Water Ecological Pollution Monitoring and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Introduction and context

Water ecosystems constitute a foundational pillar of environmental stability and public health. Yet, these vital resources, including freshwater reserves, rivers, lakes, and coastal marine environments, face escalating threats from multifaceted ecological pollution. Intensifying pressures from agricultural discharge, industrial effluents, municipal wastewater, and a growing burden of emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics, are compromising aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. This degradation not only disrupts ecological balance but also presents significant risks to human health. Confronting these challenges necessitates advanced and robust monitoring frameworks that leverage chemical analytics, biological indicators, remote sensing, and computational technologies to enable precise detection, comprehensive understanding, and effective mitigation of pollution.

Aim of the Special Issue and strategic alignment

This Special Issue is dedicated to showcasing advanced research and insightful reviews that advance the fields of aquatic pollution monitoring and sustainable water resource management. We seek contributions that introduce innovative methodologies, alongside studies focused on ecological risk assessment, contaminant fate and transport, and restorative interventions. This focus directly aligns with the journal's core mission of publishing pioneering work in environmental monitoring, analytical innovation, and the translation of research into practical sustainability solutions.

Invited topics and thematic areas

We welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following interdisciplinary themes:

• Advanced Monitoring and Diagnostic Technologies: Development and application of real-time sensor networks, remote sensing, virtual sensors, and machine learning/AI for predictive analytics and data integration.
• Characterization and Dynamics of Emerging Contaminants: Investigations into the occurrence, fate, and behavior of pollutants of critical concern, including microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and endocrine-disrupting compounds.
• Impacts on Ecosystem and Public Health: Research elucidating the effects of pollutants on aquatic biota, including studies on eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and cumulative risk assessments.
• Participatory Frameworks and Policy Integration: Models for citizen science, community-based monitoring, and multi-stakeholder collaboration that enhance data collection and inform evidence-based policy and governance.
• Sustainable Remediation and Governance Strategies: Advances in nature-based solutions (e.g., constructed wetlands), innovative treatment technologies, circular economy approaches, policy analysis, and adaptive management frameworks for long-term water security.

Submission Types

We invite the submission of original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications.

We are confident that this curated collection will serve as a significant scholarly resource, fostering dialogue and accelerating progress toward resilient and sustainable water ecosystems.

We look forward to hearing from you.

With kind regards,

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Reza Ghomi
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.

• aquatic pollution monitoring
• emerging contaminants
• water sustainability
• ecological risk assessment
• remote sensing water quality
• advanced sensor technologies
• nature-based solutions remediation
• participatory monitoring citizen science
• sustainable water governance