Recent advances in membrane technologies for disinfection by-product control: Hybrid systems, challenges, and future perspectives

Abstract

Membrane technology is pivotal in water reuse for limiting disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation in surface water and wastewater, enabling safe potable and non-potable applications. Wastewater effluents, rich in dissolved organic matter (DOM), act as major DBP precursors, posing challenges for water reclamation. Pretreatment-enhanced or hybrid membrane systems have emerged as essential strategies to control DBP formation and ensure water quality. This mini review critically examines recent advances in microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverses osmosis (RO) membranes for controlling DBP formation. While NF and RO can achieve up to 90–99 % removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and effectively reduce DBP formation potential (DBPFP) by over 80 %, MF and UF alone are limited in NOM/DBPFP removal and typically require integration with coagulation or other pretreatment processes for significant DBP control. However, low-molecular-weight neutral DBPs like NDMA remain challenging, with rejection rates frequently below 40 %. Hybrid systems, including ozonation-NF and photocatalytic membrane processes, show enhanced DBP removal efficiencies of up to 95 %, while offering benefits in fouling control and operational stability. Despite these advances, challenges persist in scalability, cost, and the environmental sustainability of emerging membrane materials. Future research should prioritize the integration of advanced nanomaterials, machine learning-driven membrane design, and life cycle assessments to enable safe and economically viable DBP management in water treatment and reuse.