Sustainable Membrane Technologies for Environmental and Industrial Applications: A Review

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2025 | Volume : 02 | 02 | Page :
    By

    Tahseen Khan,,

  1. Student, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Membrane-based technologies have become indispensable in addressing global environmental and industrial challenges, including water scarcity, pollution control, and energy efficiency. While conventional membranes provide high selectivity and process efficiency, their sustainability is limited by factors such as fouling, high energy consumption, and end-of-life waste management. Recent advances in material science, nanotechnology, and bio-inspired design have led to the emergence of sustainable membranes with improved durability, lower environmental footprint, and broader application potential. This review explores the fundamental principles of sustainable membrane science, recent innovations in green materials, and their role in environmental and industrial applications. Case studies in water and wastewater treatment, desalination, air purification, and resource recovery highlight the transformative potential of sustainable membranes. Additionally, industrial applications in food, pharmaceuticals, energy, and petrochemicals are critically examined. Finally, limitations, policy considerations, and future research directions are discussed. The review concludes that sustainable membrane technologies are positioned as central solutions in the transition to a circular economy, offering pathways for eco-friendly industrial growth and environmental protection.

Keywords: Sustainable membranes; Environmental applications; Industrial processes; Nanotechnology; Resource recovery

How to cite this article:
Tahseen Khan,. Sustainable Membrane Technologies for Environmental and Industrial Applications: A Review. International Journal of Membranes. 2025; 02(02):-.
How to cite this URL:
Tahseen Khan,. Sustainable Membrane Technologies for Environmental and Industrial Applications: A Review. International Journal of Membranes. 2025; 02(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijm/article=2025/view=230587


References

  1. Baker RW. Membrane Technology and Applications. 3rd ed. Chichester: Wiley; 2012.
  2. Shon HK, Phuntsho S, Chaudhary DS, Vigneswaran S. Nanostructured Membranes: Science and Applications. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2019.
  3. Mulder M. Basic Principles of Membrane Technology. 2nd ed. Dordrecht: Springer; 1996.
  4. Zhang Y, Wang Z, Lin S. Sustainable membrane materials for water treatment. Environmental Science & Technology. 2020;54(14):9145–9157.
  5. Lee KP, Arnot TC, Mattia D. A review of reverse osmosis membrane materials for desalination. Desalination. 2011;273(1):1–8.
  6. Zhao C, Xu X, Chen J, Yang F. Effect of surface modification on antifouling properties of membrane. Journal of Membrane Science. 2014;450:57–70.
  7. Liu Y, Mi B. Combined fouling resistance of nanocomposite membranes. Environmental Science & Technology. 2015;49(11):6529–6536.
  8. Werber JR, Osuji CO, Elimelech M. Materials for next-generation desalination and water purification membranes. Nature Reviews Materials. 2016;1:16018.
  9. Tang CY, Zhao Y, Wang R, Helix-Nielsen C. Biomimetic membranes: a review. Journal of Membrane Science. 2013;425–426:285–301.
  10. Madaeni SS, Fane AG, Grohmann GS. Virus removal from water and wastewater using membranes. Journal of Membrane Science. 1995;102(1–3):65–75.
  11. Elimelech M, Phillip WA. The future of seawater desalination: energy, technology, and the environment. Science. 2011;333(6043):712–717.
  12. Zhu N, Ji H, Yu P, Niu Y. Nanofiber membranes for air filtration: a review. Separation and Purification Technology. 2020;231:115936.
  13. Van der Bruggen B, Lejon L, Vandecasteele C. Reuse, treatment, and discharge of wastewater. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2003;98(1–3):33–50.
  14. Cassano A, Conidi C, Castro-Muñoz R. Current developments in membrane technology for agro-food applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2018;17(3):778–821.
  15. Ghosh R, Cui ZF. Protein separation using membrane chromatography. Journal of Membrane Science. 2000;167(1):47–53.
  16. Li N, Zhang Q, Zhang T. Advances in proton exchange membranes for fuel cells. Progress in Polymer Science. 2011;36(9):1352–1395.
  17. Bernardo P, Drioli E, Golemme G. Membrane gas separation: a review. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 2009;48(10):4638–4663.
  18. Werber JR, Deshmukh A, Elimelech M. The critical need for low-energy, high-performance membranes. Environmental Science & Technology. 2017;51(17):10268–10275.
  19. Marchetti P, Jimenez Solomon MF, Szekely G, Livingston AG. Molecular separation with organic solvent nanofiltration. Chemical Reviews. 2014;114(21):10735–10806.
Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 02
02
Received 24/09/2025
Accepted 15/10/2025
Published 05/11/2025
Publication Time 42 Days
105

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics