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Membranes
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Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications
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Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 38534

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mohammad Peydayesh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH), Department for Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST), ETH Zurich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Interests: sustainability; biomaterials; soft matter; waste valorization; environmental protection; water; bioplastics; membrane process; adsorption; circular economy; life cycle assessment; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanofiltration (NF) is a de novo class of membrane filtrations with unique properties ranging from ultrafiltration to reverse osmosis. Thanks to their high removal performance, NF membranes have gained increasing attention from both academia and industry for various applications, especially in water and wastewater treatment and desalination. However, the NF process still requires further improvement in terms of selectivity, separation efficiency, membrane fabrication, operation requirements, and sustainability.

This Special Issue on “Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications” of the Membranes seeks to include but is not limited to recent progress in emerging NF membranes fabrication and modification, polymeric and ceramic NF membranes, hybrid and composite NF membranes, organic solvent NF, positively charged NF membranes, NF module and process design, NF removal mechanisms, fouling mitigation strategies, new environmental applications of NF, and predictive modelling of NF membrane processes. Authors are invited to submit their latest original results as full papers or short communications. Furthermore, state-of-the-art and critical reviews and analysis papers are welcome.

Dr. Mohammad Peydayesh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Nanofiltration
  • Hybrid and nanocomposite membranes
  • Charged nanofiltration membranes
  • Organic and inorganic membranes
  • Water and wastewater treatment
  • Membrane fabrication
  • Fouling

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 187 KiB  
Editorial
Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications
by Mohammad Peydayesh
Membranes 2022, 12(5), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12050518 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2773
Abstract
Nanofiltration (NF) is a cutting-edge filtration technology that may be considered a true paradigm shift in membrane science [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

13 pages, 2093 KiB  
Article
Removal of MS2 and fr Bacteriophages Using MgAl2O4-Modified, Al2O3-Stabilized Porous Ceramic Granules for Drinking Water Treatment
by Nur Sena Yüzbasi, Paweł A. Krawczyk, Kamila W. Domagała, Alexander Englert, Michael Burkhardt, Michael Stuer and Thomas Graule
Membranes 2022, 12(5), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12050471 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2686
Abstract
Point-of-use ceramic filters are one of the strategies to address problems associated with waterborne diseases to remove harmful microorganisms in water sources prior to its consumption. In this study, development of adsorption-based ceramic depth filters composed of alumina platelets was achieved using spray [...] Read more.
Point-of-use ceramic filters are one of the strategies to address problems associated with waterborne diseases to remove harmful microorganisms in water sources prior to its consumption. In this study, development of adsorption-based ceramic depth filters composed of alumina platelets was achieved using spray granulation (calcined at 800 °C). Their virus retention performance was assessed using cartridges containing granular material (4 g) with two virus surrogates: MS2 and fr bacteriophages. Both materials showed complete removal, with a 7 log10 reduction value (LRV) of MS2 up to 1 L. MgAl2O4-modified Al2O3 granules possessed a higher MS2 retention capacity, contrary to the shortcomings of retention limits in pure Al2O3 granules. No significant decline in the retention of fr occurred during filtration tests up to 2 L. The phase composition and morphology of the materials were preserved during filtration, with no magnesium or aluminum leakage during filtration, as confirmed by X-ray diffractograms, electron micrographs, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The proposed MgAl2O4-modified Al2O3 granular ceramic filter materials offer high virus retention, achieving the criterion for virus filtration as required by the World Health Organization (LRV ≥ 4). Owing to their high thermal and chemical stability, the developed materials are thus suitable for thermal and chemical-free regeneration treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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16 pages, 42486 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Hybrid Nanofiltration Desalination Plants in the Persian Gulf
by Benyamin Bordbar, Arash Khosravi, Ali Ahmadi Orkomi and Mohammad Peydayesh
Membranes 2022, 12(5), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12050467 - 26 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3492
Abstract
Although emerging desalination technologies such as hybrid technologies are required to tackle water scarcity, the impacts of their application on the environment, resources, and human health, as prominent pillars of sustainability, should be evaluated in parallel. In the present study, the environmental footprint [...] Read more.
