Activated Carbon Adsorption in Wastewater Treatment
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 71
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hierarchical porous carbon; hydrochar; activated carbon; adsorption; heavy metals pollution; organics pollution; biomass; waste management; green chemistry; materials engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: carbon materials; cryogels; biochar; water pollution; adsorption; heavy metals pollution; organics pollution; pharmaceuticals; surface modification; wastewater treatment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to announce the launch of a forthcoming Special Issue entitled “Activated Carbon Adsorption in Wastewater Treatment”, to be published in the MDPI journal Sustainability. As Guest Editors, it is our pleasure to invite you to contribute your original research articles, comprehensive reviews, or case studies to this Special Issue, which aims to explore recent progress, novel strategies, and future directions in the application of activated carbon for effective wastewater treatment.
In light of escalating environmental concerns and the increasing complexity of pollutants found in wastewater, there is a critical need for efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective treatment technologies. Activated carbon-based adsorption remains one of the most promising and widely utilized methods for water purification, owing to its high surface area, porosity, tunable surface chemistry, and reusability. This Special Issue seeks to gather state-of-the-art research across disciplines to deepen our understanding and expand the practical application of activated carbon in addressing water pollution challenges.
We encourage submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Innovative precursors and environmentally friendly synthesis methods for activated carbon;
- Surface modification and functionalization for enhanced adsorption selectivity;
- Adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamic modeling;
- The removal of conventional and emerging pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, dyes, microplastics, PFAS, and heavy metals);
- Pilot-scale and full-scale case studies demonstrating real-world applicability;
- Regeneration techniques, adsorbent longevity, and life-cycle assessments;
- Hybrid and integrated systems combining activated carbon with other physical, chemical, or biological processes.
This Special Issue aims not only to showcase cutting-edge scientific findings but also to support the development of sustainable solutions that contribute to global water security and environmental protection. Contributions from academia, industry, and interdisciplinary collaborations are especially welcome.
Should you have any questions regarding the scope or suitability of your manuscript, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to your participation and to curating a high-quality collection of articles that will foster knowledge exchange and innovation in this vital field.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Marija Ercegović
Dr. Aleksandar Krstić
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. Sustainability 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 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
- activated carbon
- sustainable wastewater treatment
- adsorption processes
- emerging pollutants
- bio-based adsorbents
- surface functionalization
- water purification technologies
- regeneration and reuse
- environmental sustainability
- circular economy in water treatment
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