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Circular Economy and Sustainable Water Treatment

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1774

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: sustainable water management; water pollution control; zero-waste water treatment

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: application of iron nanomaterials for environmental remediation; sediment remediation; water and wastewater systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition towards a circular economy in water treatment is essential for ensuring long-term sustainability and resilience in water resource management. This Special Issue, “Circular Economy and Sustainable Water Treatment”, explores innovative strategies, technologies, and policies that promote water reuse, resource recovery, and waste minimization. By integrating circular economy principles, wastewater treatment plants can evolve into resource hubs, extracting valuable materials such as nutrients, bioenergy, and clean water while reducing environmental impact.

This Special Issue highlights advancements in green chemistry, nature-based solutions, smart water management systems, and sediment treatment/remediation that contribute to more efficient and sustainable water treatment. Effective sediment remediation plays a crucial role in maintaining water quality, preventing pollutant accumulation, and enhancing ecosystem health, making it an integral part of circular water management strategies.

Contributions from interdisciplinary research fields, including environmental science, chemical engineering, hydrology, and policy studies, provide a holistic perspective on sustainable water management. This Special Issue will foster knowledge exchange and promote scalable solutions that support a circular and sustainable water future.

Dr. Dragana Tomašević Pilipović
Dr. Nataša Slijepčević
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 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

  • sustainable water treatment
  • water reuse
  • wastewater valorization
  • sustainable water management
  • resource recovery
  • nature-based solutions
  • advanced water treatment technologies
  • zero-waste water treatment
  • energy-efficient water systems
  • smart water management
  • sediment remediation
  • water pollution control

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 6248 KB  
Article
Sustainable Management of Groundwater Resources in Central Tunisia: Nitrate Pollution and Health Risk Assessment
by Rim Missaoui, Matteo Gentilucci, Malika Abbes, Anouar Hachemaoui, Younes Hamed, Salem Bouri and Gilberto Pambianchi
Sustainability 2026, 18(8), 3759; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083759 - 10 Apr 2026
Viewed by 357
Abstract
Degraded groundwater quality, characterized by elevated salinity and nitrate concentrations, poses significant public health concerns, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children. High content of nitrate in drinking water may lead to non-carcinogenic health risks, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable groundwater management [...] Read more.
Degraded groundwater quality, characterized by elevated salinity and nitrate concentrations, poses significant public health concerns, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children. High content of nitrate in drinking water may lead to non-carcinogenic health risks, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable groundwater management strategies to protect both human health and environmental integrity. This study assesses the suitability of groundwater resources in the Regueb Basin for irrigation and drinking purposes, with particular attention paid to nitrate contamination. The Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) indicates considerable spatial variability in groundwater quality, with values varying between 15.86 and 89.55 and a median of 41.69, reflecting differing levels of suitability for irrigation across the basin. Similarly, the Drinking Water Quality Index (DWQI) ranges from 149.16 to 982.42, with a median value of 445.71, suggesting significant concerns regarding groundwater suitability for drinking purposes. The health risk assessment (HHRA) based on the Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) and the nitrate hazard quotient (HQ_nitrate) reveal substantial risks to human health. NPI values vary between 0.45 and 5.5, with a median of 1.65 indicating varying levels of nitrate pollution. The HQ_nitrate results show that all groundwater samples (100%) pose health risks for children (HQ > 1). For women, 75.61% of HQ values exceed the safe threshold, affecting approximately 80% of the study area, whereas for men, 48.48% of HQ values exceed 1, impacting about 36.67% of the area. Overall, these findings highlight the urgent need for effective groundwater management strategies to mitigate nitrate contamination and ensure the safe and sustainable use of the groundwater resources in the Regueb Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Sustainable Water Treatment)
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15 pages, 1588 KB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of a Domestic Rainwater Harvesting System: A Case Study of Poland
by Karan Chabhadiya, Dariusz Włóka and Marzena Smol
Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18042111 - 20 Feb 2026
Viewed by 595
Abstract
Protection of water resources is an urgent priority in the context of increasing freshwater scarcity. Sustainable and circular water management focuses on reducing water consumption as well as measures to recover and reuse alternative water sources. This study assesses the life cycle assessment [...] Read more.
Protection of water resources is an urgent priority in the context of increasing freshwater scarcity. Sustainable and circular water management focuses on reducing water consumption as well as measures to recover and reuse alternative water sources. This study assesses the life cycle assessment (LCA) of a domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) system located in Poland. Moreover, the most significant environmental contributors and the quantification of each component’s role in the system’s overall footprint are assessed. The study used the OpenLCA tool and assumes 1 m3 of treated water as the functional unit. Findings reveal a highly concentrated impact distribution for the components. The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tank dominates, which represents 78.69% of total environmental impacts and leads in 18 of the 18 categories examined. Its influence is greatest in non-renewable fossil energy use, where it accounts for 92% of the impact, and in photochemical oxidant formation, with contributions exceeding 90%. The data quality assessment (DQA) of the system resulted in uncertain temporal and geographical correlation. Further Monte Carlo simulations confirmed the uncertainties regarding climate change and energy-related impact categories. The methodology aligns with ISO 14044 guidelines, providing a foundation for evidence-based environmental management decisions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Sustainable Water Treatment)
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