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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 6593

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Dr. Negisa Darajeh

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Aurecon, Land and Water Team, 110 Carlton Gore Road, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Interests: sustainable development; energy conservation; green technologies; climate change; renewable energy sources; water pollution; water management; water treatment technologies; wastewater treatment; water reuse; biofiltration; carbon footprint; eco-friendly solutions; water purification; environmental impact assessment
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Dr. Shahabaldin Rezania

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Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
Interests: wastewater treatment; biotechnology; fermentation; biofuel and bio energies; plant sciences; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water treatment is of utmost importance for ensuring access to clean and safe water, and its significance continues to grow in the face of increasing global water scarcity and environmental concerns. The Special Issue on "Water Treatment: From Membrane Processes to Renewable Energies" aims to present a collection of research papers, review articles, and case studies that explore the latest advancements and applications in the field. This Special Issue focuses on the integration of membrane processes and renewable energy technologies to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and reliability of water treatment systems. By combining the expertise of researchers and practitioners from various disciplines, this Special Issue strives to provide insights into innovative membrane technologies, renewable energy-driven water treatment processes, hybrid systems, and advanced monitoring techniques. The ultimate goal is to foster sustainable water treatment practices that address the global water challenges we face today.

Dr. Negisa Darajeh
Dr. Shahabaldin Rezania
Guest Editors

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Keywords

water treatment
water quality analysis
membrane technologies
membrane processes
renewable energies
sustainability
water scarcity
reverse osmosis
nanofiltration
ultrafiltration
microfiltration
energy efficiency

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Energies of Activation and Deactivation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol Degradation by Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilized on the Modified Nanofibrous Membrane

by Justyna Miłek

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062423 - 13 Mar 2024

Viewed by 711

Abstract

Chlorophenol compounds pose a health risk to many organisms due to their toxicity. The present paper presents the estimation of the activation and deactivation energies and the optimum temperatures of 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The activities of horseradish peroxidase depending on temperature were analyzed. In a mathematical model, describing 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by HRP was assumed that both the 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation and the deactivation of HRP were first-order reactions by the enzyme concentration. The parameters of the optimum temperatures

T_{o p t}

, the activation energies

E_{r}

, and the deactivation energies

E_{d}

in the process of 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation by HRP immobilized on a modified nanofibrous membrane were determined

k_{d} and t_{1 / 2}

were determined for HRP immobilized at temperatures in the range of 25 °C to 75 °C. Likewise, thermodynamic parameters such as the change in the enthalpy

{∆ H}^{#}

, change in entropy

{∆ S}^{#}

, the change in Gibbs free energy

{∆ G}^{#}

for native HPR and the change in the enthalpy

{∆ H}_{d}^{#}

, change in entropy

{∆ S}_{d}^{#}

, and the change in Gibbs free energy

{∆ G}_{d}^{#}

for deactivated HRP were determined at 25 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Treatment: From Membrane Processes to Renewable Energies)

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20 pages, 2643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution, Risk Index, and Correlation of Heavy Metals in the Chuhe River (Yangtze Tributary): Preliminary Research Analysis of Surface Water and Sediment Contamination

by Adharsh Rajasekar, Raphinos Tackmore Murava, Eyram Norgbey and Xukun Zhu

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020904 - 20 Jan 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2070

