Announcements

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Separations 2022 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Separations Editorial Board and editorial team would like to gratefully acknowledge the time and energy dedicated by reviewers in checking the manuscripts submitted to Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739). It is due to their efforts that the high quality of the journal and quick turnaround are maintained.

Name: Dr. Balawanthrao Jadhav
Affiliation: Analytical Chemistry, South Dakota State University, USA
Research Interests: extraction; accelerated solvent extraction; gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; analytical method development; chromatography; high-performance liquid chromatography; H1 NMR; FTIR analysis; TGA/DSC; UV spectrophotometer; DSC—differential scanning calorimetry

Name: Dr. Łukasz Dąbrowski
Affiliation: Department of Food Analysis and Environmental Protection, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Poland
Research Interests: GC/MS analysis; sample preparation; organic pollutants; pesticides; environmental analysis; food analysis; extraction techniques; chromatography; mass spectrometry; HPLC

Name: Dr. Sidi Zhu
Affiliation: Hoffmann Institute of Advanced Materials, Shenzhen Polytechnic, China
Research Interests: adsorption; water treatment; separation and purification; interface science; nanomaterials

The prize for each winner:

• CHF 400;
• An opportunity to publish a paper free of charge in Separations in 2023 after peer review;
• A certificate.

Separations Editorial Office

1. “Analysis of Monoclonal Antibodies by Capillary Electrophoresis: Sample Preparation, Separation, and Detection”
   by Meriem Dadouch, Yoann Ladner and Catherine Perrin
   Separations 2021, 8(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8010004
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/1/4

2. “Overview of Sample Preparation and Chromatographic Methods to Analysis Pharmaceutical Active Compounds in Waters Matrices”
   by Cristina M. M. Almeida
   Separations 2021, 8(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8020016
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/2/16

3. “Speciation and Determination of Selenium Oxyanions at the Drinking Water Pollution Concentration Levels”
   by Kyriaki Kalaitzidou, Evangelia Bidiou, Anastasios Zouboulis and Manassis Mitrakas
   Separations 2021, 8(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8030027
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/3/27

4. “Perchlorate Levels in Polish Water Samples of Various Origin”
   by Przemysław Niziński, Patrycja Wiśniewska, Joanna Kończyk and Rajmund Michalski
   Separations 2021, 8(4), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8040037
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/4/37

5. “Determination of Mitotane (DDD) and Principal Metabolite by a Simple HPLC-UV Method and Its Validation in Human Plasma Samples”
   by Giacomo Luci, Federico Cucchiara, Laura Ciofi, Francesca Mattioli, Marianna Lastella, Romano Danesi and Antonello Di Paolo
   Separations 2021, 8(5), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8050063
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/5/63

6. “Revisiting Chiral Recognition Mechanism on Chicken Alpha 1-Acid Glycoprotein: Location of Chiral Binding Sites and Insight into Chiral Binding Mechanism”
   by Jun Haginaka, Taku Yamashita, Hirofumi Tsujino and Mitsuhiro Arisawa
   Separations 2021, 8(6), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8060073
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/6/73

7. “Automated Solid Phase Extraction of Cd(II), Co(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) Coupled with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Utilizing a New Sol-Gel Functionalized Silica Sorbent”
   by Natalia Manousi, Abuzar Kabir, Kenneth G. Furton, George A. Zachariadis and Aristidis Anthemidis
   Separations 2021, 8(7), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8070100
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/7/100

8. “Recent Advances in Chiral Analysis of Proteins and Peptides”
   by Marine Morvan and Ivan Mikšík
   Separations 2021, 8(8), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8080112
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/8/112

9. “Red Blood Cell Metabolism in Patients with Propionic Acidemia”
   by Micaela Kalani Roy, Francesca Isabelle Cendali, Gabrielle Ooyama, Fabia Gamboni, Holmes Morton, and Angelo D’Alessandro
   Separations 2021, 8(9), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8090142
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/9/142

10. “Plasma Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Their Derivatives in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus”
    by Eliška Ivanovová, Barbora Piskláková, Jaroslava Friedecká, Ondřej Krystyník, David Friedecký
    and David Karásek
    Separations 2021, 8(10), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8100188
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/10/188

