Nanofiltration for drinking water treatment: a review

Area of Science:

• Water treatment technologies
• Membrane science and engineering
• Environmental engineering

Background:

• Nanofiltration (NF) is a key technology for producing safe drinking water from various sources.
• Continuous advancements in NF membrane materials and fabrication are crucial for effective water purification.
• Addressing diverse water quality challenges requires tailored NF membrane solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the progress of NF-based drinking water treatment.
• To summarize the development and applications of NF membranes across different water sources.
• To highlight the removal efficiency of major and emerging contaminants by NF membranes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of nanofiltration membrane research.
• Synthesis of information on membrane materials, fabrication, and applications.
• Analysis of contaminant removal data for various water types.

Main Results:

• NF membranes effectively remove major pollutants like hardness, pathogens, and natural organic matter.
• NF demonstrates significant potential for removing micropollutants such as disinfection byproducts, PFAS, and arsenic.
• Fit-for-purpose membrane design is essential for optimizing contaminant removal for specific applications.

Conclusions:

• Nanofiltration is a versatile and effective technology for diverse drinking water treatment needs.
• Further research into membrane fouling, chlorine resistance, integrity, and selectivity is needed for enhanced performance.
• Optimized NF membranes are vital for stable and reliable production of high-quality drinking water.