Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) persist in aquatic environments and resist conventional wastewater treatment, thereby sustaining long-term exposure risks. However, decision-making is hindered by uneven global monitoring, especially in Southeast Asia, along with method-dependent variations in occurrence or removal estimates, and limited pilot-scale evidence for truly destructive yet cost-credible treatments. This review synthesises global occurrence trends before and after major regulatory actions and compares reported removals across wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), highlighting geographic variability, gaps in treatment efficiencies and method-dependent results. It also examines the health and environmental threats associated with legacy PFAS and their emerging alternatives when inadequately treated. Current PFAS remediation options (i.e., physical adsorption, membrane treatment, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), and photocatalysis), are benchmarked against practical criteria (i.e., efficiencies, limitations, stability and cost). Particular attention is given to the advantages and challenges of photocatalytic technologies. In particular, membrane technology can considerably improve photocatalytic treatment. Photocatalytic membrane techniques may improve catalyst stability, reusability, and degradation yield. By reducing energy and secondary-waste burdens through catalyst reuse, photocatalytic membranes may be cost-credible. Their scalability depends on durable immobilisation, fouling control, and straightforward integration with current infrastructure. Therefore, these considerations highlight the necessity to investigate and enhance photocatalytic membrane systems for effective and sustainable PFAS remediation.

The palm oil industry is a key player in global agriculture, but palm oil mill effluent (POME) presents significant environmental concerns due to its high organic load. This study investigates the use of TiO2-modified dual-layer (DL) mullite ceramic hollow fiber membranes to improve POME treatment. Single-layer (SL) and DL membranes were prepared via phase inversion and sintering, and characterized using SEM, EDX, ATR-FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and flexural strength tests. The effect of TiO2 loading (1-4 wt%) on DL membrane performance was assessed under UV-Vis irradiation. Results showed DL membranes outperformed SL membranes in photo-catalytic activity, fouling resistance, and self-cleaning properties. The DL4 membrane achieved 44.92 % COD removal, 52.40 % colour removal, 54.50 % rejection, and a flux of 18.90 L/m2 & sdot;h & sdot;bar. These enhancements are attributed to the synergistic effects of TiO2 and the dual-layer design, offering an efficient and sustainable strategy for treating POME in compliance with environmental standards.

The study aims to enhance the biocompatibility of haemodialysis membranes to reduce mortality risks in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients by addressing oxidative stress and thrombus formation. A novel Chitosan Diallyl Disulfide Nanoparticle (CNP/DADS) complex was immobilised into PSF membranes at various concentrations. The most optimal membrane, with 0.3 wt% CNP, demonstrated the highest K-UF of 116 mL/m(2).h.mmHg, 95.7 % BSA rejection, and significant urea, creatinine, and lysozyme clearance rates. This was attributed to increased hydrophilicity, improved morphological structure with higher porosity, and a thinner membrane skin layer. However, CNP/DADS-immobilised PSF HFM showed reduced performance due to denser morphological structures. Despite this, CNP/DADS-immobilised membranes met high-flux standards and exhibited enhanced biocompatibility, low haemolysis percentage, reduced protein adsorption and platelet adhesion, and less complement activation. They also significantly prolonged clotting times (P < 0.001) and demonstrated superior antioxidant activity against nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide compared to CNP alone. Overall, the study suggests the successful development of PSF-based haemodialysis membranes with excellent antioxidant and antithrombotic properties, which is deemed suitable for safely and effectively removing uremic toxins during haemodialysis therapy.

