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Processes
Special Issues
Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials
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Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3221

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Roberta Guzzinati

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENEA—LEA Laboratory for the Environment, Via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: organic chemistry; water microbiology; processes for wastewater treatment; environmental communication
Dr. Luigi Sciubba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ENEA—LEA Laboratory for the Environment, Via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, 40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: organic chemistry; analytical chemistry; processes for wastewater treatment; soils and biomasses chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical and microbiological characterizations of different matrices are indispensable steps to know and define their properties for the purpose of their use, reuse, recycling or disposal.

Analytical chemistry, in particular, is constantly striving to improve and revolutionize the established analytical methods by enabling the analysis of increasingly complex samples.

On the other hand, microbiological characterization together with the development of biotechnology, has enabled increasingly better knowledge of the physiology, metabolism and genetics of microorganisms both for their application and for the control of potentially pathogenic microorganisms.

Characterization is also useful in verifying the effectiveness of a process or treatment, by allowing the necessary modifications to be made for process optimization according to the desired result that respects the environment and protects human health.

This Special Issue on “Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials” seeks high-quality research focusing on the latest novel advances in chemical and microbiological characterization processes and techniques. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The detection of trace chemical and microbiological emerging contaminants;
  • Rapid, real-time, process-integrated analysis techniques;
  • The assessment of investigated processes for chemical and microbiological characterization using a holistic approach;
  • The environmental sustainability of analytical methodologies (e.g., green chemistry);
  • Biodegradability assessment.

Dr. Roberta Guzzinati
Dr. Luigi Sciubba
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. Processes 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 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

  • spectrophotometry
  • mass spectrometry
  • chromatography
  • electrophoresis
  • green chemistry
  • contaminant of emerging concern
  • antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • bioassay

