Prospects of Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Purification and Scalability and their Health and Environmental Impacts: A Review

Abstract

Water shortage is a major worldwide issue. Filtration using genuine polymeric membranes demonstrates excellent pollutant separation capabilities; however, polymeric membranes have restricted uses. Nanocomposite membranes, which are produced by integrating nanofillers into polymeric membrane matrices, may increase filtration. Carbon-based nanoparticles and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles have received the greatest attention. We evaluate the antifouling and permeability performance of nanocomposite membranes and their physical and chemical characteristics and compare nanocomposite membranes to bare membranes. Because of the antibacterial characteristics of nanoparticles and the decreased roughness of the membrane, nanocomposite membranes often have greater antifouling properties. They also have better permeability because of the increased porosity and narrower pore size distribution caused by nanofillers. The concentration of nanofillers affects membrane performance, and the appropriate concentration is determined by both the nanoparticles’ characteristics and the membrane’s composition. Higher nanofiller concentrations than the recommended value result in deficient performance owing to nanoparticle aggregation. Despite substantial studies into nanocomposite membrane manufacturing, most past efforts have been restricted to the laboratory scale, and the long-term membrane durability after nanofiller leakage has not been thoroughly examined.

Current Status and Advancement of Nanomaterials within Polymeric Membranes for Water Purification

“…37−40 Various inorganic nanoparticles have been shown to have antibacterial properties, a feature that can be useful for drinking water disinfection and antibacterial applications. 41,42 For example, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are frequently employed inorganic nanoparticles owing to their strong antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. Furthermore, they exhibit exceptional selectivity toward specific microorganisms and possess a size that enables them to infiltrate biological entities.…”

“…42 This is because in the presence of AgNPs, the membrane of the cell raptures in the course of endocytosis, enabling entry of the nanoparticles into the cell. 41 They also have low toxicity to human beings and are easy to incorporate into various substrates for disinfection purposes. 28 Various methods of producing nanoparticle-based polymeric membranes have been documented.…”

Hierarchical Bamboo/Silver Nanoparticle Composites for Sustainable Water Purification

“…Nowadays, the global human population is increasing, putting pressure on potable water supply resources and leading to severe drinking water issues in many countries. , To address the environmental issue related to water pollution, functional biomass development has been explored worldwide. − In this regard, compared to traditional water disinfection methods, such as high-temperature disinfection, which tends to have high energy consumption and contributes to environmental pollution, functional biomass exhibits greater potential due to its chemical accessibility and biodegradable properties. ,, Most functional biomaterials applied for water purification to date have been synthesized using nanotechnology, a promising approach for improving effectiveness. − …”

Modification of Liquid Separation Membranes Using Multidimensional Nanomaterials: Revealing the Roles of Dimension Based on Classical Titanium Dioxide

“…A significant amount of work related to the development of membranes for liquid separation processes have been published in the past 10 years, indicating the importance of this topic to industries and communities. Membrane modification through the introduction of nanomaterials is one of the most extensively reviewed topics in view of the effectiveness of this strategy in tailoring the physico-chemical properties of membranes [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Significant efforts have been made in developing nanocomposite membranes using metal oxides including TiO 2 , which is well-known for its low cost, abundancy, high chemical stability, and nontoxicity to the environment and humans.…”