In the quest for sustainable ceramic membrane materials for cadmium removal from water, inexpensive, abundant, and readily available waste materials have drawn substantial research focus. In this regard, a composite hollow fiber adsorptive ceramic membrane was fabricated from mullite and hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived from waste eggshells, named SLCHA, using a combined phase inversion/sintering technique for cadmium removal in an aqueous solution. The effect of different sintering temperatures was investigated, and it was found that SLCHA fabricated with a sintering temperature of 1150 degrees C were the best conditions for membrane fabrication by achieving a high pure water flux of 5202 L/m2h in the first 15 min, which influenced by high porosity, and favorable mechanical properties of 36.99 MPa. Then, the composition of HAp and mullite in the ceramic membrane was varied to evaluate the effect of HAp/mullite compositions on cadmium(II) ion removal performance. The physicochemical characteristics of the fabricated membranes were investigated by SEM, XRD, AFM, three-point bending, and pure water flux test. The results revealed that the particle packing between HAp and mullite significantly impacted membrane morphology, porosity, packing density, and performance. The SLCHA-1 membrane exhibited high porosity, resulting in the highest pure water flux (833 L/m2h at 30 min), but suffered from lower mechanical strength (36.99 MPa). Conversely, the SLCHA-2 HAp membrane demonstrated the best mechanical strength (73.48 MPa) but had the lowest porosity and pure water flux (21.5 L/m2 & sdot;h) after 1h of operation, attributed to its denser packing and reduced pore connectivity. The membrane's performance was evaluated through Cd(II) ion rejection using a dead-end filtration setup, demonstrating effective removal of over 80 % of Cd(II) ions from the aqueous solution, with a maximum removal capacity of 161.95 mg/g. This study highlights the fabrication and performance of hydroxyapatite and mullite-based membranes as potential membranes for contaminant removal.

Functionalization through hydrophobic group incorporation has been widely acknowledged for preparation of advanced ceramic membrane. However, current popular method such as silane grafting was still complicated, produced unstable coating and high possibility of leaching into the environment. Hence, this work presented an alternative functionalization via UV photopolymerization where the process is facile and employed readily available fluorinated polymers; polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and UV curable resin (UCR). Tuning the oxygen vacancy defect by inserting F-ion into O2- ion position in the metal oxide structure improved the membrane overall properties by forming a uniform, smooth, thin layer and well-coated active layer as shown by sample Y1450-U-LOW. In comparison to silane grafting, the polymer coating layer in this study is chemically bonded to the metal oxide structure where it forms a strong and stabilized composite layer membrane consisting of Y-F bond at the interface. The success of this functionalization is further proven by the high membrane distillation performance as the NaCl rejection increased from 30.70% to 99.99% with permeate flux value of 5.66 L/m2.h. Adjustment in the feed NaCl temperature from 25 degrees C to 60 degrees C created more pathway for vapor transport, allowing the best membrane (Y-1450-U-LOW) to reach highest permeate flux value (29.40 L/m2 center dot h) so far in the literature. The stabilized active layer consists of the Y-F bond further sustaining the NaCl rejection at 99 %.

The valuable formation of ternary nanocomposite electrocatalysts with a combination of less expensive transition metal oxides, demonstrated exceptional electrocatalysis process and long-term durability performance towards the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in the application of active direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The ternary electrocatalysts through the combination among Pt2-Pd3 alloy, rGO and different tunable content of ceria were successfully produced via a simple and facile single-step hydrothermally aided reduction of formic acid procedure. The produced ternary nanocomposite electrocatalyst's suitability as an anode electrocatalyst in favour of the electrocatalytic efficiency of MOR performance is extensively investigated along with the significant effects of varying ceria loadings (0.30 wt% - 0.90 wt%). The results clearly demonstrated that more efficient and active of MOR occurred on the surface of ternary electrocatalyst with an optimal ceria amount of 0.45 wt%. Meanwhile, the DMFC testing evaluation based on the EC0.45-40 wt% provides distinguishably better DMFC performance with the highest power density value of 112.64 mW cm-2 achieved compared to the commercial electrocatalysts at 60 degrees C. Therefore, based on the DMFC performance results, the produced EC0.45-40 wt% demonstrated a very promising and remarkable anode electrocatalyst that can be employed in DMFC.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic pollutants that harm the environment and ecosystems. This study presents a novel approach to develop a dual-layer hollow fiber ceramic membrane for phenolic compound removal. A co-extrusion-based phase inversion process and co-sintering techniques were employed to fabricate the membrane, and the effects of TiO2 loadings on the outer layer were investigated. Characterization techniques, including FTIR, SEM, EDX, and zeta potential analysis, were used to analyze the mullite and TiO2 powders and membranes. The membrane's performance was evaluated through rejection tests of POPs at various concentrations (10, 500, and 1000 ppm) and fouling assessments were conducted. The results showed that the M-MT0.6 membrane, with a mean pore size of 0.0245 mu m, effectively rejected benzoic acid (81.45 %), gallic acid (91.45 %), and hydroquinone (74.49 %) from wastewater, achieving the highest permeate flux (1320.50 L/ m2 & sdot;h) for gallic acid at 10 ppm. Additionally, M-MT0.6 exhibited minimal fouling over a 1-h filtration cycle, with the lowest fouling rate (35.1 %) recorded at 1000 ppm for BA, attributed to effective backwashing. However, higher fouling rates were observed at 10 ppm for BA (90.10 %) and HQ (83.50 %). Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of the novel membrane for effective removal of POPs from industrial wastewater.

