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

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1989

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mohammed J. K. Bashir

E-Mail Website
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

E-Mail Website
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 (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4105 KB  
Article
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 446
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 [...] Read more.
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  
Article
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 608
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 [...] Read more.
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

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24 pages, 5623 KB  
Review
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
Viewed by 654
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 [...] Read more.
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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