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Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations

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A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 9902

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mohammed J. K. Bashir

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Guest Editor

School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, 120 Spencer Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
Interests: emerging contaminants; membrane separation; bioenergy production; water-energy nexus; resource recovery; wastewater treatment; advanced oxidation processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Choon Aun Ng

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar 31900, Perak, Malaysia
Interests: domestic wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactor system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rapid industrialization across the globe has led to a significant rise in the generation of complex wastewater streams containing a broad range of emerging contaminants (ECs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting compounds, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants. These contaminants are often resistant to conventional wastewater treatment processes and pose a serious threat to ecosystems and human health due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicological effects.

In particular, industrial wastewater presents unique challenges due to its highly variable composition, high pollutant load, and the presence of recalcitrant substances. Addressing these challenges demands innovative and robust treatment technologies that are both effective and sustainable. In recent years, advanced membrane technologies have emerged as a promising and versatile solution for the treatment and reuse of industrial wastewater contaminated with ECs. These include processes such as nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, membrane bioreactors, and hybrid systems, which have demonstrated superior selectivity, efficiency, modularity, and adaptability to a wide range of pollutants and operational conditions.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the recent advances, innovative designs, and emerging trends in membrane-based treatment systems tailored for industrial effluents and the mitigation of emerging contaminants. We invite researchers, engineers, and practitioners to contribute original research papers, comprehensive reviews, and case studies. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for disseminating cutting-edge knowledge and technological innovations that support the global agenda of sustainable wastewater treatment and environmental protection.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Mohammed J. K. Bashir
Prof. Dr. Choon Aun Ng
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-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 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

industrial wastewater
emerging contaminants
advanced membrane technology
nanofiltration
membrane bioreactors
water reuse

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

14 pages, 1425 KB

Open AccessArticle

Highly Selective and Efficient Transport of Au(III), Pt(IV), and Pd(II) from Hydrochloric Acid Across Polymer Inclusion Membranes Containing Ionic Liquid as Ion Carrier

by Iwona Zawierucha, Cezary Kozlowski, Bernadeta Gajda and Katarzyna Witt

Membranes 2026, 16(3), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16030092 - 2 Mar 2026

Viewed by 898

Abstract

Ionic liquid (IL) N-methyl-N′-1-(4-t-butylphenylphosphinyl)butylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl) imide was used for the first time as an ion carrier in membrane systems to selectively transport Au(III), Pt(IV), and Pd(II) ions. Au(III), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) were transported from HCl solutions utilizing a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) with cellulose triacetate as the support, o-nitrophenyl pentyl ether as the plasticizer, and ionic liquid as the mentioned ion carrier. The modifications of source and receiving aqueous phase compositions are examined. High selectivity for Au(III) using the ionic liquid in the membrane was achieved at elevated HCl concentrations (≥0.5 M). When a 0.010 M KI solution was used as the receiving phase and a membrane with the optimal composition was applied, the extraction of Au(III) ions reached a maximum recovery rate of 93%. Moreover, PIM studies showed that carrier molecules doped in the membrane creates complexes with the Au(III) ion with a molar ratio of 1:1. The extractability of Au(III) through PIMs exceeded that of other metal ions, with the selectivity of transported metal ions ranked as follows: Au(III) >> Pt(IV), Pd(II). The recovery factors for gold, platinum, and palladium ions after 6 h of transport were 94%, 8%, and 1%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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26 pages, 3008 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Forward Osmosis for Oil Refinery Effluent Desalination Using Response Surface Methodology

by Elorm Obotey Ezugbe, Sudesh Rathilal and Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh

Membranes 2026, 16(3), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16030086 - 28 Feb 2026

Viewed by 581

Abstract

Repurposing usage of oil refinery wastewater with retrofitted desalination technology necessitates the optimization of a forward osmosis (FO) technology. Herein, factors such as draw solution concentration (DS-C) and feed and draw solution flow rates (FS-FR, DS-FR) play significant roles. In this study, the individualistic and interaction effects of these factors were explored to ascertain the FO performance. The effects of these operating factors, DS-C (20–50 g/L), DS-FR (7.5–9.4 L/h), and FS-FR (7.5–9.4 L/h), and their interactive effects on the permeation flux and rejection of Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ and CO₃²⁻ from oil refinery effluent, were studied using the Box–Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM). Statistical models were developed to optimize the operating conditions. The analysis of variance and the developed response models were used to evaluate the data at a 95% confidence level. Three confirmatory runs were conducted based on the optimum conditions (FS-FR: 9.2 L/h; DS-FR: 9.4 L/h; DS-C: 32.6 g/L). At a desirability of 81%, average rejections of 94.59 ± 0.32% for CO₃²⁻ and 100% for SO₄²⁻ were obtained. Average Cl⁻ enrichment was 35.5 ± 5.15% and average permeation flux of 3.64 ± 0.13 L/m² h were achieved, suggesting that RSM was a suitable tool for optimizing FO for desalinating the effluent. In addition, the average recovered permeation flux of 86.01 ± 2.66% demonstrated the effectiveness of the FO membrane after cleaning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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14 pages, 3013 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Silicalite Nanosheet Laminated Membranes: Effects of Layered Structure on the Performance in Pervaporation Desalination

by Xinhui Sun, Yukta Sharma, Landysh Iskhakova, Zishu Cao and Junhang Dong

Membranes 2026, 16(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16010032 - 4 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 890 | Correction

