Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery

This review proposes a conceptual framework for future wastewater treatment plants operating as resource recovery facilities within a circular economy, focusing on technologies for recovering water, energy, and raw materials including nutrients and biopolymers.

2023 Energies 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from wastewater: available techniques and way forward

This review surveys available techniques for removing microplastics from wastewater within a circular economy framework, discussing innovative treatment technologies, integrated risk-based approaches, and regulatory and economic guidelines needed to advance water resource recovery facilities beyond conventional pollutant removal.

2023 IWA Publishing eBooks 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Wastewater and sludge valorisation: a novel approach for treatment and resource recovery to achieve circular economy concept

This review highlights novel approaches for wastewater and sludge valorisation within a circular economy framework, focusing on recovering value-added products including biopolymers, nutrients, and energy to achieve sustainable development goals and combat water scarcity.

2023 Frontiers in Chemical Engineering 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Water circularity index: A novel approach for authorities and operators

This paper proposes a novel water circularity index that evaluates both quantity and quality dimensions of water use across an entire usage cycle, going beyond traditional single-metric efficiency frameworks. The index is intended to help water authorities and operators assess and optimize the circular use of water resources in integrated systems.

2025 Chemosphere 2 citations
Article Tier 2

AI Applied to the Circular Economy: An Approach in the Wastewater Sector

This review explored how artificial intelligence can be applied to circular economy objectives in the wastewater sector, examining AI-driven approaches for optimizing water treatment, resource recovery, and system efficiency. The paper identified opportunities and challenges for integrating machine learning into water utility operations within an ecological transition framework.

2024 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Wastewater Valorization: Practice around the World at Pilot- and Full-Scale

This review summarizes pilot- and full-scale wastewater valorization practices globally, focusing on how water resource recovery facilities recover nutrients, energy, and bio-based materials from sewage and sludge to contribute to a circular economy. The authors identify effective technological strategies that are being implemented or scaled up worldwide.

2021 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Pollutants in Wastewater: A Challenge for Water Reuse

This review examines emerging pollutants in wastewater as a central challenge for water reuse strategies, covering contaminants present at both domestic and industrial scales. It evaluates the sustainability benefits and treatment hurdles associated with recycling wastewater to address global water scarcity.

2025 Advances in water security
Article Tier 2

A Critical Review of Water Reuse: Lessons from Prehistoric Greece for Present and Future Challenges

This review traces the history of water reuse practices from ancient Greece to modern times, highlighting how early civilizations already understood the value of treating and repurposing wastewater. Researchers compare historical approaches with current advanced technologies including membrane filtration and direct potable reuse systems. The study argues that lessons from antiquity can inform contemporary water management strategies, particularly as growing populations and climate change put increasing pressure on freshwater resources.

2023 Water 23 citations
Commentary Tier 3

Editorial: Emerging approaches for sustainable management for wastewater

This editorial introduces a research collection on emerging approaches for sustainable wastewater management, highlighting advances in nutrient recovery, contaminant removal, and resource valorisation within circular economy frameworks.

2023 Frontiers in Environmental Science 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into Global Water Reuse Opportunities

This review examines global opportunities and challenges for reusing treated wastewater, which is becoming increasingly important as water scarcity worsens worldwide. A key concern discussed is that recycled water may contain emerging contaminants including microplastics that current treatment methods do not fully remove. The findings highlight the need for advanced treatment technologies to ensure that water reuse does not become a pathway for microplastic exposure in communities.

2023 Sustainability 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing Wastewater Reuse: A Critical Review of Innovative Treatment Technologies for a Sustainable Energy-Water Nexus

This review critically examines innovative wastewater treatment technologies for sustainable reuse, covering advances in membrane filtration, electrochemical processes, advanced oxidation, and emerging contaminant removal including microplastics, in the context of addressing global water scarcity.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution from wastewater treatment plants: A critical review on challenges, detection, sustainable removal techniques and circular economy

This review critically examines the challenges of detecting and removing microplastics from wastewater treatment plants, evaluating sustainable removal technologies and circular economy approaches to address this persistent source of aquatic microplastic pollution.

2022 Environmental Technology & Innovation 134 citations
Article Tier 2

The Treatment of Wastewater, Recycling and Reuse - Past, Present, and in the Future

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of wastewater treatment evolution, from early disposal practices to modern recycling and reuse technologies. Researchers discuss how advanced treatment methods address emerging contaminants including microplastics and pharmaceutical residues. The study emphasizes the importance of water reuse strategies for mitigating global water scarcity and reducing environmental pollution.