Although emerging desalination technologies such as hybrid technologies are required to tackle water scarcity, the impacts of their application on the environment, resources, and human health, as prominent pillars of sustainability, should be evaluated in parallel. In the present study, the environmental footprint of five desalination plants, including multi-stage flash (MSF), hybrid reverse osmosis (RO)–MSF, hybrid nanofiltration (NF)–MSF, RO, and hybrid NF–RO, in the Persian Gulf region, have been analyzed using life cycle assessment (LCA) as an effective tool for policy making and opting sustainable technologies. The comparison was based on the impacts on climate change, ozone depletion, fossil depletion, human toxicity, and marine eutrophication. The LCA results revealed the superiority of the hybrid NF–RO plant in having the lowest environmental impact, although the RO process produces more desalinated water at the same feed and input flow rates. The hybrid NF–RO system achieves 1.74 kg CO2 equivalent, 1.24 × 10−7 kg CFC-11 equivalent, 1.28 × 10−4 kg nitrogenous compounds, 0.16 kg 1,4-DB equivalent, and 0.56 kg oil equivalent in the mentioned impact indicators, which are 7.9 to 22.2% lower than the single-pass RO case. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis showed the reliability of the results, which helps to provide an insight into the life cycle impacts of the desalination plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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15 pages, 1815 KiB  
Article
Impact of Pre-Ozonation during Nanofiltration of MBR Effluent
by Zoulkifli Amadou-Yacouba, Julie Mendret, Geoffroy Lesage, François Zaviska and Stephan Brosillon
Membranes 2022, 12(3), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12030341 - 18 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2187
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of real MBR effluent pre-ozonation on nanofiltration performances. Nanofiltration experiments were separately run with non-ozonated real MBR effluent, ozonated real MBR effluent and synthetic ionic solution mimicking the ionic composition of the real MBR effluent. The [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the impact of real MBR effluent pre-ozonation on nanofiltration performances. Nanofiltration experiments were separately run with non-ozonated real MBR effluent, ozonated real MBR effluent and synthetic ionic solution mimicking the ionic composition of the real MBR effluent. The specific UV absorbance and the chemical oxygen demand were monitored during ozonation of real effluent, and the mineralization rate was calculated through the quantitative analysis of dissolved organic carbon. The membrane structure was characterized using SEM on virgin and fouled membrane surfaces and after different cleaning steps. The results confirm the low effect of the ozonation process in terms of organic carbon mineralization. However, the chemical oxygen demand and the specific UV absorbance were decreased by 50% after ozonation, demonstrating the efficiency of ozonation in degrading a specific part of the organic matter fraction. A benefic effect of pre-ozonation was observed, as it limits both fouling and flux decrease. This study shows that the partial mineralization of dissolved and colloidal organic matter by ozonation could have a positive effect on inorganic scaling and decrease severe NF membrane fouling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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12 pages, 2218 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Goat Cheese Whey through an Integrated Process of Ultrafiltration and Nanofiltration
by Antónia Macedo, David Azedo, Elizabeth Duarte and Carlos Pereira
Membranes 2021, 11(7), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11070477 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2416
Abstract
Goat cheese whey is a co-product that comes from goat cheese manufacture. Due to its high organic load, adequate treatment is necessary before its disposal. Additionally, the recent growing interest in caprine products, attributed to their specific nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics, such as [...] Read more.
Goat cheese whey is a co-product that comes from goat cheese manufacture. Due to its high organic load, adequate treatment is necessary before its disposal. Additionally, the recent growing interest in caprine products, attributed to their specific nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics, such as the lower allergenicity of their proteins and higher content of oligosaccharides, compared with bovine products, made the recovery of goat cheese whey a challenge. In this study, an integrated process for the recovery of sweet goat whey components was carried out. It includes filtration, centrifugation and pasteurization, followed by sequential membrane processes, ultrafiltration/dilution, nanofiltration of ultrafiltration permeates in dilution mode and the concentration/dilution of nanofiltration retentates. Ultrafiltration was performed with membranes of 10 and 1 kDa. Membranes of 10 kDa have higher permeate fluxes and, in a single stage of dilution, allowed for better protein retention and higher lactose purity, with a separation factor of 14. The concentration of lactose by nanofiltration/dilution led to the retention of almost all the lactose in retentates and to a final permeate, whose application in cheese dairy plants will allow for the total recovery of whey. The application of this integrated process in small- or medium-sized goat cheese dairies can represent an important contribution to their sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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14 pages, 2521 KiB  
Article
The Removal of Selected Inorganics from Municipal Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Using UF/NF/RO Membranes for Water Reuse Application: A Pilot-Scale Study
by Mujahid Aziz and Godwill Kasongo
Membranes 2021, 11(2), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11020117 - 6 Feb 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5398
Abstract
Membrane technology has advanced substantially as a preferred choice for the exclusion of widespread pollutants for reclaiming water from various treatment effluent. Currently, little information is available about Ultrafiltration (UF)/Nanofiltration (NF)/Reverse Osmosis (RO) performance at a pilot scale as a practical engineering application. [...] Read more.
