Scientific and technological trajectory in the recovery of value-added products from wastewater: A general approach

Source: Elaborated by the authors. [Display omitted] •The scientific and technological trajectory is defined as a first approach.•Main bioprocesses and technologies are discussed.•Microbiology-based wastewater resource recovery is highlighted.•Adequate regulatory frameworks and policies will allow for sustainable solutions.•Circular economy can help to integrate these inventions into the market. The new world order requires solutions integrating a sustainability-oriented approach to mitigate problems associated with population increase and overexploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources. In this regard, circular economy encourages the use of technologies that make it possible to reuse or take advantage of different types of waste. Thus, bioprocesses and technologies focused on the recovery of value-added products from wastewater can contribute to this end. The present study sought to identify the scientific and technological trajectory of this area of knowledge using bibliometric analysis, network analysis, and patent application analysis as a first approach to understand this problem. Some of the most relevant results are the identification of actors and dynamics around the progress of scientific and technological production in the generation of solutions aimed at contributing to sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on the need to generate technically and economically viable proposals based on adecuate policies and robust regulatory frameworks that allow for the adequate development of this activity.