2023 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Unlocking the Potential of Reclaimed Water: Analysis of the Challenges and Market Size as a Strategic Solution for Water Scarcity in Europe

This study examines the market potential and challenges for reclaimed water as a solution to water scarcity in Europe, assessing regulatory frameworks, treatment technology gaps, and reuse applications. It identifies microplastics and pharmaceuticals as key contaminants of concern in reclaimed water and discusses standardisation needs.

2025 Challenges
Article Tier 2

Potential Effects and Removal Strategies for Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in the Circular Economy of Water

This review examines contaminants of emerging concern in water systems, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disruptors, summarizing their occurrence, potential health effects, and the treatment technologies available for their removal.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

AI-based wastewater treatment for a circular economy and sustainable management of PFAS, heavy metals, microplastics, and antibiotics

This review examined how artificial intelligence can be integrated into wastewater treatment systems to improve removal of emerging contaminants including PFAS, heavy metals, microplastics, and antibiotics. The authors conclude that AI-driven optimization offers significant potential for a circular economy approach to water treatment.

2025 Cleaner Water
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of industrial wastewater management: Evaluating challenges and enablers

This systematic review of 66 studies on industrial wastewater management found that while treatment technologies are advancing, major challenges remain in regulation enforcement, cost-effectiveness, and integration of circular economy principles. The research highlights that inadequate industrial wastewater treatment is a significant source of environmental pollutants, including microplastics, entering waterways.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 458 citations
Article Tier 2

Redefining Water Treatment: Identification of WWTPs as an Earth System Problem and Circular Economic Eco-Bog System to Challenge It

This paper argues that wastewater treatment plants should be reconceptualized as Earth system problems rather than isolated infrastructure, because the daily discharge of microplastics and other contaminants creates complex, poorly understood ecological effects at a planetary scale.

2021 European Journal of Environment and Earth Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A nanotechnology roadmap for circular wastewater management

This review paper summarizes research on using tiny particles called nanoparticles to make wastewater treatment more efficient and environmentally friendly. The technology could help clean water while also recovering valuable materials like nutrients and energy, but scientists still need to solve problems like how to use it safely on a large scale. Better wastewater treatment matters for human health because it helps ensure our water supply stays clean and reduces pollution in the environment.

2026 Frontiers in Environmental Engineering
Article Tier 2

The Importance of Nonconventional Water Resources under Water Scarcity

This review explores the importance of nonconventional water resources, such as treated wastewater, desalinated water, and harvested rainwater, in addressing growing global water scarcity. Researchers found that these alternative sources are becoming increasingly vital as climate change and population growth strain traditional supplies. The study highlights how expanding the use of nonconventional water can help build a more sustainable water future.

2024 Water 27 citations
Article Tier 2

The Future of Municipal Wastewater Reuse Concentrate Management: Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities

This review examines the growing challenge of managing concentrated waste streams produced when municipal wastewater is treated for reuse using reverse osmosis. These concentrates contain elevated levels of dissolved solids, metals, nutrients, and micropollutants that have passed through conventional treatment. The study discusses disposal options, monitoring needs, and emerging opportunities for recovering valuable resources from these waste streams.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Redefining Ecological Engineering in the Context of Circular Economy and Sustainable Development

This conceptual paper proposed a redefined framework for ecological engineering grounded in circular economy principles, arguing that engineering interventions in natural systems should aim to close material loops and enhance ecosystem services rather than simply solving pollution problems after the fact.

2021 Circular Economy and Sustainability 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Modern Wastewater Treatment Technologies: Trends, Problems, and Prospects

This review examines modern wastewater treatment technologies including mechanical, biological, and physicochemical methods, highlighting that conventional systems inadequately remove emerging micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics, and nanoparticles. The authors identify key barriers to progress including high costs, aging infrastructure, and weak governance, and advocate for integrated approaches combining membrane technologies, nanomaterials, and circular economy principles.

2025 SERIES CHEMISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Unlocking the circular economy potential of spent dialysate in hemodialysis

This review examines the waste stream produced by kidney dialysis machines — called spent dialysate — and finds it contains microplastics alongside other contaminants like PFAS and antibiotic resistance genes. The paper explores whether advanced filtration technologies could treat this waste and recover useful resources like water and nutrients rather than simply disposing of it. The presence of microplastics in dialysate is particularly relevant because dialysis patients are exposed to large volumes of processed water, raising questions about contamination pathways.

2026 Nefrología (English Edition)