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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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26 pages, 2688 KB  
Article
Investigation of the Influencing Parameters of the H2O2-Assisted Photochemical Treatment of Waste Liquid from the Hydrothermal Carbonization Process in a Microreactor Flow System
by Aleksandra Petrovič, Tjaša Cenčič Predikaka, Silvo Hribernik and Andreja Nemet
Processes 2025, 13(9), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13092934 - 14 Sep 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Due to its complex composition and toxicity, the waste liquid from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) poses a serious environmental challenge that must be addressed before disposal. In this study, the photochemical treatment of HTC liquid in a microreactor flow system was investigated. The effects [...] Read more.
Due to its complex composition and toxicity, the waste liquid from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) poses a serious environmental challenge that must be addressed before disposal. In this study, the photochemical treatment of HTC liquid in a microreactor flow system was investigated. The effects of wavelength, the presence of atmospheric oxygen, oxidizing agent (H2O2) and catalyst (FeSO4), residence time and pH on the efficiency of the photo-treatment were investigated. In addition, the influence of the addition of deep eutectic solvent (DES) on photo-treatment was studied. The results showed that the photochemical treatment was more efficient at 365 nm than at 420 nm, and that the acidic conditions gave better results than the basic ones. UV365 treatment in the presence of H2O2 (at a dosage of 1 vol%) resulted in removal efficiencies of 31.6% for COD, 17.6% for TOC, 16.9% for NH4-N and 17.2% for PO4-P. The addition of FeSO4 caused coagulation/flocculation effects, but improved phosphorus removal. The addition of DES resulted in slight discolouration of the liquid and proved unsuccessful in COD removal. The GC-MS analysis and 3D-EEM spectra showed significant changes in the fate of organics and in the fluorescence intensity of aromatic proteins and humic acid-like substances. Photochemical treatment in a microreactor flow system in the presence of H2O2 under the selected operating conditions reduced the content of organics and nutrients in the HTC liquid, but the process liquids still showed toxic effects on the organisms V. fischeri and Daphnia magna. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials)
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21 pages, 3720 KB  
Article
Efficient Removal of Nitrobenzene and Its Compounds by Coconut Shell-Derived Activated Carbon
by Aleksandar M. Đorđević, Jadranka Milikić, Vedran Milanković, Danica Bajuk Bogdanović, Kristina Radinović, Milica Marčeta Kaninski, Dubravka Relić, Dalibor Stanković and Biljana Šljukić
Processes 2025, 13(7), 2072; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13072072 - 30 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1012
Abstract
Activated carbon prepared from coconut shell was characterized using SEM/EDS, N2-sorption, XRD analysis, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. It was then evaluated in terms of its capacity to adsorb nitrobenzene, a priority pollutant, from water samples with varying pH levels. Initial studies [...] Read more.
Activated carbon prepared from coconut shell was characterized using SEM/EDS, N2-sorption, XRD analysis, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. It was then evaluated in terms of its capacity to adsorb nitrobenzene, a priority pollutant, from water samples with varying pH levels. Initial studies revealed high adsorption capacity; further studies were broadened to include nitrobenzene derivative, dinitrobenzene, as real samples are expected to contain a mixture of these pollutants. The maximum amount of adsorbed adsorbate increased notably with temperature, reaching 12.88 mg g−1 and 42.75 mg g−1 for nitrobenzene and dinitrobenzene, respectively, at 35 °C. Thermodynamic considerations and determined values of ∆G0 and ∆S0 indicated that the adsorption process of both nitrobenzene and dinitrobenzene is spontaneous and ∆H0 value indicated that it is endothermic in the studied temperature range. A study of the simultaneous adsorption of nitrobenzene and dinitrobenzene indicated a higher affinity toward dinitrobenzene. This study pointed out that coconut shell-derived activated carbon holds high potential as an adsorbent for removing nitrobenzene and its derivatives from water samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials)
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15 pages, 5612 KB  
Article
Interlayer-Functionalized Graphene with Phosphorus–Silicon-Containing Elements for Improving Thermal Stability and Flame Retardance of Polyacrylonitrile
by Yu Guan, Chengcheng Wang, Shaohai Fu, Lishan Fan, Qin Lin and Dong Wang
Processes 2024, 12(11), 2511; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12112511 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Highly-effective non-halogenated flame retardants have received widespread attention because they are environmentally friendly, with low toxicity and low smoke density. In this work, interlayer-functionalized graphene (fRGO) containing silicon and phosphorus elements was synthesized via hydrolytic condensation with 3-(methacryloyloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane and addition reaction with 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide. [...] Read more.
Highly-effective non-halogenated flame retardants have received widespread attention because they are environmentally friendly, with low toxicity and low smoke density. In this work, interlayer-functionalized graphene (fRGO) containing silicon and phosphorus elements was synthesized via hydrolytic condensation with 3-(methacryloyloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane and addition reaction with 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide. Interlayer spacing and oxygen-containing groups of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were regulated by controlling the hydrazine hydrate dosage. Then, phosphorus–silicon-containing organic molecules were inserted into RGO interlayers; this was verified by FTIR, XPS, TEM, etc. The fRGO was added to a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix using a solution blending method to prepare polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composites. The fRGO addition caused the significant decrease in cyclization heat and the considerable increase in char residues, indicating improved thermal stability. Importantly, PAN composites exhibited outstanding flame-retardant properties, with the peak heat release rate reduced by 45%, which is ascribed to the dense graphitic carbon layers induced by phosphorus–silicon-containing organics and the 2D barrier effect of RGO layers to prevent the heat and mass transfer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials)
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Review

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23 pages, 617 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Treatment Technologies and Resource Utilization of Mine Tailings in Hunan Province, China
by Xiaoling Jia, Yan Zhan and Xiang Tian
Processes 2025, 13(9), 2957; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13092957 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 200
Abstract
This review presents a comprehensive summary of the recent advancements in treatment technologies and resource utilization strategies for mine tailings, and highlights the funding support provided by Hunan Province, China for scientific and technological innovation in the field. The work begins by examining [...] Read more.
This review presents a comprehensive summary of the recent advancements in treatment technologies and resource utilization strategies for mine tailings, and highlights the funding support provided by Hunan Province, China for scientific and technological innovation in the field. The work begins by examining the environmental risks associated with mine tailings, emphasizing their potential to cause ecological damage and result in significant resource waste. Building on this context, the review delves into the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of tailings, elucidating how these intrinsic properties underpin their potential for recycling and valorization. Subsequently, it explores a range of resource utilization approaches, including the recovery of valuable metals, land reclamation, backfilling of abandoned mining voids, and the production of construction materials. The current state of application and the key technical and regulatory challenges faced during implementation are critically analyzed. In conclusion, the review highlights the progress made in tailings management and valorization in Hunan Province, China, and proposes a forward-looking strategy that integrates technological innovation with policy and regulatory support to promote sustainable development in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical and Microbiological Analyses of Wastes, Effluents and Materials)
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