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Patel RV, Yadav A, Shahi VK. Advances in membrane distillation for wastewater treatment: Innovations, challenges, and sustainable opportunities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2025; 969:178749. [PMID: 40022985 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2025] [Accepted: 02/03/2025] [Indexed: 03/04/2025]
Abstract
Water pollution and the growing demand for zero liquid discharge solutions have driven the development of advanced wastewater treatment technologies. Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising thermal-based process capable of treating high-salinity brines and wastewater. This review provides an in-depth analysis of MD configurations, operating principles, and membrane characteristics while addressing key challenges such as fouling and pore wetting which hinder large-scale implementation. To overcome these limitations, various membrane fabrication and modification strategies, including physical and chemical approaches, have been explored. The integration of MD with other processes (hybrid MD) for wastewater treatment is also examined. A comprehensive discussion on the mechanisms of organic, inorganic, and biological fouling and their impact on MD performance is presented. Additionally, recent advancements in antifouling strategies, including surface modifications, novel materials, and operational optimizations, are reviewed. Furthermore, the review critically analyzes membrane wetting, its governing mechanisms, and mitigation techniques. By summarizing the current challenges and future prospects, this work provides valuable insights into improving MD performance for practical applications. The findings serve as a foundation for further research and technological advancements in the field of wastewater treatment using MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Vardhan Patel
- CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar-364002, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India.
| | - Anshul Yadav
- CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar-364002, India; Department of Water Resources Development and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, 247667, India.
| | - Vinod Kumar Shahi
- CSIR-Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar-364002, India; Department of Polymer and Process Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, 247667, India.
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Manouchehri M. A comprehensive review on state-of-the-art antifouling super(wetting and anti-wetting) membranes for oily wastewater treatment. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 323:103073. [PMID: 38160525 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.103073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
One of the most dangerous types of pollution to the environment is oily wastewater, which is produced from a number of industrial sources and can cause damage to the environment, people, and creatures. To overcome this issue, membrane technology as an advanced method has been considered for treating oily wastewater due to its stability, high removal efficiency, and simplicity in scaling up. Membrane fouling, or the accumulation of oil droplets at or within the membrane pores, compromises the efficiency of membrane separation and water flux. In the last decade, the fabrication of membranes with specific wettability to reduce fouling has received much consideration. The purpose of this article is to offer a literature overview of all fabricated anti-fouling super(wetting and anti-wetting) membranes for applicable membrane processes for the separation of immiscible and emulsified oil/water mixtures. In this review, we first explain membrane fouling and discuss methods for preventing it. Afterwards, in all membrane separation processes, including pressure-driven, gravity-driven, and thermal-driven, membranes based on the form and density of oil are categorized as oil-removing or water-removing with special wettability, and then their wettability modification with different materials is particularly discussed. Finally, the prospect of anti-fouling membrane fabrication in the future is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massoumeh Manouchehri
- Department of Chemical Engineering, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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Zhang H, Zhao X. Enhanced Anti-Wetting Methods of Hydrophobic Membrane for Membrane Distillation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300598. [PMID: 37219004 PMCID: PMC10427381 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Increasing issues of hydrophobic membrane wetting occur in the membrane distillation (MD) process, stimulating the research on enhanced anti-wetting methods for membrane materials. In recent years, surface structural construction (i.e., constructing reentrant-like structures), surface chemical modification (i.e., coating organofluorides), and their combination have significantly improved the anti-wetting properties of the hydrophobic membranes. Besides, these methods change the MD performance (i.e., increased/decreased vapor flux and increased salt rejection). This review first introduces the characterization parameters of wettability and the fundamental principles of membrane surface wetting. Then it summarizes the enhanced anti-wetting methods, the related principles, and most importantly, the anti-wetting properties of the resultant membranes. Next, the MD performance of hydrophobic membranes prepared by different enhanced anti-wetting methods is discussed in desalinating different feeds. Finally, facile and reproducible strategies are aspired for the robust MD membrane in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglong Zhang
- Lab of Environmental Science & TechnologyINETTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Lab of Environmental Science & TechnologyINETTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084P. R. China
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Superhydrophobic PVDF membrane modified by dopamine self-polymerized nanoparticles for vacuum membrane distillation. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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Plasma-assisted facile fabrication of omniphobic graphene oxide membrane with anti-wetting property for membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Liu F, Mao W, Dong W, Li D, Liu Q, Deng B. The effect of functionalized multi-walled carbon tube/polyvinylidene fluoride support membrane on the formation and performance of polyamide film. JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-022-03249-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Zhang S, Dai F, Wang Q, Qian G, Chen C, Yu Y. The fabrication of porous hollow polysulfone microspheres with PEG as a porogen for methylene blue adsorption. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Abstract
Water serves as an indispensable part of human life and production. On account of the overexploitation of traditional water sources, the demand for wastewater recycling is expanding rapidly. As a promising water treatment process, membrane distillation (MD) has been utilized in various wastewater treatments, such as desalination brine, textile wastewater, radioactive wastewater, and oily wastewater. This review summarized the investigation work applying MD in wastewater treatment, and the performance was comprehensively introduced. Moreover, the obstructions of industrialization, such as membrane fouling, membrane wetting, and high energy consumption, were discussed with the practical investigation. To cope with these problems, various strategies have been adopted to enhance MD performance, including coupling membrane processes and developing membranes with specific surface characteristics. In addition, the significance of nutrient recovery and waste heat utilization was indicated.
