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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

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Published on: April 7, 2017

Thin Film Composite Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membrane Technology towards a Circular Economy.

Amaia Lejarazu-Larrañaga¹, Junkal Landaburu-Aguirre¹, Jorge Senán-Salinas²

¹IMDEA Water Institute, Avenida Punto Com, 2, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain.

|September 22, 2022

Summary

Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination generates millions of end-of-life membranes annually. This review explores circular economy strategies for RO membrane life cycles, focusing on sustainable design and recycling to minimize landfill waste.

Keywords:

circular economy eco-design end-of-life energy recovery fouling indirect recycling life cycle assessment membrane recycling and reuse reverse osmosis

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Materials Science
Chemical Engineering

Background:

Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination is projected to generate over 2 million end-of-life membranes globally by 2025.
Current disposal of RO membranes in landfills contradicts waste hierarchy principles and environmental sustainability goals.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the implementation of circular economy principles across the entire RO membrane life cycle.
To analyze current and emerging strategies for the valorization of end-of-life RO membranes.
To highlight the importance of sustainable design and end-of-life management in RO technology.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive literature review of RO membrane life cycle stages: manufacturing, usage, and end-of-life.
Analysis of circular economy principles applied to RO technology.
Evaluation of alternative valorization routes for end-of-life membranes, including reuse, recycling, and energy recovery.
Discussion of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating recycling strategies.

Main Results:

Future RO membrane design should prioritize biobased materials, enhanced durability (fouling and chlorine resistance), and module recyclability.
Optimized membrane maintenance during usage, including pre-treatment and effective cleaning, can extend service life.
Emerging indirect recycling strategies show promise for end-of-life membrane valorization beyond landfilling.
Life Cycle Assessment is crucial for a holistic environmental and economic evaluation of recycling methods.

Conclusions:

Integrating circular economy principles into RO technology is essential for sustainable membrane management.
Developing and implementing effective end-of-life valorization strategies for RO membranes is critical to align with global environmental objectives like the European Green Deal.
Continued research and innovation in biobased materials and recycling technologies will drive the future of sustainable RO desalination.