Sustainability and Circular Economy: Frontier Research on Water Treatment and Purification

Dear Colleagues,

Water is the essence of life and the most valuable commodity today. The vast industrial expansion and the ever-growing world population in recent years have contributed to limiting the quantity and quality of its supply. To address the global demand for water, management of the available water resources through the circular economy appears to be most relevant approach, as it will help to address emergent issues related to optimization, treatment, and reuse of all available water sources in a timely and achievable manner while creating opportunities for commercial advantage paving the way for long-term sustainability.

The opportunities with the circular economy will become increasingly attainable by realigning the domestic and industrial discharge with the natural water cycle. This realignment can be achieved by reassessing the current products and services; improving water use efficiency by pursuing all possibilities for water recycling or reuse within industrial processes and domestic activities; establishment of sustainable environmental management systems related to natural water courses, or built environment for environmental preservation and public health improvement; improving the existing governance policies related to wastewater treatment, management strategies, and smart partnerships; and implementing better resource allocation and management. The prospects of the circular economy can be readily realized in different fields through the effective treatment of different water sources, green management systems, built environment, and policies.

This Special Issue focuses on the smart management of water and environmental resources through the circular economy to achieve sustainable development. The SI will address the major issues with respect to wastewater treatment technologies and management strategies, considering different types of wastewater and the potential of green and advanced technologies for effective water reclamation, recycling, and reuse. Within this context, research work with scientific outputs addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are of paramount importance. The following topics will be considered for publication:

1. Technoeconomic studies of wastewater treatment and reuse;
2. Treatment and reuse of different water resources;
3. Management of desalination reject brine;
4. Optimization of treatment technologies;
5. The role of water policies in sustainable development;
6. Nanotechnologies and green water treatment techniques;
7. New emerging environmental management systems and built environment; for restoration of the natural ecosystem and public health improvement;
8. Identification, characterization, and control of environmental pollutants of emerging concern;
9. Integrated management of water resources;
10. Water–food nexus, water reuse, and food safety control;
11. Water management strategies related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Prof. Dr. Muftah El-Naas
Prof. Dr. Keng Yuen Foo
Guest Editors

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