Journal Article

Transforming Waste into Value: The Role of Physicochemical Treatments in Circular Water Management

Osuna-Laveaga, Daryl Rafael, Barrera-Rojas, Jesús, Sulbarán-Rangel, Belkis, Palacios-Hinestroza, Hasbleidy, Flores-Payán, Valentín, Muro-Medina, Carlos Vladimir

2025

Overview

The growing global population and increasing water demand have intensified the urgency for efficient wastewater treatment strategies to address environmental pollution and water scarcity. Physicochemical treatment technologies remain among the most widely implemented solutions due to their high removal efficiency, operational simplicity, and relatively low cost. These processes effectively target a broad spectrum of contaminants—including suspended solids, heavy metals, recalcitrant organic compounds, and high salinity—through unit operations such as coagulation, flocculation, adsorption, and filtration. Nevertheless, they often generate concentrated waste streams that present significant disposal and environmental challenges. Applying these technologies within a circular economy framework enables wastewater reuse, resource recovery, and a reduced environmental impact. Circular strategies enable the recovery and reuse of water, energy, and materials, converting waste into valuable resources. Treated water can be safely reused, while by-products such as biogas and nutrients (e.g., phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic carbon) can be recovered and reintegrated into agricultural and industrial processes. Furthermore, advanced methods such as membrane separation and electrochemical treatments allow for the selective recovery of high-value metals. This review analyzes key physicochemical technologies for wastewater treatment and evaluates their integration into circular economy models, with a focus on waste valorization, resource recovery, and environmental impact reduction. By adopting circular approaches, wastewater treatment systems can enhance sustainability, improve economic performance, and contribute to achieving the global water and sanitation target.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Adsorbents / Adsorption / Biogas / Carbon / Chemical precipitation / Circular economy / Coagulation / Contaminants / Efficiency / Effluents / Environmental impact / environmental management / Flocculation / Heavy metals / Landfill / Leachates / Materials recovery / Mathematical models / Membrane separation / Nitrogen / Nutrients / Organic carbon / Organic compounds / Organic phosphorus / Oxidation / Phosphorus / Physicochemical treatment / pollutant removal / Raw materials / Recovery / Resource management / Resource recovery / Sanitation / Solid suspensions / Suspended particulate matter / Suspended solids / sustainability / Treated water / Waste management / Waste streams / wastewater / wastewater of microelectronics / Wastewater reuse / Wastewater treatment / Water demand / Water management / Water pollution / Water reuse / Water scarcity