Herein, we report the first application of room-temperature synthesized NH2-MIL-101(Fe) as an efficient photo-Fenton catalyst for humic acid removal under UV-C/H2O2 irradiation. A detailed comparative analysis of three MOF variants, which were pristine MIL-101(Fe), solvothermal NH2-MIL-101(Fe), and room-temperature NH2-MIL-101(Fe) was conducted to investigate the synergistic effect of amine functionalization and synthesis route on stability and catalytic performance. High-resolution structural, morphological, and surface characterizations were carried out using Aichi Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction (2 = 1.0 & Aring;), JSM-7800F FESEM, and PHI Quantes XPS instruments. To evaluate the subtle thermal energy response of the RT-NH2-MIL-101(Fe), high-energy SR-XRD at SPring-8 (2 = 0.563622 & Aring;) was conducted, revealing its enhanced crystallinity under thermal variation. This study also demonstrates that room-temperature synthesis retains more amine groups (92.68 %) than the solvothermal method (39.21 %), leading to superior structural, morphological, chemical, and optical stability, along with enhanced photocatalytic performance. Notably, this work also proposes a novel mechanism for base-assisted Fe-MOF formation at room temperature, bridging a critical gap in current MOF synthesis knowledge, which has focused primarily on Zn-based frameworks. This study provides key insights into the design of a low-temperature, energy-efficient photo-Fenton catalyst for sustainable water treatment technologies.

In this study, zinc/aluminum layered double hydroxides, Zn/Al LDH were synthesized at varying molar ratios to evaluate their potential for environmental remediation. The synthesis was carried out using a co-precipitation method, producing Zn/Al LDH with molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3, and 3:1. Comprehensive characterization techniques, XRD, FTIR and BET surface area analysis. The greater disparity in ionic radii between Zn 2+ and Al 3+ is responsible for the deformation of the hydroxide layer networks of the LDH crystal, as evidenced by the improvement in crystallinity of LDH samples as the molar ratio is reduced. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups, including hydroxyl and carbonate groups. BET analysis highlighted significant differences in surface area and pore size distribution correlated with the varying molar ratios.

Fouling is a major challenge in oily wastewater treatment, leading to increased operational costs and reduced membrane performance. This study aims to develop a modified PVDF ultrafiltration (UF) membrane with enhanced antifouling properties using hydrophilic surface-modifying macromolecules (LSMMs) through a simple blending and phase inversion process. PVDF membranes were fabricated by incorporating LSMMs into the dope solution. During phase inversion, LSMMs spontaneously migrated to the membrane-air interface, forming a stable hydrophilic and negatively charged surface layer. The membranes were characterized for their permeability, oil rejection, antifouling performance, and long-term stability under continuous operation. The optimized L0.50 T-PVDF membrane exhibited a 58