Abstract

This comprehensive study aimed to evaluate the water quality and sediment contamination in the Chuhe River in Nanjing. The spatial assessment of 10 samples collected in September highlighted that, in surface water, Copper (Cu) > Nickel (Ni) > Zinc (Zn) > Chromium (Cr) > Lead (Pb) > Arsenic (As) > Cadmium (Cd) > Mercury (Hg), whereas in sediments, Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > As > Cd > Hg. The coefficient of variation (CV) for Ni and Zn in surface water was >15, whereas As, Cu, Pb, and Ni had a CV that was higher than 15 in sediments, indicating variability in contamination sources. The Pollution Load Index values ranged between 2.16 and 3.05, reflecting varying contamination levels across samples. The Geoaccumulation Index data also showed moderate-to-considerable contamination, especially for elements such as Cd and Cu. Correlation analyses in water and sediments unearthed significant relationships, with notable links between Cu and Pb in the water and strong correlations between As and Cu and between Cr and Ni in sediments. In sediments, Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus were significantly correlated with As, Cu, Pb, and Ni. The Potential Ecological Response Index for sediments indicated that they are at medium to high risk (307.47 ± 33.17) and could be potentially detrimental to aquatic life in the tributary. The tributary, influenced by agricultural runoff, residential areas, and other anthropogenic activities, showed that despite Nemerow pollution index values for water samples being below 1, sediment analysis indicated areas of concern. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to identify the potential sources of heavy metal contamination. In surface water, shared negative loadings on PC 1 (60.11%) indicated a unified influence, likely from agricultural runoff, while PC 2 (14.26%) revealed additional complexities. Sediments exhibited a unique signature on PC 1 (67.05%), associated with cumulative agricultural impacts, with PC 2 (18.08%) providing insights into nuanced factors, such as sediment composition and dynamic interactions. These findings offer a complete insight into the Chuhe River tributary’s condition, underlining the urgency for ongoing monitoring and potential remediation measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Treatment: From Membrane Processes to Renewable Energies)

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15 pages, 7233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Electric Field on Membrane Fouling and Membrane Performance in Reverse Osmosis Treatment of Brackish Water

by Caixia Fu, Xuenong Yi and Yuqiong Gao

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020575 - 9 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1409

Abstract

One of the most important applied technologies in water treatment is reverse osmosis (RO). However, membrane fouling and flux reduction pose significant challenges. The electric field, as an effective preventive measure, has received limited attention in RO applications. In this study, we added electric fields to finished rolled RO membranes to investigate their effect on membrane fouling and desalination performance. Experimental results indicated that higher electric fields were associated with higher concentrations of treated brine, resulting in a more significant effect. Permeate flux ratios increased with increasing voltage, with peaks of 1.02% (1000 mg/L, 25 V), 1.23% (2000 mg/L, 25 V), and 1.37% (3000 mg/L, 25 V), respectively. Additionally, the maximum reduction in the specific energy consumption (SEC) was 31% (2000 mg/L, 25 V) and 59% (3000 mg/L, 25 V), respectively. Notably, electric fields had a retarding effect on Ca²⁺ and humic acid (HA) fouling, with a stronger effect on HA, and higher permeate flux was maintained even after 120 h of operation. While this study visually demonstrates the direct effect of electric fields on RO, further quantification of the economic benefits of this method and a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind how the electric field enhances permeate flux and mitigates membrane fouling are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Treatment: From Membrane Processes to Renewable Energies)

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14 pages, 2883 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation of the Desalination Process for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Using Plate and Frame Membrane Module

by Yukang Zhou, Long Chen, Mengtao Huang, Weilian Hu, Guicai Chen and Binxin Wu

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9439; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169439 - 21 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1750

Abstract

Through experiments, the effect of membrane material selection and operating conditions on permeate fluxes in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) desalination was investigated. The experiment used a plate and frame membrane module, and with nine different hydrophobic porous membranes, a comparative analysis of the desalination performance of 3 wt% NaCl solution was performed. The results of this experiment were compared to find out the effect of different materials, pore sizes and membrane thicknesses on the permeate flux under same operating conditions. Further, a three-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment was designed. The effects of hot-side temperature, hot-side inlet flow and cold-side inlet flow on the permeate flux of PTFE membranes with a pore size of 0.22 μm were investigated when the temperature on the cold side was set at 20 °C. The results showed that in the DCMD experiments, both PTFE and PVDF membranes performed well, and that hot-side inlet temperatures and cold-side inlet flow rates had significant effects on the permeate flux. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Treatment: From Membrane Processes to Renewable Energies)

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