11. “On Process Intensification through Membrane Storage Reactors”
    by John Lowd III, Theodore Tsotsis and Vasilios I. Manousiouthakis
    Separations 2021, 8(11), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8110195
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/11/195

12. “Evaluation of New, Sputtered Carbon SPME Fibers with a Multi-Functional Group Test Mixture”
    by Dhananjay I. Patel, Tuhin Roychowdhury, Collin Jacobsen, Colton Myers, Jason S. Herrington and Matthew R. Linford
    Separations 2021, 8(12), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8120228
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/8/12/228

On 9 February 2023, Clarivate, a global leader in providing trusted insights and analytics, added the Preprint Citation Index to the Web of Science platform, streamlining the research process by allowing researchers to locate and link to preprints alongside other trusted content in the database.

The Preprint Citation Index will act as a bridge to connect cutting-edge preprints with peer-reviewed journal articles published within the Web of Science Core Collection. Alerts can be easily set to monitor new research across several repositories and authors will also be able to include preprints on their Web of Science Research Profile to more accurately display their various research outputs.

As of its launch, the Preprint Citation Index will provide nearly two million preprints from various repositories, including MDPI’s own Preprints.org.

MDPI's Preprints Platform – Preprints.org

To advance Open Science and the fast dissemination of research, MDPI offers researchers a free multidisciplinary preprint platform. Preprints.org accepts submissions from all research areas and offers authors high visibility, permanent archiving, article-level Metrics and immediately citable content by assigning a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to all preprints.

During submission to any MDPI journal, authors have the option to share their research as a preprint. After an initial screening, the manuscript is available online in 48 hours or less. Once online, preprints can be downloaded, shared, commented on, and cited, providing authors maximum visibility.

We invite you to join the ranks of the over 100k researchers using Preprints.org and share your research.

For more information, please visit Preprints.org.

We are currently recruiting an Editor-in-Chief for a newly established Section “Materials in Separation Science” in Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739).

The Section “Materials in Separation Science” aims to publish articles on original research based on materials science (membrane, polymer, etc.). Further information about the Section may be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/separations/sections/analysis_materials.

The Section Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the following:

• Defining the aims and scope of the Section;
• Advising on the strategic development of the Section;
• Ensuring that the published content is of high quality;
• Nominating/inviting Guest Editors and optionally providing them with the authority to make final acceptance decisions about submitted articles;
• Nominating/inviting contributors;
• Nominating and leading the Section Editorial Board;
• Promoting the journal at scientific conferences or through other venues;
• Conducting preliminary checks of submissions and making the final decision as to whether a paper can be accepted for publication following peer review and author revisions (when it suits your schedule).

To apply for this position, please contact the Separations Editorial Office (separations@mdpi.com) with the two files below attached:

• A full academic CV;
• A short cover letter that details your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

Separations Editorial Office

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the selected papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles in 2022 listed below.

1. “Separation and Recycling Potential of Rare Earth Elements from Energy Systems: Feed and Economic Viability Review”
by Ajay B. Patil, Viktoria Paetzel, Rudolf P. W. J. Struis and Christian Ludwig
Separations 2022, 9(3), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9030056
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/3/56

2. “Fractionation of Metal(loid)s in Three European Mine Wastes by Sequential Extraction”
by Chiamaka Belsonia Opara, Sabine Kutschke and Katrin Pollmann
Separations 2022, 9(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9030067
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/3/67

3. “Carbon Dioxide Chemical Absorption Using Diamines with Different Types of Active Centers”
by Diego Gómez-Díaz, José Manuel Navaza and Antonio Rumbo
Separations 2022, 9(11), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9110343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/11/343

4. “Metabolomic and Proteomic Profile of Dried Hop Inflorescences (Humulus lupulus cv. Chinook and cv. Cascade) by SPME-GC-MS and UPLC-MS-MS”
by Paola Nezi, Vittoria Cicaloni, Laura Tinti, Laura Salvini, Matteo Iannone, Sara Vitalini and Stefania Garzoli
Separations 2022, 9(8), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9080204
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/8/204

