Publication Ethics & Policies

The Membrane Technology Journal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in the publication process. Our policies are designed to ensure the integrity and quality of the research we publish. Below, we outline our publication ethics and policies to guide authors, reviewers, and editors.

1. Ethical Standards

  • Research Integrity: We require that all research submitted to the journal is conducted with integrity and adheres to ethical standards. Research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data must be conducted in accordance with relevant ethical guidelines and receive appropriate institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee approval.

  • Plagiarism and Misconduct: Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Any form of scientific misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data, will result in rejection and possible reporting to the appropriate authorities.

  • Confidentiality: Manuscript reviews are conducted confidentially. Reviewers, authors, and editors must not disclose any information about the manuscript during the review process. Authors should also ensure that data and findings are protected and kept confidential until publication.

2. Authorship and Contributor Roles

  • Authorship Criteria: Authorship is based on substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All individuals who meet these criteria should be listed as authors. All authors must approve the final manuscript and take responsibility for its content.

  • Acknowledgments: Contributions from non-authors who provide significant support or resources should be acknowledged in the manuscript. This includes funding sources, administrative support, and other relevant contributions.

  • Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work or its interpretation. Conflicts of interest must be declared at the time of submission and updated if new conflicts arise during the review process.

3. Peer Review Process

  • Review Integrity: The peer review process is conducted with the utmost fairness and impartiality. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the relevant field and are required to provide objective and constructive feedback.

  • Reviewer Responsibilities: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where they have a conflict. They should evaluate manuscripts based on scientific merit and relevance, and provide detailed, unbiased critiques.

  • Handling of Revisions: Authors are required to respond to reviewer comments and provide a detailed explanation of any changes made to the manuscript. Revisions should address all reviewer feedback, and revised manuscripts are subject to further review if necessary.

4. Publication Ethics

  • Duplicate Publication: Submissions that contain content previously published or under consideration elsewhere are not accepted. Authors must provide information on any related manuscripts that are currently under review or have been published elsewhere.

  • Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to make data and materials available upon request to facilitate reproducibility and verification of results. Any restrictions on data sharing should be clearly stated in the manuscript.

  • Corrections and Retractions: Corrections to published articles will be issued if significant errors are identified post-publication. In cases of serious misconduct or fraudulent data, retraction of articles will be carried out to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.

5. Ethical Oversight

  • Editorial Independence: The editorial board operates independently of the publisher and is responsible for making publication decisions based on the merit of the research. Editors must avoid conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality throughout the process.

  • Compliance with Regulations: The journal adheres to guidelines set forth by professional organizations and regulatory bodies to ensure ethical conduct in publishing. This includes compliance with international standards for ethical research and publication.