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Membranes
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Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation
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Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation

A Special Issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375) belonging to the section "Membrane Applications for Other Areas".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 7290

Editors

Dr. Irish Valerie Maggay

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
R&D Center for Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan 32023, Taiwan
Interests: membranes for wastewater and biomedical applications; membrane formation
Dr. Su-En Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan 32023, Taiwan
Interests: separation and purification; membrane filtration; numerical simulation; process intensification; powder technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled "Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation", is dedicated to advancing the science and technology of membrane filtration and separation by exploring key aspects such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, membrane technology, filtration process design, and innovative applications. It seeks contributions that assess the state of the art and future applications in these areas, including liquid/solid separation, gas/solid separation, oil–water emulsion separation, desalination, wastewater treatment, and membrane bioreactors, with a focus on improving performance, efficiency, and sustainability.

This Special Issue examines the performance of membrane filtration and separation under various operational conditions, offering insights into filtrate rate, solute rejection, power consumption, and utilization, while identifying factors that impact these indices. It also addresses challenges related to filtration fouling, proposing strategies to mitigate membrane fouling and enhance filtration performance.

Additionally, this Special Issue explores membrane fabrication and modification, emphasizing the role of membrane technologies in transportation, preparation, characterization, and other applications while considering sustainable development. By presenting innovative studies and industrial applications of membrane filtration and separation, this Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between research and practical deployment, encouraging collaboration among researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers. Authors are invited to submit their latest research findings or successful applications. Both original research papers and review articles are welcome.

Dr. Irish Valerie Maggay
Dr. Su-En Wu
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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 2200 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

  • membrane filtration
  • liquid/solid separation
  • gas/solid separation
  • emulsion separation
  • microfiltration and ultrafiltration
  • membrane technology
  • filtration process design
  • desalination
  • wastewater treatment
  • membrane bioreactors

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2426 KB  
Article
On Modeling and Optimization for Separation, Concentration, and Purification of Saponins and Phenolic Compounds from Quinoa Hulls by Nanofiltration
by Ana I. García López, Javier M. Ochando Pulido, Mercedes Fernández Serrano, Germán Luzón González, Josefa Núñez-Olea and Natalia Chaves
Membranes 2026, 16(7), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16070228 - 1 Jul 2026
Viewed by 640
Abstract
It is essential for quinoa’s rapid expansion in the global market to comply with the circular economy to become a green agro-food industry. For this purpose, in this work, bioactive added-value compounds, specifically saponins and phenolic antioxidants, were extracted and purified from quinoa [...] Read more.
It is essential for quinoa’s rapid expansion in the global market to comply with the circular economy to become a green agro-food industry. For this purpose, in this work, bioactive added-value compounds, specifically saponins and phenolic antioxidants, were extracted and purified from quinoa by-products (QbP), namely hulls, using green solvent extraction (60 wt% ethanol-water) and nanofiltration (NF). So far, research published on the implementation of NF in the treatment of QbP, or modelization and optimization of the membrane performance focusing on fouling minimization and control, is scarce. Centrifugation and microfiltration were conducted as separation-purification pretreatments before NF. A three-level factorial design was successfully applied to optimize NF membrane operation in terms of saponins and phenolic compound recovery, as well as permeate flux, comprising operating pressure and tangential velocity as key input factors. Membrane fouling, critical for stable process operation scale-up, required intensive multifactorial analysis. Optimization at 4 bar and 15 m/s permitted the recovery of up to 84.5% saponins and 84.3% phenolic compounds in the permeate stream. Moreover, NF dynamic performance modeling and optimization ensured fouling build-up minimization and maximization of membrane productivity almost ten-fold, up to a stable value as high as 175.4 L/hm2, ensuring full recovery of the membrane performance after each operating cycle, key for the technical–economic viability of the proposed process to obtain standardized purified extract products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation)
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11 pages, 873 KB  
Article
Separation of Monoclonal Antibody Aggregates Using an Analytical Ultrafiltration Technique
by Raja Ghosh, Mrunal Ingawale and Yves Durocher
Membranes 2026, 16(6), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16060207 - 10 Jun 2026
Viewed by 1051
Abstract
Size exclusion chromatography is the industry-standard method for measuring aggregate content in monoclonal antibody samples. In this paper, we present an orthogonal analytical technique based on ultrafiltration for detecting and quantifying monoclonal antibody aggregates. The sample to be analyzed was injected into the [...] Read more.
Size exclusion chromatography is the industry-standard method for measuring aggregate content in monoclonal antibody samples. In this paper, we present an orthogonal analytical technique based on ultrafiltration for detecting and quantifying monoclonal antibody aggregates. The sample to be analyzed was injected into the system in the ultrafiltration mode, and the monomeric monoclonal antibody molecules were detected in the form of a permeate peak. The system was then switched to backflow mode, and the aggregates were recovered and detected in the form of a retained species peak. The aggregate content in a given sample was quantified based on the relative peak areas, akin to that in liquid chromatography. Two monoclonal antibodies were tested in this study using the proposed analytical ultrafiltration technique. Size exclusion chromatography served as the control technique. The data obtained using the two techniques were found to be in good agreement. The advantages and limitations of the proposed analytical ultrafiltration technique are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation)
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12 pages, 2322 KB  
Article
Engineering Thermal Cross-Linking in Nanofiltration Membranes for Efficient Nicotine Extraction from Tobacco Extract
by He Du, Xinyuan Wang, Baodan Na, Yajun Ye, Yuemei Qiao, Linda Li, Ye Tian, Xiaoping Ning, Zhigang Wang, Xingquan Zhao and Chen Chen
Membranes 2025, 15(11), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15110327 - 28 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1522
Abstract
Tobacco extract contains numerous valuable components, among which nicotine possesses significant potential for high-value applications despite its well-known health risks. However, the efficient extraction of nicotine is challenging due to the complex composition of tobacco extracts and the limitations of conventional separation techniques. [...] Read more.
Tobacco extract contains numerous valuable components, among which nicotine possesses significant potential for high-value applications despite its well-known health risks. However, the efficient extraction of nicotine is challenging due to the complex composition of tobacco extracts and the limitations of conventional separation techniques. In this work, an integrally asymmetric nanofiltration membrane was developed via thermal cross-linking for highly efficient nicotine separation. A poly(aryl ether ketone) (PEK)-based ultrafiltration membrane was first prepared via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), followed by controlled thermal cross-linking to tailor the membrane pore size toward the molecular weight of nicotine. To mitigate pore collapse and enhance flux, TiO2 nanoparticles were incorporated in situ through a sol–gel method. The resulting thermally cross-linked membrane exhibited a molecular weight cut-off of ~180 Da, a nicotine rejection rate of 93.2%, and a permeation flux of 143 L/(m2·h)—representing a 259% increase over the control membrane. Moreover, the thermally cross-linked membranes demonstrated exceptional chemical stability in various organic solvents and extreme pH conditions. This work offers a feasible and sustainable strategy for fabric high-performance nanofiltration membranes for the targeted extraction of bioactive molecules from complex plant extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation)
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Review

