Innovative Approaches to Environmental Technology and Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1846
Special Issue Editor
Interests: nature-based solutions; wastewater treatment; sanitation; water quality; water reuse; sustainable development; climate change adaptation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In response to the global demand for sustainable water management and environmental protection, we are pleased to announce a call for papers for a Special Issue of Sustainability entitled "Innovative Approaches to Environmental Technology and Sustainable Wastewater Treatment". This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers, scholars, and practitioners to present cutting-edge research, insights, and innovative solutions that address pressing challenges in sustainable wastewater treatment, water scarcity, and environmental protection.
Water management and treatment systems are critical to ensuring the health and sustainability of ecosystems and communities. This Special Issue will explore the latest advances in environmental technology, focusing on innovations in wastewater treatment that help reduce pollution, conserve water resources, and promote sustainability. A strong emphasis is placed on addressing water scarcity and adapting to climate change, highlighting the role of non-conventional water resources, such as treated wastewater, desalination, and rainwater harvesting. These resources offer promising solutions to reduce pressure on freshwater supplies and increase resilience to climate change.
The scope of this Special Issue covers a wide range of topics, including nature-based solutions, emerging technologies, process optimization, and sustainable practices that improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems. It will present innovative, energy-efficient, and cost-effective wastewater treatment technologies that promote environmental sustainability by minimizing energy consumption, reducing chemical use, and increasing water reuse potential.
In addition, this Special Issue will complement the existing literature by filling knowledge gaps in advanced treatment processes, low-cost solutions, and interdisciplinary approaches. Contributions that explore life cycle assessment, sustainability monitoring, and the role of regulatory policies in advancing these innovative approaches are strongly encouraged. We also welcome research on nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands and eco-technology systems that use natural processes to treat wastewater, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting ecosystem resilience.
The socio-economic factors involved in the implementation of sustainable wastewater technologies will also be considered. This Special Issue will focus on how these technologies can be applied in both developed and developing regions, taking into account cost-effectiveness, scalability, and social acceptability. Tools and metrics for measuring sustainability, such as life cycle assessment and environmental impact analysis, will provide quantifiable data on how wastewater treatment methods contribute to reduced carbon footprints, water recovery, and overall ecosystem health.
Several papers are expected to examine how policy frameworks and regulations can help the adoption of sustainable wastewater technologies. This will include discussions on existing regulatory frameworks and how they can evolve to support the integration of sustainable technologies into water management systems.
Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Sustainable technologies for wastewater treatment;
- Nature-based water treatment solutions;
- Water reuse, recycling, and resource recovery;
- Non-conventional water resources (e.g., desalination, reclaimed wastewater, rainwater harvesting);
- Addressing water scarcity through innovative technologies;
- Climate change adaptation strategies in water management;
- Energy-efficient and cost-effective treatment systems;
- Life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment processes;
- Pollution control strategies in wastewater management;
- Circular economy approaches to water management;
- Socio-economic impacts of sustainable water technologies;
- Water management policies and regulations.
This Special Issue will contribute to sustainable development by providing solutions that not only address environmental concerns but also consider economic and societal impacts, in line with this journal's goals. We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Laila Mandi
Guest Editor
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
- wastewater treatment
- water scarcity
- non-conventional water
- nature-based solutions
- water reuse
- energy efficiency
- resource recovery
- climate adaptation
- circular economy
- water policy
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