Next-Generation Waste-Derived Separation Materials for Circular Economy Water and Wastewater Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainable management of water and wastewater is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. Conventional treatment approaches often rely on high-energy processes or non-renewable materials, limiting their environmental and economic sustainability. This Special Issue, “Next-Generation Waste-Derived Separation Materials for Circular Economy Water and Wastewater Treatment”, aims to highlight innovative research that transforms waste into high-performance separation materials for water purification and wastewater treatment.

We invite contributions that explore the design, synthesis, functionalization and application of waste-derived materials, including adsorbents, membranes, catalysts and hybrid systems. Submissions that demonstrate integration with circular economy principles, such as resource recovery, energy efficiency and sustainable lifecycle approaches, are particularly encouraged. Studies on emerging contaminants, nutrient recovery, multifunctional materials and scalable technologies are also of interest.

This Special Issue seeks to provide a platform for interdisciplinary research bridging materials science, environmental engineering and sustainability, guiding the development of next-generation solutions that not only treat water and wastewater effectively but also advance the principles of a circular economy. Authors are encouraged to submit original research, reviews and perspectives that drive innovation and practical impacts in this rapidly evolving field.

Prof. Dr. Tebogo Mashifana
Dr. Farshid Pahlevani
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. Separations 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 2600 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.