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Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and the Circular Economy—2nd Edition
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Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and the Circular Economy—2nd Edition

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 1568

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: wastewater treatment; circular economy; nutrients recovery; sustainable waste management; biomass utilization; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today’s restrictions on resources and the environment are very severe. A circular economy is a promising path to the sustainable development of wastewater treatment, a process in which the quantity of biomass waste has risen sharply, causing serious environmental pollution. In terms of sustainable wastewater treatment, the discharge of biomass waste is a major societal concern; thus, the utilization of biomass waste has practical significance in a circular economy. At present, much research has been conducted on biomass waste utilization and the circular economy, mainly focusing on thermal conversion, as well as aerobic and anaerobic technologies. These technologies can transform the recyclable organic materials from biomass wastes into solid, liquid, and gas fuels, which are of great significance for alleviating energy shortages and environmental pollution. Therefore, this research will focus on the sustainable use of wastewater treatment biomass waste to promote the development of a circular economy. We propose the publication of a Special Issue in Water to highlight recent research carried out in these fields.

This Special Issue intends to present novel, high-quality, original research articles, as well as review articles, short communications, and/or letters focusing on sustainable wastewater treatment and the circular economy. Topics of interest include the following:

  1. Thermal conversion technology/anaerobic technology/aerobic technology for a circular economy and sustainable wastewater treatment.
  2. Resource recovery technologies for sustainable wastewater treatment.
  3. The application of bioenergy and bioresources in a circular economy for wastewater treatment.
  4. Green chemistry technologies in a circular economy and sustainable wastewater treatment.

Dr. Tao Zhang
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. Water 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 2600 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

  • wastewater treatment
  • circular economy
  • biomass waste
  • resource recovery
  • green chemistry
  • thermal conversion
  • anaerobic process
  • aerobic process

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3243 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Nitrification of High-Ammonium Reject Water in Lab-Scale Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs)
by Sandeep Gyawali, Eshetu Janka and Carlos Dinamarca
Water 2025, 17(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091344 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Dewatering anaerobic digested sludge leaves a liquid fraction known as reject water, a liquid organic fertilizer containing high amounts of ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N). However, its concentration should be enhanced to produce commercial fertilizer. Thus, reject water nitrification for stabilization as well [...] Read more.
Dewatering anaerobic digested sludge leaves a liquid fraction known as reject water, a liquid organic fertilizer containing high amounts of ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N). However, its concentration should be enhanced to produce commercial fertilizer. Thus, reject water nitrification for stabilization as well as for nitrate capture in biochar to be used as a slow-release fertilizer is proposed. This study attempted to accomplish enhanced nitrification by tuning the operating parameters in two lab-scale sequential-batch reactors (SBRs), which were fed reject water (containing 520 ± 55 mg NH4-N/L). Sufficient alkalinity as per stoichiometric value was needed to maintain the pH and free nitrous acid (FNA) within the optimum range. A nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 0.14 ± 0.01 kg/m3·d and 3.34 days hydraulic retention time (HRT) helped to achieved complete 100% nitrification in reactor 1 (R1) on day 61 and in reactor 2 (R2) on day 82. After a well-developed bacterial biomass, increasing the NH4-N concentration up to 750 ± 85 mg/L and NLR to 0.23 ± 0.03 kg/m3·d did not affect the nitrification process. Moreover, a feeding sequence once a day provided adequate contact time between nitrifying sludge and reject water, resulting in complete nitrification. It can be concluded that enhanced stable nitrification of reject water can be achieved with quick adjustment of loading, alkalinity, and HRT in SBRs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and the Circular Economy—2nd Edition)
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Review

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22 pages, 2869 KiB  
Review
A Review on Uses of Lemna minor, a Beneficial Plant for Sustainable Water Treatments, in Relation to Bioeconomy Aspects
by Constantina-Bianca Vulpe, Ioana-Maria Toplicean, Bianca-Vanesa Agachi and Adina-Daniela Datcu
Water 2025, 17(9), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091400 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 99
Abstract
This review seeks to highlight the issue of utilizing a widely distributed aquatic species within the broader context of the transition from a linear to a circular economy and the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability. To promote a cleaner aquatic environment and ensure [...] Read more.
This review seeks to highlight the issue of utilizing a widely distributed aquatic species within the broader context of the transition from a linear to a circular economy and the growing emphasis on environmental sustainability. To promote a cleaner aquatic environment and ensure compliance with current regulations, the use of bioindicators and plant bioaccumulators presents a viable alternative. Lemna minor, a small aquatic species, serves as a noteworthy example that warrants greater consideration. A review of specialized literature was conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of these issues, drawing from the most relevant sources. This paper offers a broad discussion on bioeconomy and water management, along with an in-depth examination of L. minor, its characteristics, and its practical applications. The biological characteristics, ecological significance, and useful applications of L. minor in wastewater treatment, bioenergy, and bioproduct production are summarized in this research. The analysis also identifies research gaps for further investigation and looks at how this plant fits into new frameworks for the circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and the Circular Economy—2nd Edition)
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32 pages, 5862 KiB  
Review
Advances in Hydrothermal Carbonization for Biomass Wastewater Valorization: Optimizing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Nutrient Management to Enhance Agricultural and Ecological Outcomes
by Guoqing Liu and Tao Zhang
Water 2025, 17(6), 800; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060800 - 11 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 947
Abstract
This study presents a novel approach that integrates hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technology with circular economy principles to optimize the management of nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural wastewater. Given the increasing global resource scarcity and continuous ecological degradation, the valorization of biomass wastewater has [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel approach that integrates hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technology with circular economy principles to optimize the management of nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural wastewater. Given the increasing global resource scarcity and continuous ecological degradation, the valorization of biomass wastewater has become a critical pathway for the promotion of sustainable development. Biomass wastewater, which contains crop residues, forestry leftovers, and food processing byproducts, has long been regarded as useless waste. However, this wastewater contains abundant organic matter and possesses significant renewable energy potential. The valorization of biomass wastewater can significantly reduce environmental pollution. Through the optimization of the HTC process parameters, we achieved an improvement in the quality and yield of carbonized products, facilitating the efficient recycling and utilization of resources. This research demonstrates that HTC technology can transform agricultural wastewater into valuable biofertilizers, biomass energy, and organic feed, while simultaneously reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating the environmental impact of agricultural activities. This paper provides a comprehensive exploration of the application of HTC technology in agricultural ecosystems, highlighting its beneficial role in nitrogen and phosphorus management, resource utilization efficiency, and environmental pollution reduction. The findings of this study suggest that HTC technology holds significant potential in optimizing agricultural wastewater treatment, promoting resource recycling, and advancing sustainable agricultural development. Furthermore, this research offers theoretical support and practical guidance for the implementation of HTC technology in agricultural ecosystems, which is of paramount importance in fostering circular economic development and achieving sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and the Circular Economy—2nd Edition)
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