2023 Microporous membranes for ultrafast and energy-efficient removal of antibiotics through polyphenol-mediated nanointerfaces

Authors:
Yu Wang, Yunxiang He, Qin Wang, Xiaoling Wang, Blaise L. Tardy, Joseph J. Richardson, Orlando J. Rojas, Junling Guo

Journal:
Matter 6.1 (2023): 260-273., doi.org/10.1016/j.smaim.2022.11.008.

Institute:

BMI Center for Biomass Materials and Nanointerfaces, College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China

National Engineering Research Center of Clean Technology in Leather Industry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China
School of Pharmacy, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610225, China
Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo 02150, Finland
Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113−8656, Japan
Bioproducts Institute, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China

Abstract:
The wide-spread overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to major risks to human health, which demands breakthrough technologies for elimination of antibiotics from water streams. Membrane-based water purification has drawn substantial interest for this purpose. However, high permeance and high antibiotic-removal efficiency remain extremely challenging. In this work, the use of polyphenol-based nanoengineering to functionalize conventional microporous membranes capable of ultrafast removal of ten different antibiotics in an in-line flowthrough purification system is explored. The high adsorption kinetics of these nanocoatings enable a record-high permeance (9,774 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) with exceptional removal rate and efficiency, at a relatively low energy cost (0.09 kWh m−3), even in a real-world wastewater treatment. Molecular dynamics simulations provide detailed insights into the role of polyphenol-based nanocoatings and their multiple molecular interactions with antibiotics. This work provides a promising and sustainable platform for engineering the next-generation adsorption-based membranes for clean water production