Eutectic Freeze Crystallization: A Sustainable Revolution in Wastewater Treatment

Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) has emerged as a promising solution at the intersection of resource recovery and sustainable wastewater management. Traditional wastewater treatment processes often face challenges associated with high energy consumption, the generation of secondary pollutants, and the loss of valuable resources such as water and salts. EFC offers an innovative alternative by leveraging the unique thermodynamic behavior of aqueous solutions at subzero temperatures: as a solution cools, pure ice and salt crystals form simultaneously, enabling efficient separation of water and salts. This technique not only produces highly purified water but also facilitates the recovery of valuable by-products, reducing environmental footprints and operational costs. As a green technology, EFC aligns closely with current trends toward circular economy principles and zero-liquid discharge targets in water-intensive industries.

Despite its promise, the broader adoption of Eutectic Freeze Crystallization faces several technical and operational challenges. These include the scalability of the technology, energy efficiency, crystal purity, challenges in process integration, and variability in wastewater characteristics. Furthermore, the understanding of eutectic phenomena and crystallization dynamics in complex, real-world wastewaters is still evolving. This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge research and practical insights that accelerate the development and implementation of EFC in wastewater treatment settings. We seek papers that address technological advancements, process optimization, system modeling, real-world case studies, economic assessments, and the integration of EFC with other wastewater treatment technologies.

We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:

• Advances in the fundamentals and mechanisms of eutectic freeze crystallization.
• Process modelling, simulation, and scale-up of EFC systems.
• Integration of EFC with upstream and downstream wastewater treatment processes.
• Energy management and optimization strategies in EFC.
• Experimental and industrial case studies highlighting successes and challenges.
• Lifecycle and techno-economic assessments of EFC implementation.
• Novel reactor designs, materials, and instrumentation for freeze crystallization.
• Policy, regulatory, and sustainability considerations for EFC adoption.

We encourage multidisciplinary contributions that provide practical, scalable solutions and foster knowledge exchange between researchers, engineers, and industry practitioners.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Eutectic Freeze Crystallization, Wastewater Treatment, Resource Recovery, Sustainable Technology, Zero-Liquid Discharge

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.