Biomass-Derived Materials for Sustainable Soil and Water Remediation

Dear Colleagues,

Life on Earth relies on various critical aspects, with soil standing out as a key determinant. The functions and services provided by soil ecosystems play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation, agricultural production, as well as the storage and recycling of nutrients. The vitality of healthy soils cannot be overstated as they are indispensable for sustaining food production to meet the needs of the continuously growing human population. Consequently, soil pollution emerges as a significant threat to global health, agricultural productivity and food security.

Furthermore, freshwater stands as a paramount necessity for human communities and the broader ecosystem, supporting both flora and fauna. According to the 2021 UNESCO report, global freshwater consumption has surged sixfold over the past century, while available freshwater resources are dwindling. The escalating demand for freshwater poses a significant challenge to maintaining sustainable water sources. Compounding this issue is the looming threat of water pollution, which not only adversely affects the diverse range of fauna and flora but also constitutes a direct risk to human health.

As we grapple with these interconnected challenges, preserving both soil and water quality becomes imperative for ensuring the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. This necessitates adopting sustainable means and approaches to mitigating soil and water pollution, paving the way for a more resilient future.

Various materials such as biochar, activated carbons, lignin-based materials, composts, bio-surfactants, etc., have proven to be highly effective in soil and water remediation, exhibiting exceptional adsorption capacities and unique chemical properties that make them valuable tools in addressing pollution challenges.

The scope of this Special Issue is to curate a collection of research and review articles focused on the utilization of biomass-derived materials for applications in environmental remediation and to provide an in-depth exploration of innovative and sustainable approaches.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

The Guest Editors

Dr. Ioannis Anastopoulos

Dr. Vasiliki Kinigopoulou

Dr. Ioannis Anastopoulos
Dr. Vasiliki Kinigopoulou
Guest Editors

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. Applied Sciences 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 2400 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.

• biomass
• biochar
• activated carbons
• adsorption
• environmental remediation
• emerging pollutants
• soil and water remediation