Can Serkan Keskin, Semra Yılmazer Keskin and Ayşe Avcı
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2469; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182469 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 491
Abstract
A swellable magnetic polymer with high removal capacity was produced. The copolymer consisting of acrylamide and 2,4,6-triallyloxy-1,3,5-triazine was synthesized via the radical polymerization method. Previously prepared magnetic Fe3O4 particles with the co-precipitation method were added during the synthesis, and then [...] Read more.
A swellable magnetic polymer with high removal capacity was produced. The copolymer consisting of acrylamide and 2,4,6-triallyloxy-1,3,5-triazine was synthesized via the radical polymerization method. Previously prepared magnetic Fe3O4 particles with the co-precipitation method were added during the synthesis, and then the obtained composite was hydrolyzed. The composite became a swellable hydrogel after hydrolysis. The synthesized magnetic composite hydrogel polymer was used for Malachite Green (MG) and Acid Violet 19 (AV19) binary textile dye mixture removal. A derivative method was developed to calculate the individual concentration of dyes in mixture solutions. The accuracy and precision of the developed method were examined by calculating the recovery percentage (R%) and relative standard deviation (RSD%). The highest removal percentages (~99% for MG and ~100% for AV19) were achieved at the dye mixture’s natural pH (pH 4). Antibacterial tests were examined against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and the synthesized composite hydrogel polymer showed higher activity. The FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDS analyses were also performed to characterize the synthesized materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1354 KB  
Article
Assessment of the Interactions Between Hemicellulose Xylan and Kaolinite Clay: Structural Characterization and Adsorptive Behavior
by Enzo Díaz, Leopoldo Gutiérrez, Elizabeth Elgueta, Dariela Núñez, Isabel Carrillo-Varela and Vicente A. Hernández
Polymers 2025, 17(14), 1958; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17141958 - 17 Jul 2025
Viewed by 509
Abstract
In this study, a methacrylic derivative of xylan (XYLMA) was synthesized through transesterification reactions, with the aim of evaluating its physicochemical behavior and its interaction with kaolinite particles. Structural characterization by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy confirmed the incorporation of methacrylic groups into the [...] Read more.
In this study, a methacrylic derivative of xylan (XYLMA) was synthesized through transesterification reactions, with the aim of evaluating its physicochemical behavior and its interaction with kaolinite particles. Structural characterization by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy confirmed the incorporation of methacrylic groups into the xylan (XYL) structure, with a degree of substitution of 0.67. Thermal analyses (TGA and DSC) showed a decrease in melting temperature and enthalpy in XYLMA compared to XYL, attributed to a loss of structural rigidity. Thermal analyses (TGA and DSC) revealed a decrease in the melting temperature and enthalpy of XYLMA compared to XYL, which is attributed to a loss of structural rigidity and a reduction in the crystalline order of the biopolymer. Aggregation tests in solution revealed that XYLMA exhibits amphiphilic behavior, forming micellar structures at a critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of 62 mg L−1. In adsorption studies on kaolinite, XYL showed greater affinity than XYLMA, especially at acidic pH, due to reduced electrostatic forces and a greater number of hydroxyl groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the mineral surface. In contrast, modification with methacrylic groups in XYLMA reduced its adsorption capacity, probably due to the formation of supramolecular aggregates. These results suggest that interactions between xylan and kaolinite clay are key to understanding the role that hemicelluloses play in increasing copper recovery when added to flotation cells during the processing of copper sulfide ores with high clay content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 4862 KB  
Article
Fabrication of PVDF Membranes with a PVA Layer for the Effective Removal of Volatile Organic Compounds in Semiconductor Wastewater
by Youngmin Choi and Changwoo Nam
Polymers 2025, 17(10), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101332 - 14 May 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1495
Abstract
Through the application of advanced membrane modification strategies, high-performance membranes have been developed to effectively remove organic contaminants such as toluene and xylene from wastewater. These membranes demonstrate superior antifouling resistance and long-term operational stability, offering a competitive advantage for semiconductor wastewater treatment. [...] Read more.
Through the application of advanced membrane modification strategies, high-performance membranes have been developed to effectively remove organic contaminants such as toluene and xylene from wastewater. These membranes demonstrate superior antifouling resistance and long-term operational stability, offering a competitive advantage for semiconductor wastewater treatment. This study introduces a novel approach to membrane fabrication using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), recognized for its cost-effectiveness and distinct antifouling properties in contaminant removal. To enhance the performance of the membrane, the solvent (DMA, DMF, NMP) that dissolves PVDF and the immersion time (30 min, 60 min, 90 min) at which phase separation occurs were identified. Additionally, the membranes were treated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) through multiple dip coatings to enhance their hydrophilicity before a comparative analysis was conducted. The resulting optimized membranes demonstrated high emulsion fluxes (4412 Lm−2h−1bar−1 for toluene) and achieved oil-removal efficiencies exceeding 90% when tested with various organic solvents, including toluene, cyclohexane, xylene, benzene, and chloroform. The resulting optimized membranes prove to be a reliable means of producing clean water and of efficiently separating organic contaminants from wastewater. Showcasing remarkable antifouling capabilities and suitability for repeated use without significant efficiency loss, this solution effectively addresses cost and fouling challenges, presenting it as a sustainable and efficient wastewater treatment method for the semiconductor industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Wastewater Treatment and Toxicant Removal, 2nd Edition)
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