Membrane Technology at the Forefront of Sustainable Water Treatment, Resource Recovery, and Environmental Management
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2026 | Viewed by 6
Special Issue Editor
Interests: membrane-based desalination and wastewater treatment; water–energy–environment nexus; control of fouling, scaling, and wetting in membrane distillation (MD); advanced nano-enabled membranes and their applications; photothermal catalytic membrane distillation for energy efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Sustainability entitled "Membrane Technology at the Forefront of Sustainable Water Treatment, Resource Recovery, and Environmental Management," which will focus on the critical role membrane technologies play in driving sustainable water treatment, promoting resource recovery, and advancing environmental management practices.
As the world grapples with the impacts of water scarcity, increasing pollution, and the need for sustainable resource management, membrane technologies offer promising solutions that are both energy-efficient and environmentally sound. From desalination to wastewater treatment and resource recovery, membranes are at the cutting edge of innovations designed to meet these global challenges. This Special Issue will explore breakthroughs in membrane processes, novel materials, and hybrid systems, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency.
We seek contributions from researchers working at the intersection of technical, environmental, and socio-economic aspects of sustainable development and, by focusing on membrane technologies, this Special Issue will foster dialogue on how advanced materials, energy-efficient processes, and resource recovery strategies can support the broader goals of environmental sustainability. The Special Issue aligns with the Sustainability’s mission to promote cross-disciplinary research related to sustainability and the responsible management of natural resources.
We invite submissions of original research articles and comprehensive reviews on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to, the following areas of interest:
- Advanced membrane materials for sustainable water treatment (e.g., biodegradable, energy-efficient, or hybrid membranes).
- Energy-efficient desalination processes using membrane technology.
- Wastewater treatment with a focus on resource recovery (nutrients, water reuse).
- Integration of membrane technology into circular economy frameworks for water and waste resource management.
- Case studies on real-world applications of membrane systems in sustainable environmental management.
- Life cycle assessments of membrane technologies in water and waste treatment.
- Photothermal and photocatalytic membranes for enhanced water purification and contaminant degradation.
- Hybrid membrane processes for improved efficiency.
- Fouling-resistant membranes and coatings for long-term operation and reduced maintenance.
- Membrane distillation (MD) advancements for high-salinity desalination and brine management.
- Development of membranes for challenging industrial effluents and hazardous waste treatment.
- Smart and responsive membranes capable of adapting to varying operational conditions.
- Renewable energy integration into membrane-based systems for off-grid water treatment solutions.
Dr. Jehad A. Kharraz
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
- membrane technology
- sustainable water treatment
- energy-efficient desalination
- resource recovery
- wastewater treatment
- circular economy
- photothermal membranes
- membrane distillation (MD)
- hybrid membrane systems
- life cycle assessment (LCA)
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