5. “The Evaluation of Amino Acid Profiles in Gluten-Free Mini Sponge Cakes Fortified with Broccoli By-Product”
by Natalia Drabińska
Separations 2022, 9(3), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9030081
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/3/81

6. “Determination of Menbutone: Development and Validation of a Sensitive HPLC Assay according to the European Medicines Agency Guideline”
by Cristina López, Raquel Díez, José M. Rodríguez, Matilde Sierra, Juan J. García, Nélida Fernández, M. José Diez and Ana M. Sahagún
Separations 2022, 9(4), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9040084
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/4/84

7. “Flavonoids Extraction Kinetics, Antimicrobial Activity and Radical Scavenging Potential of Bulgarian Woundwort (Solidago virgaurea L.)”
by Zvezdelina Yaneva, Evgeni Simeonov, Nikolina Rusenova, Donika Ivanova, Galina Nikolova, Yanka Karamalakova, Chavdar Chilev and Georgi Beev
Separations 2022, 9(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9020027
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/2/27

8. “Phytochemical and Nutritional Profile Composition in Fruits of Different Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Cultivars Grown in Romania”
by Corina Teodora Ciucure, Elisabeta-Irina Geana, Claudia Sandru, Ovidiu Tita and Mihai Botu
Separations 2022, 9(3), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9030066
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/3/66

9. “Adverse Effects of Arsenic Uptake in Rice Metabolome and Lipidome Revealed by Untargeted Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) and Regions of Interest Multivariate Curve Resolution”
by Miriam Pérez-Cova, Romà Tauler and Joaquim Jaumot
Separations 2022, 9(3), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9030079
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/3/79

10. “Comparative Study of Natural Antioxidants from Glycine max, Anethum graveolensand Pimpinella anisum Seed and Sprout Extracts Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction”
by Fanica Balanescu, Anna Cazanevscaia Busuioc, Andreea Veronica Dediu Botezatu, Steluta Gosav, Sorin Marius Avramescu, Bianca Furdui and Rodica Mihaela Dinica
Separations 2022, 9(6), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations9060152
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/9/6/152

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please click on the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/separations/editors_choice.

As the Editor-in-Chief of Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739), I am pleased to announce the winner of the Separations 2023 Travel Award. The award has been granted to Dr. Natalia Manousi, a post-doctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece, and the Department of Technical Chemistry, Technischen Universität Wien, Austria.

Dr. Natalia Manousi will attend ANAKON 2023 held in Vienna, Austria to share her research entitled “Titania-based second-generation fabric phase sorptive extraction media: Synthesis, characterization, and preliminary evaluation of their performance”.

As the awardee, she will receive an honorarium of CHF 800 and a certificate.

With so many high-quality applicants, the evaluation process and final decision were challenging. We would like to thank all the applicants for submitting their diverse and fascinating range of research topics. On behalf of the assessment committee, I congratulate the winner on her accomplishments.

Frank L. Dorman
Editor-in-Chief of Separations

We are currently recruiting an Editor-in-Chief for a newly established Section “Environmental Analysis” in Separations (ISSN: 2297-8739).

The Section “Environmental Analysis” aims to publish articles on original research based on environmental science (pollutants, water, environmental forensics, etc.). Further information about the Section may be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/separations/sections/environmental_analysis.

The Section Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the following:

• Defining the aims and scope of the Section;
• Advising on the strategic development of the Section;
• Ensuring that the published content is of high quality;
• Nominating/inviting Guest Editors and optionally providing them with the authority to make final acceptance decisions about submitted articles;
• Nominating/inviting contributors;
• Nominating and leading the Section Editorial Board;
• Promoting the journal at scientific conferences or through other venues;
• Conducting preliminary checks of submissions and making the final decision as to whether a paper can be accepted for publication following peer review and author revisions (when it suits your schedule).

To apply for this position, please contact the Separations Editorial Office (separations@mdpi.com) with the two files below attached:

• A full academic CV;
• A short cover letter that details your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

Separations Editorial Office

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative—the MDPI Special Issue Mentor Program.