Abstract

Silicalite nanosheet (SN) laminated membranes are promising for pervaporation (PV) desalination of concentrated brines for water purification and critical material concentration and recovery. However, scaling up the SN-based membranes is limited by inefficient synthesis of monodispersed open-pore SN single crystals (SNS). Here, we report a scalable approach to fabricate multilayered silicalite nanosheet plate (SNP) laminated membranes on porous alumina and PVDF substrates and demonstrate their excellent PV desalination performance for simulated brines containing lithium and high total dissolved salts (TDS). At 73 ± 3 °C, the SNP laminated membrane on alumina support achieved a remarkable water flux (

J_{w}

) of nearly 20 L/m²·h, significantly outperforming the alumina-supported SNS laminated membrane (

J_{w}

= 9.56 L/m²·h), while both provided near-complete salt rejection (

r_{i}

~99.9%) when operating with vacuum pressure on the permeate side. The PVDF-supported SNS and SNP laminated membranes exhibited excellent

J_{w}

(14.0 L/m²·h) and near-complete

r_{i}

(>99.9%), surpassing the alumina-support SNP laminated membranes when operating by air sweep on the permeate side. However, the

r_{i}

of the PVDF-supported membranes was found to decline when operating with vacuum pressure on the permeate side that was apparently caused by minimal liquid permeation through the inter-SNP spaces driven by the transmembrane pressure. With scalable SNP production, SNP-A membranes show potential for PV desalination of high-TDS solutions, especially in harsh environments unsuitable for polymer membranes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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16 pages, 5762 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Evaluation of Flat Sheet UF PES Membranes Modified with a Polymerized Coating of Bicontinuous Microemulsion for Wastewater Treatment: Insights from Laboratory MBR Experiments

by Sneha De, Tran Ly Quynh, Francesco Galiano, Raffaella Mancuso, Bartolo Gabriele, Jan Hoinkis and Alberto Figoli

Membranes 2026, 16(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16010024 - 2 Jan 2026

Viewed by 958

Abstract

The study investigates the performance of polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes modified with a coating of polymerizable bicontinuous microemulsion (PBM) for membrane bioreactor (MBR) applications. Two types of PBM-modified PES membranes—casting-coated and spray-coated—were compared with a commercial PES membrane. A laboratory side-stream MBR (ssMBR) was employed to treat model wastewater (MW) with activated sludge under aerobic conditions. The fouling propensity of the membranes in ssMBR was evaluated through the implementation of two protocols: (i) flux-step test to treat low-strength domestic model wastewater (DMW) and (ii) constant flux test to treat high-strength olive mill model wastewater (OMW). The findings indicated that both the commercial PES and PBM spray-coated PES membranes started to critically foul at 36 L m⁻² h⁻¹. The PBM spray-coated membranes showed enhanced fouling resistance in comparison to the PBM casting-coated membranes. The deposition of the biofouling layer was the thinnest on PBM spray-coated membranes, which can be attributed to the low surface charge and high hydrophilicity of the modified membrane surface. In contrast, deposition of a thicker fouling layer was found on the commercial PES membrane, which can be attributed to the relatively higher surface charge promoting organic adsorption. A comparison of the fouling trends exhibited by commercial PES and PBM spray-coated membranes in OMW treatment revealed that they have similar fouling tendencies. However, a notable distinction emerged when the PBM spray-coated membrane was observed to demonstrate a lower fouling propensity accompanied by comparatively thinner fouling layers. The results demonstrate that the PBM spray-coated membranes have enhanced fouling resistance and filtration efficacy in MBRs treating wastewater with diverse strengths, thereby affirming their potential for application in wastewater treatment systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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17 pages, 4105 KB

Open AccessArticle

Ion Exchange Membrane-like Deposited Electrodes for Capacitive De-Ionization: Performance Evaluation and Mechanism Study

by Siyue Xue, Chengyi Wang, Tianxiao Leng, Chenglin Zhang, Long-Fei Ren and Jiahui Shao

Membranes 2025, 15(11), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15110338 - 11 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1029

