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The Applications of Modern Biotechnology to Environmental Pollution Control

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1705

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Sustainable Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, Gallogly College of Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
Interests: bioprocess engineering; bioremediation; circular bioeconomy; waste valorization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging contaminants (ECs) of concern ranging from antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), PFAS, heavy metals, organic contaminants and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) have raised serious health concerns globally due to their dissemination in the environment. Often conventional methods are not adequate to treat these ECs or are not sustainable. As such, modern biotechnological advancements offer promising solutions for remediation and pollution control with a more sustainable approach. This Special Issue invites contributions that explore the innovative applications of modern biotechnologies in mitigating environmental pollution challenges in air, water and soil.

This Special Issue aims to highlights research integrating synthetic biology, microbial biotechnology, and bioremediation methods to effectively degrade recalcitrant pollutants of concerns. This will entail identifying knowledge gaps and streamlining future research directions for implementing bioprocesses for pollution control and management. In this Special issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following topics:

  • Biodegradation of ECs such as PFAS, APIs, heavy metals and organic pollutants;
  • Bioremediation of organic pollutants and biobased contaminants such as ARGs;
  • Assessment and monitoring of environmental pollutants using novel bioprocesses, microbial consortia and biosensors;
  • Use of biological markers for tracking source-specific contamination in water bodies;
  • Degradation of volatile organic pollutants from waste gas using biofiltration for air pollution control;
  • Biological treatment of wastewater including activated sludge, anaerobic digestion and moving bed bioreactors (MBBRs);
  • Characterization, viability and fate of persistent pollutants such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water and soil;
  • Interdisciplinary approaches combining biotechnology with nanotechnology and engineered bioreactors for pollutant degradation.

Dr. Achinta Bordoloi
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

  • bioremediation
  • emerging contaminants (ECs)
  • pollution control
  • water treatment
  • environmental monitoring

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 3118 KB  
Article
A Novel Preparation and Application of Orange Peel Aerogel for Removal of Oil Contaminants in Soils
by Uloaku Michael-Igolima, Samuel J. Abbey, Augustine O. Ifelebuegu, Raphael B. Jumbo and Kabari Sam
Sustainability 2026, 18(5), 2388; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18052388 - 2 Mar 2026
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Existing soil remediation approaches are lacking in cost-effectiveness, environmental impacts or societal acceptance. Environmental remediation techniques are often characterized by considerable time requirements and may leave residual effects on natural ecosystems, thereby potentially compromising net environmental benefits. This study investigated the oil adsorption [...] Read more.
Existing soil remediation approaches are lacking in cost-effectiveness, environmental impacts or societal acceptance. Environmental remediation techniques are often characterized by considerable time requirements and may leave residual effects on natural ecosystems, thereby potentially compromising net environmental benefits. This study investigated the oil adsorption capacity of aerogels produced from waste orange peels. Aerogels are highly porous three-dimensional materials made from organic and inorganic materials, with low density and high adjustable specific surface area. Orange peel aerogel was produced from waste orange peels using combined methods of physical, chemical, and thermal modification processes and was dried using the freeze-drying method. Adsorption and reusability tests were conducted after characterization of the aerogel. Surface characterization of the orange peel aerogel indicated it has an ultra-light density of 0.010417 g/cm3, high porosity of 99%, and a measured contact angle of 102°. An adsorption experiment was conducted with sandy and clay soils, and the maximum oil adsorption capacities of the orange peel aerogel were 13.55 mg/g and 9.60 mg/g for sandy and clay soils respectively. High oil adsorption capacity was shown by the produced aerogel and was attributed to its ultra-light density of 0.010417 g/cm3 and high porosity of 99%. In conclusion, the higher oil adsorption capacity of the orange peel aerogel in sandy soil compared with clay soil indicated that soil texture and aerogel properties influenced its oil remediation capacity. The reusability test in three adsorption trials indicated that orange peel aerogel is a sustainable material for the remediation of oil-contaminated soil. Full article
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