This special issue of Environmental Science and Pollution Research highlights selected papers presented at the Second International Conference on Water, Energy, and Environment (ICWEE 2013) which was held on September 21–24, 2013 in Kusadası, Turkey, and organized by Izmir Katip Celebi University (IKCU) in Turkey, American University of Sharjah (AUS), and United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in UAE. This special issue covers the topics of environmental quality measurements, contamination, detection, remediation, and prevention, as well as the management, monitoring, and modeling

The ICWEE 2013 was a high-level international conference emerging as one of the best platforms for academic exchange, potential cooperation opportunities, and accelerating the transformation and promotion of achievements; it provided a forum for researchers as well as practitioners to address recent research results and to discuss various technical issues in top three problems of next 50 years, namely energy, water, and environment. Additionally, a number of leading practitioners, policy makers, and researchers were invited to deliver keynote lectures.

The ICWEE program included peer-reviewed technical program, short courses, posters, and panel sessions, industrial presentations, and exhibition based upon, the following themes:

  • Water resources science, technology, and engineering

  • Energy sources and energy systems science technology and engineering

  • Environmental science, technology, and engineering

  • Modeling in water, energy, and environmental science and engineering

  • Water resources engineering and water resources management policies and techniques in Mediterranean/Middle East/Balkan countries

  • Energy sources engineering applications in Mediterranean/Middle East/Balkan countries

  • Other related issues

The aim of the conference was to uniquely exploit the synergy between water, energy, and environmental management for effective sustainability. Sustainability is a rather new and important discourse aimed at vitalizing new strategies in the development of water, energy, and environmental systems, which are the key components that affect the quality of life on the planet. Furthermore, the urgency is becoming increasingly clear that the quest for sustainable development requires integrating economic, social, cultural, political, and ecological factors. The behavior and properties of water, energy, and environmental system arise not merely from the properties of its component elements but also to a large degree from the nature and intensity of their dynamic interlinkages. ICWEE delineates the complexity of these problems by providing a deeper understanding of the implications of the different aspects of the water, energy, and environment.

This special issue contains articles on mainly metal contamination, determination, and assessment of metal pollution (sorption capacity cellular shells and activated carbon) and treatment (photocatalysis of fenoxycarb) of effects of heavy metals on living organisms. Also, there are two papers on statistical approach for metal adsorption onto clinoptilolite and the urban heat island effect on regional ecosystem and climate. The remaining papers are dedicated to some important problems like arsenic contamination and environmental modelling including simulated annealing and contaminant transport in groundwater aquifers. These contributions are intended to set the agenda for the emerging areas of environmental issues by expanding the horizons and catalyzing related innovative research.

Research in environmental topics such as water quality, air quality, and soil pollution, typically involves scientists from different disciplines. Modeling is often used to study contaminant dispersion and diffusion in groundwater, in surface water bodies, or during atmospheric fluid dynamics. Environmental research also includes modeling of new green solvent alternatives in chemical reactions, photochemical destruction of pollutants, and metal distribution, function, and sequestration in biological systems. Advanced analytical techniques for environmental surface chemistry are also within its scope.

Air pollution is the most widespread form of pollution in the environment. Air pollution is primarily caused by the injurious smoke emitted by cars, buses, trucks, trains, and factories, namely sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are released into the air from refrigerators, air-conditioners, deodorants, and insect repellents, and cause severe damage to the Earth’s environment.

Water pollution caused by industrial waste products released into lakes, rivers, and other water bodies inevitably creates an inhospitable environment for marine life. Acid rain further adds to water pollution in the water cycle. In addition, thermal pollution and the depletion of dissolved oxygen aggravate the already worsened condition of the water bodies.

Soil contamination is a result of acid rain, polluted water, fertilizers, and when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage into the soil; these chemicals may include hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, herbicides, pesticides, and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Environmental modeling aims to provide a solution exploration space for many of the key issue and problems confronting the globe.

The turn of the decade is an ideal time to take stock of the state-of-the-art and the challenges for the research agenda. The theme incorporates not only advances in the approaches to environmental modeling, but a broader view on the evolving contributions that these models make to the decision making and sustainability.

It is hoped that the topics presented in this special issue provide some light into the emerging environmental problems to be addressed in the future.