Dear Colleagues,

The environmental pollution caused by human negligence is an urgent global concern. All natural resources are currently being exposed to various dangerous effects from societies at large, especially in the developing countries. The scarcity of pure and sanitarily adequate water is a well-known and serious risk. This problem leads to severe health disorders and economic, social and even political costs. Water ecosystems are contaminated with persistent organic pollutants, most of which originate from industry, agriculture and urban wastewaters. Currently, the most widely researched topic is the development of cost-effective, feasible and eco-inspired sustainable technologies for purification of water. Furthermore, green and plant-based synthesis pathways are also being investigated in the fabrication of nanoparticles, a practice which could be successfully applied in water remediation. Thus, non-chemical and efficient extraction techniques should also be developed to reach and harvest biomolecules from plants. On the other hand, due to the matrix of natural samples and because of the complex organic pollutants, adequate separation techniques should be also established in order to properly conduct chemical analyses and to obtain precise and correct results.

This Special Issue of Separations is focused on presenting outstanding and promising developments in water remediation processes. This includes the application and enhancement of non-polluting, nature-derived advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Articles regarding individual and hybrid AOPs (e.g., including photocatalysis, subcritical water treatments, ultrasound, plasma-based AOP, (photo)-Fenton, and catalytic ozonation) are also welcomed. Furthermore, discussions of original and cutting-edge separation techniques (such as adsorption, membranes, filtration, etc.) and their application in water purification are also invited. Besides, innovative and chemical-free plant extraction techniques are appreciated. Additionally, the newest studies about the application of plant-based extracts in the fabrication of nanoparticles for water purification purposes are also desirable. Moreover, due to the complex matrix of natural waters, we will also accept research into innovative and eco-friendly sample preparation techniques (solid phase extraction, 3D-printed platforms, etc.), as well as precise and accurate analytical methods for analysis and pollutant determination, for instance chromatography (liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, etc.).

The articles presented in this Special Issue will cover various topics, starting from application of AOPs and various trending separation techniques in wastewater treatments. Additionally, modern and chemical-free extraction techniques will also be presented, together with plant extract application in the synthesis of nanoparticles for organic pollutant removal. Likewise, new efforts are encouraged, both in the wastewater sample preparation and in the development of accurate analytical methods for environmental analysis.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

• Environmental remediation;
• Advanced oxidation processes;
• Hybrid AOPs;
• Adsorption;
• Filtration
• Membranes; 
• Chemical-free extraction;
• Plant-based extracts;
• Green nanotechnology;
• Sample preparation;
• Environmental analysis;
• Analytical methods;
• Chromatography.

Prof. Dr. Predrag Putnik
Prof. Dr. Daniela Šojić Merkulov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• environmental protection
• advanced oxidation technology
• catalysis
• hybrid AOPs
• adsorption
• filtration
• membranes
• low impact extraction
• plant extracts
• green synthesis
• sample preparation
• environmental analysis
• chromatography