Palm oil fuel ash (POFA) is a waste byproduct from the combustion of oil palm biomass in power generation. While it does not have the heavy metal leaching issues found in coal fly ash, its production presents challenges related to landfill space and management costs. To address this, POFA can be repurposed as an adsorbent, reducing disposal volumes. In this study, POFA's adsorption properties were enhanced by modifying it with Mg/Fe layered double hydroxides through co-precipitation and hydrothermal treatment. The resulting POFA-Mg/Fe LDH (P-LDH 1.0) was extensively characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, confirming the successful integration of crystalline LDH onto POFA matrix. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the removal efficiency of P-LDH 1.0 against Reactive Orange 16 (RO16) and Crystal Violet (CV), achieving maximum adsorption capacities of 444.07 mg/g and 1048.69 mg/g, respectively. Adsorption performance was influenced by solution pH, dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, and ionic strength. Isotherm and kinetic analyses indicated that the adsorption of P-LDH 1.0 favored Redlich-Peterson isotherms (R2 > 0.99), and pseudo-second-order kinetic models (R2 > 0.97). Moreover, P-LDH 1.0 demonstrated high removal efficiencies for a variety of anionic and triarylmethane dyes, as well as satisfactory treatment of actual industry effluents, including raw textile wastewater and palm oil mill effluent, achieving color, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon reductions ranging between 41.4–94.2

A facile and versatile protocol for preparation of highly crystalline mesoporous molybdenum carbide (MMC) is proposed as an efficient electrode for hydrogen evolution reaction and anode electrode for Li ion battery application. As prepared material shows pure single (3 phase with high surface area. The phase purity of MMC was controlled by adjustment of the carbonization temperature. Additionally, it was also found that the properties of the parent mesoporous phosphomolybdic acid (mPMA) have profound impact on the properties and structure of the final product. XPS and synchrotron based NEXAFS analysis confirmed the complete transformation of mPMA into MMC. The prepared MMC materials were used as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) both in alkaline and acidic media showed excellent onset potential of 79 and 64 mV respectively. Also tested as an efficient anode electrode material for Li-ion battery (LIB) which showed a promising specific capacity of 240 mAh.g-1.

Designing magnetically oriented polybenzimidazole (PBI) as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) with short proton-conducting pathways could provide insight into the advancement of PEM in high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) applications. In this work, ferrocene (Fc) functionality as the alignment agent was introduced into the PBI backbones in the presence of an external magnetic field. The effect of the oriented structure of PBI-Fc-based membranes on their chemical stability and proton conductivity performance was evaluated. The Fenton test was conducted to study the oxidative degradation of the membrane, and significant chemical stability was observed. In the end, the possible mechanism of the oxidative degradation of the membranes was proposed, and high proton conductivity of up to 0.024 Scm-1 is obtained at 180 degrees C for the through-plane PBI-Fc-based membrane with 5 wt% of Fc (PBI-Fc-5 (III)). Therefore, it is shown that the PBI-Fc-5 (III) membrane is a potential membrane for HT-PEMFCs applications

Conventional membranes face challenges such as uncontrollable pore sizes and fouling, which reduce their efficiency. Thermoresponsive hydrogel polymers have garnered significant attention for their innovative applications as smart-gating membranes, which are believed to effectively address fouling issues in wastewater treatment. This review explores how thermoresponsive hydrogels can enhance membrane performance through a phase transition at a specific temperature-responsive behaviour. Various synthesis methods, including conventional techniques such as radical polymerization and advanced approaches like click chemistry, are employed to tailor the properties of thermoresponsive hydrogels. Key physicochemical characteristics, such as swelling behaviour, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, are analysed for their impact on membrane efficacy and functionality as smart-gating applications in wastewater treatment processes. The review highlights the applications of thermoresponsive hydrogel-based membranes in microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis. Different stimuli responses, including thermal, pH, and ionic responses, are discussed regarding their ability to enable dynamic adjustments to membrane permeability. Recent developments demonstrate how these hydrogels can mitigate fouling and improve water treatment efficiency using biodegradable materials. The review concludes with future research directions aimed at optimizing these smart-gating membranes for broader implementation in sustainable wastewater treatment technologies.

