Environmental Pollutant Management and Control

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental pollutants from industrial, agricultural and domestic sources pose threats to ecosystems and public health, necessitating integrated management and control strategies. In this regard, wastewater treatment systems are crucial, progressing from basic sedimentation to advanced biological, chemical and membrane technologies that not only remove pollutants but also recover resources such as energy and nutrients. Similarly, air and water filtration methods are critical for the removal of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, microplastics and persistent chemicals. Adsorbents such as activated carbon, zeolites, biochar and advanced nanomaterials further enhance pollutant removal, with increasing emphasis on economical, sustainable materials derived from waste by-products.

Sustainable development is at the core of effective pollution control, aligning technological solutions with the principles of the circular economy. This includes resource recovery, renewable energy processing methods, green materials and strong policy frameworks that promote emission reduction and waste minimization.

This Topic seeks high-quality projects that focus on (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Wastewater treatment systems;
• Hybrid systems integrating physical, chemical, and biological treatments;
• Eco-friendly adsorbents for environmental pollutants;
• Air and water filtration;
• Indoor and urban air purification technologies;
• Sustainable development;
• Resource recovery from wastewater: nutrients, energy, and water reuse;
• Policy frameworks and regulations for emission and effluent standards;
• Life Cycle Assessment of pollution control materials and their regeneration;
• Circular economy approaches to waste and pollutant management.

Dr. Athanasia Tolkou
Dr. Loris Calgaro
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
C carbon	2.9	3.4	2015	22.5 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Materials materials	3.2	6.4	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Molecules molecules	4.6	8.6	1996	15.1 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Separations separations	2.7	4.5	2014	16 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Water water	3.0	6.0	2009	18.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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31 pages, 5166 KB  

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Simultaneous Desulfurization and Denitrogenation of Fuel Oil

by Jianrui Wang and Rui Wang

Molecules 2026, 31(2), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31020279 - 13 Jan 2026

Viewed by 325

Abstract

The elimination of nitrogen and sulfur compounds from liquid fuel is a critical aspect of reducing environmental pollution. However, the widely utilized hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation technologies require harsh operating conditions. Moreover, when operated simultaneously, these processes induce mutual competition and inhibition between the [...] Read more.

The elimination of nitrogen and sulfur compounds from liquid fuel is a critical aspect of reducing environmental pollution. However, the widely utilized hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation technologies require harsh operating conditions. Moreover, when operated simultaneously, these processes induce mutual competition and inhibition between the two reactions, thereby limiting the actual removal efficiency. Conversely, non-hydrogenation technologies offer substantial advantages in terms of operating conditions and provide high levels of desulfurization and denitrogenation. Nevertheless, the presence of nitrogen-containing compounds has also been demonstrated to engender competition and inhibition. It is imperative to develop environmentally friendly technologies that can simultaneously desulfurize and denitrogenate. This paper reviews research progress in this field over the past decade, providing a detailed assessment and comparison of hydrogenation and non-hydrogenation technologies, including adsorption, extraction, oxidation and biological methods. Furthermore, it considers future research directions. The article’s aim is to furnish a novel perspective on the development of clean fuel sources and to investigate more economical, sustainable, and commercially viable desulfurization and denitrogenation methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Pollutant Management and Control)

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23 pages, 2371 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Turning Waste into Solutions: Activated Carbons from Shrimp Shell for Nicotine Adsorption in Aqueous Phase

by Miguel Garcia-Rollan, Miguel Miranda, Silvia Ponce, Carolina Belver and Jorge Bedia

C 2026, 12(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/c12010004 - 6 Jan 2026

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Abstract

In this study, removal of nicotine, highly toxic and persistent environmental contaminant, was successfully conducted using activated carbons prepared via chemical activation with KOH from shrimp shell, a byproduct of the food industry. The activation process yielded activated carbons with an exceptionally developed [...] Read more.

In this study, removal of nicotine, highly toxic and persistent environmental contaminant, was successfully conducted using activated carbons prepared via chemical activation with KOH from shrimp shell, a byproduct of the food industry. The activation process yielded activated carbons with an exceptionally developed porous texture, exhibiting, in the best case, a surface area of nearly 2000 m²/g and a surface enriched with diverse oxygenated functional groups, as confirmed by XPS and FTIR analyses. Nicotine adsorption studies demonstrated that the adsorption process was more favorable at near-neutral pH values (pH = 8) and higher temperatures. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses, combined with material characterization, revealed that the adsorption process is governed by both physical and chemical interactions between the adsorbate and the adsorbent, being overall spontaneous and endothermic. The Sips isotherm model closely fits the adsorption data, highlighting the heterogeneity of the activated carbon surface. Under these conditions, adsorption was studied at three different temperatures, with the highest temperature (45 °C) exhibiting the most significant adsorption capacity, slightly below 500 mg/g. In addition, column adsorption tests demonstrated the high efficiency of activated carbons in nicotine removal, making shrimp head shells a promising carbon precursor for use as a raw material in preparing activated carbons for use as nicotine adsorbents for industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Pollutant Management and Control)

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