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Adapting to New Challenges in Waste Management: Bioremediation, Biotechnology and Environmental Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 February 2027 | Viewed by 1702

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Pawla VI 1, 71-459 Szczecin, Poland
Interests: integrated approach to environmental sustainability through the lens of advanced biotechnology and resource efficiency; biomass energy conversion; development of advanced biofuels as drivers of energy security and decarbonization; circular bioeconomy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we invite you to submit original scientific and review articles on the integration of biotechnological processes with modern waste management, where waste is treated as a resource rather than just a burden on the environment. This Issue combines research with integrated solutions that reduce waste generation, increase resource recovery, and minimise environmental impact. The scope includes studies focusing on advanced processing, the optimisation of conversion pathways, the development of biorefinery technologies, and advanced bioremediation techniques. We focus on research that supports the efficient use of resources from waste streams through the recovery of energy, nutrients, and materials. The scope also covers solid, liquid, and gaseous waste from the municipal, industrial, agricultural, and new economy sectors. Furthermore, authors are expected to contribute to the field of sustainable development by providing data on resource efficiency, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and the development of environmental impact indicators. An important element is life cycle analysis and circular economy strategies. This Special Issue aims to complement the existing literature by presenting experimental research linked to economic assessment and legislation. We encourage you to submit papers that go beyond the laboratory stage. Articles should assess environmental benefits using tools such as life cycle analysis, carbon footprint, or risk analysis and provide knowledge relevant to the development of policies that support the circular economy.

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Hawrot-Paw
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 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. 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

  • waste management
  • circular bioeconomy
  • waste-to-value
  • life cycle assessment
  • resource recovery
  • conversion
  • sustainability indicators
  • biorefinery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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27 pages, 1140 KB  
Systematic Review
Environmental Impacts of Municipal Solid Waste Disposal in Urban Areas: A Systematic Review of Contamination Pathways, Assessment Methods, and Mitigation Strategies
by Zhaksylyk Pernebayev and Akbota Aitimbetova
Sustainability 2026, 18(8), 3900; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083900 - 15 Apr 2026
Viewed by 867
Abstract
Municipal solid waste disposed of in open dumpsites and unlined landfills contaminates groundwater, soils, and air across urban areas of low- and middle-income countries. Nevertheless, impacts across all three environmental media have not been systematically assessed together. We conducted a PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic [...] Read more.
Municipal solid waste disposed of in open dumpsites and unlined landfills contaminates groundwater, soils, and air across urban areas of low- and middle-income countries. Nevertheless, impacts across all three environmental media have not been systematically assessed together. We conducted a PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review of 286 peer-reviewed studies from PubMed, Dimensions, and OpenAlex, applying structured eligibility screening and quality appraisal using an adapted JBI checklist. Heavy metals—lead, cadmium, chromium, and zinc—were the most frequently detected contaminants in leachate and groundwater, commonly exceeding WHO drinking water guidelines by one to three orders of magnitude. Soil contamination by potentially toxic elements was documented at virtually all open dumpsites studied, persisting for decades after site closure. Particulate matter at South Asian MSW sites reached up to 41 times the WHO 2021 annual guideline. Microplastics acting as heavy metal carriers and dumpsite leachate as a source of antimicrobial resistance genes were identified as emerging risks outside standard monitoring frameworks. Non-carcinogenic hazard indices exceeded acceptable thresholds in the majority of health risk studies reviewed. Engineered containment was the strongest predictor of contamination severity across all sites. Phytoremediation, constructed wetlands, and biofiltration showed promise as mitigation approaches. Critical evidence gaps remain for Central Asia, harmonized reporting standards, and longitudinal monitoring data. Full article
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