Organic contaminants in water are causing major health risks to humans and the environment due to their potential ecotoxicological and adverse health impacts. Remedial measures are necessary to address their removal by implementing ecologically responsible and economical measures. Photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants is a productive approach for treating wastewater and preserving the natural world. Developing highly active photocatalysts and appropriate photoreactor designs can enhance the overall efficiency of the photodegradation of persistent organic contaminants (POCs). Comparatively, substantial attention has been focused on improving catalyst efficiency, but minimal efforts have been devoted to the development of photoreactors and parameter optimization. This review critically analyzes state-of-the-art designs and parameter optimization to enhance the performance of photoreactors employed for photocatalytic degradation. The review paper begins by discussing the photocatalytic degradation mechanism, the thermodynamics of the reaction, and the study of mass transfer. The mainstream literature critically discusses parameters that influence the efficiency of photoreactors, along with evaluations of various types of reactors. The present article investigates the key aspects to consider when developing and constructing photoreactors, distinguishing them from prior research studies. Reactors for scaling photocatalytic reactions are also examined. This study recommends improving photoreactor performance by critically analyzing the parameters that impact degradation efficiency and upgrading them according to industrial requirements. Developing hybrid equipment by coupling photoreactor systems with thermal, piezo, and other technologies to obtain highly efficient photothermal, piezo-photoreactor, etc., is needed. These steps will pave the way for future research and commercialization.

Palm oil mill effluent (POME), a byproduct of palm oil processing, has substantial resource recovery potential. Its rich biodegradable content supports methane (CH4) production via anaerobic digestion, enabling renewable energy generation. Additionally, the significant water content of POME can be reclaimed for use in boiler feed, irrigation, and drinking water. However, selecting appropriate technologies to recover valuable resources from POME is challenging, particularly for the purification and upgrading of biogas. Membrane technologies offer an effective approach for transforming POME treatment from an energy-intensive process into a resource recovery system, supporting the decarbonization of palm oil production and advancing global sustainability objectives. This technique is cost-effective and ecofriendly for biogas purification and water reclamation. For biogas purification and upgrading, membrane systems offer the lowest capital and operational costs at 5.654 USD/m3, compared to other technologies, such as 6.249 USD/m3 for water scrubbers and 6.999 USD/m3 for chemical absorbers. This review primarily explores the potential of membranes for gas purification from POME and examines their integration with other processes to develop advanced systems, such as ultrasonicated membrane anaerobic systems and membrane anaerobic systems, to enhance biogas production. In addition, water reclamation from POME is discussed, with ultrafiltration membranes emerging as the most promising candidates. Proton exchange membranes, such as Nafion, are used extensively in microbial fuel cells to improve electricity generation, and this is also summarized. Finally, challenges and future perspectives are highlighted, emphasizing the broader potential of membrane technology in POME wastewater resource recovery.

Conventional membrane technologies for arsenic removal often struggle with inefficiencies due to arsenic neutrality, high-pressure needs, low water flux, limited contact area, and scaling issues. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel dual-layered flat sheet adsorptive membrane via a co-casting technique, incorporating thermally activated MgO nanoparticles (MgO650°C) into the selective layer. This co-casting technique enables both strong adhesion and enhanced adsorption performance. The membrane with MgO650°C: 2.0 ratio exhibited excellent performance, combining an arsenate adsorption capacity (184.56 mg/g), efficient water permeability (167.39 L/m2.h.bar), and rejection efficiency of over 99 %. The adsorption behavior followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, implying that chemisorption is the dominant mechanism. The application of four adsorption isotherm models with kinetic analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the adsorption mechanism. This is further supported by EDX elemental mapping, which confirmed the formation of As-O-Mg complexes on the membrane surface. Additionally, the membrane can be easily regenerated using a 0.1 M NaOH solution coupled with the ability to maintain performance over multiple cycles, underscoring its reusability. This work presents a scalable, regenerable, and highly adsorptive membrane platform, establishing a new benchmark for arsenic removal efficiency in membrane-based water treatment systems.

