Membrane Technologies for Emerging Contaminants: Materials, Mechanisms, and Process Integration

Emerging contaminants - including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), and other persistent pollutants-pose a growing challenge for water and wastewater treatment. Their chemical diversity, low concentrations, and resistance to conventional treatment processes demand advanced and adaptable solutions. Membrane technologies have emerged as a key platform for addressing these challenges, offering tunable selectivity, modularity, and compatibility with hybrid treatment systems.This Research Topic focuses on the development, evaluation, and application of membrane-based technologies for the removal and control of emerging contaminants in aqueous systems. Emphasis is placed on understanding separation mechanisms, improving selectivity and permeability, mitigating fouling, and benchmarking membrane performance against current state-of-the-art approaches. Contributions exploring the integration of membrane processes into treatment trains, as well as their scalability, energy efficiency, and lifecycle implications, are particularly encouraged.Submissions should demonstrate clear relevance to membrane science and engineering, with a focus on practical application and performance validation. Studies centered solely on contaminant occurrence, monitoring, or risk assessment without a membrane component are outside the scope.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:Membrane removal mechanisms for emerging contaminants (e.g., size exclusion, adsorption, electrostatic interactions)Comparative performance of MF, UF, NF, RO, and emerging membrane systemsHybrid and integrated processes (e.g., membrane–adsorption, membrane–oxidation)Fouling behavior and mitigation strategies in contaminant-rich watersPilot-scale and full-scale applicationsProcess optimization, energy efficiency, and lifecycle assessmentMaterials and membrane design linked to demonstrated separation performanceArticle types include original research, reviews, short communications, case studies, and modeling studies with clear implications for membrane applications. Topic editors: Jitendra Anil Kewalramani, Jishnu Adhikari, Debashis Chatterjee, Shanthana Lakshmi Duraikkannu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80433/membrane-technologies-for-emerging-contaminants-materials-mechanisms-and-process-integration