Sustainable Membrane Technologies for By-Product Separation of Non-Pharmaceutical Common Compounds

Abstract

The Chinese pharmaceutical industry and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are both vital components of Chinese culture. Some traditional methods used to prepare TCMs have lost their conformity, and as a result, are producing lower-quality medicines. In this regard, the TCM sector has been looking for new ways to boost productivity and product quality. Membrane technology is environmentally-friendly, energy-saving technology, and more efficient than traditional technologies. Membrane separation is the most effective method for separating and cleaning the ingredients of the non-pharmaceutical common compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Membrane technology is currently being employed for the concentration, purification, and separation of TCMs. This review paper discusses how membranes are fabricated and their role in non-pharmaceutical common compound separation and TCM purification. Accordingly, the membrane applicability and the technological advantage were also analyzed in non-pharmaceutical common compound separation. Researchers pay attention to the choice of membrane pore size when selecting membranes but often ignore the influence of membrane materials and membrane structure on separation, resulting in certain blindness in the membrane selection process.

Bead-Containing Superhydrophobic Nanofiber Membrane for Membrane Distillation

“…Recently, considerable research efforts have been focused on developing new membranes with high salt rejection efficiency for extended usage. Despite significant advancements in crafting superhydrophobic electrospun membranes for MD applications, challenges remain regarding their durability and robustness, mechanical strength, and ease of manufacturing [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Recent studies have highlighted that nanofiber membranes or composites incorporating nanoparticles, carbon materials, and bead-formation nanofibers can significantly enhance nanofiber membrane characteristics and performance [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”

Fabrication of a polyethersulfone/polyethyleneimine porous membrane for sustainable separation of proteins in water media

“…In order to precipitate the polymer from the film, the solvent is first replaced with a coagulant, and then the film is submerged in a non-solvent solution. [11][12][13][14] Until now, the production of porous membranes has been attempted using a number of different types of polymers. Particularly, PES is often used to manufacture porous membranes because of its good miscibility, chemical and mechanical stability, and high glass transition temperature.…”

“…In order to precipitate the polymer from the film, the solvent is first replaced with a coagulant, and then the film is submerged in a non-solvent solution. 11–14…”