Biological Technology in Wastewater Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Biological Technology in Wastewater Treatment,” focuses on advancing biologically driven processes for removing nutrients, heavy metals, and organic contaminants while enabling resource recovery. We welcome studies that elucidate mechanisms and translate them into robust unit operations, spanning biological nitrogen removal (e.g., shortcut nitrification–denitrification, anammox), enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and crystallization (e.g., struvite), as well as biotransformation/biodegradation of organics (including micropollutants) and bioremediation of heavy metals (biosorption, bioaccumulation, redox transformations). The scope includes granular sludge and biofilm systems, algal–bacterial consortia, bioelectrochemical technologies, constructed wetlands, nature-based solutions, and hybrid bio–physicochemical processes; contributions may cover reactor design, control strategies, modeling, scale-up, life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, and climate resilience.

Positioned within the existing literature dominated by conventional activated-sludge paradigms, this Special Issue emphasizes process intensification, multi-omics-informed engineering, and data-driven optimization to bridge the gap between laboratory insights and full-scale implementation. We particularly encourage submissions that connect microbial ecology to performance, leverage genomics/proteomics/metabolomics and machine learning for monitoring and control, and demonstrate bench-to-plant case studies. By integrating mechanism, technology, and sustainability metrics, the Special Issue aims to chart a coherent path toward circular, low-carbon, and resilient wastewater treatment.

Dr. Hao Zhou
Dr. Xuwang Zhang
Dr. Qiao Ma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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