The palm oil industry, as the largest producer of edible oil in the world, generates considerable volumes of biomass waste, including oil palm fronds, trunks, empty fruit bunches, mesocarp fibers, palm kernel shells, and palm oil fuel ash. Improper disposal of these residues contributes to environmental pollution and resource management challenges. This review aims to critically evaluate recent developments in transforming oil palm biomass waste (OPW) into low-cost, high-performance adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater, while aligning with zero-waste and circular economy goals. Recent studies have demonstrated that OPW-derived adsorbents, when subjected to particle size reduction and surface functionalization, exhibit significantly enhanced adsorption capacity and recovery efficiency. Notably, activated carbon nanoparticles derived from empty fruit bunch via KOH activation have demonstrated adsorption capacities exceeding 1000 mg/g for Cu2+ and Pb2+, attributed to their ultrafine size and high surface reactivity. These materials also show strong reusability, with over 80 This review underscores the potential of OPW-derived adsorbents as sustainable and cost-effective alternatives for industrial wastewater treatment. The incorporation of OPW-based materials into engineered systems and the evaluation of post-treatment strategies (e.g., regeneration, reuse, safe disposal) demonstrate their applicability for real-world continuous processes. By promoting the valorization of agricultural waste and addressing current pollution control needs, these materials contribute to improved wastewater management, sustainable resource management, and industrial circularity in palm oil–producing regions. The findings offer valuable insights for environmental managers, policymakers, and industries in adopting circular economy practices and eco-friendly pollution control solutions.

Amine-modified mixed matrix membranes (A-Ms) have been developed with improved anti-plasticization behavior at high pressure for natural gas purification. Neat polysulfone (PSf) hollow fiber membranes and amine-modified zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (A-ZIF-8) blended PSf membranes have been prepared with the aim of purifying natural gas. The fabricated membranes have been evaluated using gas performance tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). When tested using pure gases, the membrane with 0.25 wt percent A-ZIF-8 demonstrated a substantial enhancement in CO2/CH4 selectivity of 50 %, 72 %, and 69 % when compared to the neat membrane, and an increase of 33 %, 78 %, and 77 % in CO2/CH4 selectivity compared to the virgin ZIF-8-based membrane at feed pressures of 6, 8, and 10 bar (g), respectively. Subsequently, the separation performance has decreased due to the increased A-ZIF-8 loading. Improved anti-plasticization behavior at high feed pressure is further demonstrated by the exceptional gas separation performance at low loading of A-ZIF-8 nanoparticles. The promising results showed the potential use of A-ZIF-8 for natural gas purification.

Fuel cells have garnered significant research attention over the past decades due to their versatility across portable, transportation, and stationary applications. Among various types, the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) stands out as the most promising due to its ability to generate clean energy using hydrogen and oxygen without carbon dioxide emissions. Nafion, the commercial proton-conducting membrane used in PEMFCs, offers excellent proton conductivity along with high chemical and thermal stability. However, its high cost and limited operational temperature range (up to 80 °C) poses significant challenges for practical applications. Therefore, this study explores a cost-effective alternative nanocomposite membrane based on sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) incorporated with graphene oxide (GO) as a carbonaceous filler. GO was synthesized via a modified Hummer’s method and integrated into the SPEEK matrix. The resulting nanocomposite membrane was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for morphological analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify functional groups. The Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) was optimized using hot-pressing at 110 °C under 5 tons for 4 minutes, achieving a peak power output of 184.02 mW. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of GO enhances the performance of the PEM, positioning GO-SPEEK as a promising and cost-effective substitute for Nafion in PEMFC applications.