Development of nanocomposite membranes for removal of pharmaceutically active compounds in water: A review

Abstract

The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in drinking water sources is a serious global challenge. Although several approaches have been made to overcome the challenge, unfortunately, most wastewater treatment processes still lack the capacity to provide water completely free of PhACs. This review reports the use of nanocomposite membranes as a promising material for the efficient removal of PhACs from the water system. The study revealed that fouling and high energy consumption–the major associative limitations of conventional membranes, can be circumvented by incorporating metal oxides and carbonaceous nanoparticles into nanocomposite membranes. Interestingly, photocatalytic nanocomposite membranes exhibited the additional benefit of complete degradation of PhACs. Therefore, it is essential to focus future studies on understanding the details of the photocatalytic nanocomposite membrane process. Furthermore, conducting more studies on a large scale, cost evaluation, and toxicity profiling of nanocomposite membranes is vital.