Membrane technology has advanced substantially as a preferred choice for the exclusion of widespread pollutants for reclaiming water from various treatment effluent. Currently, little information is available about Ultrafiltration (UF)/Nanofiltration (NF)/Reverse Osmosis (RO) performance at a pilot scale as a practical engineering application. In this study, the effluent from a full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) municipal wastewater treatment works (MWWTWs) was treated with an RO pilot plant. The aim was to evaluate the effect of operating conditions in the removal of selected inorganics as a potential indirect water reuse application. The influent pH, flux, and membrane recovery were the operating conditions varied to measure its influence on the rejection rate. MBR/RO exhibited excellent removal rates (>90%) for all selected inorganics and met the standard requirements for reuse in cooling and irrigation system applications. The UF and NF reduction of inorganics was shown to be limited to meet water standards for some of the reuse applications due to the high Electron Conductivity (EC > 250 μS·cm−1) levels. The MBR/NF was irrigation and cooling system compliant, while for the MBR/UF, only the cooling system was compliant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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32 pages, 74389 KiB  
Article
Groundwater Remediation of Volatile Organic Compounds Using Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis Membranes—A Field Study
by Thomas J. Ainscough, Darren L. Oatley-Radcliffe and Andrew R. Barron
Membranes 2021, 11(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11010061 - 16 Jan 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3669
Abstract
Groundwater contamination by chlorinated hydrocarbons represents a particularly difficult separation to achieve and very little is published on the subject. In this paper, we explore the potential for the removal of chlorinated volatile and non-volatile organics from a site in Bedfordshire UK. The [...] Read more.
Groundwater contamination by chlorinated hydrocarbons represents a particularly difficult separation to achieve and very little is published on the subject. In this paper, we explore the potential for the removal of chlorinated volatile and non-volatile organics from a site in Bedfordshire UK. The compounds of interest include trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), 2,2-dichloropropane (DCP) and vinyl chloride (VC). The separations were first tested in the laboratory. Microfiltration membranes were of no use in this separation. Nanofiltration membranes performed well and rejections of 70–93% were observed for synthetic solutions and up to 100% for real groundwater samples. Site trials were limited by space and power availability, which resulted in a maximum operating pressure of only 3 bar. Under these conditions, the nanofiltration membrane removed organic materials, but failed to remove VOCs to any significant extent. Initial results with a reverse osmosis membrane were positive, with 93% removal of the VOCs. However, subsequent samples taken demonstrated little removal. Several hypotheses were presented to explain this behavior and the most likely cause of the issue was fouling leading to adsorption of the VOCs onto the membrane and allowing passage through the membrane matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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12 pages, 6314 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Role of Pattern Geometry on Nanofiltration Threshold Flux
by Anna Malakian, Zuo Zhou, Lucas Messick, Tara N. Spitzer, David A. Ladner and Scott M. Husson
Membranes 2020, 10(12), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10120445 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2240
Abstract
Colloidal fouling can be mitigated by membrane surface patterning. This contribution identifies the effect of different pattern geometries on fouling behavior. Nanoscale line-and-groove patterns with different feature sizes were applied by thermal embossing on commercial nanofiltration membranes. Threshold flux values of as-received, pressed, [...] Read more.
Colloidal fouling can be mitigated by membrane surface patterning. This contribution identifies the effect of different pattern geometries on fouling behavior. Nanoscale line-and-groove patterns with different feature sizes were applied by thermal embossing on commercial nanofiltration membranes. Threshold flux values of as-received, pressed, and patterned membranes were determined using constant flux, cross-flow filtration experiments. A previously derived combined intermediate pore blocking and cake filtration model was applied to the experimental data to determine threshold flux values. The threshold fluxes of all patterned membranes were higher than the as-received and pressed membranes. The pattern fraction ratio (PFR), defined as the quotient of line width and groove width, was used to analyze the relationship between threshold flux and pattern geometry quantitatively. Experimental work combined with computational fluid dynamics simulations showed that increasing the PFR leads to higher threshold flux. As the PFR increases, the percentage of vortex-forming area within the pattern grooves increases, and vortex-induced shielding increases. This study suggests that the PFR should be higher than 1 to produce patterned membranes with maximal threshold flux values. Knowledge generated in this study can be applied to other feature types to design patterned membranes for improved control over colloidal fouling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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13 pages, 2154 KiB  
Article
Removal of Enantiomeric Ibuprofen in a Nanofiltration Membrane Process
by Carlyn J. Higgins and Steven J. Duranceau
Membranes 2020, 10(12), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10120383 - 30 Nov 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2128
Abstract
A study of the behavior of R- and S-enantiomers of ibuprofen (R-IBU and S-IBU) in aqueous solution by nanofiltration (NF) membranes revealed that up to 23% of the pharmaceutical was adsorbed onto the stainless steel equipment of a flat-sheet experimental unit. Mass balances [...] Read more.