Abstract

Capacitive de-ionization (CDI) holds great promise for water desalination, while the widely used activated carbon (AC) electrodes suffer from a low salt adsorption capacity (SAC) and poor long-term stability due to the co-ion effect and electrode oxidation. Inspired by membrane-based CDI, we deposited polyethyleneimine (PEI), an ion exchange polymer with positive charge and ion selectivity, onto an AC electrode to serve as an anode for addressing these issues. Firstly, compared to traditional AC and commercial AEM-AC, the PEI-doped AC (PDAC) anode delivered a superior SAC of 36.3 mg/g, as the positively charged PEI enhanced electrostatic attraction, suppressed the co-ion effect, and offered extra sites. However, it showed poor cycling stability with 77.1% retention, owing to mass loss and anode oxidation. We further developed an electrode coated with a PEI-based membrane (PMAC), which exhibited a balanced performance with a high SAC of 33.4 mg/g and significantly improved long-term retention of 97.5%. The hydrophilic PEI membrane, strongly adhered to the AC surface, shortened the ion diffusion resistance and effectively prolonged the electrode lifespan. A systematic comparison between AC, AEM-AC, PDAC, and PMAC revealed the mechanism for PMAC’s notable enhancement. These findings establish a framework for designing novel CDI electrodes and advancing sustainable water desalination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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12 pages, 929 KB

Open AccessArticle

Membrane Technology for the Valorization of Wood Vinegar from Grape Pomace Pyrolysis

by Alexandre Giacobbo, Amanda de Sampaio Callegari, Mateus Torres Nazari, Valdecir Ferrari, Tania Maria Basegio, Carlos Pérez Bergmann, Marco Antônio Siqueira Rodrigues, Maria Norberta de Pinho and Andréa Moura Bernardes

Membranes 2025, 15(11), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15110335 - 5 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1410

Abstract

The valorization of wood vinegar from biomass pyrolysis has been a significant research subject in recent years, but further studies to reduce its phytotoxicity and improve agricultural applications are still needed. This study investigates the application of ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes in treating the wood vinegar from grape pomace pyrolysis, aiming to valorize it. Wood vinegar treated with nanofiltration (NF270 membrane) and diluted 100 times acted as a root growth inducer in cucumber seeds, achieving a germination index of 145%. This interesting result suggests that nanofiltration is emerging as a promising technology for enhancing the value of wood vinegar, while also promoting sustainability and the circular economy in the agro-industrial sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

20 pages, 904 KB

Open AccessReview

Separation of Organic Carbon and Nutrients from Liquid Waste by Using Membrane Technologies

by Stanislas Ndayishimiye, Samuel Bunani, Emery Nkurunziza and Nalan Kabay

Membranes 2026, 16(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16020071 - 20 Feb 2026

Viewed by 868

Abstract

Rising concentrations of organic carbon (OC), phosphorus, and nitrogen in liquid waste from urban, industrial, and agricultural sources pose persistent challenges for environmental protection and resource recovery. Despite extensive application of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) in wastewater treatment, their role in selective organic carbon and nutrient fractionation remains insufficiently clear-cut and is often interpreted solely through nominal pore size. This review was guided by the hypothesis that the reported limitations of MF and UF for nutrient separation are not intrinsic to the technologies but arise from simplified interpretations of separation mechanisms. A unified analytical framework was developed by synthesizing recent studies, linking membrane surface charge, pore structure, solute speciation, fouling-induced secondary layers, and operating conditions to the observed separation behavior. The analysis shows that MF fractionates particulate OC and suspended solids, whereas UF extends separation to macromolecular OC and phosphorus mainly via indirect retention mechanisms. Dissolved nitrogen species largely permeate both membranes unless they are transformed into retainable forms. Performance differences between MF and UF are conditional and system-dependent, with enhanced selectivity emerging through process integration. MF and UF can thus be repositioned as strategic fractionation interfaces within integrated treatment systems supporting circular economy–oriented wastewater management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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24 pages, 5623 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Nanocellulose–Graphene Derivative Composite Membranes: Recent Advances, Functional Mechanisms, and Water Purification Applications

by Hui Zhang, Shuyuan Lin, Yating Pan, Xin Wang, Hanzhou Zhang, Shuhan Liu, Zhen Li and Ning Wei

Membranes 2025, 15(12), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes15120347 - 21 Nov 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1931

Abstract

Nanocellulose–graphene derivative (NC–GD) composite membranes have attracted increasing attention as sustainable separation materials with high specific surface area, mechanical strength, and controllable interfacial chemistry. This review contextualizes the development of NC–GD composite membranes within advanced membrane technologies and summarizes recent progress in their structural design, interfacial mechanisms, and water purification applications. The synthesis and assembly of nanocellulose and graphene derivatives are analyzed, focusing on how surface functionalization regulates interfacial compatibility and transport pathways. Comparative evaluation of fabrication approaches—including vacuum filtration, layer-by-layer assembly, and solution casting—highlights their influence on structural uniformity and permeability. Key findings indicate that hydrogen bonding, electrostatic coupling, and π–π interactions govern the layer stability of composite membranes and the synergistic formation of nanochannels (by NC and GDs), thereby enabling efficient water permeation, selective separation, and fouling resistance. Overall, NC–GD membranes exhibit outstanding performance in heavy metal adsorption, dye removal, oil–water separation, and antibacterial treatment, representing a promising platform for next-generation sustainable water purification systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membrane Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial Wastewater and Emerging Contaminants: Challenges and Innovations)

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