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22 pages, 661 KB  
Review
Current Trends and Biotechnological Innovations in Biofouling Control of RO Membranes in Desalination Systems
by Victoria Cruz-Balladares, Hernán Vera-Villalobos, Carlos Riquelme and Fernando Silva Aciares
Membranes 2025, 15(9), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15090270 - 5 Sep 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3022
Abstract
Background: Water scarcity is a pressing global challenge increasingly addressed by advanced desalination that converts seawater into potable water. Reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration dominate because they deliver permeate with very low impurities. Their principal limitation is membrane biofouling, which causes clogging, raises energy, [...] Read more.
Background: Water scarcity is a pressing global challenge increasingly addressed by advanced desalination that converts seawater into potable water. Reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration dominate because they deliver permeate with very low impurities. Their principal limitation is membrane biofouling, which causes clogging, raises energy, operation, and maintenance costs, and shortens membrane life. Multiple approaches mitigate biofouling—most notably pretreatment trains and engineered surface coatings—but cleaning remains the most decisive remediation pathway. Current practice distinguishes physical, chemical, and biological cleaning. Biological cleaning has gained momentum by exploiting microorganisms that inherently counter biofilms. These strategies include targeted secretion of enzymes and antifouling metabolites, and the application of whole-cell culture supernatants containing the full suite of secreted components. In addition, predatory bacteria can infiltrate established biofilms and eradicate them by lysing prey, thereby accelerating the removal of adherent biomass. Progress across these bio-based approaches signals meaningful advances in fouling control and could substantially improve the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of desalination facilities. Collectively, they underscore the transformative potential of biological antifouling agents in operational systems. Realizing that potential will require rigorous evaluation of technical performance, long-term stability, compatibility with polyamide membranes, regulatory acceptance, and environmental safety, ultimately alongside scalable production and cost-effective deployment in full-scale plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Membrane Filtration and Separation)
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