A study of the behavior of R- and S-enantiomers of ibuprofen (R-IBU and S-IBU) in aqueous solution by nanofiltration (NF) membranes revealed that up to 23% of the pharmaceutical was adsorbed onto the stainless steel equipment of a flat-sheet experimental unit. Mass balances disclosed that IBU’s S-enantiomer was primarily responsible for the adsorption onto the equipment. Additional IBU adsorption was also experienced on the NF membrane coupons, verified by increased contact angle measurements on the surfaces. The IBU-equipment adsorptive relationship with and without the membrane coupon were best described by Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms, respectively. At a feed water pH of 4.0 units and racemic µg/L IBU concentrations, NF removal ranged from 34.5% to 49.5%. The rejection of S-IBU was consistently greater than the R-enantiomer. Adsorption onto the surfaces influenced NF rejection by 18.9% to 27.3%. The removal of IBU displayed a direct relationship with an increase in feed water pH. Conversely, the adsorption of IBU exhibited an indirect relationship with an increase in feed water pH. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

36 pages, 6728 KiB  
Review
Mixed-Matrix Membrane Fabrication for Water Treatment
by Tawsif Siddique, Naba K. Dutta and Namita Roy Choudhury
Membranes 2021, 11(8), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11080557 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5366
Abstract
In recent years, technology for the fabrication of mixed-matrix membranes has received significant research interest due to the widespread use of mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) for various separation processes, as well as biomedical applications. MMMs possess a wide range of properties, including selectivity, good [...] Read more.
In recent years, technology for the fabrication of mixed-matrix membranes has received significant research interest due to the widespread use of mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) for various separation processes, as well as biomedical applications. MMMs possess a wide range of properties, including selectivity, good permeability of desired liquid or gas, antifouling behavior, and desired mechanical strength, which makes them preferable for research nowadays. However, these properties of MMMs are due to their tailored and designed structure, which is possible due to a fabrication process with controlled fabrication parameters and a choice of appropriate materials, such as a polymer matrix with dispersed nanoparticulates based on a typical application. Therefore, several conventional fabrication methods such as a phase-inversion process, interfacial polymerization, co-casting, coating, electrospinning, etc., have been implemented for MMM preparation, and there is a drive for continuous modification of advanced, easy, and economic MMM fabrication technology for industrial-, small-, and bulk-scale production. This review focuses on different MMM fabrication processes and the importance of various parameter controls and membrane efficiency, as well as tackling membrane fouling with the use of nanomaterials in MMMs. Finally, future challenges and outlooks are highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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27 pages, 7903 KiB  
Review
Functions of Ionic Liquids in Preparing Membranes for Liquid Separations: A Review
by Dayuan Zheng, Dan Hua, Yiping Hong, Abdul-Rauf Ibrahim, Ayan Yao, Junyang Pan and Guowu Zhan
Membranes 2020, 10(12), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10120395 - 5 Dec 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4339
Abstract
Membranes are widely used for liquid separations such as removing solute components from solvents or liquid/liquid separations. Due to negligible vapor pressure, adjustable physical properties, and thermal stability, the application of ionic liquids (ILs) has been extended to fabricating a myriad of membranes [...] Read more.
Membranes are widely used for liquid separations such as removing solute components from solvents or liquid/liquid separations. Due to negligible vapor pressure, adjustable physical properties, and thermal stability, the application of ionic liquids (ILs) has been extended to fabricating a myriad of membranes for liquid separations. A comprehensive overview of the recent developments in ILs in fabricating membranes for liquid separations is highlighted in this review article. Four major functions of ILs are discussed in detail, including their usage as (i) raw membrane materials, (ii) physical additives, (iii) chemical modifiers, and (iv) solvents. Meanwhile, the applications of IL assisted membranes are discussed, highlighting the issues, challenges, and future perspectives of these IL assisted membranes in liquid separations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanofiltration Membranes: Recent Advances and Environmental Applications)
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