The global pursuit of sustainable development has intensified the need to integrate Circular Economy (CE), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) as mutually reinforcing frameworks. This study explores the scientific evolution and interconnections among these pillars through a dual approach: (i) a scientometric analysis using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix in RStudio (2024.12.1+563), and (ii) a targeted mini-review of high-impact literature. A dataset of 478 Scopus-indexed articles (2016–2024) was analyzed, revealing CE and I4.0 as key technological and strategic enablers of the SDGs—particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Moreover, the results underscore an increasing role of enabling digital technologies—such as IoT, blockchain, and big data—in shaping sustainable production systems. An important insight from this work is the growing relevance of policy frameworks as catalysts for implementing CE and I4.0 strategies, especially within national and international sustainability agendas. However, the low citation frequency of “policy” as a keyword indicates a gap in the literature that merits further exploration. Future research is encouraged to conduct in-depth bibliometric studies focused on sustainability-related policies, including regulations that operationalize CE and I4.0 to support SDG achievement. This study contributes a comprehensive overview of emerging research trends, identifies strategic knowledge gaps, and highlights the need for cohesive governance mechanisms to accelerate the digital–ecological transition.

Chemically demethoxylated and Ca-cross-linked orange-peel waste was engineered as a biosorbent for Mn(II) removal from water. A three-factor Box–Behnken design (biosorbent dose 3–10 g L⁻¹, initial Mn²⁺ 100–300 mg L⁻¹, contact time 3–8 h; pH 5.5 ± 0.1, 25 °C) required only 16 runs to locate the optimum (10 g L⁻¹, 100 mg L⁻¹, 8 h), at which the material removed 94.8% ± 0.3% manganese removal under the optimized conditions (10 g L⁻¹, 100 mg L⁻¹, 8 h, pH 5.5) of dissolved manganese and reached a Langmuir capacity of 29.7 mg g⁻¹. Equilibrium data fitted the Freundlich (R² = 0.968) and Sips (R² = 0.969) models best, indicating a heterogeneous surface, whereas kinetic screening confirmed equilibrium within 6 h. FTIR and SEM–EDX verified abundant surface –COO⁻/–OH groups and showed Mn deposits that partially replaced residual Ca, supporting an ion-exchange component in the uptake mechanism. A preliminary cost analysis ( 90% regeneration efficiency over three cycles highlight the economic and environmental promise of this modified agro-waste for polishing Mn-laden effluents.

This study optimized a homogeneous photo-Fenton process for the simultaneous degradation of the emerging pesticides atrazine and methomyl in water using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A synthetic agricultural effluent containing 2.0 mg L⁻¹ of each pesticide (COD = 103.2 mg O₂ L⁻¹; TOC = 26.1 mg C L⁻¹; BOD₅ = 45.8 mg O₂ L⁻¹) was treated in a recirculating UV–H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ reactor. A 2³ factorial design with replication and five central points identified the H₂O₂/Fe²⁺ ratio and irradiation time as the main factors controlling mineralization, achieving up to 88.9% COD removal in the best screening run. Steepest-ascent experiments were then performed to approach the region of maximum response, followed by a rotatable Central Composite Design (20 runs). The resulting quadratic model explained 98.14% of the COD variance (R² = 0.9814; adjusted R² = 0.9646; predicted R² = 0.8591; CV = 0.2736%) and predicted a maximum COD removal of 94.5% at a volumetric flow rate of 0.466 L min⁻¹, a Fenton ratio of 12.713 mg mg⁻¹, and a treatment time of 71.0 min. Experimental validation under these optimized conditions yielded highly reproducible removals of 94.2 ± 0.04% COD and 81% TOC, confirming the predictive capability of the RSM model and demonstrating a high degree of organic mineralization. The response surfaces revealed that increasing the Fenton ratio enhances oxidation up to an optimum, beyond which hydroxyl-radical self-scavenging slightly decreases efficiency. Overall, the integration of multivariable experimental design and RSM provided a robust framework to maximize photo-Fenton performance with moderate reagent consumption and operating time, consolidating this process as a viable alternative for the mitigation of pesticide-laden agricultural wastewaters.

Objective: The industrial effluents generated during the snack manufacturing process do not meet the quality standard that allows their disposal in the sanitary network, a situation that requires their treatment, in order to achieve the Maximum Admissible Values (MAV), required by Supreme Decree N° 021-2009-VIVIENDA of November 19, 2009, its Regulations approved by Supreme Decree N° 003-2011-VIVIENDA of May 20, 2012 and modified by Supreme Decree N° 010-2012-VIEVIENDA of March 3, 2012 and Supreme Decree N° 001-2015-VIVIENDA of January 9, 2015, for this reason the objective was to evaluate the physical-chemical treatment to comply with the MAV of fine disposal. Materials and method: this research work was of the quantitative type, of explanatory level, y = f(x), to demonstrate the research hypothesis, it was necessary to design, build and operate a prototype of the physical-chemical treatment system, PSTFQ. Results: The most significant results were as follows: 82.59% reduction in BOD5 (final value 375.00 mg/L); 82.57% COD (final value 630.00 mg/L); 95.20% TSS (final value 60.00 mg/L); 71.15% O&G (final value 1.50 mg/L); 73.68% SS (final value 5 mL/L/h, under the following parameters, flow rate 47.40 L/h, ferric chloride dose 1.00 mL/L, cationic polyelectrolyte dose 40.00 mg/L and anionic polyelectrolyte dose 8.00 mg/L. Conclusions: The reduction of fats and oils in the prototype is favored due to the aeration to which the raw effluent is subjected prior to the dosing of the reagent.