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Direct contact membrane distillation with softening Pre-treatment for effective reclaiming flue gas desulfurization wastewater. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2021.119637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Chang H, Liu B, Zhang Z, Pawar R, Yan Z, Crittenden JC, Vidic RD. A Critical Review of Membrane Wettability in Membrane Distillation from the Perspective of Interfacial Interactions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:1395-1418. [PMID: 33314911 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hydrophobic membranes used in membrane distillation (MD) systems are often subject to wetting during long-term operation. Thus, it is of great importance to fully understand factors that influence the wettability of hydrophobic membranes and their impact on the overall separation efficiency that can be achieved in MD systems. This Critical Review summarizes both fundamental and applied aspects of membrane wetting with particular emphasis on interfacial interaction between the membrane and solutes in the feed solution. First, the theoretical background of surface wetting, including the relationship between wettability and interfacial interaction, definition and measurement of contact angle, surface tension, surface free energy, adhesion force, and liquid entry pressure, is described. Second, the nature of wettability, membrane wetting mechanisms, influence of membrane properties, feed characteristics and operating conditions on membrane wetting, and evolution of membrane wetting are reviewed in the context of an MD process. Third, specific membrane features that increase resistance to wetting (e.g., superhydrophobic, omniphobic, and Janus membranes) are discussed briefly followed by the comparison of various cleaning approaches to restore membrane hydrophobicity. Finally, challenges with the prevention of membrane wetting are summarized, and future work is proposed to improve the use of MD technology in a variety of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering (Ministry of Education), College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Baicang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering (Ministry of Education), College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610207, China
| | - Zhewei Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Ritesh Pawar
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Zhongsen Yan
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - John C Crittenden
- Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Radisav D Vidic
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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Wang C, Zhang L, Yuan H, Fu Y, Zeng Z, Lu J. Preparation of a PES/PFSA- g-MWCNT ultrafiltration membrane with improved permeation and antifouling properties. NEW J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj05322h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this study, perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) was firstly grafted on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to obtain PFSA-g-MWCNT nanocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcong Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
| | - Haikuan Yuan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
| | - Yujia Fu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
| | - Zheng Zeng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
| | - Jie Lu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Shanghai 201620
- China
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Khan AA, Siyal MI, Kim JO. Fluorinated silica-modified anti-oil-fouling omniphobic F-SiO 2@PES robust membrane for multiple foulants feed in membrane distillation. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:128140. [PMID: 33297128 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD) can be eminent solution for oily wastewater treatment if the membrane provided is slippery and tolerant to low surface tension complex solutions. This study describes preparation of an anti-oil-fouling omniphobic polyethersulfone membrane using fluorinated silica nanoparticles (F-SiO2@PES) combined with perfluorodecyl triethoxysilane and polydimethylsiloxane for application against oil-In-water (o/w) emulsions. Feed solutions consist of different concentrations of oil (hexadecane), different charge surfactants (anionic sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate, non-ionic Tween 20, and cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and salt (NaCl). The hierarchical re-entrant micro structured surface of the omniphobic F-SiO2@PES membrane and functional groups are confirmed by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The anti-oil-fouling and anti-wetting performance of omniphobic F-SiO2@PES membranes are investigated using contact-angle, sliding angles, DCMD tests with multiple foulants of surfactants. Omniphobic F-SiO2@PES membrane exhibited effective anti-oil-fouling and anti-wetting performance against emulsions as no severe fouling and a conductivity rises were evident regardless of surfactant charge and the concentration of components. Flux reduction and rejection rates for the omniphobic F-SiO2@PES membranes are in a range of 5-15% (only) and >99%, respectively, for various combinations of feed solution components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aftab Ahmad Khan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Muhammad Irfan Siyal
- Department of Materials and Testing, National Textile University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Jong-Oh Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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