This program will enable early career researchers (who must hold a Ph.D. in a related field) to experience editing a Special Issue in MDPI journals, under the mentorship of our experienced Editorial Board Members or other experienced scientists. The mentor program will provide an excellent opportunity for early career scientists to gain editorial experience, and to cultivate their ability to edit scientific research.

The mentee’s responsibilities include:

• Proposing a Special Issue title and assisting the mentor in preparing a summary (around 200–400 words) and 3–10 keywords describing the background, importance, and goal of the Issue;
• Writing a brief promotion plan for the Special Issue;
• Preparing a list of scholars who may be interested in the Issue and personally e-mailing invitations on behalf of Guest Editors;
• Writing an editorial for the online Special Issue together with the mentor.

The mentor’s responsibilities include:

• Conducting a final check before the Special Issue is published online;
• Performing editorial control of the Special Issue and quality control of the publications, both of which must be carried out in a timely manner;
• Providing suggestions to younger scholars if they have any doubts or concerns regarding submissions;
• Organizing video calls with young scholars and the Editorial Office regularly to discuss problems and improvement suggestions for the Special Issue;
• Making and submitting decisions regarding submissions with the assistance of mentees.

Certificates and awards:
After the Special Issue closes, the Editorial Office will provide official certificates for all the mentors and early career researchers.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your Special Issue proposal to the Editorial Office of a journal you choose, and we will discuss the process (i.e., mentor collaboration, Special Issue topic feasibility analysis, etc.) in further detail. The full list of MDPI journals is as follows: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

In addition to the new Special Issue Mentor Program, we will continue to welcome all Special Issue proposals focusing on hot research topics.

MDPI has just become the first open access (OA) publisher to reach the milestone of one million articles published. That is one million articles freely available to all, to circulate and build upon! We are proud to share this special moment with the global scientific community.

This landmark has been reached thanks to the immeasurable support of more than 600,000 expert reviewers, 66,000 editorial board members and 6700 hard-working colleagues across MDPI’s global offices.

Within more than 25 years of publishing, our journals received 2.1 million manuscripts and generated 4.6 million peer review reports to get to one million papers published.

Reaching the milestone of one million articles published reinforces our mission to remove any existing barriers and to make scientific research accessible to all. Since its inception, MDPI’s goal has been to create reliable processes to make science open. This is a path towards facilitating the dissemination of novel insights in scientific communities.

Regular feedback from authors and reviewers shows that our service is greatly appreciated and needed. At the same time, the feedback helps us identify areas for further improvement.

As it stands, a significant share of published research findings remain closed access. More than half of the content published with the most well-known legacy publishers stays behind a paywall, and that is not including articles published in hybrid OA journals, or made available months or years after publication.

A new policy announced by the US administration in August 2022 requires that, as of January 2026, all US federally funded research be made freely and immediately available after publication. While the new policy does not mandate articles be published under an open access license, it is aligned with the open access movement in removing all barriers to research. Similarly, some of the most advanced research institutions in the world intend to have all funded research articles published in open access by 2025.

MDPI is proud to be the leading agent of the transition to open access.

"Thanks a Million" to all the contributors!

We are pleased to announce that the website of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation has been revamped! For the past couple of months, our UX UI team and front-end developers have been working hard to launch the website in time for the opening of the Sustainability Awards nominations.

The website is not the only thing that has had a remodeling. Indeed, the format of the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) has been updated. ESLA is now a competition open to individual researchers or start-ups founded by researchers under the age of 35. Nominee applications will go through 2 rounds of selection until the final 3 are decided. The finalists will then be invited to give pitch presentations during the Award Ceremony to win either first place (10,000 USD) or runner-up (2 x 5000 USD).

The World Sustainability Award, on the other hand, remains the same: a total prize money of 100,000 USD is up for grabs by senior individual researchers or groups of researchers from the international research community.

Nominations for both the World Sustainability Award and the Emerging Sustainability Leader award are now open! Check out our new website for more information on how to nominate.